Which Rice Cooker Brand is the Best?

Hi everyone! On this page, I would like to show you my list of the top 5 rice cookers. Of course, choosing 5 of the best devices wasn’t a simple task, there are many great rice cookers on the market.

So, to make my choice easier I stick to certain criteria.

• First of all, selected rice cookers are characterized by excellent quality cooked rice and dishes based on rice.
• Another important thing was the quality of the device and the number of available cooking options.
• The last criterion was the price. I think it makes no sense to create such kind of rankings by showing just high-end devices for a ton of money. So, I decided to pick some of the best rice cookers for specific price ranges.

Okay, let’s get started!

Which Brand is Best for Rice Cookers?

5. Tiger Corporation JBV-A Rice Cooker

• Product: Tiger JBV-A10/18U Rice Cooker
• Capacity: 5.5 or 10 cups of uncooked rice
• Body: Plastic
• Steaming Tray: Yes
• My Rating: 7.5 out of 10

The first rice cooker on my list is created by Tiger Corporation. It’s a Japanese company that isn’t as well known as Zojirushi, but makes really great rice cookers. The best proof of this statement is Tiger Corporation JBV-A. I think It’s one of the most modest-looking models in this ranking.

Why I Chose This Rice Cooker

This white inconspicuous rice cooker can cook really outstanding rice, especially white. Unfortunately, when it comes to cooking options, there are not too many of them. The default rice varieties you can cook in this rice cooker are limited to white and brown.

However, it doesn’t mean that the assortment of dishes for Tiger JBV-A is small, not at all. As you probably know or not, almost every rice cooker is a multifunctional device, so you can cook in its pasta, soups, stews, eggs, and many other foods.

Another great thing is the steaming tray which is attached to this rice cooker. A steaming tray is one of my favorite things added to rice cookers because it will make your diet even more varied and interesting.

There is nothing healthier than steamed vegetables and meat or only vegetables if your diet is more restrictive. A steaming tray is one of the reasons why I think this rice cooker is a good choice.

Appearance and Capacities

Tiger JBV-A has a very uniform white appearance and doesn’t have an LCD screen. It can be a little weird because most of the rice cookers today have an LCD or other type of display. Despite this little flaw, I think this is still a great device, especially for $70 or $90.

The neat and minimalist look of this rice cooker gives it some charm. The white color makes it perfect for almost any kitchen.

It’s worth mentioning that there are two variants of this rice cooker, with a capacity of 5.5 cups and 10 cups. Depending on how many people will be using this device, you should choose a larger or smaller version.

Summary

Tiger JBV-A looks very neat but it’s a solid device that has great potential. If you are a fan of sushi (like me) or other dishes based on white rice, Tiger JBV-A should satisfy your needs.

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4. Cuckoo CR-0631F Rice Cooker

• Product: Cuckoo CR-0631F Rice Cooker
• Capacity: 6 cups of uncooked rice
• Body: Plastic
• Steaming Tray: No
• My Rating: 8 out of 10

Cuckoo CR-0631F is a very popular and proven rice cooker model, especially in the Asian markets, but also in the United States has its followers.

Why I Chose This Rice Cooker

Cuckoo Corporation’s rice cookers are known for cooking very tasty and fluffy rice, Cuckoo CR-0631F is no exception. If you like rice with very specific softness or texture, this model is right for you.

Thanks to the special technology used in this rice cooker, you can choose the degree of softness and glutinosity of your cooked rice very precisely. You can choose from 16 different variants! So, I’m sure you’ll find rice that perfectly fits your preferences 🙂 .

Thanks to this rice cooker you can cook white rice, brown rice, germinated brown rice (GABA) and glutinous rice. If you like porridge, you will also find such a cooking option.

As with other rice cookers, using Cuckoo CR-0631F you can cook a variety of dishes such as pasta, pancakes, chicken, vegetable soup, and much more. There are lots of recipes on the net.

Appearance and Capacities

The characteristic feature of this rice cooker is the mix of white and pink colors. I honestly don’t like this combination of colors, I’m not a fan of a pink assortment in my kitchen, but it’s a matter of taste 🙂 .

Basically, for me, this is the only “fault” of this rice cooker I have found.  Generally, this device is very solid and made of high-quality plastic. So, you don’t have to worry about its durability.

The capacity of this device is standard, it’s 6 cups of white rice (about 1 liter). Unfortunately, this rice cooker doesn’t have a more capacious model. So, if you have a large family to feed, it may be too small for you.

Summary

Cuckoo CR-0631F is a simple to use, solid device. The amount of rice varieties you can cook in this rice cooker is not too big. But this rice cooker cooks very tasty rice which should meet the expectations of most rice supporters.

The special technology used in this rice cooker allows you to cook rice with a consistency that will exactly match your preferences.

In my opinion for $110 dollars, there is no better rice cooker on the market, I highly recommend this device.

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3. Zojirushi NS-TSC Rice Cooker

• Product: Zojirushi NS-TSC10/18 Rice Cooker
• Capacity: 5.5 or 10 cups of uncooked rice
• Body: Stainless Steel
• Steaming Tray: Yes
• My Rating: 9 out of 10

Here we go to one of the most reputable brands that produce rice cookers – Zojirushi.

It’s no coincidence that all three podium seats occupy the equipment of this company. If you are interested in rice cookers then you surely know that this is one of the best companies producing this type of device.

Why I Chose This Rice Cooker

The types of rice you can cook using Zojirushi NS-TSC are at least few. If you are a fan of brown or sweet rice just choose the right option. Of course, rice cooked in this rice cooker is great, rice grains have the right consistency and they are great for sushi.

Zojirushi NS-TSC besides being a great rice cooker it’s also very versatile. Like Tiger JBV-A, this device has a special steaming tray that you can use to mix your diet. If you like steamed salmon fillets and vegetables, this tray will be very useful for you.

Thanks to the Zojirushi NS-TSC you can cook everything in one go.

This rice cooker is the only one on this list that has the option to bake a cake! If you want to bake a cake in a simple way, you have two recipes in the attached cookbook. The first one is for a sponge cake and the other for a delicious cheesecake.

Appearance and Capacities

The construction of this device is very solid and durable. Zojirushi NS-TSC has a very modern design.

It doesn’t matter if you have a kitchen in white or lots of wooden elements, the stainless steel exterior of this rice cooker makes it looks very well. The steel exterior makes the device match any kitchen decor.

Finally, I would like to mention that this rice cooker comes in two versions, 5.5 cups and 10 cups of uncooked rice, 1 cup is 6.1 oz. It’s worth knowing if you don’t eat your meals alone.

Summary

Zojirushi NS-TSC rice cooker is a great device that deserves recognition especially for rice and steamed dishes supporters. Rarely happens that such a universal rice cooker also cooks very good rice.

Not without reason this rice cooker is one of the most commonly purchased that kind of devices on amazon.

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2. Zojirushi NP-NVC Rice Cooker

• Product: Zojirushi NP-NVC10/18 Rice Cooker
• Capacity: 5.5 or 10 cups of uncooked rice
• Body: Stainless Steel
• Steaming Tray: No
• My Rating: 9 out of 10

The second place on the podium in my ranking is taken by Zojirushi NP-NVC. This is high-end and very expensive device, it costs about $350 depending on the size of the device.

Someone may think that if a rice cooker has such a high price it must be made of gold and frankly it is not far from the truth, but I’ll write about it later 🙂 .

Why I Chose This Rice Cooker

If you want to talk about the advantages of this rice cooker, you can not skip the technology used here.

The inner pan in the case of this model has platinum particles that are designed to extract the full flavor of cooked rice grains. These molecules increase the alkalinity of water which makes it easier to penetrate into the rice grains.

This way cooked rice has an even better consistency and a more sweet taste than rice cooked in some usual inner pan.

What can you cook in this rice cooker? In addition to white rice, other options include brown rice, GABA brown rice, semi-brown rice, sushi rice, sweet rice, porridge, scorched rice, and umami.

The umami option allows the rice cooker to cook and soak the rice a little longer to bring out the sweeter taste of your rice. The scorched rice option makes the rice on the bottom of the inner pot a little more scorched. This type of rice is very tasty and popular in Asian cuisine.

In addition, you can choose the degree of hardness should have white rice grains. You can choose whether you like softer or harder rice, according to your preferences.

Appearance and Capacities

The look of this device is very similar to the Zojirushi NS-TSC, but in my opinion a little nicer 🙂 . The silver elements look really great on the brown body. The construction of this rice cooker is very solid which should not be surprising for the device at this price range.

As with other Zojirushi models, here you also have two variants of this rice cooker that vary in capacity. In general, there is nothing to fault with this rice cooker maybe except the price which is very high.

Summary

Zojirushi NP-NVC has a high price but in my opinion, it’s justified by modern technologies used in this device that do their job. If you are a connoisseur of rice and you like its delicate sweet taste, it’s a rice cooker for you.

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1. Zojirushi NS-ZCC10

• Product: Zojirushi NS-ZCC10/18 Rice Cooker
• Capacity: 5.5 or 10 cups of uncooked rice
• Body: High quality plastic
• Steaming Tray: No
• My Rating: 10 out of 10

Another great rice cooker from the Japanese company is Zojirushi NS-ZCC10. I think this is the best rice cooker available on the market. Why do I think so? Not only because of the high quality of cooked rice which is amazing, but also the number of possibilities offered by this device.

What’s in This Rice Cooker so Special

If you are a supporter of a diet rich in different types of rice, you will not be disappointed. Thanks to Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 you can cook delicious white rice, brown rice, semi brown rice, sweet rice, and rare rice varieties like a museum or pre-washed rice. With the option of choosing the hardness of rice grains, you can specifically match rice to your preferences.

Also, if you eat sushi from time to time, then you probably know that properly cooked rice is very important. White rice cooked in Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 is crisp elasticity, which is the best for this type of dish.

This rice cooker also cooks more aromatic rice varieties such as basmati or jasmine. Unfortunately, the menu does not have the option of cooking these species of rice, but the manufacturer gives the right way how to do it. If you like dishes with a delicate aroma then you should pay attention to these varieties of rice.

Appearance and Capacities

The quality of the device is impeccable, and the materials and construction are very solid. This rice cooker in my opinion looks very stylish, especially in a white kitchen. The oval shape of this rice cooker gives it a sense of delicacy and elegance.

There are two versions of this rice cooker depending on how big your family is. The standard version of Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 has a capacity of 5.5 cups of uncooked rice. Zojirushi NS-ZCC18 has the capacity of 10 cups. The cup attached to this rice cooker has 6 oz.

Summary

As I wrote, in my opinion, Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 is the best rice cooker, this fact confirms many positive reviews. The only “drawback” I can see is the lack of a steam tray. On the other hand, if you are interested in the quality of cooked rice, this rice cooker is the best option.

And the Winner is…

Okay, it’s time for a brief summary. All the rice cookers I have presented in this ranking deserve attention, however, which one is best for YOU?

Each model is good for various reasons. However, if I had to choose the device that has the most to offer and it doesn’t cost a fortune, I think that it would be Zojirushi NS-ZCC10/18.

I’m sure Zojirushi NS-ZCC10/18 will fully satisfy your expectations, it’s the best choice. The device is very solid and made of high quality materials. The variety of rice types you can cook in this rice cooker is huge.

And most importantly, rice cooked in this device will be as good as ever before. So, what do you want more? I think this rice cooker is the best option. Cheers!

A Journey To The Origin Of Rice Cookers

Nothing like kicking back and taking a look at how rice cookers came to be. Japan is one of the countries that first introduced modern rice cookers, however, they also used a traditional version of rice cookers to be able to cook the rice that they eat.

The community mainly called the first rice cooker denshijaa 電子でんしジャー or the suihanki 炊飯器すいはんき, but more locally they were known to many as kamados. Kamados are rice cookers from large stoves where you can place large pots in them to start cooking rice.

The heat was integral to cooking rice in kamados, knowing that they are built from clay and brick fragments, they need a strong amount of fire which came from many logs. Rice was stapled food, but it didn’t mean that cooking them was easy before, people in the Kofun era had to make it with what they had.

Rice Cookers: Slowly Evolving With Technology

The good thing about technology is that it did not stop the improvement of rice cookers. Gradually, electric rice stoves came into the picture. They are generally easier to use than kamados and instead of pots, they use stoves and tubs. Instead of logs, people used heating coils.

Fast forward to the era of electric cookers where various electric companies started vying to make the first ever commercially successful rice cookers.

As this was an important kitchen appliance in Japan, a lot of Japanese companies like Mitsubishi, Sony, Matsushita, and Toshiba each made their own versions.

Many versions came forth and they ranged from simple looking rice cookers with heating coils located in the tubs. The problem with many of these is that they were still not too convenient for people to use. These modern electric rice cookers were basically left to dust by the majority of people.

Now before you say that Toshiba shouldn’t be on the list of failures, here’s when the company finally is able to give justice to what electric rice cookers should be like. There was one thing that all the older electric rice cookers lacked, and that is automation. If you want to know more how to use a rice cooker, you’ll find out here.

People looked for convenience and Toshiba decided to give it to them. Thus, the birth of the first commercially accepted electric rice cookers. This version finally had an automatic response signaling you that the rice has been cooked perfectly.

Main Types Of Rice Cookers

You can find two major types of modern electric rice cookers that you can find nowadays. Even if you think that they all seem the same, there are main features that set them apart from one another.

Traditional And Jar-o-Mat Rice Cookers

• Generally small rice cookers. You can find only one-touch buttons on their
• These models can only cook plain rice.
• Very user-friendly even for first-time users.
• The heating element is usually at the bottom part of the pot and some models install these heating elements on the lid.
• Since traditional rice cookers have a hole in the lid, heat escapes faster.

Micro-computerized or fuzzy logic rice cookers

• Modern rice cookers embedded with programs, they are able to follow the user’s behavior.
• Rice cookers like these can actually make the cooking decisions for you.
• The rice cooker can collect data through your cooking habits and can pattern how the food is cooked inside.
• If you are a user that does not want to be tied down to regular settings, then this type is for you.

An example of one of the best fuzzy logic rice cookers – Zojirushi NS-ZCC10/18

Basic Features Of A Good Rice Cooker

Below are some of the most common criteria for rice cookers. These features are very important if we think about a device suited to our needs.

1. Size

Rice cookers vary when it comes to size. There are smaller ones, medium ones, and larger ones. You will have to decide what type of rice cooker would fit you and your family. if you live alone then the smallest size would fit you just well.

2. The timer

Timers are very important in rice cookers because they give you an idea of when the rice will be cooked. See to it that you’re comfortable with the type of timer the rice cooker you wish to buy has.

3. Rice cooker pots

It’s important that the rice cooker pot has a non-stick surface. This is because you would not want the rice to be sticking on the bottom part of the edges of the pot when you are cleaning them. There are many types of non-stick surfaces that you can choose from.

4. Versatility

Many rice cookers nowadays are multifunctional. This is because of the growing demand for people who want to cook more than rice on their respective rice cookers. This is where you decide whether you want a rice cooker that cooks only plain rice, or you go for those that have multiple settings.

When it comes to more sophisticated rice species such as sweet rice or arborio rice, not every rice cooker has a default option that allows you to cook such rice.

5. Settings and programming

Prices of rice cookers vary because of the settings and programming. This is where technology gives a helping hand. The more expensive the rice cooker is, the more settings they have and this is because of the amount of technology that is embedded in them.

What To Consider When Rice Cooker Hunting

1. Your cooking practices– If you cook rice a lot this will matter. The number of times in a day that you cook rice, plus the number of cups that you use to cook rice will all matter. If you cook less, buy a smaller rice cooker, if you cook more, buy a bigger one so that you can cook all the needed cups in one go.
   
   
2. What types of rice you usually cook-There are people who prefer eating other types of rice from time to time, and you have to think about this as well. If you like red rice, brown rice, or making soups and porridge, you are better off with multifunctional rice cookers than regular ones.
   
   
3. Choose between the main types of rice cookers– Make sure that you understand which of the types of rice cookers available will suit you the best. Know the differences between traditional, jar-o-mat, and micro-computerized rice cookers.
   
   
4. Brands are important-It matters that you consider the durability, design, quality, and flexibility of the rice cooker. The better the brand, then the better the rice cookers that you can buy.

Should You Buy a Cheap Or Expensive Rice Cooker?

Many always believe that the more expensive the price is, the better. However, this is not always the case especially when it comes to rice cookers.

The main difference in the prices of rice cookers would be because of the technology that is embedded in them.

This is why fuzzy logic rice cookers are more expensive than one-push button rice cookers. If you want a rice cooker that has more features then you can go for the more expensive fuzzy logic types.

If you just want a rice cooker that does its job well aka cooking rice, then you can go with traditional rice cookers.

Problem solved? You’re nearly there, hang on!

It all depends on your choice really, but a good choice would be deciding whether you want to save and settle for regular rice cookers, or if you want to invest and go for high-tech rice cookers that have all the fancy settings.

If you decide to buy a rice cooker, remember to take care of it properly.

So How do Choose the Best Rice Cooker? What Should You Do?

Overall, rice lovers will love rice in whatever form they may take. Make sure that you choose a rice cooker that you can afford and that you can use well. The more that you cook, the more features that you will need from your rice cookers.

The biggest trend nowadays is getting multifunctional rice cookers. These are rice cookers that are mid-range in price but can give you the settings and the features that high-tech rice cookers offer.

It’s a good option when you want to experience the best of both worlds and if you are also willing to shell out more than the price of traditional rice cookers.

There is so much more you could learn about rice cookers. Wondering what amazing food you can cook using these little lifesavers? Check out more articles from this blog and find out how you can pump up that simple rice meal and make it look like it came from a fancy restaurant!