Best Japanese Rice Cooker (Buying Guide)

Are you looking for the best Japanese rice cooker? If so, then you’re at the right place. 

Undoubtedly rice is one of the most versatile dishes in the world. You can make various rice dishes and enjoy them throughout the week without getting bored, specifically Japanese rice. But many of us are not better at cooking rice; they are overcooked, undercooked, scorched, meshy, or dry. This is because the most crucial factor for making good rice is having the right equipment. Japanese rice cookers are considered the ideal choice for making the best-tasting rice within a few minutes.  

In this post, we have reviewed some of the best Japanese rice cookers Reddit that our team of experts and reviewers have selected after hours of testing. We have also enclosed a brief guide on how our team has selected the best Japanese cooker and what things you need to consider when buying one for you.

Best Japanese Rice Cooker Reviews

Buying Guide – How to Buy the Best Japanese Rice Cooker?

Many people find it challenging to find the best Japanese rice cooker brands and thus waste their money. We understand that there are different brands in the market, and choosing which is suitable for you cannot be obvious. 

But you don’t need to fret!

In this guide, We have enclosed all the essential things you need to consider for buying an excellent rice cooker japanese that is highly durable, meets your demands, and is low in price. 

Brand

One of the most important things determining a cooker’s credibility is the manufacturing brand. Here are some of the most reliable brands that you can go for:

• Panasonic: When it comes to home appliances, no one can beat the credibility of Panasonic, one of Japan’s biggest electronics producers. Since 1918, they have produced premium quality products with advanced features and are wildly popular worldwide.
• Zojirushi: This is another leading company founded in 1918 in Japan. They have an impressive reputation worldwide. Rice cookers are one of their hot-selling products. Their products are highly reliable and convenient to use.
• Tiger: Although it is a little younger than Zojirushi and Panasonic, they still produce unique and highly productive cooking appliances. Their rice cookers come with excellent craftsmanship, have Synchro-cooking functions, and are highly straightforward. 

Type of Rice Cooker

Once you select a reliable brand, decide what type of cooker you wanted to buy. There are usually two types of rice cookers: traditional and eclectic. Traditional rice cookers are comparatively simple in design and use a heating source to cook the rice. On the contrary, electric rice cookers are highly versatile, operating with multiprocessing technology enabling you to cook various kinds of rice without any hassle. All you need to do is select what kind of rice you want to cook and let the cook do the rest. [1]

Capacity

After typing, let’s come to the capacity: How much rice you wanted to cook in your cooker? Generally, rice cookers have a carrying capacity of between 3 to 15 cups. However, some may have a capacity as large as 26 cups; they are rare and not frequently used at home. So, carefully consider your needs and buy a cooker with the desired capacity.

Visit our guide to know which is the best rice for rice cooker.

Another important thing that you need to know when selecting the capacity of the rice cooker is: Rice gets doubled in size when cooked. For Instance, If the cooker has a capacity of 5 cups of uncooked rice, you will get 10 cups of cooked rice. So, attentively read the manufacturer manual for cooked and uncooked rice capacity.

Material

Japanese rice cookers are typically made of metals such as stainless steel and aluminum. However, some are also made with plastic but they usually have a non-stick aluminum interior. 

Stainless steel and aluminum rice cookers are considered more durable and they last for decades, some even generations. So, if you’re planning to make a good investment of your money, metal rice cookers are the best option. You will also find vinyl cookers, they are inexpensive but not as durable as metal ones. 

Design

No matter which kitchen appliance you’re going to buy, design is always one of the top priorities. You need to consider various factors: size, shape, and appearance of the cooker. Make sure to choose the one that has an impressive design and the right size that perfectly fits into your kitchen. If you have a large kitchen size is not a problem, but in case of a small kitchen make sure to buy one with a compact size that can easily fit into your kitchen cabinet. 

Ease of Cleaning

It is also another important aspect you need to keep in mind when buying a rice cooker. Accurate cleaning is necessary for enhancing the durability and longevity of the cooker. So, it is wise to choose a cooker with a wide mouth opening and detachable parts to make the cleaning process easy and effortless. [2]

Accompanied by a micro computerized fuzzy technology and premium quality build Zojirushi Micom Rice Cooker and Warmer is one of the best Japanese rice cookers on our list. This excellent rice cooker has a microcomputer that makes it just like a robotic chef that takes your command and makes the temperature adjustment accordingly.  

Whether you want to make white/mixed rice, sushi, bridge, or any other type of rice you can make them with this rice cooker. The Multiple menu settings allow you to select your desired menu for making perfectly cooked delicious rice every time. That tastes delicious with almost every kind of menu.

The inner pan is thick and non-stick, providing an even distribution of heat and preventing the rice from burning and scorching. What’s more, the cooker comes in two different capacities: 5 ½ and 10 cups. This means whether you want to buy a small family or a big one you can choose between them. You can also get a rice measuring cup, spatula, and spatula holder with the cooker for more effortless and economical cooking.

Produced by one of the most popular leading brands in Japan, Panasonic is another excellent rice cooker on our list. This cooker has a heavy-duty aluminum exterior and copper interior with a diamond coating that ensures even heat distribution for optimal cooking. It operates with induction heating technology that produces electricity inside the cooker to produce perfectly cooked fluffy rice every time. 

It is not only durable but also highly versatile with 13 different preset settings control panels that allow you to make a variety of dishes including porridge, white rice, brown rice, quinoa, sticky rice, and more. The right LCD displays at the top of the cooker so you can easily set the temperature and time. What’s more, you can also choose between slow and fast cooking options, making it a perfect choice for emergency cooking. 

As for other features, it has a spacious capacity of producing 10 cups of fluffy cooked rice and comes with a special measuring cup for portioning the desired amount, a ladle, and a non-scratching rice spoon for authentic Asian-style service.

Here is another rice cooker designed by Zojirushi. This induction rice cooker offers a high-quality stainless steel exterior that perfectly fits any kind of kitchen decor and gives it an exquisite look. The superior induction heating ensures the even distribution of heat through the pan for making perfectly cooked rice every time. You can cook a variety of different rice dishes from white rice, to mixed rice, porridge, sushi rice, sweet rice, brown rice, GABA brown rice, and more. 

The control panel is easy to use and has a bright LED display that is easy to read. You can easily set the temperature time and select your desired cooking setting without any hassle. What’s more, the automatic keep warm feature keeps the rice warm for more than 8 hours saving you from the trouble of reheating. The detachable inner pan and lid make the cleaning process pretty effortless making it one of the most convenient options for you. 

That’s not all, NP-HCC10XH also comes with an interchangeable melody and beep signal that informs you when cooking begins and ends, eliminating the guesswork.

If you wanted to buy an extra large rice cooker for your new business or wanted to replace the previous one, then Onlicuf Commercial Rice Cooker is the ideal option for you. This amazing rice cooker comes with a spacious capacity of 30 cups of uncooked rice which means you can collectively get 60 cups of cooked rice, making it the perfect choice for restaurants, canteens, cafeterias, and mess. 

It is interesting to note that the cooker features a 3-D heating plate and built-in insulation belt that prevent the heat from trespassing the cooker and keep your rice warm even after hours of cooking. Also, the non-stick inner pot is removable and easy to clean while the stainless steel body with thickened aluminum alloy ensures the durability and longevity of the cooker. 

The only downside is: it does not come with different preset settings, so you can’t make various kinds of dishes. However, it is a durable, safe, and easy-to-use rice cooker specifically for business purposes.

If You Want to buy an inexpensive rice cooker without compromising on durability and productivity, then this is your ideal choice. Made with premium quality stainless steel it is highly durable and versatile. The cooker features 11 digital cooking programs that allow you to make a variety of dishes from rice to pasta, soup, stew, sauteed, and steamed veggies. So, make a variety of special and healthy dishes with this multipurpose cooker and save a lot of money from spending on different appliances.

Another plus point, the rice cooker has a large capacity of 10 cups of uncooked rice. This means you can easily make 20 cups of cooked rice to serve a large family, friends gathering, and parties. Also, it operates under normal pressure as compared to all other cookers and has an ergonomic handle that ensures your safety during cooking. With the non-stick coating, the cleaning becomes easy making it more convenient and reliable to use.

If you’re looking for a stylish option then give a try to this beautiful rice cooker from Toshiba. This rice cooker not only has an exquisite design but is also highly durable thanks to its stainless steel building material. It is also one of the most healthy options too as it removes up to 37% of unhealthy starch and increases 35% of healthy starch making your rice more healthy and palatable. So, if you’re health conscious or have diabetes, this is an ideal choice for you. 

With this multifunctional cooker, you can make different kinds of dishes from white rice, brown rice, mixed grain, quinoa, soup/stew, steam, and oatmeal to light up your dinner table. You can select the menu from the touchscreen control panel and make full flavor, perfectly cooked rice without making much effort. Also, the cooker has a non-stick inner pan, detachable steam vent, and inner lid that make the cleaning easy and straightforward.

Have you ever thought about making two dishes with a rice cooker at the same time? Do it with the Tiger JAX-T18U-K multitasking cooker. The cooker operates with a synchro cooking feature that allows you to cook rice in the inner pot and an extra dish on the cooking plate at the top of the pan. It uses the steam from the cooking rice and cooks the dish on the plate without affecting the taste and flavor of both dishes. So, whatever dish you want to enjoy with your favorite rice, put it in the cooker and your meal will be ready in no time. 

Tiger Jax also comes with 10 different computerized menus that enable you to make a variety of dishes from simple white rice to delicious porridge, grain and soups. What’s more, you also have a choice between soft and hard porridge as well as slow and fast cooking. Also, if you don’t know how to cook Japanese rice in a rice cooker, you don’t need to worry because it comes with a Japanese rice cooker recipe cookbook. As a result, you can make a variety of delicious dishes and enhance your dining experience.

This elegant, smart, and efficient, perfectly describes the Cuckoo CRP-P0608S rice cooker. This is another rice cooker that operates with fuzzy logic technology to ensure optimal temperature and pressure for making perfectly cooked rice every time. With 12 preset settings, you can have an extensive array of cooking options from simple white rice to complex porridge, soup, and nu rung ji. While with reheat you can easily warm up the leftovers in no time. 

It is not only efficient in cooking but also highly durable with stainless steel build. The inner pan comes with premium diamond coating for optimal heat distribution and is scratch resistant to last longer than usual. The only downside is that it has an LCD display on the front side of the cooker, not on the top, so you need to bend a little for selecting the menu. However, it is not a big problem compared to the benefits that it offers.

This rice cooker is another ideal option with a quality build designed by the renowned Panasonic brand. Like the others, this cooker also doesn’t have any exceptions in terms of durability, versatility, and functionality.

Another point that we love is that the cooker is available in two different capacity options: 5 cups and 10 cups. So whether you want to buy a cooker for a small family or a large one, this is the ideal option for you. Most importantly, it is the first cooker on our list that has a wide menu of almost 16 settings. So, if you want to make a wider variety of dishes with your rice cooker then this is the right choice for you.

Last but not least, This beautiful and eye-catching cooker from Zojirushi is our wrap-up option for the best rice cookers. It has an exquisite design with a bright white cooler that perfectly compliments every kind of kitchen decor and gives a lavish look to your kitchen. It is not only stylish but also highly durable with a stainless steel exterior and non-stick inner pan that enhance the longevity of the cooker.

The cooker also operates with neuro-fuzzy logic technology to ensure even heat distribution for perfect and flavorful cooking. An extra large, easy-to-read bright LED display enables you to effortlessly select your desired menu and a detachable cord ensures easy maneuvering of the cooker. It also has an auto keep warm feature to keep leftovers warm for an extended period of time saving you from the trouble of reheating.

Final Verdict

Now you know what features make a good rice cooker and read our review of the top 10 best Japanese rice cookers in the market, it’s time to select the one that fits your needs and budget. If you’re still confused, we suggest Zojirushi Micom Rice Cooker and Warmer it is one of the best rice cookers in our list with the most features and control. However, if you’re looking for a budget, COMFEE’ Rice Cooker is the best cheap Japanese rice cooker with excellent build and large capacity.

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