We Made Countless Batches of Rice with 19 Rice Cookers to Find Four Top Picks

There are two kinds of people in this world: those who grew up with a rice cooker, and those who didn't. If you didn't, I extend to you my sincerest sympathies; if you did, high five!

People who are accustomed to seeing a rice cooker on their parents' kitchen counter will require no explanation for an equipment review of the appliance; the utility and convenience of this type of device were likely demonstrated to them on a near-daily basis. For those who didn't, let me briefly extol: A good rice cooker offers convenience and gustatory pleasure in equal measure—giving you perfectly cooked rice, whenever you want it, whether it's first thing in the morning or right when you get home from work.

To find the best rice cookers, we tested 19 models, making seemingly countless batches of rice to land on our top picks. If you've ever been in the market for a rice cooker, you've probably realized that there are a lot of options available. Some leading companies like Zojirushi and Cuckoo make enough that an entire review could be consumed just by a single company's offerings. Three machines from Zojirushi fit our criteria, and so our first order of business was running early rounds of testing pitting its models against each other, moving forward only with our top pick from the company. That model, the Zojirushi Induction Heating System Rice Cooker & Warmer, ended up being one of our winners.

We also recently re-tested our favorite rice cookers—comparing them to newer models—to make sure they're still the best of the best. This means our top picks have held up to repeated evaluation for years (no small task).

The Winners, at a Glance

The Best (and Cheapest) Rice Cooker

Hamilton Beach Programmable Rice Cooker

$53 at Amazon $60 at Target $53 at Home Depot

The Hamilton Beach rice cooker was a surprisingly strong performer in our many tests, keeping pace with rice cookers that are much more expensive. Despite having a more rudimentary control panel than its competitors, as well as fewer presets, it was just as good at cooking long-grain rice as it was short- and medium-grain—and was the standout winner for cooking brown rice. It also cooked rice in less time than any of its competitors. 

The Best Splurge Rice Cooker

Zojirushi Induction Heating System Rice Cooker & Warmer

Orig. $426 $337 at Amazon $365 at Williams-Sonoma $320 at Walmart

While the price point of this model is high, Zojirushi is well-known in the rice cooker space for good reason. In our tests, it cooked Japanese rice varieties exceptionally well. It has accommodations for those with visual impairments (including sound signals, like the playing of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" to indicate when the rice cooker has started and stopped cooking).

The Best Rice Cooker for Control Freaks

Cuckoo CR-0655F Rice Cooker and Warmer

Orig. $100 $70 at Amazon $72 at Walmart View on Cuckooamerica.com

The Cuckoo CR-0655F rice cooker was another consistently strong performer. Given its slightly higher price point relative to Hamilton Beach, we decided to recommend the Cuckoo only for those home cooks who are quite serious about rice. 

Other than its good performance, the Cuckoo has a relatively small footprint, an attractive exterior, and a number of presets, including one for germinated brown rice (GABA). While the control panel isn't as intuitive as we'd like, once you get used to operating it, the Cuckoo offers up a range of customization options, including how long to soak your rice, how long to heat it, and at what temperature to cook it.

The Most Foolproof Rice Cooker

KitchenAid Grain and Rice Cooker

$300 at Amazon

The KitchenAid Grain and Rice Cooker is by no means a traditional rice cooker: It’s more similar to a multicooker, like the Instant Pot. But after testing it, we were won over by its delayed start feature and scale that automatically dispenses the perfect amount of water—no measuring required. It’s a great option for “set-it-and-forget-it” types, or anyone who’s new to using a rice cooker. 

The Tests

Before each test, we prepared many varieties of rice the same way. The dry rice was placed in a bowl filled with cold water. We swirled the rice by hand 15 times and then drained it, repeating the process seven times to ensure the rinsing water ran clear. Then we drained the rice in a fine-mesh strainer before placing it in the rice cooker's pot.

First, we narrowed the field with basic rice cooking tests (cooking rice according to the manufacturer’s instructions, as well as our prescribed quantities and ratios). We evaluated the cookers on performance and ease of use and eliminated poor performers.

Finally, when we had determined a preliminary list of winners, we tested them against an Instant Pot, using the Instant Pot's method for foolproof rice.

• Short-Grain Japanese Rice Test: We cooked short-grain Japanese rice in the cookers, at both the minimum and maximum quantities. We assessed the rice’s texture and flavor immediately after, five minutes after, and 15 minutes after cooking.
• White Jasmine Rice Test: We repeated the above process with white Jasmine rice.
• Brown Basmati Rice Test: Once again, we repeated the testing process with brown rice.
• Quick Cooking Test: If the machine had a quick-cook function, we used that and assessed whether the rice suffered in quality, and how much time it saved in contrast to the typical cooking function.
• Seasoned Rice Test: We tested how well the machines did when cooking flavored rice, using set quantities of rice and dashi.
• Keep Warm Test: For this test, we cooked rice according to the basic instructions and let the rice sit in the pot—without opening the lid—for eight hours on the Keep Warm function. In some instances, we were unable to test for the full eight hours and instead used the machine’s maximum Keep Warm time. (The KitchenAid Grain and Rice Cooker, for example, has a max of six hours.)
• Performance and Ease of Use Test: Throughout each test, we took note of the user experience: Were there clear and easily read measurement lines? Was the display panel simple or complicated? How efficient was it to navigate different settings?

What We Learned

A Simple, Intuitive Control Panel Will Best Suit Most Cooks

There’s a bit of a learning curve on the more advanced models. But the appeal of a rice cooker for most households is the hands-off efficiency and elimination of guesswork water-to-rice ratios. For that reason, the Hamilton Beach will suit many. Our favorite Zojirushi is one of the brand’s more user-friendly options, and the KitchenAid is a snap to master (you don’t even have to measure anything when filling the cooking pot and water tank). We recommend the Cuckoo for cooks with intricate knowledge and experience with cooking specialty rice.

…But the Ability to Customize Was Nice

Many of the rice cookers were programmed with options like the ability to dial in between Jasmine and Basmati rice. Although we did not conduct any formal tests on added cooking features, we were impressed by machines that included programs for beans and other grains. The KitchenAid was a standout in this category, with 21 preset cooking options. Most of the advanced rice cookers we tested also came with the ability to save a customized time or temperature setting.

Texture Was a Matter of Preference

One cook’s inedibly hard rice is another's perfect al dente. For example, in our brown rice test, the Hamilton Beach produced fluffy and distinct grains of brown rice that were a little firm directly after cooking but softened to a pleasing consistency after about 15 minutes. The Cuckoo and the Zojirushi, on the other hand, produced brown rice with a sticky consistency, very reminiscent of the texture of cooked short- and medium-grain Japanese rice varieties. 

If you’re highly opinionated about rice texture, you’ll want to choose a machine with customizable programs. Some, like the Cuckoo, offer plenty of opportunities for greater control, although the ability to choose minute details like soak time and cooking temperature may overwhelm some cooks. For a more streamlined approach, the KitchenAid display lets the cook choose between “soft,” “regular,” and “firm” textures.

The Best Rice Cookers Were Speedy

Most of the rice cookers on our winners' list had quick-cook options, and we consider that essential. It doesn’t matter how good the rice is if it takes forever (practically speaking) to cook. The Hamilton Beach made a near-perfect batch of brown rice in under an hour—an impressive feat.

Keep Warm Functions Were Only Helpful If They Preserved Quality

Beyond cooking rice, a rice cooker also serves as a rice warmer, keeping it at serving temperature for long periods without scorching or drying it out. We eliminated any rice cooker that produced dry, gummy, or burnt rice after eight hours. The best rice cookers kept the rice warm and tender, with distinct, fluffy grains that were (almost) as good as just-cooked rice. 

Why You Shouldn't Cook Rice in an Instant Pot

Whenever rice cooking as a topic comes up, someone will inevitably point out that you can cook rice in the Instant Pot. However, we found that the Instant Pot's rice was terrible and under- and over-cooked at the same time (and this was using their suggested method).

Should You Buy Any Accessories for Your Rice Cooker?

Some of the rice cookers we tested came with accessories, like steamer baskets and paddles. But in our experience, these add-ons aren’t the greatest quality (we didn’t love the Hamilton Beach’s included paddle). If you plan on using your rice cooker a lot, it’s worth picking up the following accessories.

• Rice Washer and Strainer: Typically, rice is rinsed before cooking. You could simply use a mesh sieve for the job, but a dedicated rice washer is pure luxury.
• Steamer Basket: A steamer basket is meant to be used for vegetables or other foods, either on top of cooking rice or just over water. Two of the rice cookers on our list (the Hamilton Beach and KitchenAid) include steamer baskets.
• Rice Paddle: A rice paddle is made for fluffing the rice without smushing or damaging the grains. They’re historically made from wood, although heat-resistant and dishwasher-safe silicone can be a nice, if unconventional, option.  

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Rice Cooker 

It depends on the variety, but all rice should cook up evenly so there aren’t pockets of over- or under-cooked rice—and certainly no scorched rice. The grains should be distinct and soft enough to eat, but not so soft that they become mush. Long-grain rice should be fluffy and dry, while short- and medium-grain rice should cook up slightly sticky, but not water-logged or gummy. A good rice cooker should also be easy to use, with user-friendly features like easily read measurement markings or a built-in scale. Special features should enhance the rice-making experience, like efficient Keep Warm functions and the ability to delay the start of a cooking cycle. Plentiful presets for specific rice varieties are a must; presets for other grains and beans are a bonus.

The Top-Performing Rice Cookers

The Best (and Cheapest) Rice Cooker

Hamilton Beach Programmable Rice Cooker

$53 at Amazon $60 at Target $53 at Home Depot

What we liked: While its appearance would suggest that it's nothing special, the Hamilton Beach 37548 performed just as well as, if not better than, more expensive machines. The Hamilton Beach excelled at every type of rice we cooked—despite having a single preset—and in every test we ran, except for the test of the quick-cooking rice function, it cooked rice faster than any other machine.

If what you're looking for is a no-nonsense, budget-friendly machine that's simple to use and puts well-cooked rice on the table in about 30 minutes, the Hamilton Beach is it. It proved to be quite capable of handling varying amounts of liquid for similar quantities of rice, which means it's less susceptible to producing bad rice as a result of user error. 

What we didn’t like: Like all rice cookers, cooking the maximum amount of rice it can hold will give you subpar results. It produced scorching on the rice along the bottom of the cooker, which became pronounced after using the Keep Warm setting. The provided measuring cup was shallow, and the fluffing paddle, while functional, was a bit flimsy. Commerce editor Grace Kelly owns this rice cooker and notes that the hinged lid is prone to falling down when lifted, which can be unnerving when it’s hot. 

Key Specs

• Weight: 4.8 pounds
• Uncooked capacity: 7 cups
• Cooked capacity: 14 cups
• Dimensions: 10.75 x 10.75 x 11.06 inches
• Accessories: Steamer basket, paddle, measuring cup
• Settings: 6 (white rice, quick white rice, whole grain, hot cereals, steam cook, and heat/simmer)

The Best Splurge Rice Cooker

Zojirushi Induction Heating System Rice Cooker & Warmer

Orig. $426 $337 at Amazon $365 at Williams-Sonoma $320 at Walmart

What we liked: Cooks who make a lot of Japanese rice should consider this Zojirushi model. It comes with instructions for varieties of rice typically found in Japanese markets, like polished rice with the germ still attached and two types of "semi-brown" rice.

We also want to note that Zojirushi, alone among the brands we tested, has some accommodation for those with visual impairments: The Start and Cancel buttons have a raised dot and dash, respectively, so you can start and stop the machine by touch alone, and all Zojirushi models have (quite loud) sound signals (the default is a rendition of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star") to indicate when the cooking process has begun or ended.

What we didn’t like: Of course, this rice cooker is expensive. It also produced mushy seasoned rice.

Key Specs

• Weight: 9 pounds
• Uncooked capacity: 5 1/2 cups
• Cooked capacity: 11 cups
• Dimensions: 14 x 10 x 8 inches
• Accessories: Rice scoop, measuring cup
• Settings: 10 (including white rice, sushi rice, mixed rice, and sweet rice)

The Best Rice Cooker for Control Freaks

Cuckoo CR-0655F Rice Cooker and Warmer

Orig. $100 $70 at Amazon $72 at Walmart View on Cuckooamerica.com

What we liked: The Cuckoo CR-0655F has a relatively straightforward control panel, particularly for cooks who plan on using the preset programs for cooking glutinous rice varieties, long-grain rice, and brown rice. The one slightly confusing element of the preset programs was that long-grain rice and brown rice share the same preset; while that may be unorthodox, it did result in the Cuckoo taking the top spot for the jasmine rice cooking test and the second spot in the basmati test. The Cuckoo, like the Zojirushi, has a preset program for germinated brown rice.

The rice cooker also has several other functions: a steam function, for steaming dumplings and vegetables; a porridge function, for making juk/congee/okayu; a multicook function, which is essentially a slow cooker; a baby food function, which, to be frank, we don't quite understand; and a cleaning function, which sterilizes the interior.

Finally, the Cuckoo allows cooks to customize the rice-cooking process: You can choose how long the rice soaks before the cooking process begins, you can choose how long to heat the rice for, and you can choose the cooking temperature. We believe this level of control will be appealing to some cooks out there, particularly those who regularly purchase and eat different varieties of rice.

What we didn't like: It didn’t blow any of the competitors out of the water in terms of texture, but we still think it did a solid job.

Key Specs

• Weight: 7 pounds
• Uncooked capacity: 6 cups
• Cooked capacity: 12 cups
• Dimensions: 8.6 x 9.4 x 13 inches
• Accessories: Rice scoop, measuring cup
• Settings: 11 (including white rice, brown rice, mixed rice, porridge, and steam)

The Most Foolproof Rice Cooker

KitchenAid Grain and Rice Cooker

$300 at Amazon

What we liked: You simply cannot make bad rice in this cooker. A scale underneath the ceramic cook pot is what makes it so hands-off: Just add your rice and press start, and the machine will automatically dispense the correct amount of water from the attached water tank. (If you want to cook with stock or broth, that should be added directly to the cooking pot, according to the manufacturer’s instructions.) There’s also the option to choose your ideal texture: soft, regular, or firm. A textural adjustment will, of course, affect the cooking time. The digital display is sleek and super easy to use. We liked the delay start feature, which could be set up to 24 hours in advance. And although the presence of 21 cooking functions (that includes items like pearled barley and pinto beans) edge it away from “true” rice cooker status, we did find them useful and effective.

What we didn’t like: It has a large footprint, owing in part to the water reservoir on the side of the cooking pot. The Keep Warm function tops out at six hours, and sometimes the rice was mildly scorched around the edges. It’s pretty pricey. 

Key Specs

• Weight: 10.5 pounds
• Uncooked capacity: 8 cups
• Cooked capacity: 14 cups
• Dimensions: 9 3/4 x 17 7/8 x 8 1/8 inches
• Accessories: Steamer basket
• Settings: 21 (including basmati rice, jasmine rice, sushi rice, quinoa, lentils, and chickpeas)

The Competition

• Aroma Housewares 8-Cup Digital Cool-Touch Rice Cooker: Overall, we really liked this rice cooker, especially for its bargain price. However, it tended to overcook white rice and its inner pot felt flimsy.
• Tiger Multi-Functional Rice Cooker: The uncluttered interface and large buttons on this rice cooker made it very easy to use. It lacked an audible beep or otherwise indicator to signal when the rice was done and made slightly evenly cooked brown rice, but we otherwise liked this model.
• Instant Pot Zest Rice Cooker: This model produced short-grain white rice that was far too wet, taking it out of the running.
• Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker: Long the Serious Eats test kitchen rice cooker, the Neuro Fuzzy was taken out of consideration when it produced mushier rice than its Zojirushi counterparts.
• Zojirushi Micom Rice Cooker and Warmer: This cooker had comparable results to the Zojirushi NP HCC10, but it took far longer to cook rice of both white and brown varieties.
• Aroma Housewares Professional Rice Cooker: The Aroma consistently produced rice that was quite wet and had issues with even cooking for smaller quantities of rice.
• Oyama 7-Cup Rice Cooker: Similarly, the Oyama produced rice that was quite wet.
• Hamilton Beach Advanced Multi-Function Rice Cooker: The higher-end Hamilton Beach surprised us by being a middle-of-the-pack machine, in contrast to its cheaper, high-performing sibling. As of May 2024, it seems to be discontinued, and replaced by this newer model.
• Aroma Housewares Pot Style Rice Cooker: All of this model's rice cooked inconsistently, with some batches turning out soupy and others too firm. 
• Muji Rice Cooker: With long cooking times and a higher price, this model couldn’t match our top picks. As of May 2024, it appears to be out of stock.
• Panasonic One-Touch Fuzzy Logic Rice Cooker: Some of this model's rice came out wet and mushy, eliminating it from contention. 
• Black + Decker Rice Cooker: This model cooked white rice unevenly.
• Toshiba (TRCS01) Rice Cooker: This model's rice turned out wet overall, and the brown rice was gummy. 
• Cuckoo Pressure Rice Cooker (CRP-P1009SB): Across all of the tests, the rice was chewy and slightly too firm.

FAQs

Are rice cookers worth it?

In our opinion, yes, they are. A good rice cooker is easy to use and will make well-cooked rice and keep it warm for a prolonged period of time. If you love rice and eat a lot of it, there are few kitchen gadgets that are as useful as a rice cooker.

How much should you spend on a rice cooker?

You really don't have to spend a lot to get a great rice cooker. Our winning model, the Hamilton Beach, hovers around $50, and you may be able to snag a sale. But if you cook a lot of specialty rice, a rice cooker with more presets and features is worth the price bump. The Zojirushi Induction Heating System Rice Cooker costs over $400, and it's worth every penny—especially if you cook a lot of Japanese rice.

Is the Zojirushi rice cooker good?

Very! In fact, we tested three for this review and only eliminated two because they didn’t meet the specific criteria we’d set. It’s an incredibly reputable brand and a Serious Eats staff favorite. Senior commerce editor Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm has one, and notes that she especially likes that it offers auditory cues for both the start and the finish. “I've owned a Zojirushi rice cooker for years, use it multiple times per week, and have found it to be super consistent,” she says.

What size rice cooker should I get?

We find rice cookers that have a cooked rice capacity of no less than 10 cups and no more than 15 cups to be the most useful; they also don’t take up too much countertop or storage space. Remember: A bigger rice cooker can handle less rice, but a smaller one can't accommodate more.

Is a rice cooker faster than a stovetop?

Sometimes; depending on the variety and cycle you choose. But the appeal of a rice cooker is less about the cooking time and more about hands-off efficiency. The consistent textural perfection is pretty great, too!

Can you make seasoned rice in a rice cooker?

Yes, you can. In most instances, you can add seasonings, like dashi, spices, or broth, right into the cooking tank. That said, introducing ingredients to the mix that increase moisture (such as vegetables) may result in mushy or clumpy rice. 

What else can I cook in a rice cooker?

Depending on the cooker, you may be able to cook a variety of other things in it. Some people like to steam vegetables on top of the rice as it cooks (and even thinly sliced meats)—just make sure you add the vegetables later in the cooking process, to avoid soggy, overcooked results. Many rice cookers also have a "porridge" option, which makes congee. You can also cook oatmeal and other grains in a rice cooker. One of our winners, the KitchenAid Grain and Rice Cooker, even has settings for beans and lentils.

How do you clean a rice cooker?

To clean a rice cooker, wash the cooking pot with warm, soapy water and a soft sponge. Some rice cookers (like those from Zojirushi and KitchenAid) have removable portions on the underside of their lids that should also be cleaned after each use. You should then wipe down the exterior of the rice cooker with a clean, damp cloth. Let both the cooking pot and rice cooker dry completely before storing.

Why We’re the Experts

• Sho Spaeth was the senior editor for Serious Eats, having joined the team in 2016. He left the site in 2022 and is now working for ChefSteps. He's also currently working on a ramen cookbook.
• Katie Leaird is a recipe developer and writer and has written several equipment reviews for Serious Eats, including pasta makers. For this review, Katie helped to test some newer rice cookers.
• Jesse Raub was Serious Eats' commerce writer. He's helped to update this review, keeping it current and answering frequently asked reader questions.
• Rochelle Bilow is one of Serious Eats’ commerce editors. She has written numerous gear reviews for the site, including anti-fatigue mats and blenders. She tested the KitchenAid Grain and Rice cooker for this review.
• For this review, we tested 19 rice cookers. We re-evaluated old favorites and tested new products regularly in the five years since publication. We’ve kept our original three recommendations on the winners list, which means they have stood up to long-term use.