10 best rice cookers for perfectly cooked rice in 2023
A recent viral TikTok video has shown there is more to this kitchen appliance than meets the eye.
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For such a simple dish, it can be surprisingly hard to make perfectly cooked rice.
All you need is uncooked rice and water and yet how many times have you ended up with crunchy rice or a pot of sloppy gloop? The simple answer to this is a rice cooker.
A rice cooker doesn’t just cook plain white rice. Many have different cooking functions to cook sushi rice, brown rice and jasmine rice.
Plus, as TikToker @audreysaurus shows, a rice cooker can do more than cook rice.
In her now viral video, the home cook shows her fans how to whip up a stick date pudding without using an oven. Commenters have called the method “genius” and called the dessert “dreamy”.
Have a look below for all of our top rice cooker picks including the Panasonic Rice Cooker used by @audreysaurus to make the delicious dessert.
HOW WE CHOOSE PRODUCTS
To help you find the best rice cooker for your needs, we asked Food Director at Australia’s leading recipe site, taste.com.au, Michelle Southan as well as former Food Director and news.com.au Shopping Food Expert Kim Coverdale for their advice on what to look for when choosing a rice cooker. In addition, our team of experienced writers spend hours researching products to include in articles. We find out what factors make a good product by talking to experts, reviewing test results and analysing thousands of customer reviews, often with the help of a specialist customer rating tool Find Our View. Once the list of important features is narrowed down, the search starts for the products that rate well against this criteria.
Our Top Picks
In this article
- What to look for when buying a rice cooker
- Are rice cookers worth it?
- Do I need to wash the rice before cooking it in a rice cooker?
- How much water should I use when cooking rice in a rice cooker?
- Can I leave the rice cooker unattended while it’s cooking?
- Are rice cookers easy to clean?
- Can I add seasonings or flavours to the rice while it’s cooking in the rice cooker?
OUR PICK OF THE BEST RICE COOKERS
Panasonic 10 Cup Rice Cooker (SRDF181WST), $127 at Amazon Australia
What You Need To Know
This 10 cup rice cooker from Panasonic is also recommended by Choice. It scored an 89 per cent expert rating overall with a 95 per cent rating for cooking brown rice and 100 per cent for cooking jasmine rice.
It can also steam vegetables using the steamer tray that comes with the unit. There is an automatic keep warm function that switches on when the rice has finished cooking, but the manual says don’t use this for brown rice because it can affect the taste and smell. It has a removable inner pot but it’s not dishwasher safe. There is also a five cup option in this model if you only ever make smaller portions.
This is one of our food expert Kim’s top picks.
“It has 16 different cooking options (including quinoa, clay pot and even a bread setting). This rice cooker doubles up as a steamer with the supplied steamer basket accessory, perfect for dumplings!”
Amazon shoppers give it a 4.5 out of five-star rating. “Have had a blast with this thing. So good for steaming bao as well with the steaming tray attachment. Perfect rice every time,” said one five-star review.
If you’re not keen on such a big machine, Panasonic also offers a 5-Cup Rice Cooker. It is currently on sale down to $105 (from $189). Plus, it was the machine used by TikToker @audreysaurus to create her dessert masterpiece.
Breville the Smart Rice Box LRC480WHT, $188 (down from $199.95) at Amazon Australia
What You Need To Know
This rice cooker from Breville topped Choice’s list after it put many rice cookers to the test. It scored an impressive 100 per cent for cooking jasmine rice and brown rice. It holds 10 cups of uncooked rice and makes up to 25 serves of perfectly cooked rice. The minimum capacity is two cups.
Amazon shoppers gave it a 4.4 star rating out of five, with high star ratings for being easy to use and clean.
One five-star review wrote “If you eat rice a few times per week, this is the cooker for you. It’s reliable and looks good on the countertop. Brown rice, wild rice and white rice all come out spectacular and perfect. It’s the Japanese style “fuzzy logic” which makes the difference. Worth every dollar spent on it.”
Similarly, another wrote “Absolutely love my smart rice box! Really easy to use and easy to clean. Makes perfect rice every time and my partner love cooking dim sims in it too.”
Breville The Multi-Chef Multi Cooker (BRC600BSS), $139 (down from $189.95) at Amazon Australia
What You Need To Know
As well as making perfectly cooked rice it has a steaming function and can sear and slow cook. Choice rated it as “excellent” for cooking jasmine and brown rice and Amazon shoppers give it a 4.6 out of five-star rating. It has a stainless steel steaming tray and a removable non-stick inner pot that can also act as a serving bowl.
Most reviews on Amazon rate this product for how “easy to use” it is as well as how “versatile” it is too.
“I have had this product for approximately 10 years. I have used the rice function weekly, slow cooker/saute function every other week maybe and the risotto function once. It has performed almost flawlessly. It is super easy to clean up. I can stow it under the counter with 1 hand. It is bay far the most useful appliance I have after the toaster,” said one five-star review on Google.
BEST BUDGET RICE COOKERS
Breville 7 Cup Set And Serve Rice Cooker BRC310BSS, $89.95 (down from $99.95) at Amazon Australia
What You Need To Know
This budget rice cooker from Breville comes in at an affordable price and has many of the features you’d expect to find on more expensive models. It has a removable inner bowl, a stainless steel steaming tray and a “ready” bell when the rice is cooked – a feature many models don’t have. It also has a stainless steel exterior and automatic keep warm function. It has a seven cup capacity and is a compact size measuring 24.3cm in height. None of the parts are dishwasher safe.
It is recommended by Choice and has a 4.6 out of five star rating from Myer shoppers. “This rice cooker is so user friendly and being used by all members of my family. From just a portion of rice with steamed vegetables - cooked at the same time – to making a large supply which stays warm due to this nifty function. Easy to clean, not too bulky so stays on kitchen bench no problem!” says one five-star review.
Sunbeam Rice Perfect Deluxe 7 Cup Rice Cooker, $59 at Bing Lee
What You Need To Know
It has an average rating from Amazon shoppers of 4.2 stars out of five with shoppers saying it was a good basic rice cooker. There were some negative reviews saying it stopped working after only a few uses. Sunbeam does provide a 12-month replacement warranty.
It currently is sitting at four stars on Google with reviews saying, “Produces perfectly prepared rice, either brown or white, each time. Easy to use and to clean.”
Another five-star review wrote, “Cooks rice perfectly so I can concentrate on the rest of what I am cooking. More than rice can be cooked in this cooker, the other night I steamed vegetables in it too and they turned out great.”
BEST SIMPLE, EASY TO USE RICE COOKER
Kambrook Rice Express 5 Cup Rice Cooker, $42 at The Good Guys
What You Need To Know
“For a standard, no bells and whistles rice cooker, I recommend the Kambrook Rice Express 5 cup Rice Cooker. It produces perfectly cooked, fluffy rice with a simple on and off switch, along with a keep warm function,” says news.com.au Shopping Food Expert Kim Coverdale.
Most reviews write how much they like that the rice cooker is “easy to use” and “cooks rice well.”
One five-star review wrote, “I love this product I’ve always cooked rice on the stove and have made plenty of messes No mess and no checking constantly to see if the rice is cooked. Easy clean up. Love it.”
BEST MULTI-FUNCTION RICE COOKER
Instant Pot Duo Nova Multi Use Cooker 8L, $199 (down from $299) at Amazon Australia
What You Need To Know
It has a specific setting for rice cooking and the removable inner pot is dishwasher safe, making it easy to clean. Amazon shoppers love it and give it a 4.6 out of five star rating overall and Good Housekeeping rated the Instant Pot as the best multifunctional rice cooker. It has a rice setting for cooking white rice and a multigrain setting for brown and wild rice.
With a rating of 4.7 stars on Amazon and rated Amazon’s Choice, this rice cooker is well loved. One five-star review is titled “One of the best purchases ever.” The review goes on to say that it “cooks as well as they say”, it’s “easy to clean” and very “versatile.”
BEST SMALL, COMPACT RICE COOKER
Fresh De Chef Pronto Microwave Rice Cooker, $11.99 (down from $24.99) at House
What You Need To Know
You may not get the same perfect fluffy white rice as a rice cooker but it’s ideal if you need a single batch, smaller portions or don’t have cabinet space for another appliance. Getting the cooking times perfect can take a few goes given different microwave settings and human error and always take care when removing the lid in case of trapped steam. Once you get the hang of it you’ll wonder why you ever bothered with saucepans of gloopy rice.
Although there are few available reviews online so far, most are still overwhelmingly positive. “The rice turns out perfect in this microwave container, not soggy or to dry, just perfect, the way I like it!,” said one five-star review.
BEST LARGE, FAMILY-SIZED RICE COOKER
Cuckoo Pressure Rice Cooker 10 Cup P1009S, $339 at Bing Lee
What You Should Know:
Reviewers love this rice cooker for how well it cooks sushi rice and how much faster it is compared to other cookers. Plus, Amazon shoppers have given it a 4.6 out of five-star rating. It takes 10 cups of uncooked rice and makes 20 cups of cooked rice. It has a stainless steel, removable inner pot and a keep warm function. There are 13 menu options including settings for brown rice and a turbo function to speed up the process. None of the parts can go in the dishwasher but Amazon shoppers commented it was easy to clean with a quick wipe down.
Although there are only a small amount of reviews on Google, this rice cooker is still sitting at 4.5 stars. One review titled, “Best rice cooker ever” says “With the same rice, it takes less time and makes better bowls of rice than my previous cooker. It’s also super easy to clean the inner pot.”
BEST JAPANESE RICE COOKER
Tiger 5.5 Cup JNP-1000, $229 at Amazon Australia
What You Need To Know
Tiger is a well-respected Japanese manufacturer and its rice cookers regularly turn up on best rice cooker lists. This model has five-and-a-half-cup capacity. There is a non-stick removable inner bowl and an automatic keep warm function.
Amazon shoppers globally gave it 4.6 stars out of five, while local product review site Choice gave it a 95 per cent score for rice cooking (although it didn’t make the recommended list).
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN RICE COOKERS
Cup capacity
“Rice cookers generally range from three cup to 10 cup capacity cookers. But be mindful that depending on the machine, the cup capacity can either mean the number of cups of uncooked rice it can hold or the amount of cooked rice you will end up with,” Kim said
“Sure, you might want to go for the largest option available, however these cookers will have a minimum amount of rice that has to be cooked in it – and that amount might still be too much for what you need. This will result in either a lot of food wastage or an appliance that just isn’t right for you.”
Cooker features
“Look for a rice cooker that suits your cooking style,” Kim advises. “Most rice cookers on the market now come with a variety of programs for different methods for cooking rice. Do you like sticky sushi rice? Got a craving for crispy rice? Or how about some delicious nutty brown rice for a salad? These different settings can turn a basic rice cooker into an easy combination cooker. Some of the settings available can take a little longer than it would on a regular stove top, so take that into consideration – time vs. quality and what’s more important to you.”
Cleaning
“Choose a rice cooker with an easy-to-clean removable non-stick bowl that can be handwashed or popped in the dishwasher with very little chance of scratching or pitting. Check that lids be removed, along with any other extras (such as steam vents) to make sure that all cooking surfaces can be washed really well.”
Additional features
“Although not imperative, check if the rice cooker has other features like a delay timer so that you can pop your timer on and the rice will be beautifully cooked at the exact time you will be needing it. Fast cook is a great feature for those who are time poor or are just wanting dinner a little quicker than usual. Having a reheat setting can be a godsend to those who like to meal prep and want to reheat cold rice that they’ve cooked in advance.”
ARE RICE COOKERS WORTH IT?
If you love rice but hate cooking it, then a rice cooker is the perfect appliance for you, according to news.com.au Shopping Food Expert Kim Coverdale.
“Simple to use with great programmable options, rice cookers have changed over the years from a set-and-forget basic rice cooker to now having the functionality of cooking a variety of different types of rice,” she said.
“But don’t just stop at rice as an easy side dish, rice cookers are great for cooking a whole range of wonderful recipes – why not try a creamy rice pudding, a delicious chocolate cake or an Instagram-worthy giant pancake. For the health conscious, steamed chicken or salmon with vegetables are also rice cooker favourites.”
DO I NEED TO WASH THE RICE BEFORE COOKING IT IN A RICE COOKER?
“Different rices contain different amounts of starch,” says Michelle.
“It is this starch which can make your rice gluggy while cooking it.
“It is always best to rinse your rice under cold running water until the water runs clear. This applies when cooking rice with or without a rice cooker. “
HOW MUCH WATER SHOULD I USE WHEN COOKING RICE IN A RICE COOKER?
Michelle says that to get the best results it is always best to refer to the manufacturer’s book that comes with the machine.
She also says that rice cookers come with a measuring up and in some cases marked lines inside the rice cooker bowl designed to let you know the level of water according to the amount of rice scoops you add.
CAN I LEAVE THE RICE COOKER UNATTENDED WHILE IT’S COOKING?
“The idea of a rice cooker is to set and forget, for perfectly cooked fluffy rice every time and the beauty of these machines” says Michelle.
“Most machines have a keep warm setting that automatically switches on once the rice is cooked.
“Machines like the Panasonic Induction heat rice cooker can keep rice warm for up to 5 hours after it cooks and also has a 24-hour preset timer function so that rice begins cooking at the time set and is ready by the time dinner is done.”
CAN I ADD SEASONINGS OR FLAVOURS TO THE RICE WHILE IT’S COOKING IN THE RICE COOKER?
Michelle says that you definitely can.
“Adding a little sliced garlic and ginger or even fresh sprigs of herbs to your rice adds extra flavour,” says Michelle.
“A sprinkle of saffron is great for Indian inspired dishes for colour and flavour.
“You can even replace the water for chicken stock for an extra flavour boost.”
Michelle Southan
Michelle Southan heads up Australia’s leading food team as Food Director of taste.com.au. With over 25 years of experience in food publishing, Michelle comes with plenty of hints and tips, and believes that when they’re armed with easy foolproof recipes everyone can become a star in the kitchen.
news.com.au Shopping Food Expert Kim Coverdale
Kim Coverdale has worked in food publishing for more than 25 years, including as Food Director on some of Australia’s leading food titles including taste.com.au. and Super Food Ideas. She trained in the respected Australian Women’s Weekly test kitchen and now creates, writes and edits recipes for food magazines and online. Her passion for baking means you can find her in the kitchen most days creating new sweet food trends with flavour twists.
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