In this article we present the Best Rice Cooker 2018 list and Rice Cooking Buyers Guide.
Nowadays you’re able to prepare rice effortlessly on the stove or in the microwave. However, kitchen experts realize that if you really want a truly high-quality bowl of rice, you’ll need to go with a rice cooker.
The question is which rice cooker is right for you? There are plenty to choose from and selecting the right one isn’t simple.
That’s precisely why this article exists, to let you know exactly what the best rice cooker 2018 is. Our goal is to help you skip right over the tedious filtering process and get to the cooking.
A Spotlight On Some of The Best Rice Cooker 2018
Product Reviews – Best Rice Cooker 2018:
The Aroma Housewares ARC-9145SBD
If you’re working within a budget and would like a rice cooker that will deliver high-quality rice at a reasonable price then this is the rice cooker you’re looking for. It will give you the same high-quality rice cooking as some of those that are priced at four and five times what this cooker costs.
When you purchase a rice cooker the most important thing you’re looking for is being able to cook rice quickly and efficiently. That is precisely what the Aroma Housewares ARC-914SBD does. It cooks up 8-cups of rice quickly and easily. All you need to do is follow the easy instructions and you’ll be enjoying your perfectly cooked bowl of rice in no time at all.
Cooking rice efficiently is certainly an important factor that makes the Aroma Housewares rice cooker a good one but it’s not the only reason. There are plenty of good reasons this cooker has been selected as the best rice cooker 2018.
First and foremost, it is extremely easy to cook perfect rice with it. All of the electronic controls are labeled clearly, so whether you’re steaming vegetables, or cooking white rice or brown rice all you’ll need to do is press the corresponding button. You can even customize the button controls however you’d like them.
It’s also a versatile cooker. Beyond being a great rice cooker it can also be used as a full functioning steamer.
You even have the ability to steam vegetables and meat at the same time you’re cooking rice. This makes cooking stir-fry super simple.
All of these awesome features are included in one really affordable package which we believe makes the Aroma Housewares a great addition to the best rice cooker 2018 list.
The Pros
It’s easily affordable.
Will cook as many as 8-cups perfectly.
Can be used as a steamer as well as a pot to cook other things in too.
The digital controls are programmable.
The Cons
It is extremely noisy.
The Zojirushi NS-TSC10 Rice Cooker
Perhaps you’re already aware that Zojirushi is currently the most well-known maker of the highest quality rice cookers. With that duly noted it will not be a surprise that the NS-TSC10 5-1/2 Cup will not be the only cooker featured on our best rice cooker 2018 list.
The truth is a best rice cooker 2018 list would not be complete without a Zojirushi rice cooker on it.
The most important feature of the cooker is the Zojirushi micro-computer technology. This is the technology that enables the cooker to be really good at cooking rice accurately every time.
Some rice cookers occasionally over or undercook the rice, but this is never a problem at all with Zojirushi cookers.
But don’t be fooled, this isn’t the only thing that makes them great cookers. Another feature you’re likely to enjoy a lot is the sheer number of cooking options this rice cooker has. While most cookers do have standard cook settings for different types of rice, you’ll be amazed to see that The Zojirushi goes way past those basic settings.
It comes standard with 8 pre-set cooking options ranging from the simple to the more complex that will help with cooking everything from rice to cakes. When it comes to versatility a Zojirushi stands all alone atop the mountain.
Its stainless steel exterior is scratch and smudge resistant, and also very easy to clean. With only a quick wipe down it will look like it’s brand new.
If the price doesn’t scare you off you just can’t beat this rice cooker when it comes to quality and features.
The Pros
Technology that ensures fast, evenly cooked rice.
A large variety of cooking options.
stainless-steel exterior looks great and cleans easily.
The Cons
It’s bulky.
It’s expensive.
The Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 Rice Cooker
Here we are presenting the second rice cooker from Zojirushi on the best rice cooker 2018 list. Both rice cookers on the list share many of the same features, however, they do have some differences that should be pointed out.
The biggest and most obvious commonality between the two cookers is the micom technology that they both come with.
This technology is specifically designed to cook rice quickly and accurately every time. If perfectly cooked rice every time is important to you then you are a prime candidate for a Zojirushi rice cooker.
The two cookers also have similar pre-programmed rice cooking options.
On top of having the ability to cook regular rice perfectly every time this rice cooker also gives you the ability to make sushi rice and even porridge.
You’ll find it provides pre-programmed choices where you can cook your rice softer or harder than it might generally be, this lets you make rice that completely suits your own personal preferences.
The primary distinctions between the two Zojirushi rice cookers relate to the design and just how much room they use up. the NS-ZCC10 isn’t made from stainless-steel, rather, it’s made from plastic.
This can be both bad and good. On one hand, it is going to be less durable. While at the same time it’s a lot lighter since it’s made of plastic.
It should also be pointed out that The NS-ZCC10 uses less space on your countertop than the other model does.
As we’ve pointed out there are certainly some fairly big differences between the two, but it’s also obvious why we believe both rice cookers deserve to be on our best rice cooker 2018 list.
The Pros
An ample amount of pre-programmed options for cooking great rice.
The onboard microcomputer helps to ensure perfectly cooked rice every time.
Takes up a minimal about of space on your countertop.
You can mount this rice cooker to the wall.
It’s a more affordable option than the other Zojirushi rice cooker.
The Cons
It is not as durable because of the plastic construction.
The Instant Pot LUX Mini
If you’re looking for a rice cooker that does more than cook rice then this is the rice cooker for you. It’s even sold as a 6-in-1 appliance for your kitchen. It mainly functions as a rice cooker but it is made to handle other jobs in the kitchen as well. The best part is even though it does a lot of jobs for you in the kitchen the price is still quite affordable.
Of course, it’s versatility is the first thing we’ll talk about. What makes the Instant Pot LUX Mini great is that in addition to being a very good rice cooker it also functions as a slow cooker, a steamer and a few other appliances in your kitchen.
You may be happy to know as well that unlike many other multi-use appliances this one works well as a rice cooker, steamer, slow cooker, or any of the other appliances it can be used as.
Using this rice cooker is really quite simple. They make it even easier by labeling all of the popular options so all you have to do is press the button. It even allows you to make the settings more personalized if you wish to take the time to set them.
If you find the 3-quart size too small for your needs keep in mind they offer it with the exact same features only with different sized pots.
If you’re wondering what extras this rice cooker comes with you’ll get a rice cooking recipe book, measuring cup, some extra scooping spoons, and a steaming rack.
The Pros
It can do the job of six different appliances
Comes with several very useful extras.
It keeps your food warm automatically for 10 hours.
The Cons
The cheaper model has a much smaller capacity.
The BLACK+DECKER RC506
Have you been wondering whether or not a rice cooker is the kitchen appliance for you? If you have then the Black+Decker RC506 is definitely one you’ll want to look into.
This cooker is being included on the best rice cooker 2018 list because it’s a really good option for those who are just coming around to the idea of rice cookers.
What makes it great is that it’s extremely affordable. In fact, it’s the most affordable rice cooker on the best rice cooker 2018 list. If you’ve been holding off on your rice cooker purchase because of the price you don’t have to do that any longer.
Another great thing about it is it’s very easy to use. Many of the rice cookers currently on the market can be intimidating because there are so many options, but with the Black+Decker rice cooker, you only have two buttons to choose from. Those two buttons are the keep warm button and the rice cooking button.
It also comes with a very handy steaming tray for certain types of meat and vegetables.
The Pros
It’s very affordable.
It’s super easy to use.
Cleaning it is an extremely easy process.
The Cons
It’s kind of basic which may not be of interest for experienced rice cooker users.
The Rice Cooker Buyers Guide
The Best Rice Cooker
We’re certain we’ve selected and listed the best rice cookers for the best rice cooker 2018 list, but we’d like to take it even further. We’d also like to clarify how and why we made the selections that we did.
That’s why we’ve created what we hope is a helpful buyers guide. There are a couple of reasons for this guide. The first one is to give you an understanding of why the rice cookers that are on the list are on the list, and why some others might not have made the list.
The second reason is to help you with your Rice Cooker Buying decision.
Recognize Exactly what Type of Rice That You Want to Make
Knowing the type of rice you would like to make is crucial since that is what determines the Kind of Rice cooker you will need to buy. The reason being cooking certain types of rice demand more accuracy.
As an example, if you’ll mainly be cooking brown or white rice you may want to look at one of the more affordable rice cookers.
If specialty rice is on your menu you may want to go with a higher quality, more expensive model. Keeping in mind much of the specialty rice dishes require a nearly perfect preparation.
With the best rice cooker 2018 list, we’ve attempted to strike a nice balance between both types of cookers. For the less expensive cookers, you have the Aroma Housewares or Black+Decker. These two are great for basic rice cooking.
Then there’s the feature-rich, more costly rice cookers such as the Zojirushi, which is a fantastic option for cooking the different types of specialty rice.
The Dedicated Rice Cookers vs Multi-Functional Rice Cookers
You might have noticed the several of the featured rice cookers on our best rice cooker 2018 list do not fall into the dedicated rice cooker category at all.
In fact, many of the rice cookers we’ve mentioned are also able to function as a slow cooker, a steamer, as well as various other kitchen appliances. The Instant Pot LUX Mini 3 Quart 6-in-1 is the biggest example of exactly this.
If you’re the type who takes rice cooking very seriously you’ll want to give one of the dedicated rice cookers a really good look. However, for most people, a rice cooker that can also be used in place of other kitchen appliances will probably be sufficient.
In addition to providing versatility in cooking capabilities but it also provides great value to you as a buyer.
So, Just How Much Rice is too Much Rice?
When cooking rice one thing that must be considered is how much rice do you need to cook at any given time. Fortunately, rice cookers are available in a wide range of varying capacities. Just as one might anticipate, the greater the rice cooking capacity the greater the cost of the rice cooker. For this reason, it is important that you consider the amount of rice you may be cooking at any one time before you make your rice cooker purchase.
In general, if you live all by yourself or in a household with a very small family, you will probably be just fine with one of the lower capacity rice cookers.
With this thought in mind, it’s safe to say that a rice cooker with a capacity of around 3 cups will be more than enough in cases like these. Purchasing a rice cooker with more capacity than that and you will likely find that you’ll be wasting or throwing away cooked rice on a regular basis. There are rice cookers that make it possible for you to keep cooked rice warm within them for around a day or two you will most likely still be throwing out a fair amount of it.
For those who cook rice for large families or frequently entertain and cook for others, we suggest that you look into selecting one of the rice cookers with a larger capacity. This means a capacity of around six to eight cups of rice is just about perfect if you’re in the habit of cooking for a large family or frequently host a dinner party.
We put great effort into including rice cookers on the best rice cooker 2018 list that are available in a number of different capacities. Other than the Zojirushi rice cookers on the list all of the others are in fact available in a few different sizes.
What About Rice Cooker Cleanup and Storage
One final consideration that should be given is just how easy the rice cooker you’re considering is to clean up and store.
There are even some cookers that come standard with non-stick cooking surfaces, this includes the Black+Decker rice cooker we have included on the list.
These are the favorite rice cookers for a lot of people since there is no need to spend time or energy scrubbing off cooked on rice. Make sure you pay close attention to the outside of the rice cooker you are considering as well. Keeping in mind rice cookers that are made with stainless steel exteriors are without question easier to clean after use.
Then, of course, there is the matter of storage. Just about any rice cooker is going to be too large to consider storing on your countertop permanently. For this reason, you will want to seriously consider looking for rice cookers with features like a detachable lid or retractable cord, because these kinds of things will make storing the appliance a little easier.
In conclusion
If you believe we have left something out in this buyers guide or the best rice cooker 2018 list we welcome your thoughts. Please don’t hesitate to reach out and get in touch.