Top 10 Best Japanese Rice Cooker – 2017 Edition
In Japan and in most Asian countries, rice is as popular as bread is to the United States. It may sound weird because unlike bread, rice does not relatively have any taste. However, there are dishes though that cannot be enjoyed as much without rice. Japanese dishes like chicken teriyaki and Tempura are best enjoyed with steaming hot rice. Whether you are cooking whole grain rice, brown rice or Jasmine rice, the magic behind delicious rice is a Japanese Rice Cooker.
Rank | Image | Product | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |   | 98% | ||
2 |   | 97% | ||
3 |   | 96% | ||
4 |   | 96% | ||
5 |   | 95% | ||
6 |   | 94% | ||
7 |   | 94% | ||
8 |   | 92% | ||
9 |   | 91% | ||
10 |   | 90% |
**Below, you'll find our more detailed reviews, but you can also click the links above to see current prices or read customer reviews on Amazon.
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These days, lots of foreign tourists in Japan jam electronic districts not only for stereos and televisions but also for the now famous high tech Japanese Rice Cookers. Luckily, you do not need to go to Japan to buy the Best Japanese Rice Cooker.
Japanese Rice Cookers are in a class all their own because no knows the best way to make rice cookers than the Japanese.
AROMA HOUSEWARES 8-CUP (COOKED) DIGITAL COOL-TOUCH RICE COOKER AND FOOD STEAMER (ARC-914SBD 8-CUP)
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The Aroma Housewares Digital Cool-Touch Rice Cooker and Food Steamer has a capacity of 8 cups cooked rice of any variety (4 cups uncooked). Multi-cooking is possible in this rice cooker. Cook rice in the pot while simultaneously steaming vegetables or meat in the food steamer.
What’s more, this rice cooker is easy to operate. It comes with programmable digital controls that are easy to use. It has individual controls for White and Brown rice. Once rice is cooked, its automatic keep warm functions activates.
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You can program this rice cooker with its Delay Timer (15 hours) so your meal gets cooked at the right time you need to serve it. It is equipped with the Unique Sensor Logic Technology that automatically sets cooking temperature for more texture and flavor.
Once cooking is done, the inner pot and food steamer remove easily for fast cleanup. This rice cooker comes with an all stainless steel exterior design. Accessories include a steam tray, measuring cup and spatula. For best results, use the included rice measuring cup to measure uncooked rice.
AROMA HOUSEWARES DIGITAL RICE COOKER, SLOW COOKER, FOOD STEAMER (ARC-150SB)
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The Aroma Housewares 20 Cup Cooked Digital Rice Cooker, Slow Cooker, Food Steamer (ARC-150SB) comes with a black and stainless steel exterior. It has a 10 cup uncooked rice capacity (20 cups cooked).
It is capable of multi-cooking: simultaneous cooking of rice and stews or soups and simultaneous cooking of rice and steaming of vegetables or meat. Also, it includes easy to push buttons for white rice, brown rice, flash rice, slow cook, steam and keeps warm (automatically activities after cooking time has elapsed).
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Program options include steaming from between 5 to 30 minutes. It also includes a delay timer (15 hours). Load rice and water in the morning and rice and perfectly cooked rice is ready when you need it.
The non-stick (Teflon) inner pot of the Aroma Housewares 20 Cup Cooked Digital Rice Cooker, , Food Steamer (ARC-150SB) are dishwasher safe for easy cleaning. This digital rice cooker comes with a steam tray, measuring cup and spatula. For best results use the included rice measuring cup to measure uncooked rice.
AROMA SIMPLY STAINLESS 3-CUP(UNCOOKED) RICE COOKER
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If all you want from a rice cooker is just perfectly cooked rice, then the Aroma Simply Stainless 3-Cup (Uncooked) Rice Cooker is what you need. Aroma is the number 1 rice cooker brand in the US and this is their basic model. This rice cooker has a simple, easy-to-use one touch operation: Press down to cook and the rice cooker will automatically shift to Keep Warm when done.
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The cooking pot of this basic Aroma Simply Stainless Rice Cooker is made of surgical stainless steel (grade 304). It can yield up to 6 cups of rice of any variety. Rice cooker comes with a rice measuring cup and serving spatula. For best results, measure rice with the included rice measuring cup.
ZOJIRUSHI NEURO FUZZY RICE COOKER AND WARMER (NS-ZCC10)
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The Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 is a Neuro Fuzzy rice cooker, which means the rice cooker has the capability to detect the variety of rice it is going to cook and then programs the temperature and time needed to cook it.
This rice cooker is able to do that through a computerized micro-chip that has thermal sensor calculating capabilities. It comes with a large easy to read LCD display and digital controls for cooking white rice, sushi rice, brown rice, semi-brown rice, mixed and sweet rice, porridge and quick cooking.
It also has automatic keep warm function as well as extended keep warm. Steaming your favorite food is possible through the adjustable time setting. It can keep rice hot through reheating cycle function. For easy meal planning, this rice cooker has a dual-setting programmable delay timer, which makes your meal available at the right time you need it.
The Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer (NS-ZCC10) has an inner cooking pot in a spherical design and a heating element to ensure evenly cooked rice. Inner pot comes with handles for easy removal from the rice cooker and for easy washing. The rice cooker itself comes with a foldable handle so it can be easily carried.
Its retractable cord keeps the rice cooker looking neat on your kitchen counter top. Fancy as it may seem, but this rice cooker comes with a beep or melody audio indicator (programmable) for end cooking time alert.
This Zojirushi model includes a 2 measuring cups (for regular and rinse-free rice), a non-stick spatula and spatula holder. For best results, use only the included measuring cups for measuring rice.
ZOJIRUSHI MICOM RICE COOKER AND WARMER (NS-TSC10)
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The Zojirushi Micom Rice Cooker and Warmer (NS-TSC10) comes with a stainless steel body (clear coated) and can cook 5 ½ cups of rice (uncooked). It is a Micom rice cooker capable of cooking rice (of course!), steaming vegetables and meat and baking cakes. It has the micro-computer based Fuzzy Logic Technology that makes the rice cooker detect the rice variety and adjusts temperature and cooking time accordingly.
This versatile rice cooker is equipped with brown rice, sweet rice, rice sushi, mixed, porridge, quick, steam and bake settings. It also has the automatic keep warm function as well as extended keep warm and reheating cycle functions.
Clock and clock timers are also in the easy to read and use LCD control panel as well as 2 delay time settings so you will have your meal at the right time you need it. Its black inner pot is thick enough to ensure even cooking.
The Zojirushi Micom Rice Cooker and Warmer (NS-TSC10) has the cute beep and melody indicator settings for end of cooking time alert. Exterior and inner pot and detachable inner lid are easy to clean.
Power cord is retractable for easy storage. This Zojirushi model comes with a steaming basket (BPA Free Steaming basket), rice measuring cup, spatula and spatula holder. For best results, use the included rice measuring cup to measure uncooked rice.
ZOJIRUSHI 3-CUP (UNCOOKED) RICE COOKER (NHS-06)
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The 3-Cup (Uncooked) Rice Cooker (NHS-06) is Zojirushi’s version of a basic rice cooker for a perfect and evenly cooked rice. It comes with a top quality non-stick inner cooking pot and a glass see-through lid with a knob that does not get hot.
Body of the rice cooker comes with handles that do not get hot too for easy transport. Rice cooker comes with a steaming tray. This rice cooker has a single switch for its cook and keep warm function. This is a no frills, no fuss top of the line basic rice cooker that cooks perfect rice!
TIGER 10-CUP (UNCOOKED) RICE COOKER AND WARMER (JNP-S18U-HU)
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The Tiger 10-Cup (Uncooked) Rice Cooker and Warmer (JNP-S18U-HU) is a basic stainless steel rice cooker with a non-stick inner pot. It has a capacity of 10 cups of rice (uncooked). It comes with a simple Cook and Keep warm function.
Keep warm function is activated when cooking time is done and stays on up to 12 hours. Power cord is retractable for neat and easy storing. Inner pot and steam vent are removable for easy washing.
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This rice cooker comes with a rice measuring spoon and spatula. Cooks rice evenly and perfectly. For best results, use the provided rice measuring cup to measure uncooked rice.
PANASONIC AUTOMATIC RICE COOKER (SR-G06FG)
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Being basic and simple are the main selling points of the Panasonic Automatic Rice Cooker (SR-G06FG). It functions only to cook rice and it sure does, perfectly! It can fit 3.3 cups of uncooked rice. It features just one single button which is pressed down to cook rice.
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When done, the button will go to standby mode –Keep Warm. It comes with a glass lid which perfectly fits on the rim of the inner pot to prevent any water spills while rice is boiling. The non-stick pot and glass lid are easy to clean. Rice cooker comes with a rice measuring cup and serving spatula.
TIGER CORPORATION MICOM RICE COOKER (JBV-A10U-W)
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First, the Tiger Corporation Micom Rice Cooker (JBV-A10U-W) cooks perfect and even rice. Second, it functions as a slow cooker where you can perfectly cook stew and come up with very tender beef. Third, it features to cook or simultaneous (sychro) cooking where you can cook rice and a main dish at the same time.
This rice cooker has four different menu settings: plain rice, synchro cooking, brown rice and slow cook / steam. Just push a button and the rice cooker will do everything. It also comes with a Keep Warm function.
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The Tiger Corporation Micom Rice Cooker (JBV-A10U-W) is equipped with the Automatic Cooking Logic which sets the temperature and time needed to cook a perfect meal. It also comes with a specially designed cooking plate for synchro cooking which prevents the flavors in the plate from mixing with the rice being cooked beneath it.
In synchro cooking the texture and flavor of rice are not affected. This Tiger rice cooker comes with a cooking plate, rice measuring cup, non-stick spatula and a cook book for tacook / synchro cooking. For best results, use the provided measuring cup to measure uncooked rice.
TIGER RICE COOKER AND WARMER (JAZ-A10U-FH)
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The Tiger Rice Cooker and Warmer (JAZ-A10U-FH) is a simple and easy-to-use rice cooker. It features the basic Cook and Keep Warm functions. It comes with a steam basket for steaming dimsums, vegetables, fish and meat. Inner pot is non-stick and the rice cooker comes in the traditional floral design.
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It has a capacity of 5.5 cups (uncooked) which can yield approximately 10-15 cups of cooked rice. Power cord is retractable for neat and easy storing. Rice cooker comes with a steamer, measuring cup and spatula. For best results, use the provided measuring cup to measure uncooked rice.
Japan is exceptionally good in designing top of the line rice cookers. With so many Japanese rice cookers in the market, you may be wondering how to choose the best. Rice cookers make perfectly even rice and not wet, burnt or undercooked rice. Rice cookers were first introduced in Japan by Toshiba in 1955 and up to this day, Japan still makes most of the best models available.
CONCLUSION:
In choosing the best Japanese Rice Cooker it is important to look out on how the components of the rice cooker fair out. Ease in using the appliance and ease in cleaning are also important factors to consider.
Rice cookers have 4 major components: the exterior body, the inner cooking pot, the heating element on the bottom of the body and the thermal sensing device (spring-type thermometer) below the heating element. When the inner pot with rice and water is placed inside the rice cooker, this thermometer goes down and starts to work.
Most hi-tech rice cookers come with multiple features that make the rice cooker a versatile appliance. Fact still remains though that it is a rice cooker and its main function is to cook perfect and even rice. My personal favorite is the Zojirushi Micom Rice Cooker and Warmer (NS-TSC10). Well, I may be biased to the brand but I like the fact that baking is also possible in this rice cooker.
When you buy the best Japanese rice cooker, cooking rice and meals becomes a simple, precise and an enjoyable task!
