Even for those who are most skilled in the kitchen, cooking rice the traditional pot and stove way can be a tricky thing. Just one variable can cause rice to become too mushy or remain woefully underdone. And don’t even get me started on sticky, scalded pot bottoms from rice that’s been left cooking for too long.
If only there was a magical kitchen appliance that could do the work for you, all at the touch of a button. Behold — the beautiful convenience of an electric rice cooker.
You may be asking yourself if a rice cooker is really something you need to add to your current rotation of culinary gadgets. But after previously speaking with some professional chefs back in 2021, we think the answer is an enthusiastic “yes.”
Based on the expertise of Dale Talde, chef and owner of Cantonese restaurant Goosefeather in New York, and Camilla Marcus, chef and owner of zero-waste cooking shop west~bourne (also in New York), we’ve learned that automated rice makers demystify the process of preparing this ubiquitous and fickle grain and can even correct a batch that has been made with too much or too little water. This means you get perfectly fluffy rice every single time — with extremely little work on your end.
Several reviewers also claimed that their cookers have improved the taste and texture of their food, no matter what type of rice they’re making. But most cookers can do more than just prepare consistently flawless rice. They can also be used to whip up flavorful curries for a quick dinner and creamy porridges for breakfast.
Talde, Marcus and a few other chefs have previously recommended the upcoming selection of foolproof rice makers, ideal for anyone who finds that the perfect rice continues to elude them. We also included a few highly-rated options available on Amazon that have won the endorsements of self-proclaimed non-rice cooks. Below, you’ll find affordable streamlined cookers, famed Japanese rice makers outfitted with all the bells and whistles and more.
HuffPost and its publishing partners may receive a commission from some purchases made via links on this page. Every item is independently curated by the HuffPost Shopping team. Prices and availability are subject to change.
1.
Amazon
A sushi chef-approved Japanese rice maker
One of the most recommended rice makers on this list, the Zojirushi is a Japanese-crafted gadget outfitted with tons of useful features and a trusted reputation for making delicious, fluffy rice and other dishes. Previously recommended by Taka Sakaeda, chef-partner of Japanese restaurant Nami Nori in New York, and Marcus, this splurge-worthy appliance uses fuzzy logic technology — a computerized system that essentially allows the cooker to intuitively adjust cooking times and temperatures based on the type of rice and current level of moisture. It also has several different cooking settings, including a function specifically for brown rice, steaming vegetables and even cake-making.
“I love everything Zojirushi makes,” Marcus said in past coverage. “Their rice cookers are all really beautiful and efficient, with many affordable options. This version is great for all kinds of grains, and the steaming function is a bonus — it’s great when a kitchen appliance can multitask. The 5.5-cup volume cooker makes the perfect amount for day-of meal prep for my family of four, with occasional leftovers for other meals during the week.”
Promising Amazon review: "I’ve been cooking rice and various grains in a pot on the stove forever. Recently I had several surprisingly bad attempts at cooking white rice — for the life of me I don’t know what I did wrong. I ended up looking up pressure cookers even though I didn’t want one, and eventually stumbled into the world of rice cookers. I didn’t want one of those either. I would rather have less specialty appliances than more. But as I read and learned the history of rice cookers (GOOD ones, just not every 20 dollar attempt at one) I understood why people got them. Then I read about various models, what they did well, how they worked, and decided on this one.
I immediately put in a cup of the same white rice I messed up twice recently, rinsed it 3 times, filled it with water to the white rice 1 cup water line, and pressed Start. It came out perfectly. Better than I’ve ever made it on my own. It’s been maybe 3 weeks now. I’ve had whatever white rice I first put in it, white basmati rice, jasmine rice and now brown basmati rice, even though I’ve never liked brown rice much. Now I’ve had brown rice at least 10 times, and I seriously love it. I made barley in it - filled to the brown rice water line - and that turned out great.
Regarding warming, it’s crazy how good the rice tastes even 2-3 days after it first cooked. It doesn’t use much electricity for this feature (I believe I read approximately the amount of a 35W lightbulb, which means it’s quite low). The cooker is quiet, and when just in warm mode is not too hot to touch. When it’s cooking the rice, it’s also fine to touch anywhere except near the steam vent." — Melissa M. (This review has been edited for length. Read the full review.)
“I love everything Zojirushi makes,” Marcus said in past coverage. “Their rice cookers are all really beautiful and efficient, with many affordable options. This version is great for all kinds of grains, and the steaming function is a bonus — it’s great when a kitchen appliance can multitask. The 5.5-cup volume cooker makes the perfect amount for day-of meal prep for my family of four, with occasional leftovers for other meals during the week.”
Promising Amazon review: "I’ve been cooking rice and various grains in a pot on the stove forever. Recently I had several surprisingly bad attempts at cooking white rice — for the life of me I don’t know what I did wrong. I ended up looking up pressure cookers even though I didn’t want one, and eventually stumbled into the world of rice cookers. I didn’t want one of those either. I would rather have less specialty appliances than more. But as I read and learned the history of rice cookers (GOOD ones, just not every 20 dollar attempt at one) I understood why people got them. Then I read about various models, what they did well, how they worked, and decided on this one.
I immediately put in a cup of the same white rice I messed up twice recently, rinsed it 3 times, filled it with water to the white rice 1 cup water line, and pressed Start. It came out perfectly. Better than I’ve ever made it on my own. It’s been maybe 3 weeks now. I’ve had whatever white rice I first put in it, white basmati rice, jasmine rice and now brown basmati rice, even though I’ve never liked brown rice much. Now I’ve had brown rice at least 10 times, and I seriously love it. I made barley in it - filled to the brown rice water line - and that turned out great.
Regarding warming, it’s crazy how good the rice tastes even 2-3 days after it first cooked. It doesn’t use much electricity for this feature (I believe I read approximately the amount of a 35W lightbulb, which means it’s quite low). The cooker is quiet, and when just in warm mode is not too hot to touch. When it’s cooking the rice, it’s also fine to touch anywhere except near the steam vent." — Melissa M. (This review has been edited for length. Read the full review.)
2.
Amazon
An eight-function cooker by Toshiba
This Toshiba rice cooker is another option built with fuzzy logic technology and multiple functions including slow cook, cake-making, egg-poaching and more. Ideal for preparing a wide variety of rice, like basmati and brown, the Toshiba has a three-cup-capacity and a "keep warm/reheat" setting so larger batches of rice don't have to be remade.
Its design includes an easy-to-clean inner pot with a non-stick coating and a three-layer construction for better heat-retention. Busy people will also rejoice in the programmable timers which will automatically start cooking your rice at the exact time you need so it's ready to enjoy when you are.
Promising Amazon reviews: "I love the low carb function and now I can cook a variety of rice that's restaurant quality and not mess it up! I will be doing other recipes with it soon. Super easy for a beginner like me." — AWeirdly
"I got this Toshiba rice cooker, and let me tell you, I have NEVER had a better rice-cooking experience.
There was no more cleaning the counter off after an over-boil. There was no more having to unplug my rice cooker every time the rice was done. There was no more wild guessing about my rice-water ratio and wait time once the switch flipped depending on how loud the ducks were quacking and which way the wind was blowing and how aligned the moon was with the stars that day. This thing was PERFECTION.
The modularity of it makes it super easy to clean, and it actually gets completely clean. Every time. Not to mention, you know EVERY time exactly how long the rice will take to cook. You can set a timer (TWO timers, actually!) for when you want your rice to be done. It can actually keep the rice WARM without burning it all over the sides and bottom." — Jesse Downing (This review has been edited for length. Read the full review.)
Its design includes an easy-to-clean inner pot with a non-stick coating and a three-layer construction for better heat-retention. Busy people will also rejoice in the programmable timers which will automatically start cooking your rice at the exact time you need so it's ready to enjoy when you are.
Promising Amazon reviews: "I love the low carb function and now I can cook a variety of rice that's restaurant quality and not mess it up! I will be doing other recipes with it soon. Super easy for a beginner like me." — AWeirdly
"I got this Toshiba rice cooker, and let me tell you, I have NEVER had a better rice-cooking experience.
There was no more cleaning the counter off after an over-boil. There was no more having to unplug my rice cooker every time the rice was done. There was no more wild guessing about my rice-water ratio and wait time once the switch flipped depending on how loud the ducks were quacking and which way the wind was blowing and how aligned the moon was with the stars that day. This thing was PERFECTION.
The modularity of it makes it super easy to clean, and it actually gets completely clean. Every time. Not to mention, you know EVERY time exactly how long the rice will take to cook. You can set a timer (TWO timers, actually!) for when you want your rice to be done. It can actually keep the rice WARM without burning it all over the sides and bottom." — Jesse Downing (This review has been edited for length. Read the full review.)
3.
Amazon
An affordable rice cooker and vegetable steamer
This solid-choice, no-fuss rice cooker by Black + Decker can prepare up to three cups of cooked rice at a time and has a "stay warm" function that automatically switches on once cooking is complete. The removable inner rice pot is non-stick and dishwasher-safe for easy clean-up, and the included steamer basket makes quick work of steaming vegetables into tender perfection.
Promising Amazon review: "I bought this for my wife because she always complains that her rice turns out gummy and it always sticks to the pan making washing a chore. She used this the first time and fell in love with it. She says it's very easy to use and the rice turned out perfectly. Cleanup only took a minute or so. It may be too small for a family but since there are only the two of us, this is a perfect size." — Cheri7
Promising Amazon review: "I bought this for my wife because she always complains that her rice turns out gummy and it always sticks to the pan making washing a chore. She used this the first time and fell in love with it. She says it's very easy to use and the rice turned out perfectly. Cleanup only took a minute or so. It may be too small for a family but since there are only the two of us, this is a perfect size." — Cheri7
4.
Amazon
A non-stick alternative rice cooker with a stainless steel pot
Chris Park, former corporate chef of Japanese restaurant Kissaki, previously suggested this straightforward Aroma rice cooker, describing it as “a budget model that does what it does: cook rice.” Many reviewers claim to have flocked to this option in particular because it offers the benefits of a non-stick inner pot that isn't coated in Teflon. Instead, this compact Aroma cooker uses a food-grade stainless steel insert and promises fool-proof one-touch functionality that automatically detects when rice is done cooking.
Promising Amazon review: "I received this rice cooker just today, and within an hour I'd already made my first pot of rice. It came out PERFECTLY. It was cooked to perfection, fluffy, and the exact texture I've been missing. I've been making rice on the stovetop and struggling. It was always either undercooked, too much water, too sticky, too dry, etc etc etc. It was so frustrating because I'm a decent cook but I just couldn't manage rice.
This simple machine is foolproof. You don't have to do any thinking besides measuring the rice and the water.
It was super easy to clean up too. I chose this one because I try to stay away from anything non-stick, and this has the stainless bowl. The price was great, too. I was nearly tempted by some of the cuter, more colorful rice cookers, but in the end, I'm glad I stuck with this one." — Julie
Promising Amazon review: "I received this rice cooker just today, and within an hour I'd already made my first pot of rice. It came out PERFECTLY. It was cooked to perfection, fluffy, and the exact texture I've been missing. I've been making rice on the stovetop and struggling. It was always either undercooked, too much water, too sticky, too dry, etc etc etc. It was so frustrating because I'm a decent cook but I just couldn't manage rice.
This simple machine is foolproof. You don't have to do any thinking besides measuring the rice and the water.
It was super easy to clean up too. I chose this one because I try to stay away from anything non-stick, and this has the stainless bowl. The price was great, too. I was nearly tempted by some of the cuter, more colorful rice cookers, but in the end, I'm glad I stuck with this one." — Julie
5.
Amazon
An Aroma programmable cooker
Perfect for preparing complete meals at once, and all with one appliance, this six-function rice maker by Aroma comes complete with a steamer tray that can cook veggies and meats while up to eight cups of rice finishes underneath. The cooker can even be used to prepare soups and stews. The variety of preset functions include white rice, flash cooking and brown rice and a delay timer setting means you can prep meals up to 15 hours in advance.
Promising Amazon review: "Listen: I suck at cooking, and I don't have the time nor the patience to do so. Rice might as well be the space program for me - as such, I've never dared to make it. Ever. In 47 years. Recently, though, my dog fell ill and needed a simple diet of white rice and boiled chicken. While I was getting along with instant rice and boiling chicken in a pot, because I have a gas stove I needed to basically sit in there and watch it. It's just a task I hated.
Then I bought this thing. When I say I just dump water and rice in it and press a button, or I put the steamer basket full of chicken in and push a different button, I mean it. It's really that easy. It's so deceptively easy that my stubborn brain, upon trying it for the first time, was nearly certain that it would come out terrible. No, it was perfect. (after I learned that you should rinse the rice, of course) Now I fire this thing up at least twice a week, and I'm even using it to make things for myself every now and then. I haven't gotten into any of the fancier things, and I probably won't - but to cook rice and steam chicken, it's worth the cost alone." — todderick
Promising Amazon review: "Listen: I suck at cooking, and I don't have the time nor the patience to do so. Rice might as well be the space program for me - as such, I've never dared to make it. Ever. In 47 years. Recently, though, my dog fell ill and needed a simple diet of white rice and boiled chicken. While I was getting along with instant rice and boiling chicken in a pot, because I have a gas stove I needed to basically sit in there and watch it. It's just a task I hated.
Then I bought this thing. When I say I just dump water and rice in it and press a button, or I put the steamer basket full of chicken in and push a different button, I mean it. It's really that easy. It's so deceptively easy that my stubborn brain, upon trying it for the first time, was nearly certain that it would come out terrible. No, it was perfect. (after I learned that you should rinse the rice, of course) Now I fire this thing up at least twice a week, and I'm even using it to make things for myself every now and then. I haven't gotten into any of the fancier things, and I probably won't - but to cook rice and steam chicken, it's worth the cost alone." — todderick
6.
Amazon
A mini Dash rice maker
Adorable, easy-to-use and perfect for anyone with limited counter space, this compact Dash rice cooker can create a steamed meal or side dish, such as pastas or soups, in just 20 minutes. Available in eight fun colors, like bubblegum pink and canary yellow, the Dash has a "keep warm" function and comes with a removable non-stick inner pot, a recipe book and measuring cup.
Promising Amazon review: "I love rice, but have never mastered how to cook it in a pot the "normal" way. I've had multiple people show me how and tell me it's so easy to cook rice in a regular pot, but we clearly have different definitions of 'easy' or I just have some secret skill that makes me fail at cooking rice in a pot. I resorted to the boil-in-a-bag kind of rice because that was the only way I could get it cooked properly, without it burnt to the bottom and crunchy and the mushy in other spots.
Then, enter this rice maker. I followed their instructions and filled their measuring cup with rice up to the line, added it to the pot with some salt, and then filled their measuring cup all the way with water, dumped it in, and pressed the cook button. (I did not rinse the rice; no one in my family does and I had no idea it was even a thing. Its never affected how my rice cooks, so I don't intend to start doing so either.
I did expect it to take less time initially...(not sure why), but when it did flip from cook to warm and I checked the rice, it was done perfectly. Nothing burned to the pan, no mushy spots, just fully cooked, delicious rice. I've followed the same procedure every time and gotten basically perfect rice every time. If you don't get to the pot right away, the rice will start to get a bit brown on the bottom and cook together a bit, but when you add butter and other food to the rice I've never noticed a burnt or bad taste; just that it's a bit more stuck together than usual." — Kristopher (This review was edited for length. Read the full review.)
Promising Amazon review: "I love rice, but have never mastered how to cook it in a pot the "normal" way. I've had multiple people show me how and tell me it's so easy to cook rice in a regular pot, but we clearly have different definitions of 'easy' or I just have some secret skill that makes me fail at cooking rice in a pot. I resorted to the boil-in-a-bag kind of rice because that was the only way I could get it cooked properly, without it burnt to the bottom and crunchy and the mushy in other spots.
Then, enter this rice maker. I followed their instructions and filled their measuring cup with rice up to the line, added it to the pot with some salt, and then filled their measuring cup all the way with water, dumped it in, and pressed the cook button. (I did not rinse the rice; no one in my family does and I had no idea it was even a thing. Its never affected how my rice cooks, so I don't intend to start doing so either.
I did expect it to take less time initially...(not sure why), but when it did flip from cook to warm and I checked the rice, it was done perfectly. Nothing burned to the pan, no mushy spots, just fully cooked, delicious rice. I've followed the same procedure every time and gotten basically perfect rice every time. If you don't get to the pot right away, the rice will start to get a bit brown on the bottom and cook together a bit, but when you add butter and other food to the rice I've never noticed a burnt or bad taste; just that it's a bit more stuck together than usual." — Kristopher (This review was edited for length. Read the full review.)