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Japanese rice (or ‘sushi rice’ as it is sometimes referred to) is very popular throughout the world. With that, comes thousands of machines that offer to cook this food for you. However, how do you determine what are actually the best Japanese rice cookers to buy?
We aggregated millions of actual customer reviews, tested the top models, and can now confidently recommend our top picks. So no matter if you want to make sushi, cook a little bit of rice as a side dish, or even cook brown rice (or similar foods) – we’ve got you covered. Read on, to see the best Japanese rice cookers on the market today.
Our Top Pick
Zojirushi NS-TSC10
Zojirushi is well-known for their extremely well-crafted rice cookers, and this machine is the best of the lot. We cooked batch after batch of sushi rice flawlessly with this machine, and the thousands of customer reviews concur that the quality of this machine is top-notch.
While it is not the cheapest product on our list, we think the slightly higher cost is well worth it. With every luxury feature you could want, and very reliable craftsmanship, this is our top pick.
Other Great Picks
Comfee Multicooker
This multicooker from Comfee not only cooks rice flawlessly – it also offers 16 other digital cooking programs. This means you can steam vegetables, sauté, cook pasta, make yogurt – and much more.
Since the value of doing all this with just one machine is incredibly difficult to beat, we think almost anyone will love this product. Additionally, it has thousands of great customer reviews, and a very modest price point. Two thumbs up.
Breville Multi Function Cooker
Breville makes one of our favorite ice cream makers, and this rice cooker has quickly become one of our favorites, to boot. With an absurd number of features, a color-changing digital display, and flawless performance – this is the Rolls Royce of multi-cookers.
Our rice came out perfect each and every time, but this machine does far more than that. It can make chili, soup, stew, poultry, beans, and even dessert. While it costs more than most rice cookers, it is well worth it, with all the extra functionality it provides.
Aroma Housewares Rice Cooker
One of the most popular rice cookers on the market (as well as one of the most affordable) – this machine is simplicity personified. While it doesn’t do much, in terms of other functions, it cooks rice absolutely flawlessly.
The price point is also extremely good, and we loved the texture that it provided, for our finished food. While you can certainly spend more, to get extra features, if you want a budget-priced rice cooker that delivers great results – this is the machine for you.
Tiger Rice Cooker
This colorful rice cooker is worth the price of admission just for the awesome design of the machine. However, it also has thousands of glowing customer reviews, backing up the outer flash.
This product is made in Japan, not China, and many buyers have noted that the quality is noticeably better, as result. We got excellent cooked rice in all of our tests, so we definitely recommend this more colorful option.
Toshiba TRCS01
Toshiba is well-known for producing quality consumer goods. While we weren’t as familiar with their culinary appliances, we loved the results we got with this machine.
With the touch of just one button, you can cook perfect batches of rice. The buyer reviews couldn’t be better, and the price is right in that sweet spot of affordable, yet still offering luxury performance. A great buy.
AmazonBasics Multi-Functional Rice Cooker
Even though this Amazon product was less expensive than most high-end rice cookers, the results we got with it were pleasantly surprising. The rice was evenly cooked, and had absolutely no issues.
You can also use this machine for other foods and functions, so it has an absurd amount of value, especially for its low price point. While there are flashier models out there, as well as name brand ones – this is a great budget option.
Tianji Electric Rice Cooker
This stylish and functional rice cooker also allows you to cook other things. We loved its design, and we’re pleasantly surprised with its even cooking method.
If you want to make porridge, soup, or any number of other foods, this cooker also makes those meals possible. While this machine is distinctly Japanese, we had no problems using it, and recommend it to anyone who wants style – along with great functionality.
Dash Mini Rice Cooker
This extremely affordable mini rice cooker packs a lot of functionality into an absurdly low price point. While this machine won’t handle large amounts of rice at one time, it makes up for it with it’s almost-free cost.
With thousands of glowing customer reviews, its reliability is also unquestionable. We think it’s one of the best values we’ve ever seen in any kitchen appliance. A definite recommendation.
Instant Pot Duo Nova
This classic Instant Pot model not only cooks rice flawlessly – it cooks just about everything else, too. With settings for poultry, yogurt, steaming, slow cooking, and even sautéing – there’s no better value than an Instant Pot.
With tens of thousands of positive reviews, it is by far one of the most popular multi-cookers every released. It’s pretty much impossible to find a single fault with this machine, and we highly recommend it.
What Is A Japanese Rice Cooker?
A Japanese rice cooker is a specialized machine that cooks rice (and often other foods). Japanese rice cookers can have specially designed parts, that will help give the user even better cooking results.
As a result, some of these more premium models can be a little pricey. In our experience and testing however, these units were almost always worth it.
How Long Do Rice Cookers Last?
Rice cookers can last up to 10 years. However, some models will only last 2 to 3 years. The length of life for your machine largely depends on how much you invest in it.
Very low priced models will work to cook rice, but usually won’t do much else. These particular models also won’t usually last more than 4 to 5 years – max.
While more expensive models cost more upfront – they are also stocked with more features, and can last for up to 10 years (without breaking down). If you can afford to make a slightly bigger investment now, it is usually well worth it, in the long run.
Why Are Japanese Rice Cookers So Expensive?
Japanese rice cookers are being generalized here. The high-end rice cookers from this country, however, are often equipped with special chips, which help detected both the type of food being cooked, as well as the ideal cooking temperature.
This allows them to deliver excellent finished results, but also means their machines cost more to manufacture. This is why some models are more expensive, while cheaper machines are often lacking this type of advanced technology.
What Is The Best Rice Cooker Brand?
While there isn’t a singular brand that is best for rice cookers, one of the most well-regarded, is Zojirushi. This is a Japanese company, which invests in making each rice cooker extremely high-functioning.
Of course, this also makes Zojirushi rice cookers more expensive. But in our experience, it is well-worth the extra money, as the Zojirushi appliances produced some of the tastiest rice we’ve ever tasted.
The Best Japanese Rice Cookers
There you have it, our picks for the best Japanese rice cookers. Whether you want a budget model, or a deluxe machine, we’ve got you covered.
Rice cookers are a fantastic way to quickly cook one of the most delicious foods on the planet – and designated cookers making prepping this food faster and easier. If you liked this review, be sure to check out some of our other kitchen product reviews.