Rice is one of the most common and versatile staple foods across the globe today. For most people, it is a must for every meal. And while it’s easy to incorporate it into any dish, jasmine rice can be tricky to prepare. Not enough water or excess water can yield burned or mushy rice.
My pick? The Cuckoo Rice Cooker from Amazon. Fast, versatile and easy to clean, at Amazon.
It is not entirely a surprise that people nowadays turn to an easier, stress- and mess-free option — the rice cooker.
Some people still prefer the traditional way of cooking rice on the stove. There is no problem with this, but we all know how it can be much of a hassle. Using a quality rice cooker can ultimately avoid the workload and predictions to ensure we’ve cooked rice the right way.
In other words, there would be no more second-guessing or babysitting still to end up with undercooked grains. With quality rice cookers, you can ensure well-cooked jasmine rice by only clicking few settings without the need of checking it out from time to time.
To help you find the best rice cooker for jasmine rice, we present several top-rated rice cooker brands we found online while weighing their pros and cons. I’ll help you understand how amazing rice cookers operate and why you should definitely own one.
How does a rice cooker work?
Understanding how the rice cooker operates can also help you feel more confident about choosing the right one. When buying a rice cooker, you may see strange terms such as “fuzzy logic” or “induction cooking” on the box or in the manual.
Fuzzy logic is a type of technology a rice cooker uses. Unlike a simple rice cooker with an on and off button, a fuzzy logic cooker can sense and adjust cooking temperature and time, giving you a perfectly cooked bowl of rice every time.
Fuzzy logic rice cookers have built-in computer chips that give them the ability to make practical adjustments like how humans do. Fuzzy logic is one effective way to program machines to perceive the world more humanely and truthfully. It does not limit the rice cookers on strict data. Instead, fuzzy logic welcomes “almost” and “slightly” to its operation, resulting in properly cooked rice.
Induction cooking
Induction cooking is a little more hi-tech and complicated, often used in high-end rice cookers. Also, it has been successfully incorporated into other essential household and industrial appliances. Induction rice cookers technically make use of heating technologies with radiofrequency using a conductive material.
Induction cooking technology has an extremely precise way of measuring and adjusting the temperature. Additionally, the heat source is not limited to the bottom of the pot. Instead, the entire pot emits heat equally on all sides, allowing the jasmine rice to cook evenly.
Induction heating rice cookers provide an exceptional kitchen experience as they are easy-to-use and produce flavorful rice. Although these rice cookers are typically available at expensive prices and consume more electricity, you can ensure a high-quality appliance with vital functions. Since cooking jasmine rice can be challenging, induction rice cookers are your best bet.
Features to look for and consider
- Size
- Pressure cooking
- Delay start time function
- Keep warm function
- Detachable inner lid
- A good quality inner coating
- Simplicity of use
| Rice Cooker | Rice Capacity | |
|---|---|---|
 | 1. Cuckoo | 6 cups uncooked |
 | 2. Zojirushi | 5.5 cups uncooked |
 | 3. Hamilton Beach | 4 cups uncooked |
 | 4. Aroma Housewares | 4 cups uncooked |
 | 5. Toshiba TRCS01 | 6 cups uncooked |
 | 6. Instant Pot | 6 cups uncooked |
 | 7. BLACK+DECKER | 3 cups uncooked |
 | 8. Panasonic | 5 cups uncooked |
 | 9. Breville | 4 cups uncooked |
1. Best High -End Cooker : Cuckoo Rice Cooker & Warmer, 6 Cups
As you search for the perfect rice cooker, you will come across dozens of reviews, but this Cuckoo Rice Maker will surely catch your attention. The higher price tag may cause you to think twice before buying one. Yet, its versatility, quality, and ability to produce perfect, flavorful jasmine rice every time make it worth every penny. This rice cooker has an attractive exterior with several cooking settings, including the germinated brown rice (GABA) preset to fully cook this healthy ingredient.
PROS:
- It is made of non-stick Teflon coating, preventing your rice from getting stuck and burned.
- Unlike a simple rice cooker, which may only be suitable to cook one kind of rice, the Cuckoo rice maker uses fuzzy logic technology. Using the different settings, you can select the type of rice you want to cook and leave the rest up to your rice cooker. This rice cooker lets you set your settings at the “My Mode” option on how you wish your rice to be cooked.
- The other two must-have features of the Cuckoo are the timer and the detachable inner lid. The timer gives you the freedom to plan when you would like your rice to start cooking, regardless of whether you are home or not. The removable inner lid makes cleaning the rice maker extremely easy.
CONS:
- The size of this rice cooker may pose an issue for those who prepare large quantities at once.
2. Fastest Cook Time: Zojirushi NS-TSC10 5-1/2-Cup (Uncooked) Micom Rice Cooker and Warmer
Zojirushi’s Micom Rice Cooker and Warmer is a fantastic appliance that even professional chefs recommend. It operates using fuzzy logic technology to ensure rice is cooked exceptionally well. It adjusts time and temperature automatically and leaves no sign of undercooked grains. This rice cooker features particular white and brown presets and steaming settings for vegetables, seafood, and desserts. Zojirushi’s rice cooker is made of stainless steel design with an easy-to-read LCD feature.
PROS:
- The Zojirushi is comparable in price and uses the same fuzzy technology the Cuckoo rice maker does.
- It has an easy to clean, non-stick inner coating and comes without the language barrier.
- One interesting feature is the retractable power cord which helps keep your kitchen tidy.
- The Zojirushi comes with a limited 1-year warranty in case users encounter issues.
CONS:
- The rice takes longer to cook with this rice cooker. However, you can never say no to its quality. It is best to plan cooking ahead to avoid delays.
3. Solid Choice Runner-Up: Hamilton Beach Digital Programmable Rice Cooker & Food Steamer, 8 Cups Cooked
Suppose you are not a rice perfectionist and are looking for a simple, low-cost, family-friendly machine. In that case, you should consider buying the Hamilton Beach Digital Simplicity Rice Cooker and Food Steamer. This is a made in China rice cooker with a very reasonable price tag. Yet, don’t let the low price fool you. It comes with its collection of bells and whistles, such as a timer and a stay-warm function, making it one of the most versatile rice cookers in its price category. If you feel like experimenting beyond rice, you can easily prepare other delicious grains such as beans, lentils, steel-cut oats, and even pasta with this Hamilton Beach rice cooker.
PROS:
- This Hamilton Beach has a 2 to 8 cup capacity and the capability to cook both short and long grain rice, making it ideal for jasmine rice. But don’t cut yourself short.
- Its lustrous, stainless steel design makes it durable and appealing to the eye. It comes with a heavy pot and a tight lid, which will prevent water and steam from escaping and will cook your rice quickly.
- This model is also extremely easy-to-use, so you don’t have to be a talented cook to make flawless, delicious rice.
CONS:
- The only downfall for this almost perfect, affordable Hamilton Beach rice cooker is its non-removable lid. This makes it more challenging to clean.
4. Our Favorite: Aroma Housewares ARC-994SB 2O2O model Rice & Grain Cooker 8-cup
If you are looking for the best overall rice cooker, this Aroma Houseware Rice Cooker is your perfect choice. Aside from the speedy and effective rice cooking, this rice cooker has a steaming tray for meat and vegetables and a nonstick removable cooking pot for simultaneous cooking. It can cook up to 8 cups in one sitting, which is perfect for family use. Thus, it is well-loved for its versatility! Say goodbye to rice babysitting since this wonderful appliance comes with a timer and automatic keep-warm function once it is done cooking.
PROS:
- It features seven automated settings where you can choose the presets of any of the following: white rice, steamed veggies, risotto, brown rice oatmeal, etc.
- While the rice is cooking, you can use the built-in steamer function for nutritious foods as well. This feature saves time and effort without ever sacrificing its best results.
- This Aroma Housewares rice cooker features a durable coating that is easy to clean and scratch-resistant.
CONS:
- It may be confusing to use for its several unique features; thus, it is best to keep the manual close by for the first try.
5. Best Japanese Model: Toshiba TRCS01 Cooker 6 Cups Uncooked (3L) with Fuzzy Logic and One-Touch Cooking
Toshiba has been known for its rice cooker innovation over the last 140 years. This Japanese-style rice cooker features 3D cooking technology with an easy-to-operate appliance using the 6-step cooking process. It has seven presets for cooking several types of rice, oatmeal, porridge, and many more, to ensure perfect texture and taste. It can perfectly cook jasmine rice up to 12 servings. The best aspect of this rice cooker is its quick rice feature. You can easily speed up the cooking process in just one click.
PROS:
- It has an automatic keep warm feature after it’s done cooking.
- Its quick race feature can speed up cooking time up to 30 minutes, saving you a lot of time!
- It has built-in delay time options to help you easily set the timer and expect perfectly cooked rice when needed.
- It comes with a removable large steam opening, which allows the steam to rise without bubbles and mess.
CONS:
- This Japanese-style rice cooker belongs to the high-end models, which is quite expensive. Yet, it is worth the purchase.
6. Popular American Do-It-All: Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Saute, Yogurt Maker, Sterilizer, and Warmer
For those who are looking for an all-in-one rice cooker, this Instant Pot Duo is the perfect additional appliance to your kitchen. This model is noted to be one of the best-selling because of its several essential functions: pressure cooker, rice cooker, slow cooker, steamer, yogurt maker, saute pan, and many more functions. It has an 8-quart capacity, ideal for family gatherings. Also, Instant Pot comes with safety features, such as overheating protection and a safety lock for a maximized cooking experience. You can set it to either cook fast or slow. Thus, there is no need for constant checkups.
PROS:
- The Instant Pot duo is technically a 7-in-1 appliance where you can do several tasks aside from achieving perfectly cooked rice.
- It is easy-to-use for its quick one-touch cooking. You can customize its 13 Smart Touch programs.
- It has a smart design made of food-grade stainless steel.
CONS:
- The accessories of this rice cooker may be expensive.
7. Best for Simple-ness: BLACK+DECKER RC506 6-Cup Cooked/3-Cup
If you opt for a more budget-friendly rice cooker option, this Black + Decker Rice Cooker and Food Steamer is your excellent choice. This appliance can easily cook six servings of rice in a lesser time. Plus, it comes with an automatic keep-warm function once it’s done cooking. This rice cooker is perfect for cooking jasmine rice because of its glass lid, where you can easily check the rice’s condition and its cool-touch plastic knob for easy handling. A steaming basket, serving spoon, and measuring cup are included in this rice cooker, making it a great deal for its affordable price.
PROS:
- It can serve up to 6 cups of cooked jasmine rice, perfect for small and large gatherings.
- It has a removable nonstick rice pot, which is easy to clean through the dishwasher.
- It comes with a food steaming basket, measuring cup, and serving spoon. There is no need for you to purchase separately.
CONS:
- This Black + Decker rice cooker does not have a built-in timer.
8. Panasonic 5 Cup (Uncooked) Japanese Rice Cooker with Induction Heating System and Pre-Programmed Cooking
This Panasonic Japanese Rice Cooker is known for its affordability and excellent ratings. This induction rice cooker comes with a 12-hour keep-warm feature with a clear and large digital LCD. Aside from perfectly cooked jasmine rice, this model can be used for slow cooking and steaming at the same time. This rice cooker comes with a 24-hour preset timer with 13 amazing preset cooking programs for easy use, helping you save time and effort.
If you’re looking for a slow cooker specifically, take a look at our review of large capacity slow cookers.
PROS:
- It comes with a durable 7-layer nonstick interior diamond coating pan. It has a copper exterior designed to last for a long time.
- You can enjoy its 13 preset cooking options to automatically cook the rice of your choice, including other food options as well.
- This digital rice cooker has an automatic keep-warm feature once cooking is completed.
CONS:
- Not a very exciting color selection.
9. Breville Fast Slow Pro Multi-Function Cooker
If you want to have a sleek and attractive additional kitchen appliance, you may want to check this Breville Multi-Function Cooker. Since it has a multi-function feature, it allows 11 slow and fast cooking settings. There is no need to constantly check on your jasmine rice as it cooks as this rice cooker adjusts time, temperature, and pressure accordingly with the help of its top and bottom sensors. It comes with a steam-release section to avoid bubbling.
PROS:
- The Breville brand is noted to release high-quality appliances; thus, several users love how durable, functional, and convenient this multi-function cooker is.
- This digital rice cooker features a color-changing LCD for you to know if it is already pressurizing, cooking, or releasing steam.
- You have 11 cooking presets to choose from. Plus, you can add a custom setting for your special recipes.
CONS:
- This Breville pressure cooker belongs to higher-end models, which is pretty expensive.
Conclusion
If there is one significant advantage about technology, it would be the convenience to our day-to-day lives. Instead of ensuring our jasmine rice doesn’t get burned, we can focus on other essential tasks when we let rice cookers do their jobs.
As technology advances, rice cookers evolved from automatic on and off features to built-in chips to adjust temperature, pressure, and timer with a more practical approach. Among the long list we have detailed, remember the choice of purchasing the best rice cooker for jasmine rice comes down to your personal needs.
If you want a long-lasting, quality rice maker, I suggest investing in a Japanese or Korean-made rice cooker. After all, you can always replace a cheap rice maker with a newer model when the time comes, but if you buy a good quality rice maker once, it can last you a lifetime.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my rice maker double as a slow cooker?
Sort of!
Some rice cookers come with a slow cooker option and can easily double as both. The Zojirushi and the Cuckoo both can double as slow cookers. You can also use it to warm dishes like soup or baked beans. Some users have even made cakes in the Zojirushi.
The Hamilton is intended only for rice.
It’s important to make sure you clean out the rice cooker when after every use, but make sure to clean it out especially well after using it for anything other than rice. If you don’t it could lead to funny tasting rice and ruined dinners.
What is the difference between an electric heating rice cooker and a pressure rice cooker?
“None of the options listed above are pressure rice cookers, they are all normal electric rice cookers. The steam is allowed to escape during the cooking cycle, so the pressure doesn’t build up like it would in a pressure cooker.
Pressure cookers are known for cooking things at higher temperatures and at quicker speeds. When pressure cooking rice, as the pressure builds, the boiling temperature of the water rises and this enabled it to penetrate deeper into the grains of rice.
Rice which has been pressure cooked tends to stay softer longer.
How difficult is it to use a rice maker?
If you’ve never used a rice maker before, there’s going to be a bit of a learning curve. If you can use a microwave, you can use a rice cooker. You might have to fuss around with it a bit before actually using it.
Read the manual before you start and there really shouldn’t be any problems. These are fairly simply appliances to use. I really recommend reading the manual for the Cuckoo rice maker before you start trying to make rice since it is from Korea and in Korean.
Are rice cookers easy to clean and store?
These rice cookers are fairly easy to clean and store. The Zojirushi takes the win with storage as the cord is retractable.
Think about where you’re going to store it before you decide on one. They do come in different shapes and size and this can affect storage. If you have a spot picked out before you start shopping you’ll have an estimate of what size will fit best in your kitchen.
As for cleaning, these all come with removable lids and inner pots for easy cleaning. Just clean the pot like you would any other non-stick pot (handwash it please) and same goes for the lid. Make sure to wipe the whole thing down once in a while. The steam and warmth are greenhouses for mildew and bacteria.
What is the best way to cook jasmine rice in a rice cooker?
To cook jasmine rice in a rice cooker, you need to wash it first. Then, add 1 and 1/4 cups of water for every one cup of jasmine rice.
Place the cups of uncooked rice inside the rice cooker. After, choose the right settings for jasmine rice depending on the rice cooker model.
If you wish to keep it warm after, then choose the keep warm feature. Also, you can customize settings to your rice cooker.
Can you cook jasmine rice like regular rice?
Regular rice is often cooked with a 1:1.5 ratio (rice to water). Jasmine rice is softer compared to most white rice. It needs lesser water to produce a soft and fluffy result.
For every cup of jasmine rice, use 1 and 1/4 cup of water. Most people do this the wrong way, so they often get frustrating jasmine rice results. With the best rice cooker of your own choice, you can easily adjust your preferences to ensure perfectly cooked jasmine rice.
While jasmine rice can also be cooked on the stove, using a quality rice cooker can reduce the stress and hassle.
Which brand rice cooker is best?
The best overall rice cooker is Aroma Housewares.
This independent and convenient appliance lets you complete several tasks in one sitting. Its model usually serves up to 8 cups of serving with a 50% faster cooking rate. You can simultaneously steam meat and vegetables using the steaming tray while cooking rice.
This rice cooker is truly perfect for busy home cooks who need to do many tasks in a short period as it comes with a 15-hour delay timer, plus the automatic keep-warm function! It is considered a great value and game-changer as it makes our lives way easier and hassle-free.
“Why do bodybuilders eat jasmine rice?
Bodybuilders often opt for jasmine rice after a workout because it is high in carbohydrates. It can also help increase the rate of amino acids on your muscle cells due to the insulin spike.
Jasmine rice is soft, tasty, and easy to eat and digest, making it a go-to-mass building carb source for most bodybuilders. Jasmine rice gives off essential nutrients such as B-vitamins and minerals, phosphorus, and magnesium.
Have the cuckoo rice pot and am struggling making jasmine rice in it. It comes out sticky. Any tips? Cooking mode?
Thanks
Hi, Billy. Jasmine rice should be slightly sticky. That said, if you don’t prefer it that way, I suggest you use slightly less water when cooking your rice. Experiment with using a bit less water each time you cook your rice until you get it to the exact consistency you like, and make a note of how much to adjust your rice to water ratio in the future. Best of luck!