If you are a person who eats rice a lot, you will know that it is difficult to eat rice every time. Fortunately, with the help of a rice cooker, you can get rid of this trouble.
Traditional rice cookers are mostly larger in size. If you often want to cook for one or two people, you should look for a smaller one.
The question now is, since there are many choices on the market, how to choose the best small rice cooker?
In this article, I will review the 10 best small rice cookers on the market and a buying guide.
10 Best Small Rice Cooker Reviews
Dash DRCM200GBPK04 Mini Rice Cooker Steamer
Dash DRCM200GBPK04 mini rice cooker is very suitable for two people or two students living in the dormitory.
Whether you want to prepare a simple breakfast, a quick lunch or dinner, or even a snack, this rice cooker can provide you with all this help. You can also use it as a mini rice cooker for travel.
The induction cooker can not only cook rice, you can cook oatmeal, stew, pasta, soup, quinoa, and even steamed vegetables. Therefore, if you want to pair it with vegetable fried rice, then the cooker in this case is enough.
The best part of the rice cooker is that it will automatically turn off when your rice is cooked.
Therefore, it will not overcook or overheat the rice and other ingredients, and provide you with proper moist and fluffy rice, allowing you to enjoy your meal.
This compact rice cooker has a “keep warm” function, which can keep your meals with enough heat for several hours. Normally, the rice becomes sticky and it is annoying to swallow sticky rice.
Fortunately, even if you keep the rice in warm mode, it will not make the rice sticky.
Regardless of the size of the kitchen, its compact shape can easily meet your kitchen decoration needs.
The cooking pot does not contain PFOA non-stick pot, which can be easily cleaned even in the dishwasher. There is a glass cover to cover the rice when cooking.
With the packaging, you will get a rice paddle, a recipe book containing 14 delicious recipes, and a measuring cup.
Pros
- Turn off automatically when the rice is cooked
- The warm function makes the rice fluffy
- Compact design easily fits a small kitchen
Cons
- No on/off switch
- Poor quality glass cover
- When it boils, it spills some water
Oyama 3 Cup (uncooked rice) Traditional Rice Cooker
This three-cup rice cooker weighs only 2.5 pounds and can be easily moved from one place to another. When 3 cups of uncooked rice become 6 cups of cooked rice, the induction cooker can feed 4 people.
Due to its average size, it will not take up as much space as your kitchen space.
The outside of this rice cooker is made of stainless steel, which is very durable and easy to clean.
The combination of stainless steel and white makes it look elegant, which is very suitable for kitchen decoration.
For the cooking part, all you need to do is pour the rice and water into the bowl and ignore it. The cooker will automatically turn off after finishing the cooking process.
You can concentrate on other tasks while cooking. It comes with a steaming tray for steaming vegetables.
The best selling part of this rice cooker is that when your rice is cooked, it will automatically enter the “keep warm” mode. According to the manufacturer, it can keep your rice warm for 12 hours.
For a small rice cooker at this price, this feature is quite impressive.
No one likes this when rice sticks to the cooking bowl and is difficult to clean. Thanks to its non-stick pan, it will not let the rice stick to it and it is very easy to clean.
The cookware has a glass cover to cover the bowl during cooking. Likewise, the color combinations seen are very majestic.
Pros
- Stainless steel makes it strong and durable and does not rust
- Turn off automatically when the rice is cooked
- Automatically switch to keep warm mode after cooking
- Cook the rice in 20-25 minutes
Cons
- Sometimes switch to heating mode before cooking
- Quick-cooking will burn the bottom of the rice
Oyama 6-cup (uncooked) Rice Cooker
If you are looking for a rice cooker with some basic functions, take a look at Oyama’s 6-cup uncooked rice cooker.
The rice cooker is very suitable for medium-sized families, turning 6 cups of uncooked rice into 12 cups of cooked rice. Enough for a family of 5-6 people, right?
It takes time to cook two different foods, especially for those who are always eager to eat a meal.
The rice cooker is equipped with a steamer tray, which is located in the cooking bowl, which allows you to cook rice and other food on the dining table or lunch table to make complete rice.
Everyone can easily operate this cooker. It only requires you to put in the rice and the necessary amount of water, and then press the cooking button. The cooker will handle other processes on its own.
Not only can it provide you with cooked rice every time, but it also provides a “keep warm” function to keep the rice warm and soft for about 24 hours.
Unlike traditional rice cookers, its warmth keeping function does not make the rice sticky.
If you need to quickly enjoy lunch or dinner without wasting time, you can cook rice in the morning and eat it at lunch or dinner.
The rice cooker comes with a measuring cup, cooking instructions, a steam plate for vegetables, and a rice paddle.
Pros
- Quick-cooking, no cooking at the bottom
- Keep warm function for 24 hours
- Steam tray for steamed vegetables
Cons
- Steam and condensate are discharged from the steam port
- The lid is not locked
- If left for a long time, heating will burn the rice
Aroma Housewares Select Stainless Rice Cooker
If you care about powerful multifunctional products, then you can seriously consider this rice cooker, especially if you are a medium-sized family.
The induction cooker will provide you with 6 cups of fully cooked rice to make your meal enjoyable.
It comes with a 100% surgical grade stainless steel inner pot. Therefore, there is no doubt about its durability.
Non-stick pans usually scratch and peel when used in moderate to large amounts. Fortunately, this 304-grade stainless steel pan is not the case.
In addition, the inner pot is movable, so it can be cleaned without much effort. You can clean it in the dishwasher.
You can use this rice cooker to cook six different types of food. In addition to white rice, you can also cook brown rice. The matter is not over yet.
You can also cook pasta, omelets, oatmeal, and even bake cakes. The cooker is also very suitable for cooking soups, peppers, and jams.
With a one-button operation, anyone can use this rice cooker to cook rice.
If you don’t have time to wait for 40 minutes to eat rice, then you should really consider this rice cooker that can cook rice in 15 to 20 minutes. After cooking, it will automatically switch to keep warm mode.
The rice cooker is equipped with a durable tempered glass lid, measuring cup, and spatula.
Pros
- Multifunctional rice cooker
- Fast cooking in 20 minutes
- 304-grade durable stainless steel inner pot
- Keep warm mode turned on automatically
Cons
- Please turn off the power before unplugging the power
- Rice sticks to the bottom of the inner pot
Aroma Housewares 8-Cup (Cooked) (4-Cup UNCOOKED) Digital Rice Cooker
This family-sized compact rice cooker provides 8 cups of cooked rice, which means you must put 4 cups of uncooked rice in it. This programmable digital rice cooker can provide you with restaurant-quality rice for lunch and dining tables.
Using this rice cooker, you will be able to cook white rice and brown rice at the same time.
In addition to cooking, you can also prepare oatmeal, mixed rice, chili, soup, etc. It comes with a steaming tray for steaming vegetables and meat.
This rice cooker does not require any monitoring or stirring. You can help your child do homework, participate in creative activities, or read books while working on the cooker.
After the rice is cooked, it will automatically stop cooking and switch to the keep warm mode and keep it moist for several hours. For families on the go, this rice cooker provides a 15-hour delay timer, which can provide delicious meals whenever needed.
The cookware has a white coating, suitable for any kitchen decoration. Although large, it is worth using such a rice cooker for medium-sized families.
The package comes with a steam tray, a spatula, and a measuring cup as usual. The inner pot is non-sticky and easy to clean.
Pros
- Programmable digital rice cooker
- You can steam vegetables and meat when cooking rice
- The airtight lid has no room for water to splash out
- 15-hour delay timer
- Automatically switch to keep warm mode
Cons
- There is no handle in the pot
- Non-stick surface quality is not good
Aroma Housewares 20 Cup Cooked (10 cup uncooked) Digital Rice Cooker
Are you looking for a rice cooker for parties? Look at these 20 cups of rice cookers cooked with aromatherapy household products.
This rice cooker is sufficient to meet the needs of a large family and guests and is very suitable for people who often attend parties.
You can add 10 cups of uncooked rice to this rice cooker but still maintain a compact appearance. Nowadays, rice cookers not only cook rice.
Similarly, the multifunctional rice cooker can steam food and even bake cakes with rice cooking.
Using this machine, you will be able to cook white rice and brown rice, flash rice, steam vegetables, and meat. You can also steam chicken and seafood in a steaming dish.
When you prepare a meal, the rice cooker will ring to attract your attention.
In addition, this rice cooker is equipped with a slow cooker and a 15-hour delay timer. With its programmable slow-cooking function, you can grill, chili, mixed rice, soup, stew.
The delay timer provides you with a flexible meal schedule, even if you return home after a busy day, you can also prepare rice.
The cooker also has an automatic “warm-keeping” function, which turns on after cooking and keeps the rice hot until you eat it on the plate.
To cook rice in this digital rice cooker, you just need to add rice and water and press the cook button.
The inner pot of the non-stick pan is made of aluminum. Therefore, there is no reason to worry about its durability and cleaning process.
There is a handle on the lid of the pot, which makes it easy to move the cookware from one place to another. You will get a measuring cup with packaging, a steaming pan, and a spatula.
Pros
- Versatile cooking compatibility
- Automatic keep-warm function
- 10-hour delay timer
- 10 hours slow cooking function
Cons
- Difficult to operate for the elderly
- The inner pot cannot be moved due to its size and is difficult to clean
- Cover to collect condensate
- Larger size than other traditional small rice cookers
Instant Pot Lux Mini 6-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, Sterilizer Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker
Have you ever thought about buying one kitchen appliance and getting six appliances for free? This happens if you buy the LUX mini 3 Instant Pot.
Smart cooker combines the functions of a pressure cooker, rice cooker, slow cooker, wok, electric cooker, and steamer.
This multi-function electronic cooker uses the latest third-generation microprocessor technology, which can cook 2 to 6 times faster than other traditional cookers.
Thanks to its fast cooking technology, it is very energy efficient.
The microprocessor monitors the temperature and pressure, sets the time, and adjusts the heating intensity and duration.
It even considers the amount of food that provides an impressive cooking effect and maintains the consistency of each dish.
Since it is a smart cooker, it has many different cooking options. There are ten built-in cooking options, such as soup, meat, stew, egg, fried rice, porridge, steam, keep warm, slow cook, high-pressure cook, etc.
It has a dedicated egg program that can make soft, medium, and hard-boiled eggs in a few minutes. In order to adjust your cooking plan, it comes with a “24-hour delay” start timer.
In addition, after cooking, the “warm” mode will automatically turn on and keep the food heated until you have a meal on the plate.
The cooking pot has been completely sealed to ensure that the nutrition, flavor, and aroma of the food will not be compromised. With this pot, your kitchen temperature will not rise.
The inner pot has a non-stick coating, and 304 food-grade stainless steel ensures its durability.
The exterior is made of brushed stainless steel with anti-fingerprint performance. It has a large and clean display panel that allows you to operate it correctly.
Pros
- Third-generation microprocessor, extremely fast
- 6 in 1 kitchen utensils
- Energy-saving 70%
- Ten different cooking functions
- “24-hour delay” timer with “keep warm” mode
- Extremely durable food-grade stainless steel inner pot
- The 3-layer bottom can effectively distribute heat
Cons
- The cleaning process is not easy
- Rubber sealing ring absorbs food odor
Instant Pot Duo Plus Mini 9-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker
In ninth place, we have another multi-function cooker on the list. If your family is small, but your kitchen space is not large and cannot provide a separate space for pressure cookers, rice cookers, and all other basic cooking utensils, then please take a look at this 9-in-1 multi-cooker.
This is an upgrade of the previously evaluated multi-function induction cooker. Instant Pot DUO Plus 3 combines the functions of 9 kitchen appliances into one.
You can use it as a pressure cooker, rice cooker, slow cooker, steamer, wok, yogurt maker, sterilizer, and heater.
Like the previous one, this Instant Pot has a capacity of 3 quarts. However, large families have two options. 6 and 8-quart versions.
Its third-generation microprocessor continuously monitors temperature, pressure, duration, and cooking intensity.
The cooker takes into account the volume of food and effectively distributes heat to ensure consistency between different dishes.
With its rice cooking options, you can cook various types of rice. There is an egg cooking function that can cook half, medium, and half-boiled eggs in a few minutes.
In addition, you can use the disinfection function to disinfect milk and tableware.
The smart cooker has a “24-hour delay” timer to help you plan your mealtime.
After cooking, it will automatically turn on the heat preservation function and keep the food at a sufficient temperature until it is ready for consumption.
Its completely sealed cooking environment can capture nutrition, flavor, and aroma, and no compromise on food taste.
The inner pot of the non-stick pan is made of three-layer food-grade stainless steel, which is very durable.
The outside of the cookware is made of stainless steel, so fingerprints will not be left behind. There is a bracket on its lid, which can safely move the pot to any place.
Pros
- 9 in 1 kitchen appliances
- 13 programmable cooking functions
- The third-generation microprocessor technology increases cooking speed three times
- “Keep warm” and “24-hour delay” timer
- Extremely durable stainless steel inner pot
- Energy efficient
Cons
- The difficulty for the elderly
- Food sticks to the inner pot
- Sealing ring retains food odor
Zojirushi NS-TSC10 5-1/2-Cup (Uncooked) Micom Rice Cooker
Finally, this is a Japanese rice cooker. If you know anything about the cooking methods of Japanese rice cookers, you may encounter this situation.
Zojirushi NS-TSC10 is one of the mid-range and high-end rice cookers. For those who often eat rice, this is a perfect choice.
When it comes to cooking, this 5.5 cup (uncooked) rice cooker is definitely a genius. You can cook white rice/brown rice, sushi, mixed rice, sweet rice, porridge, and fried rice.
Things don’t stop there; besides, you can steam vegetables and even bake cakes in them.
The most important selling point of this rice cooker is its micom and “fuzzy logic” technology, which can control and adjust the temperature and cooking time in consideration of various cooking factors.
Factors such as temperature, humidity, and water temperature will affect the cooking process. Rice cookers with “fuzzy logic” can handle these factors ingeniously and provide perfect rice every time. Therefore, even if you forget to cook, you will not overcook or undercook.
The cooker has an automatic “keep warm” function, which turns on and keeps the steam of the rice for about 24 hours after cooking. In addition, its “reheat” function allows you to recoat the rice just before getting it.
There are two default delay time presets, 6 and 18 hours respectively. But you can adjust the time so that you can prepare the rice as soon as you get home. It has a fast cooking function and can prepare rice in 25 minutes.
Its non-stick inner pot prevents the rice from sticking, so it is very easy to clean. You will get the advantage of the retractable power cord that comes with the induction cooker.
There are a rice spoon and a steaming tray in the package, which can steam vegetables and rice together.
Pros
- Micro computerized “fuzzy logic” cooking technology
- LCD control panel
- Multi-function cooking
- Stainless steel appearance
- Two delay timer presets
- Automatic “keep warm” and “reheat” functions
- Retractable power cord
Cons
- Cooking time is longer than traditional cookware
- Long grain rice is not good
- Inner pot scratches and peel
Cuckoo CR-0631F 6-cup Multifunctional Micom Rice Cooker
Cuckoo is the best-selling rice cooker brand in Korea. And there are good reasons.
Their most popular model, Cuckoo CR-0631, is a highly rated rice cooker, the best brown rice of all rice cookers. And it makes brown rice and white rice faster than the Zojirushi rice cooker by about 10 minutes.
Design: This is a pressurized cooker (so it takes 20 minutes of cooking time), with a stylish and cute pink and white design, with a voice navigation button on the front of the display.
It has a non-stick inner coated aluminum pan, which makes cleaning a breeze. The bottom of the pan is flat and the sides are curved to ensure uniform cooking throughout.
Capacity: Its capacity is relatively small, only 3 cups (uncooked, 6 cups of cooked) rice, so it is only suitable for couples or people who do not eat rice often.
Downside: This is not foolproof, so you must measure the rice into the water appropriately, but as long as you do this, it can be made into any type of rice. The downside is that it can’t be used for anything other than rice.
Nonetheless, it is a popular choice among rice cookers because it offers excellent performance for around $100, making it an Amazon choice.
The advantages of using a small rice cooker
Before moving to the main article, let’s talk about why you need a small rice cooker instead of a traditional large rice cooker.
Relatively small
If you are single or a small family of two, then you may not need a large kitchen, right? Fortunately, a small rice cooker for two people will not take up most of your kitchen space.
On the other hand, if you travel a lot and want to take the rice cooker with you, and you want to take carbohydrates with you during the journey, then your travel rice cooker can be a quick solution.
With it, you can increase endurance and energy during the journey and enjoy a stress-free journey.
Able to cook different dishes
The rice cooker is not the only rice cooking expert. They can also cook different dishes. If you want to put some vegetables on fried rice, you can steam the vegetables with the same cooking equipment.
In addition to cooking different types of rice (such as brown rice), it also cooks dishes such as soup, porridge, and steamed vegetables.
Those who like to drink soup before eating a big meal, such as rice, can also choose to have soup as an appetizer.
Some rice cookers can cook rice and at the same time steam vegetables in a dedicated steaming basket.
No need to monitor
Since the induction cooker itself takes care of your rice, you do not need to visit the kitchen from time to time to monitor the cooking process.
You just need to sit back and relax, and after 40 to 50 minutes, you will get fluffy rice.
Less chaos
Unlike a microwave oven, the rice cooker will not overflow or overflow with excess water, and it can keep your cooking environment clean and tidy.
Cooked rice
Whenever you use the rice cooker to cook rice, it will provide you with cooked rice. Moreover, you don’t have to worry about overcooking or overcooking the rice.
Can keep the rice warm for a long time
People usually do not eat rice immediately after cooking. In this case, the best mini rice cooker can choose to keep the rice warm for a long time.
If you find that the rice you want to eat after a few hours is not warm enough, you can use the “reheat” option, which will reheat the rice and show you the fluffy and warm rice when needed.
Easy to clean non-stick pan
It is so annoying to see when the rice sticks to the pot. In this case, you must put in extra effort to clean the pot.
Since almost every mini rice cooker comes with a removable non-stick pan, you will no longer have to stick rice on the pan.
As the name suggests, the non-stick pan will not make the rice stick to the pan, and there is no need to scrape it many times, making it more comfortable to clean.
Easy to operate
The small rice cooker has an automatic cooking mechanism, which only requires you to approve by pressing a button.
All you need to do is press the button and rely on the induction hob. Everything else will be taken care of.
A few accessories included
Last but not least, these rice cookers come with some useful accessories such as a steaming pan, spatula, and measuring cup. These accessories will make your every step comfortable and worry-free.
What is the best small rice cooker?
Although small rice cookers are expensive, they are still an investment, and you need to make sure that you don’t have to find a substitute in a short time.
Therefore, before choosing a personal rice cooker, please consider the following –
Brand
If you believe in a particular brand, then obviously you are looking for products from that brand. Therefore, choose your brand wisely.
In the market, you will find many different types of rice cookers from different brands. Many of you may not have heard of this name before, but due to the low price, you may end up buying an underrated rice cooker.
Many well-known brands manufacture high-quality rice cookers. Zojirushi, Instant Pot, Oyama, Aroma, Panasonic, Dash, Tiger, etc. are the most popular rice cooker brands, which can provide quality products and satisfactory customer service.
Types of rice cookers
There are a few advanced cooking techniques and mechanisms attached to the rice cooker.
Microwave rice cooker
Like most other microwave cooking machines, microwave rice cookers also use steam to cook rice and food. Compared with others, this kind of rice cooker is not expensive.
The cookware is made of sturdy plastic and can be used easily for many years.
Micom rice cooker
This type can be used in conjunction with a computer chip that uses thermal sensors to check and adjust the temperature and calculate the cooking time and provide perfect rice.
Induction cooker
Induction rice cookers use a new technology that generates electromagnetic fields through conductive materials to allow heat to pass. This is a safe and energy-saving advanced cooking technology. The induction rice cooker cooks faster than other traditional rice cookers.
Fuzzy logic
Different types of rice require different temperatures and times to cook. Fuzzy logic calculates precise fluctuations in cooking time and temperature for each program.
If you need to cook different types of rice regularly, then you should look for this technique in a rice cooker. Similarly, fuzzy logic is very suitable for cooking brown rice, jasmine rice, porridge, oatmeal, and seafood.
Multifunctional facilities
Some advanced rice cookers can not only cook rice but also have multiple uses. You can cook rice while steaming vegetables, meat, oatmeal, porridge, seafood, etc. in the steamer.
Some units have a slow cooking function, you can also cook soup, stew, and bake cakes.
Capacity
Rice cookers come in various sizes. Rice cookers with a size of 1-3 cups are considered low-capacity rice cookers and are most suitable for singles or small families. A 3-cup rice cooker is enough to be used as a travel rice cooker.
If you are looking for a one-person rice cooker, then the most suitable investment is a 1 cup rice cooker.
The 4-10 cup rice cooker is suitable for large and medium-sized families. Some rice cookers can hold 20 cups of rice for commercial use and occasional use.
Energy saving
Since the rice cooker is a kind of heater, it consumes a lot of electricity. Therefore, you must choose an electric rice cooker with an energy-saving rating. Energy-saving rice cookers use advanced cooking technology and are expensive.
Easy setup
If you are looking for a cheap small rice cooker for someone who does not have any fancy features, please choose a simple operation rice cooker.
Advanced rice cookers have complicated user settings and are not suitable for elderly people.
Heating function
A rice cooker with a heating function can keep the rice warm enough after cooking for several hours.
Size
The size depends on the capacity. The smaller the capacity, the smaller the size. If you are worried about portability, choose a small induction cooker.
Lightweight
The light rice cooker is easy to clean and easy to carry. However, if you find that the rice cooker has excellent features and the pot is detachable, then go for it. The removable rice cooker is easy to clean.
How to maintain and maintain small rice cookers?
No matter how much you spend on the rice cooker, you want to use it for several years without any problems. Please follow our main recommendations to keep small rice cookers properly.
- When washing rice, always use a separate basket or bowl. Avoid cleaning it in the inner pot of the rice cooker.
- If you do not wipe the outside of the inner pot, but put it into the induction cooker when the outer pot is wet, the heating element of the induction cooker will be damaged. Therefore, after putting the rice in, make sure to wipe the outside of the inner pot.
- Most rice cookers have a warming function, which can keep your rice cooker warm for 12 to 24 hours. However, we do not recommend leaving the rice in the warm-keeping mode for a long time, because long-term heating will damage the coating of the rice inner pot.
Therefore, if you need to keep the rice warm, please keep it for 6 hours.
- The boiled water and thick rice are always good for your rice cooker, so as not to burn out.
- Don’t add more water to pick up the old rice again. The rice cooker is not programmed to detect the strange balance of this cooked rice with water. You can choose to reheat old rice.
- Be extra careful when you want to cook something other than rice. If there are too many ingredients; it may overflow and enter the electronic components of the rice cooker.
Therefore, if you are not cooking by keeping the measurements accordingly, experiment with caution.
- To clean the inner pot, use a soft sponge. If there is dry rice on the bottom, do not scrub, pour some hot water, and leave the rest on the sponge.
- Do not operate cooking utensils near any water source.
- After cooking, please keep the inner pot clean to avoid rust and corrosion.
- Do not leave the rice in the pot for a long time, otherwise, it will encourage the growth of bacteria.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take for a small rice cooker to cook rice?
It depends on the type of rice cooker. Generally, cooking rice usually takes 30-50 minutes. If the cooker has a quick-cooking function, it will take about 25 minutes.
How much water can I put in my rice cooker?
Again, it depends on the type of rice you want to cook. For each cup of rice, you need to add;
430 mL white long grain rice water
360 mL white medium grain rice water
300 mL white short rice water
520 mL brown rice long grain rice water
For fragrant rice or jasmine, do not use more than 1½ cups of 360 ml water for a bowl of rice. The more dry rice you want; the less water you need to put in.
Can I prepare anything other than the rice in the rice cooker?
Again, it depends on the type of induction cooker. Nowadays, most rice cookers come with multiple cooking presets, allowing you to steam vegetables, meat, prepare soup, stew, porridge, and bake cakes.
There are smart multi-pot rice cookers, which can also be used as pressure cookers, slow cookers, steamers, yogurt machines, etc.
What is the purpose of the steaming tray or steaming basket?
The rice cooker is equipped with a steamer or a steaming basket so that the user can steam vegetables and meat at the same time while cooking.
It can save you time and energy. You are preparing two different dishes at the same time.
Do you soak brown rice before cooking?
Compared with white rice, brown rice takes a lot of time. This is because brown rice needs to be soaked before cooking, and grains need more time to cook properly.
You can soak it overnight to make it faster. It will reduce the total cooking time by 45 minutes.
Conclusion
I hope this review and buying guide on the best small rice cookers will help you decide to buy a rice cooker that meets your needs. When buying a rice cooker, be sure to consider the key things you are looking for.