The 8 Best Japanese Rice Cookers For Your Healthy Meals

After thorough research and consideration, we have picked out these 7 best Japanese rice cookers and assessed their pros & cons.

1. Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker

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Pros:

• MICOM technology automatically regulates temperature and time
• Easy to clean
• Even heating
• Safe heat-resistant side handles

Cons:

• Expensive
• Occasional buttons dysfunction

2. Zojirushi 612252-NL-BAC05SB Micom

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Pros:

• Pre-set timer up to 24 hours
• Automatic Keep warm mode - 12 hours
• High-tech display & sensitive touch panel
• High capacity – up to10 cups

Cons:

• Short life span
• Lack of instruction

3. DONABE Clay Rice Cooker Pot Japanese Style

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Pros:

• Easy to use & clean
• Has reheating cycle
• Multiple melodies to choose & beep signal
• Removable power cords
• 2 delay time options

Cons:

• Expensive
• Keep warm mode malfunction

4. DONABE Clay Rice Cooker Pot 1 - 2 cups

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Pros:

• Multi-functions with 8 Pre-programmed settings
• Smart fuzzy logic for heat regulation
• Convenient to clean
• High-tech touch panel
• Compact size
• 24 hours delay timer
• Energy-saving

Cons:

• Not very beginner friendly
• Short power cord
• Small

5. Panasonic 5 Cup Rice Cooker with Induction Heating 

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Pros:

• Time-saving with Quick rice mode
• Ultra-long keep warm mode – up to 24 hours
• Retractable steam vent
• 2 delay time options
• Well-designed

Cons:

• Expensive
• No manual time-setting
• Teflon pot easily peeled off

6. COMFEE' 5.2Qt Asian Style Programmable All-in-1

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Pros:

• Quick cooking & specialized mode for different rice types
• Easy to clean with removable cord, vent & lid
• Multiple melodies & beep signal
• Automatic temperature and time adjustment
• Compact size

Cons:

• Expensive
• Require a converter

7. Tayama Automatic Rice Cooker & Food Steamer 10 Cup

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Pros:

• Super cheap
• Easy to use & clean
• Cool touch handles
• Transparent glass lid
• Minimal design
• Compact size

Cons:

• Ideal for white rice only
• Leaky lid

8. Toshiba Digital Programmable Rice Cooker

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Pros:

• Affordable price
• Easy to use
• Cool handles
• Smooth glass lid
• Minimal design

Cons:

• Short warranty

Since Japanese rice cookers are still considered unfamiliar to most non-Asian users, a simple yet helpful buying guide is necessary.

To find out which Japanese rice cooker best addresses your needs, here are some key aspects you might want to look at:

Type of rice

The first factor you should take into account is which type of rice you want to cook as there is a wide range of them and each requires a different cooking condition. For instance, white rice is the easiest to cook and can be done by most rice cookers while brown rice takes longer to cook and needs more water than white one.

Besides, some other types of grain might be cooked by multi-tasking rice cookers: mixed rice, semi-brown rice, short or long-grained rice, oatmeal or sushi rice.

If you are looking for a cooker for other sorts of rice apart from the traditional white one, those with specialized setting options for multiple grain variety are a good choice.

Performance & Function

Another key element is the practical effectiveness of the gadget.

Whether it produces a desirable outcome hinges highly on the quality of the device and its significant features like even heat distribution, productive and precise timer function (including pre-set and keep warm mode), and its versatility to offer efficient cooking settings for different types of grains.

Capacity

Cooker capacity is also an important aspect as you certainly do not want to use a too small rice cooker for an 8-serving meal or a too large one just to serve a tiny helping. Either way is a waste of time and other resources.

If you only need to cook for yourself or at most 2 people then a 3-cup uncooked capacity cooker will be an economical option.

If you frequently serve large meals with roughly 4-6 servings then a cooker with a 5.5-cup uncooked capacity will do the job.

However, larger meals of 8-10 helpings may require a cooker with up to 10-cup capacity.

Ease of use

Last but not least, the convenience of use and maintenance is absolutely worth considering.

Whether the electronic gadget is easy to clean? Those with retractable segments (electronic cords, lid vent, inner pot) are easier to wash thoroughly.

Is your cooker easy to use? Does it have a sensitive well-functioned touch panel? Does it offer cool-touch handles for safety and non-sticky properties? Does it provide easily comprehensible instruction?

Also, consider the power compatibility of the device’s current with the electronic power you are using. Some might need a converter or else it might be burnt and break down immediately.

What is a Japanese rice cooker?

The Japanese rice cooker is a kitchen electronic device mainly used to cook steamed rice. If you frequently include rice or grains in your meals then a rice cooker would be handy.

How to use a Japanese rice cooker?

Cookers vary in design and function so there would be no one-fit-all procedure. To have the most desirable outcome, reading cooking instructions thoroughly is recommended. However, here are some basic steps to operate a common rice cooker:

First, rinse the rice/grains once or twice (depending on the rice types) and put it into the inner pot.

Then, plug in the power and choose the suitable mode (for cookers with multiple options).

Finally, push the Start button, and voila! Just wait for the delicious steamed rice to come!

How long does it take to cook rice with a Japanese rice cooker?

It depends on the cookers as well as the rice types. The average time duration to cook white rice would be 30 minutes. Other types of rice may take longer. Brown rice could take up to 60 minutes.

Can I cook anything else beside rice with a Japanese rice cooker?

Definitely! Some rice cookers are versatile and able to cook various kinds of food including mixed grain, oatmeal, quinoa, porridge, sweet, pasta, soup, stew, saute, steamed veggies, or even cake and egg!

If you love to integrate steamed rice or grains into your healthy home-cooked meals yet not having much time or skill to do it manually, then one of these 7 best Japanese rice cookers could be your ideal cooking companion!

Our top recommendation is Toshiba Digital Programmable Rice Cooker, Steamer & Warmer and Zojirushi NS-LGC05XB Micom Rice Cooker & Warmer with a high level of efficiency and versatility.

The basic & compact Zojirushi NHS-06 3-Cup Rice Cooker is an economical option for those with a limited budget whose main demand is merely to cook 2-3 servings of white rice.