7 Best Japanese Rice Cooker Reviews & Buyer’s Guide

If you’re new to Japanese rice cookers, this guide will help you find the right one for your needs.

In it, we’ll discuss choosing the best Japanese rice cooker and using it effectively.

We’ll also share some tips for cleaning and maintaining your new purchase so that it lasts for years and years.

Before we go into details, let’s examine what makes these appliances unique.

How to Choose the Right Japanese Rice Cooker

If you’re in the market for a Japanese rice cooker, there are several factors to consider before making your purchase.

• First and foremost, you should consider what size of rice cooker will be best for your needs.
• A large family may need a 6-8 cup cooker, while singles or couples might find that a small 2-4 cup model suits their needs better.

Next, consider how many features you want in your rice cooker.

Do you want an automatic keep-warm function? What about a nonstick pot?

These are essential considerations when it comes to picking out the suitable model of Japanese rice cooker for your home kitchen!

Then we can move on to the price. You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on a high-quality brand-name machine if one at Target does everything you need!

1) Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy NS-ZCC18

The Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy NS-ZCC18 10-cup rice cooker and warmer is easy to make delicious rice for your family.

This unit uses advanced Fuzzy Logic technology that automatically adjusts temperature and heating time to cook perfect rice.

The 10-cup capacity makes up to 20 cups of cooked rice. In addition to making white, brown, sushi, and mixed rice, the neuro-fuzzy also prepares porridge, sweet and quick cooking for various options available for different flavors or occasions.

With convenient automatic keep warm and sensor cooking options, you can easily create cooked rice that stays moist so that your meals are ready when you want them.

Detachable parts are easy to clean, and the unit is easy to use, making it an excellent choice for busy families.

Last update on 2023-02-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

2) Panasonic Variable Pressure IH Jar Rice Cooker

The Panasonic SR-DE103 5 Cup Rice Cooker with Fuzzy Logic and One-Touch is a 5-cup rice cooker that can cook rice, porridge, soup, and more.

This rice cooker boasts industry-leading induction cooking, which creates an electrical current inside the pot to heat and cook rice, porridge, soup, and more.

It also uses advanced fuzzy logic technology that makes delicate changes in cooking times and temperatures for precise cooking and consistent results.

In addition, it has one-touch cooking, which allows you to easily choose a preprogrammed setting to cook anything from brown rice, white rice, glutinous rice, or mixed rice cooked to restaurant-quality perfection.

Last update on 2023-02-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

3) Zojirushi NS-LGC05XB Micom

The Zojirushi NS-LGC05XB Micom Rice Cooker & Warmer features an expanded menu with steel-cut oatmeal and GABA brown rice settings for healthier options.

With its compact size, you can now cook up to 3 cups of delicious rice or serve as little as 1/2 a cup for two people with the new inner lid that keeps the steam in the cooking bowl.

This advanced fuzzy logic technology automatically adjusts cooking time and temperature, giving you perfect results every time. It uses triple heating to generate heat from the bottom all around—so it heats evenly for consistent results no matter what!

You can use the melody alert to know when your rice is done, additional beeps for accurate timing, and a delay setting, so it’s ready at your chosen time.

Additionally, you can cook white rice porridge directly in the bowl.

Last update on 2023-02-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

4) Toshiba Rice Cooker 6 Cups One-Touch Cooking

The Flame Takumi is an easy-to-use professional cooking masterpiece at an unbeatable price for making your favorite meal.

The Toshiba cooker has a quick rice feature; the specially designed sensor accelerates the cooking time to 30 minutes, which is an excellent time-saving option.

16 preprogrammed cooking options provide delicious results every time, including white/hardier rice, brown rice, mixed rice, short or long-grained rice, and more!

Two programmed delay timers allow you to set the timer allowing the rice to be ready when needed.

This innovative rice cooker features a vent on top that allows steam to rise through the lid and evaporate without bubbling over.

Last update on 2023-02-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

5) Tiger JKT-D10U 5.5-Cup

This Tiger rice cooker’s advanced induction heating technology ensures that the entire inner pot is surrounded by electric current, allowing for precise temperature adjustments that yield perfectly moist and fluffy rice.

The preset menu settings include white rice, “extra soaking time to bring out maximum flavor” (which beeps after four minutes), quick cooking, and express for little cups.

The Express-Limited Cups cook a limited amount of rice, just enough for one person. This will be a quick way to make some white rice quickly.

This rice cooker can be programmed to start cooking 24 hours in advance, so the meal is ready when you are. And it keeps food warm automatically after cooking completion, so there’s no need to check on it throughout the day!

Last update on 2023-02-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

6) Zojirushi NP-HCC18 10-Cup

Make your life easier with the Zojirushi 10 cups rice cooker. This modern cooker makes cooking delicious rice easy and includes many additional features to keep your meal simple.

The induction heating system keeps rice at the perfect temperature while allowing you to choose your desired setting. The intuitive controls allow you to use this model no matter what rice is cooked.

This cooker is perfect for a restaurant, office breakroom, or home kitchen.

The Zojirushi 10-cup rice cooker’s stainless steel bowl makes it easy to clean and maintain. This BPA-free unit can be used as a steamer or warmer, and its dishwasher-safe design also makes cleanup simple.

Last update on 2023-02-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

7) Tayama 20-Cup Stainless Steel Automatic Rice Cooker & Food Steamer

This 20-CUP capacity rice cooker and steamer feature a one-touch operation that begins cooking as soon as you press the button. It also automatically shuts off when your food is ready, which means no more overcooked or undercooked meals!

With the touch of a button, you can start cooking and then smoothly detach the power cord to place this appliance on your countertop.

The stainless steel inner pot is removable and easy to clean. You can also steam vegetables in the included tray using this cooking method. This stove’s elegant round shape and excellent touch body will add as much convenience!

Last update on 2023-02-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The Benefits of Using a Japanese Rice Cooker

• It cooks rice perfectly.
• It can cook other foods, too.
• It’s easy to use.
• It’s easy to clean, so you don’t have a big mess in the kitchen when you’re done!
• And last but not least…it makes good rice!

How to Use a Japanese Rice Cooker

• Wash the rice and place it in your rice cooker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Add water as close to boiling temperature as possible (180°F/82°C). You can check the temperature with a thermometer if you want to be precise about this step. Still, it isn’t necessary for most people who have difficulty getting water near boiling without burning it or overheating their kitchen.
• Cook for 20 minutes on white rice, 30 minutes on brown rice, or 45 minutes if using quick-cooking varieties such as parboiled or instant brown rice (which can also be used with standard long-grain rice).
• If cooking quinoa, add 1 part with two parts liquid before cooking begins; cook at least five minutes longer than regular white rice (about 15 minutes total). Use half vegetable stock and half water when cooking quinoa in your Japanese Rice Cooker 2022!

Tips for Getting the Most out of Your Japanese Rice Cooker

Use the proper rice.

Japanese rice cookers are designed to work best with Japanese-style short-grain white rice (sushi and bibimbap are two popular dishes that use this type of rice). If you’re using a different kind of white rice in your cooker, prepare it according to the instructions on your container.

Use the right amount of water.

The general rule is that one cup of uncooked rice should be cooked with 1½ cups of water; however, some people prefer their rice drier and stickier, while others prefer it more al dente. Adjust accordingly by adding more or less water until your desired consistency is achieved.

Use the right temperature setting for cooking different types of rice:

High heat for regular white sushi or medium heat for sweet brown sushi; low heat for other varieties like short-grain brown jasmine or long-grain basmati; plus, keep an eye out for newer models with “quick cook” settings that help get dishes done quickly without sacrificing flavor!

And please note: Do not use high heat mode when cooking anything other than regular white sushi because this can cause overcooking, which ends up burning off nutrients from brown rice, such as Jasmine Pearl White Rice (my favorite).

How to Clean and Maintain Your Japanese Rice Cooker

Cleaning the inner pot is the most crucial step to maintaining your rice cooker.

The easiest way is to use warm water and a scrubber (like a sponge) to clean it. Make sure you don’t use metal pots or utensils on your inner pot, which can damage the nonstick coating of your rice cooker’s inner cooking bowl.

The lid should be cleaned with soapy water before being put back on the unit.

Some rice cookers come with detachable covers that make this process more manageable if you need extra elbow room to work with while cleaning; otherwise, leave them in place until they’re dry enough not to slip out of your hand while moving around!

After rinsing all surfaces thoroughly inside and out, it’s time to dry! 

You can let everything air dry overnight or speed up the process by using a soft cloth towel to dry both sides of each component before replacing them inside their respective compartments.

Don’t forget to dust any sensitive electronics nearby, too- those things get dusty fast!

If your rice cooker has a heating element in the base, let it cool down completely before removing any parts.

You’ll also want to be careful when washing the plastic lid and bowl, so they don’t get scratched or chipped.

Once you’re done cleaning, store all components in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight or any other sources of heat!

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Japanese Rice Cooker FAQs

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What is the best Japanese rice cooker brand in Japan?

The answer to this question depends on what you are looking for. If you want something that will cook your rice quickly, then a good option would be the Zojirushi NS-ZCC18. This model has some great features that include:

• Keep warm, so your rice doesn’t get cold when it’s done cooking.
• A porridge setting that allows you to make porridge (mochi) with ease
• A brown rice setting that makes cooking brown rice simple and easy

Suppose you’re just looking for something basic. Another option might be better suited for you, such as the Panasonic SR-DE103 or Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy NS-ZCC18 10-cup with Induction Heating System.

Another option that might be worth looking into is the Tiger JKT-D10U 5.5-Cup.

This model has some great features: A stainless steel inner pot that allows easy cleaning, An automatic keep-warm part so that your rice doesn’t get cold when it’s done cooking, and A porridge setting that will enable you to make porridge (mochi) with ease.

Conclusion

In this article, we reviewed the best Japanese rice cookers. We checked out all of their features and even read hundreds of user reviews from Amazon to find out what people like about them and what could be improved.

The main takeaways are that these machines have a simple design, quality construction materials, easy-to-clean functionality with removable parts, and adjustable settings for different rice or grains.

So if you’re looking to buy a new rice cooker, why not try one of these? They’re sure to make cooking more accessible while providing excellent results every time!