A rice cooker handles the water, heat and timing for you, then switches to a warming mode when the cycle ends. Models differ in capacity, in the inner pot (nonstick, ceramic-coated or stainless steel) and in how many settings they offer beyond white rice.
The six cookers below range from a 3-cup uncooked mini model to a 10-cup model with a steamer basket. Capacity, power and settings come from each product’s listing page. We have not used these cookers ourselves, and performance claims are the makers’ own.
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What to Look For
| Feature | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Capacity | Listings count uncooked or cooked cups, so compare like with like |
| Inner pot | Nonstick, ceramic-coated and stainless steel pots clean and wear differently |
| Settings | Brown rice, porridge, quick cook and steam options add range |
| Timer and warming | A delay timer and keep-warm mode help with meal timing |
Specs at a Glance
| Cooker | Capacity | Inner pot | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cosori 10 Cup | 10 cups listed (5.0 qt model) | Ceramic coating | Fuzzy logic; sauté and slow cook; 24 hour keep warm and delay timer; steamer basket |
| AROMA Digital | 4 cups uncooked, 8 cooked (2 qt) | Inner pot included | Steam tray; white, brown, steam and flash rice presets |
| BLACK+DECKER | 6 cups cooked | Removable nonstick bowl | 300 W; steaming basket; glass lid; automatic keep warm |
| Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 | 5.5 cups | Spherical nonstick pan | 680 W; many menu settings; LCD clock and timer; retractable cord |
| Toshiba Mini | 3 cups uncooked | Nonstick inner pot | 8 cooking functions; 24 hour delay timer; detachable power cord |
| Elite Gourmet ERC006SS | 3 cups uncooked, 6 cooked | Stainless steel | Tempered glass lid; cool-touch handles; keep warm |
The 6 Best Rice Cookers
1. Cosori Rice Cooker 10 Cup
A large corded cooker with a ceramic-coated inner pot, fuzzy logic control, sauté and slow cook functions, a 24 hour keep warm and delay timer, and a stainless steel steamer basket. The listing shows a 5.0 quart model and mentions 20 cups cooked, while the capacity field says 10 cups.
Suits: larger households. Strengths: many functions and a steamer basket. Weaknesses: big footprint, and the cup counts need checking. Skip it if you cook small batches.
View Cosori Rice Cooker 10 Cup, Fuzzy Logic, Ceramic Coating Inner Pot,18-in-1 on Amazon
2. AROMA Digital Rice Cooker, 4-Cup Uncooked
A 2 quart digital cooker with a stainless steel exterior, white rice, brown rice, steam and flash rice presets, a steam tray for cooking food above the rice, and an automatic keep warm mode. The maker says rice must be measured in the cup that comes with it.
Suits: a mid-size kitchen. Strengths: presets and a steam tray. Weaknesses: hand wash care. Skip it if you want a dishwasher-safe pot.
3. BLACK+DECKER Rice Cooker, 6-Cup Cooked
A simple 300 W cooker making up to 6 cups of cooked rice with the included three-quarter cup measure. It has a removable nonstick bowl, a steaming basket, a tempered glass lid and an automatic switch to keep warm.
Suits: a basic one-button cooker. Strengths: a steaming basket and a lid you can see through. Weaknesses: few settings. Skip it if you want timers or grain modes.
4. Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker
A 5.5 cup computerized cooker with a spherical nonstick inner pan, 680 W heating, an LCD clock and timer, a retractable cord and menu settings for white, mixed, porridge, sweet, semi-brown, brown, rinse-free and quick cooking.
Suits: cooks who want many settings. Strengths: a broad menu and a retractable cord. Weaknesses: a larger footprint than its capacity suggests. Skip it if you want a plain cooker.
View Zojirushi Ns ZCC10 Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer (White) on Amazon
5. Toshiba Mini Rice Cooker, 3 Cups Uncooked
A compact cooker for one to three people with fuzzy logic, 8 functions (white rice, quick cook, brown rice, mixed grain, slow cook, porridge, cake and egg), a 24 hour delay timer, auto keep warm and a detachable power cord. The nonstick pot is hand wash.
Suits: small kitchens. Strengths: a small size with a timer. Weaknesses: small capacity. Skip it if you cook for a crowd.
6. Elite Gourmet ERC006SS 6-Cup Rice Cooker
A cooker holding 3 cups of raw rice and 6 cups cooked, with a removable stainless steel inner pot, a tempered glass lid, cool-touch side handles, an automatic keep warm mode, a measuring cup and a serving spatula.
Suits: anyone who prefers a steel pot to nonstick. Strengths: a steel pot and a glass lid. Weaknesses: no timer is listed. Skip it if you want a delay start.
Care and Setup
- Measure rice with the cup supplied, because listings note it is smaller than a standard cup.
- Rinse the rice before cooking if the manual says to.
- Use the supplied spatula on nonstick pots.
- Wash the lid and steam vent cap as the manual directs.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Comparing uncooked cups with cooked cups.
- Using metal utensils on a nonstick or ceramic-coated pot.
- Putting a hand-wash pot in the dishwasher.
- Buying a large cooker for one person.
Rice Cooker FAQ
Why does the cup size matter?
The supplied cup is usually smaller than a standard US cup, so the water lines in the pot assume that cup.
Can a rice cooker make other foods?
Several models here list steaming, porridge, oats or slow cook functions. Check each listing for the exact settings.
The Short Version
For a large household, the Cosori. For presets and a steam tray, the AROMA. For a simple 6-cup cooker, the BLACK+DECKER. For many menu settings, the Zojirushi. For one to three people, the Toshiba. For a stainless steel pot, the Elite Gourmet.
