10 Best Stainless Steel Rice Cookers 2023 – Reviews and Buying Guide
If you love preparing rice, rice cookers should be among your favorite kitchen appliances. So, if you don’t have one (or if just looking for a replacement), it’s important to insist on getting the best value available.
Worth noting is that rice cookers come in different shapes and sizes. Besides that, these handy appliances come in different material compositions.
In the following review, we’d like to narrow down our focus to the best stainless steel rice cooker models. But first, why are stainless pots better than everything else when it comes to preparing rice?
Why Stainless Steel Rice Cookers Are Better
This material is known for its gleaming appearance. As such, pots made of it have the reputation of bringing along enhanced aesthetics.
The stainless steel material is also quite durable since it withstands corrosion, warping and even exfoliation. And to top it all up, it can be used on different eating surfaces (induction coils, kerosene stoves, wood fuel etc.).
Now that we have an idea why this specific kind of rice cooker stands out, let us review some pots that we think are quite worth taking a closer look at.
Top 10 Stainless Steel Rice Cookers in 2023 – Comparison List
Below is a list comprising some of the leading stainless steel rice cookers. Take a quick look at the list and if you have a minute to spare proceed to the detailed reviews below.
1. Aroma Housewares ARC-914SBD Digital Cool-Touch Rice Cooker
One of the most annoying bits about preparing rice is the need to add oil to prevent the food from burning at the bottom of the pot. This Rice Cooker by Aroma Housewares will help you avoid this problem as it features programmable controls that will help you determine how long you will cook the rice.
Apart from preparing rice, this cooker is also a food steamer, and it will eliminate the need for using various utensils for preparing a meal. It has an impressive capacity, ranging between 2-8 cups and will make a meal for the entire family.
The inside of the pot has inscribed measurements to let you know how much water you can use in preparing the food. The exterior remains cool no matter the temperature of the contents inside the pot.
The inner pot is non-stick and removable for easy cleaning, while the control panel is easy to manage such that beginners would be comfortable operating it.
Lastly, it is compact and will not eat up too much space in your kitchen.
Pros
- Easy to use and clean
- Economizes on space
- Quite well-built
- Great aesthetics
Cons
- Not as durable as they might want you to believe
2. Zojirushi NS-TSC10 Micom Rice Cooker
If you are into fancy rice cookers, this would be a reasonable place to start. It utilizes a micro-computerized fuzzy-logic tech which does everything for you. It regulates the cooking temperature of the food you are preparing and will also set the pre-soaking time of grains.
The cooker has an impressive capacity whereby it can hold up to 5.5-cups of uncooked rice or ten cups of cooked rice, and this makes it ideal for preparing large meals.
It is versatile device cookware that apart from preparing rice, you can use it for steaming your meat and vegetables as well as baking cakes. You will prepare these dishes with minimum time and effort.
The cooker also has handy features such as Automatic Keep Warm, Reheating Cycles, and Extended Keep Warm.
Lastly, it comes with bonus tools, including a rice-measuring cup, a spatula, and a spatula holder.
Pros
- Easy to clean
- Programmable
- Comes with bonus accessories
Cons
- A bit expensive
3. Aroma Simply Stainless White Rice Cooker
This rice cooker is straightforward to use and can hold up to three cups of uncooked rice and six cups of cooked rice. It is crafted from stainless steel and has plastic handles to keep your hands safe. It also has a glass cover.
It has a warm mode that will keep the rice warm after cooking until you are ready to serve. Note that it will remain in this mode provided that it stays connected to the power source.
The cooker will come with a serving spatula and a rice-measuring cup so that you can exploit the full benefits of this cookware.
Lastly, adding several drops of olive oil will prevent the rice from sticking to the sides of this cooker.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Very affordable
- Food safe construction
Cons
- Rice tends to stick to the sides
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4. Zojirushi NS-LAC05XT Stainless Steel Micom Rice Cooker
Are you looking for a Rice Cooker that is small enough to feed you alone but is also large enough to allow you to invite two of your friends for a meal? Look no further this 3-cup rice cooker is here for you.
It is lightweight at 7lbs and can produce up to three cups of cooked rice. The body is constructed from stainless steel, and this makes it sturdy. It has a removable inner pot for easy cleaning.
You will have several settings to choose from according to your preference, and it utilizes the micom fuzzy logic technology to make life easy for you. It has an LCD, and the digital controls are a walk in the park.
It is programmable and will come in handy if you need to prepare a dish urgently. Lastly, it comes with bonus accessories such as a measuring cup, serving spatula, and a steam tray.
Pros
- Affordable
- Lightweight and portable
- Sturdy construction
Cons
- Will not serve you for long
5. Aroma Housewares 20-Cup Digital Rice Cooker
This is probably the best Rice Cooker by Aroma Housewares. It features a digital multi-function display that will offer you all the controls that you need. From just ten cups of uncooked rice, this cooker will yield twenty cups of cooked rice, and this will be enough to feed a crowd.
It is a multi-purpose cooker that also acts as a slow cooker. Its outstanding features include Saute-then-simmer (STS), auto keep warm function and 15-hour delay timer.
The inner pot is non-stick and prevents wastage of good food. The cooker comes with extra accessories such as a steam tray, rice measuring cup, and a plastic rice spatula.
Pros
- Multi-purpose cooker
- Can feed a large crowd
- Has an auto keep warm function
Cons
- It can be confusing setting the timer
6. Zojirushi 6-Cup NHS-10 Rice Cooker
If you are looking for a rice cooker that will serve your small family well, this model by Zojirushi will fit the bill. It can hold up to six cups of uncooked rice, and this would be enough to feed a family of four.
The cooker features a steaming tray, a stainless steel pot, a glass lid, and stay-cool handles. The glass lid has steaming holes while the handles will keep your hands safe in the face of extremely hot contents in the pot.
The inner pan is non-stick and removable for easy cleaning. The automatic keep warm function activates once the food is ready. It has a detachable power cord for easy storage.
Lastly, the cooker comes with bonus accessories such as a spatula and a measuring cup.
Pros
- Has stay-cool handles
- Easy to store
- Convenient capacity
Cons
- Can be difficult to clean
7. Tiger JNP-S10U Stainless Steel Rice Cooker
This Cooker by Tiger Corporation is straightforward to operate as there is only one button to use, and it will make things very easy for you. It can hold up to 5.5 cups of uncooked rice, and you will get to your rice effortlessly since the top is effortless to open.
It has a non-stick surface and a removable steam tray, both of which are very easy to clean. The Keep Warm Function will keep your rice warm for up to twelve hours after cooking.
It has a retractable power cord that will make the cooker very easy to store. Then, it comes with extra cookware such as a spatula and a measuring cup.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Retractable cord for easy storage
- Non-stick surface
Cons
- Too expensive
8. Cuisinart CRC-400 4-Cup Rice Cooker
If you value uniqueness, then it would be reasonable to try out this cooker by Cuisinart. It is square with a brushed stainless steel finishing.
It is straightforward to use as all you need to do is put water, then rice and then turn it on. The Keep Warm mode automatically switches on once the rice is done cooking.
The lid features steaming holes that act to prevent condensing water from spilling. The cooker has a steaming tray which allows you to steam meat and veggies while you continue cooking rice.
It has two handles which are chrome-plated and will help you in moving it around. The cooker is also very easy to clean as a result of having removable parts.
The front side of the cooker has two LED colored lights that will inform you of the phase that your food is in, whether cooking or warming.
Pros
- Unique design
- Has a non-stick layer in the inner pot
- Straightforward to operate
Cons
- Tends to go into warm mode before the cooking is done
9. Oyama 16-cup Stainless Steel Rice Cooker
If you want to step away from non-stick coated cookware, the Oyama stainless steel rice cooker is an excellent place to start. It is crafted from surgical grade stainless steel material, which is very food safe and can handle a variety of meals apart from rice.
It is straightforward to operate, and it only involves a one-press button to get going. Once the rice is ready, the Warm mode automatically kicks in and will keep your food nice for a decent amount of time.
It has a see-through lid, and the cooker comes with a steamer tray that can be used for steaming veggies, and meat as you proceed with cooking rice.
Pros
- Food-safe construction
- Automatic Warm Mode
- Easy to operate
Cons
- Not durable
10. Aroma Housewares Professional Stainless Steel Rice Cooker
Aroma Housewares does it again with this stainless steel cooker that has an impressive capacity of 4-12 cups and will handle any type of rice, whether brown or white. As soon as the rice is ready, the cooker will automatically switch to Keep Warm mode, and this eliminates the need for constant monitoring of your food as it cooks.
It utilizes the cool touch technology to ensure that the exterior remains cool and you can handle it at any stage of cooking without hurting yourself or destroying the surface you are placing it on.
The package includes a serving spatula, a steam tray, and a rice measuring cup to make things simpler for you.
Pros
- Versatile
- Comes with extra useful accessories
- Easy to operate
Cons
- It lets out too much moisture to leave the rice dry
The Buying Guide
When it comes to the subject matter of great rice cookers, stainless steel pots are clearly the favorites. However, not all stainless steel cookers are perfect. For that reason, it makes perfect sense to use a comprehensive buying guide so you can arrive at an informed verdict.
The Cooker’s Capacity
How much rice can the cooker comfortably accommodate per cooking session? Obviously, if you are buying it for use by one person, it makes sense to go for a tiny-sized one. Conversely, you don’t want to end up with a miniature cooker when planning to make a meal for the entire family.
One way to measure a rice cooker’s capacity is through the number of rice cups it can accommodate. Small-sized ones typically accommodate 3 to 4 cups. The ideal capacity for a medium-sized family, however, is 6 cups or more.
Non-Stick Coating
Much as stainless steel is one of the most durable rice cookers on the market, using it without a non-stick material increases the chances of the rice burning. So, a non-stick coating is always something worth looking for.
We also need to mention that though some cookers have this coating, not all last long enough. Some coatings tend to peel off over time.
So, if you are really specific on owning a cooker with this coating, be sure to read through some of the user reviews posted about it. Units with a non-stick coating that easily peels off will always be red flagged by annoyed users.
Usability
Generally, rice cookers are quite helpful. However, some of them are clearly better made than others. Usability is, therefore, key when it comes to making an informed decision.
Some cookers are quite simple but others have an advanced panel that you can use to adjust the settings. Although we don’t advocate for the prioritization of the fancy stuff, our view is that enhanced usability can significantly make your culinary experience better.
So, if you can find a rice cooker with a friendly user-interface, go for it. Some even come with the “keep warm” mode which helps you keep your rice ready to eat for several hours.
Easy To Clean
It’s not unusual for rice cookers to accumulate some dirt. Therefore, you want to make sure that what you opt for is easy to clean.
Pots that are difficult to clean provide perfect breeding spots for bacteria. And as you know, bad bacteria is bad for your health. So, the last thing you want to settle for is a rice cooker that’s difficult to clean.
Pressure Tolerance
Rice cookers are meant to cook under high pressure. In that case, you need to be specific and choose stainless steel pots. This is the only material that’s known to be quite robust.
Well-made stainless steel doesn’t warp easily and can easily withstand dents. As such, with such a pot in place, you’d be pretty much guaranteed of absolute peace of mind.
Some Models Are Better Than Others
It is worth keeping in mind the fact that different rice cooker models are designed to do different kind of stuff. Therefore, when making this decision, try to think of finding a multi-purpose cooker. That’s because some cookers come with extra functions and, therefore, can function as slow cookers as well as steamers.
But while at it, it’s always important to decide on the kind of features that you think are must-haves. For instance, rice cookers with built-in digital controls are easy to operate but may not be as rugged. So, only go for the features that you really need in your cooking experience especially if you’re shopping on a tight budget.
Which One Is The Best Overall?
A lot has been said about the Aroma Housewares ARC-914SBD Digital Cool-Touch Rice Cooker but one thing stands out – it’s among the best ones out there. It has a friendly user-interface that enables you to choose the different modes to operate it in.
Besides that, it can accommodate up to 8 cups of rice which makes it ideal for a medium-sized family. It’s no wonder it has attractive raving feedback from thousands of those who have used it.
Final Thoughts
If durability matters to you more than anything else, you need to be specific when picking your rice cooker. It’s our hope that the guidelines provided above will go a long way in helping you make an informed bet when it comes to selecting the right stainless steel rice cooker.
