Get info and reviews on Zojirushi, Sanyo and Panasonic rice cookers

I am half Japanese and, as I was growing up, I realized that some things were done differently in other households. For example: I remember when we bought our first rice cooker, back in 1991, and I thought all other households in my neighborhood also ate as much rice as I did at home. Turns out I was kind of wrong.

As dieting is no longer done by vanity, more and more people start to discover the benefits of eating brown rice. But how can we cook it properly? And what if we want to prepare Asian foods, can we make sure we know how to prepare it right?

I’d strongly suggest you buy a rice cooker, just millions of people in East Asia do. This is a guide to finding the best rice cooker for your needs.

What size?

First you need to figure out how many people will eat. I live with my girlfriend and we just have a small, electronic, 3-cup rice cooker made by Panasonic (or National, depending on where you live).

My family has two rice cookers, each one has a 5 cup capacity, and both ones are Zojirushi. One of them is white, from 1991 (it still works!) and the other is more modern, a neuro fuzzy logic rice cooker with stainless finishing. I think it’s that’s the best rice cooker there is!

You can easily find a 10-cup rice cooker, but I find these ones too big to put them away when they are not being used. I’d only advise you to buy one of these if you entertain a lot or if you are a restaurante owner.

If you have no clue on how much rice per meal a person can eat, this is how it works in my house:

• I’m a 27 year-old male, and I eat 1/2 cup of rice when I’m not too hungry, or 3/4 cup if I’m starving.
• My girlfriend is 25 and she eats 1/3 of a cup if it’s a normal meal, or 1/2 cup if she’s hungry.
• We are both used to eat white rice or brown rice almost every day, so our quantities might be slightly above the average person.

Which brand?

The best rice cookers are:

• Zojirushi rice cookers,
• Sanyo rice cookers,
• Tiger rice cookers, and
• Panasonic rice cookers.

Other Characteristics

The cooking time varies from device to device, but one thing they all have in common is that they buzz a little sound when the rice is done.

Usually rice cookers are easy to clean. Find a model with a pot that comes out. After all, you do want to leave them with some water for a couple of hours before trying to get rid of that sticky left overs. Think of the sticky rice as well when you are choosing whether or not to get a model with a non stick surface and you will thank me for that.

Depending on the model, you can find one with computer features, having more than one function. You can cook white rice and brown rice, as well as add vegetables and mushrooms to the rice and cook everything together. For making meals like that, a 5-cup rice cooker works best than a model for 3 cups, as my experience shows me…

If you invest a little more money, you can save storage space in your kitchen and find a rice cooker that also works as a slow cooker. For those who like oatmeal, you can prepare everything in the evening before and program your rice cooker to make it all in the morning, as efficient as a coffee machine.

For all these reasons, I would avoid investing in cheap, basic rice cookers. If you can have non-stick surface, removable pot, multi-function, and timer features, I’d sure be willing to go a little more expensive and get something to suit my family’s needs.

Another good point about getting an electric rice cooker is that they work both as a rice cooker and warmer. That means that there’s an automatic mode to keep the rice warm once it’s cooked. You can also heat up rice that was previously done.

Final Tip

My last tip to you is where to buy: users at amazon.com have provided valuable feedback about the best models available at the market today. They don’t sugarcoat things and tell what they like about all the models, as well as what they don’t like. You can find some honest feedback by reading their reviews. Click here to browse the categories and find the best rice cooker for your needs!

Or… Check the editor’s choices below.

What is the best rice cooker?

This is my personal experience with rice cookers. Thank you for taking the time to read it until the end. I think, though, that this is the best way for you to make an informed decision as to whether or not you think a certain rice cooker will be the best purchase for your family. You can trust this perfect appliance to deliver your rice cooked at the exact point it’s supposed to at any time of the day or the night.