Basic Rice Cookers

Best budget rice cookers

When rice and water are placed in a basic rice cooker -- usually just an aluminum pot with a glass lid -- a thermostat turns on an electric coil, which heats the water to boiling. Once the rice has absorbed all the water, the temperature in the pot rises. A sensor detects this change and does one of two things: turns the heat off or lowers it to a keep-warm setting. More expensive rice cookers also have the ability to tweak temperature via a computer chip, adjusting controls for various types of rice. These machines offer more precision cooking, but rice takes longer to cook. Many Americans prefer quicker cookers, and tests show these simpler, less expensive machines do a fine job. They make white rice in as few as 30 minutes, and brown rice in 50 minutes, while fancier rice cookers average about 50 minutes for white rice and 1 3/4 hours for brown.

As a whole, we found fewer reviews of basic rice cookers than more expensive models. The 3.3-cup Panasonic SR-G06FG (*Est. $30) is an exception. It is the most basic of recommended models at MetaEfficient.com, a good choice for people who just want a simple, no-frills model for cooking white rice. Editors don't recommend it for those that eat brown rice regularly, though. That's because editors say the machine can only handle brown rice that has been soaked for several hours prior to cooking.

The Panasonic rice cooker receives an above-average rating in more than 100 reviews posted to Amazon.com. This rice cooker yields enough rice to serve two or three adults. Owners say that it does a good job of making rice in about 35 minutes and is perfect for occasional use. It lacks a steamer basket or a warming function and it isn't programmable, but owners who purchased this unit appreciate the simplicity. The Panasonic SR-G06FG has a glass lid, a nonstick pan and stay-cool handles. It also has a sleek, compact appearance, measuring just 8 inches in diameter. Users say it provides good bang for the buck, though we did find some complaints. If it's completely filled, owners say this rice cooker has a tendency to bubble over, and rice occasionally comes out crusty. This cooker has auto shut-off. Panasonic also makes a larger, 10-cup model that functions in the same manner. The Panasonic SR-G18FG (*Est. $50) makes up to 20 cups of cooked rice and includes a steaming basket and a keep warm function.

The Zojirushi NHS-18 Rice Cooker/Steamer (*Est. $60) is a standout, though it's more expensive. It has a family-friendly 10-serving capacity (its measuring cup equals about 3/4 cup, so the yield is closer to 7.5 cups), a warming function and a steaming basket for vegetables. As with other inexpensive glass-lid rice cookers, user reviews provide the best context for the Zojirushi NHS-18. It scores above average marks on both Amazon.com and Cooking.com. Reviewers say this cooker does a better job with white rice than brown; we found several users complaining brown rice can clump on the bottom. Reviewers also note that with this cooker, rice should be rinsed first, and a minimum of 2 cups should be used per batch. But they say it's a great basic machine that offers easy clean up, although the instruction manual is tricky to follow.

A sibling to the NHS-18, the Zojirushi NHS-10 (*Est. $50) has a smaller, 6-cup capacity and a lower price tag. Owners posting to Amazon.com award it an above-average rating in over 100 reviews. They say that this rice cooker does a reasonably good job, but like the majority of two-piece rice cookers, it occasionally burns rice or leaves a crust on the bottom of its bowl. Some owners say that this unit also spits water through its vent, but it cleans up easily. Unlike many Zojirushi rice cookers, this model comes with a steamer basket.

If you like to cook more than just white rice, reviewers say that the Sanyo ECJ-N55W (*Est. $60) cooks up tender and fluffy brown, white and sushi rice. Furthermore, the Sanyo has a steamer basket and an easy-to-understand instruction manual. The Sanyo ECJ-N55W can cook up to 5 1/2 cups of raw rice, enough to serve five people. Professional reviewers give it high ratings, saying that it does an excellent job, especially with brown rice, for the price. Experts warn, however, that while it does have a keep-warm function, it can dry the rice out if it's left for more than a few hours. The Sanyo ECJ-N55W has also amassed dozens of reviews from users on Amazon.com, who give it an above-average overall rating. They say its performance in making rice is similar to much more expensive Sanyo models. However, Amazon.com users also add that this rice cooker can be messy to use and hard to clean.

Although the Oster Multi-Use Deluxe Rice Cooker 4715 (*Est. $35) performed well in the Los Angeles Times' tests -- it made brown rice in the least amount of time and produced slightly crusty yet tender white rice -- owners posting to Amazon.com give it low scores. They complain that this rice cooker lacks an on/off switch (it's only off when it's unplugged) and doesn't signal when rice is finished. These are minor problems, however, compared to its main fault: many owners say it burns rice.