\n<\/p>\n
H<\/span>ow often do you eat rice? Even if it\u2019s not a daily staple in your house, it\u2019s safe to say most Britons cook and eat rice at least a few times a week. And while it may seem a simple thing to cook, it can be surprisingly difficult to get it right.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Guardian\u2019s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link.\u00a0Learn more.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n From long-grain to quick-cook, brown basmati to jasmine, different rice grains have different cook times, different rates of absorption and varying starch levels, which can all affect the result. Instead of fluffy, individual grains, you may find your rice burnt, stuck to the pan or with a claggy, chalky or overly glutinous texture. Dinner ruined.<\/p>\n That\u2019s where a specialist rice cooker comes in. They\u2019re a common kitchen appliance in Asia, and the best rice cookers guarantee perfect rice every time. Many machines intuitively set up the cooking time and guide you to add the correct ratio of rice to water depending on the variety. Many have a delay function, or can safely keep the rice warm for up to 24 hours \u2013 so you\u2019ll always have dinner ready and waiting. Today\u2019s technology has also seen some rice cookers become multifunctional, with the ability to slow cook, sear and stir, too. At the other end of the spectrum are basic microwave rice cookers \u2013 we tested this variety too.<\/p>\n \u00a3189.90 at Yum Asia\u00a328.99 at Amazon\u00a3149 at John Lewis\u00a37.99 at Amazon\u00a394.90 at Yum Asia<\/p>\n I\u2019ve been testing kitchen goods, recipes, food and drink for newspapers and websites for a decade, so I have a good grasp of what\u2019s really useful to have in your cupboard, and whether something is good value for money.<\/p>\n I enjoy cooking but am far from an expert, so I approach these appliances just like any other home cook would. I cook for my family every night and understand how much of a tricky balance it can be to make tasty, nutritious food without spending hours in the kitchen. Ultimately, I\u2019m looking for gadgets that are easy to use, give good results and can make your life easier.<\/p>\n <\/span>\u2018My family and I are now at peak rice consumption levels.\u2019<\/span> Photograph: Joanne Gould\/The Guardian<\/p>\n I tested 10 rice cookers, each of which was either personally recommended, well-reviewed or from a well-known kitchen appliance brand. Most were new to me, although a few I had tested years previously, and one appliance was still in play from my slow cooker testing.<\/p>\n To test each machine, I cooked a cup of basmati rice, following the manufacturer\u2019s instructions where provided or using the ratio suggested on the rice packet if not. Next, I cooked a cup of sushi rice using the same method; few appliances gave guidelines for cooking sushi rice, so I used the on-pack instructions. If the appliance performed well during both these tests, I then experimented with brown rice and jasmine rice. Some appliances had further functionality that needed testing \u2013 where there were risotto programs, for example, I made risotto following recipes provided by the manufacturer.<\/p>\n In the interests of safety, I also used an external sensor to record the temperature of the appliance at the end of the rice cooking program; none of the machines posed a hazard and were all fairly cool to touch.<\/p>\n Some of the rice I cooked wasn\u2019t edible and had to be thrown away, but most of it was good quality \u2013 so I ate rice every which way over the month-long testing period. Luckily, if food safety guidelines are followed carefully, it\u2019s perfectly fine to freeze cooked rice, so I had a useful supply of fluffy basmati, fragrant jasmine, sticky sushi rice and creamy risottos on hand. My family and I reached peak rice consumption levels, thanks to the weekly poke bowls, Indian banquets, egg fried rice and everything in between.<\/p>\n The rice cookers sourced for this article are either being sent back to the manufacturers or donated to a community hub in Barnet, where they will find useful new homes or be used in a community kitchen.<\/p>\n <\/span>\u2018No criticism \u2026 it\u2019s perfect\u2019: Yum Asia\u2019s Bamboo.<\/span> Photograph: Joanne Gould\/The Guardian<\/p>\n <\/span> Photograph: Joanne Gould\/The Guardian\u00a3189.90 at Yum Asia\u00a3199.90 at Amazon<\/p>\n The Yum Asia Bamboo rice cooker uses 3D induction heating technology \u2013 whereby the rice is surrounded by heat to cook evenly \u2013 and its \u201cAI Smart Brain\u201d microprocessor to analyse the weight of the rice, water volume and other factors to cook rice using a wide range of settings. Choose from white\/long grain, short, brown, crust, quick cook, \u201cyumami\u201d and gaba (germinated), add the specified amount of water to well-rinsed rice, and away you go for enough rice for up to eight people. Other settings are accessed on the easy-to-use LED display panel: steam, porridge, slow cook and cake, all cooked within the same ceramic-coated inner bowl or using the steam basket supplied.<\/p>\n Why we love it The machine automatically keeps warm once the rice is cooked and has a delay function, as you\u2019d expect. It\u2019s large enough to be useful, but not too large for easy storage, and it operates with just a low whirring noise and no excessive steam. I also like the cool handles to lift out the pot; others should take heed. A standout machine.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a shame that \u2026<\/strong> I have no criticism to make of the Yum Asia Bamboo: it\u2019s perfect \u2013 <\/strong>if you can afford it.<\/p>\n Claimed number of portions: <\/strong>eight <\/span> Photograph: Joanne Gould\/The Guardian\u00a339.99 at Robert Dyas\u00a328.99 at Amazon<\/p>\n A large-capacity, budget-friendly, no-frills rice cooker from Russell Hobbs that performs better than you\u2019d expect. The instructions are light on the ground, as is its functionality \u2013 there are no different programs or guidelines for different types of rice, nor any timer function.<\/p>\n Why we love it It\u2019s a shame that \u2026<\/strong> there\u2019s no estimated time for how long your rice will take to cook. You\u2019ll learn this over time, but the first few times you\u2019ll need to stand over the cooker until it\u2019s done. Especially as I wouldn\u2019t recommend leaving this one on the keep-warm mode for too long: the rice dries out fast.<\/p>\n Claimed number of portions: <\/strong>12 \u00a3149 at John Lewis\u00a3150 at Argos<\/p>\n The Ninja Foodi 8-in-1 PossibleCooker doesn\u2019t bill itself as a rice cooker, but it\u2019s hard to define it as any one thing with this much functionality. I held on to this one after our test of the best slow cookers so that I could put it through its paces against designated rice-cooking appliances.<\/p>\n Why we love it Ninja suggests a recipe for risotto, which turned out beautifully. You\u2019ll need to scour the internet to find guidelines for other types of rice, but I made a guess at a ratio and cook time (one cup of basmati rice to two cups of water, 10 minutes on steam function and a five-minute rest) and it was successful \u2013 no sticking, scorching or excess starch. I cooked sushi rice equally successfully using the same method, and I increased the water by half a cup and cooking time by five minutes when dealing with brown rice, which worked well.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a shame that \u2026<\/strong> it\u2019s very large. But with this many settings, it can replace so many other appliances in one.<\/p>\n Claimed number of portions: <\/strong>eight large portions \u00a37.99 at Currys A microwave rice steaming bowl is nothing new, but it\u2019s probably not something most of us own. And why not? It\u2019s inexpensive with a simple, failsafe design, offering quick, mess-free convenience. This Sistema version has a large 2.6-litre capacity, suitable for feeding a family, and uses a pressure-chamber tray to draw away overflow liquid for perfect steamed rice and couscous. It\u2019s also dishwasher- and freezer-safe.<\/p>\n Why we love it If you\u2019re nervous about cooking rice in a pan, then I highly recommend trying one of these. It guarantees results without having to put your hand too far into your pocket. For anyone concerned about Pfas \u2013 the \u201cforever chemicals\u201d in some plastics \u2013 this cooker is made from safe polypropylene.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a shame that \u2026<\/strong> it gets so hot. It\u2019s been in the microwave for 10 to 15 minutes, so there\u2019s no getting around this. Much is made of the \u201ceasy lift handles\u201d, but you\u2019ll still need oven gloves to handle the container until it cools.<\/p>\n Claimed number of portions: <\/strong>three to four skip past newsletter promotion<\/p>\n Get the best shopping advice from the Filter team straight to your inbox. The Guardian\u2019s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link.<\/p>\n Privacy Notice: <\/strong>Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.<\/span><\/p>\n after newsletter promotion<\/p>\n \u00a394.90 at Yum Asia\u00a399.90 at Amazon<\/p>\n Yum Asia\u2019s cute mini rice cooker isn\u2019t just a pretty face. Despite its diminutive size, it can cook rice for up to three people and has four rice-cooking functions, plus another four settings: porridge, slow cooking, cake and steaming. It can also be set in advance and has an automatic keep warm setting. Yum Asia says the machine cooks rice using \u201cadvanced fuzzy logic\u201d technology, which means it gauges the weight, content and water volume of your cook to adjust the temperature, steam level and rest time accordingly.<\/p>\n Why we love it It\u2019s a shame that \u2026<\/strong> it takes quite a long time. One cup of basmati takes about 40 minutes, which is longer than most of the other rice cookers on test.<\/p>\n Claimed number of portions: <\/strong>three <\/span>\u2018Best used as a one-pot-meal maker\u2019: the GreenPan Omni Cooker.<\/span> Photograph: Joanne Gould\/The Guardian<\/p>\n \u00a3140.73 at Amazon<\/p>\n Best for:<\/strong> sticky rice<\/p>\n Cuckoo is a premium Korean brand that has been making rice cookers for more than 40 years. This model uses an intuitive four-step process of soaking, heating, steaming and resting rice based on the type selected. You can choose from eight settings, including various types of rice, congee and slow-cooked stews, with enough capacity for up to three people.<\/p>\n It didn\u2019t make the final cut because \u2026<\/strong> I found it cooked sushi rice well, but some longer-grain varieties were slightly overcooked, with a lot of rice sticking to the pan. The instructions also seem to have been badly translated, and as a result, they\u2019re confusing. It looks very cool on your worktop, though.<\/p>\n Claimed number of portions: <\/strong>three; time to cook one cup of basmati rice: <\/strong>40mins; dimensions:<\/strong> 20 x 29 x 22cm (WDH); capacity:<\/strong> 0.5l; external temperature at end of cook:<\/strong> 27C<\/p>\n \u00a334.99 at Lakeland\u00a334.99 at Amazon<\/p>\n Best for:<\/strong> using on the go<\/p>\n Lightweight and compact, this 500ml affordable rice cooker is ideal for taking to work for lunchtime-ready rice or walking in to creamy porridge ready for you in the office. It\u2019s easy to use, cooks in 30 minutes and switches to keep-warm mode automatically.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not as sturdy or well-made as many of the other cookers on this list, but it does the job. It\u2019s a good machine for a first foray into rice cooking.<\/p>\n It didn\u2019t make the final cut because \u2026<\/strong> starch kept bubbling out of the steam vent, and it gave off a burning smell even though the rice was fine.<\/p>\n Claimed number of portions: <\/strong>two; time to cook one cup of basmati rice: <\/strong>30mins; dimensions:<\/strong> 16.5 x 14.5 x 19cm (WDH); <\/strong>capacity:<\/strong> 0.5l; external temperature at end of cook:<\/strong> 41C<\/p>\n \u00a379 at B&Q\u00a379 at Debenhams<\/p>\n Best for:<\/strong> quick cooking<\/p>\n This imposing German-made rice cooker is great for quickly preparing large amounts of rice. With a minimum two-cup capacity, this machine is best for catering for several people at a time or batch cooking.<\/p>\n It cooked my basmati rice in 15 minutes and gave good results, despite not having guidelines for any particular rice varieties. It also works as a steamer and cooks porridge, although you\u2019ll need to stir throughout and stick to only water to cook it.<\/p>\n It didn\u2019t make the final cut because \u2026<\/strong> at this size and price, I\u2019d like more functionality.<\/p>\n Claimed number of portions: <\/strong>six; time to cook one cup of basmati rice: <\/strong>15mins; dimensions:<\/strong> 31 x 29 x 29cm (WDH); capacity:<\/strong> 5l; external temperature at end of cook:<\/strong> 27C<\/p>\n <\/span> Photograph: Joanne Gould\/The Guardian\u00a3159.95 at Harts Of Stur<\/p>\n Best for:<\/strong> feeding a crowd<\/p>\n GreenPan makes an outstanding slow cooker, so I was excited to try its Omni Cooker. It has lots of settings \u2013 sear\/saute, stir-fry, sauce, simmer, steam, white rice, brown rice, grains, soup and keep warm \u2013 and a sizeable 5.6-litre capacity, perfect for family dinnertime. The rice programs take 50 minutes or more and are best for cooking large quantities.<\/p>\n The basmati rice towards the bottom tended to crust and some was unevenly cooked, but the top layers fared better. This machine would be best used as a one-pot-meal maker \u2013 I\u2019d suggest cooking plenty of rice layered with veg and a protein on top.<\/p>\n It didn\u2019t make the final cut because \u2026<\/strong> the rice cook was uneven and took a long time.<\/p>\n Claimed number of portions: <\/strong>six; time to cook one cup of basmati rice: <\/strong>50mins; dimensions:<\/strong> 22.5 x 34.8 x 21.5cm (WDH); capacity:<\/strong> 5.6l; external temperature at end of cook:<\/strong> 43C<\/p>\n <\/span>\u2018A machine for about \u00a330 will do the trick perfectly well.\u2019<\/span> Photograph: Joanne Gould\/The Guardian<\/p>\n I<\/span>f you can\u2019t get to grips with cooking rice in a pan, are keen to master different types of rice, or simply eat a lot of the stuff, then a rice cooker is a sensible investment. And while multi-cookers are extremely tempting, not all of them have nailed the rice cooking aspect in the way that dedicated appliances have done \u2013 proceed with caution.<\/p>\n If you haven\u2019t got cash to splash, then a machine for about \u00a330 will do the trick perfectly well \u2013 or consider a microwave rice cooker to see how much you actually use it. Otherwise, I\u2019d point you to one of the Yum Asia machines \u2013 real rice cooking mastery awaits.<\/p>\n Cooking rice in a saucepan typically takes about 15 minutes, and most rice cookers will take twice as long. You should also factor in that the quantity of rice to be cooked will affect the cooking time, increasing proportionally with larger batches. The type of rice should also be considered; white basmati is the quickest cook, while brown rice and sticky styles will take longer \u2013 up to about 50 minutes. Good rice cookers will carefully detail cook times for specific types of rice, and most have a keep-warm function so you shouldn\u2019t be left with any dinnertime disasters as long as you plan in advance.<\/p>\n Joanne Gould is a <\/em>food, drink and lifestyle writer with a decade of experience. As well as enthusiastically eating her way through London\u2019s best bars and restaurants, she\u2019s also a keen home cook and can often be found trying a new recipe or kitchen gadget, while taste-testing anything from South African wines to speciality coffee or scotch. Luckily, she also enjoys walking, running and keeping fit and healthy in her spare time \u2013 for balance<\/em><\/p>\n This article was originally published on 14 March 2025. Reviews published in the Filter may be periodically updated to reflect new products and at the editor\u2019s discretion. The date of an article\u2019s most recent update can be found in the timestamp at the top of the page. This article was amended on 31 July 2025; information on portions and how long rice takes to cook was added, and prices were updated throughout.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" How often do you eat rice? Even if it\u2019s not a daily staple in your house, it\u2019s safe to say most Britons cook and eat rice at least a few times a week. And while it may seem a simple thing to cook, it can be surprisingly difficult to get it right. The Guardian\u2019s journalism<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13289,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[52],"tags":[6981,6985,6983,6982,6984,456,4587,888],"class_list":{"0":"post-13288","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-technology","8":"tag-cookers","9":"tag-favourites","10":"tag-fluffy","11":"tag-gloriously","12":"tag-grains","13":"tag-home","14":"tag-rice","15":"tag-tested"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13288","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=13288"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13288\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/13289"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13288"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13288"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13288"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}At a glance<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Why you should trust me<\/h2>\n
How I tested<\/h2>\n
The best rice cookers in 2025 in the UK<\/h2>\n
Best <\/em>rice cooker overall:<\/em>
Yum Asia Bamboo rice cooker<\/h2>\n
<\/strong>Yum Asia is a master of rice cooking, with an unparalleled understanding of how to cook different types of rice to perfection. I\u2019ve never made sushi rice as perfect as in this machine, and it churned out variety after variety of the same quality. One cup takes about 35 minutes to cook, although the gaba setting \u2013 which claims to germinate brown rice to increase its nutritional value \u2013 takes a bit longer. I\u2019m someone who has never particularly enjoyed brown rice, but I do now.<\/p>\n
Time to cook one cup of basmati rice:<\/strong> 35mins
Dimensions:<\/strong> 27 x 37 x 24cm (WDH)
Capacity:<\/strong> 1.5l
External temperature at <\/strong>end of cook:<\/strong> 21C<\/p>\nBest budget rice cooker:<\/em>
Russell Hobbs large rice cooker<\/h2>\n
<\/strong>To my surprise, the Russell Hobbs rice cooker handled every type of rice well. Basmati, sushi, brown and jasmine rice all cooked quickly and evenly without any fuss, sticking or mess. It was also the only machine that didn\u2019t stipulate rice should be washed first, so I didn\u2019t. The rice was still great and took between 10 and 20 minutes, depending on the variety, and the machine switched to keep-warm mode automatically after cooking. This large-capacity cooker would be ideal for any family.<\/p>\n
Time to cook one cup of basmati rice: <\/strong>20mins
Dimensions:<\/strong> 32.2 x 24.5 x 22.6cm (WDH)
Capacity:<\/strong> 2.8l
External temperature at end of cook:<\/strong> 45C<\/p>\nBest multi-cooker rice cooker:<\/em>
Ninja Foodi 8-in-1 PossibleCooker<\/h2>\n
<\/strong>I wasn\u2019t surprised to find it did well \u2013 Ninja appliances can rarely be faulted in my experience. I used the steam function to cook the rice, but you\u2019ll get all the other functions too: slow cook, sear, braise, simmer, bake, prove and keep warm. With one of these, there\u2019s no need for a separate rice cooker.<\/p>\n
Time to cook one cup of basmati rice: <\/strong>15mins
Dimensions:<\/strong> 28 x 29 x 42cm (WDH)
Capacity:<\/strong> 8l
External temperature at end of cook:<\/strong> 45C<\/p>\nBest microwave rice cooker:<\/em>
Sistema rice steamer<\/h2>\n
\u00a37.99 at Amazon<\/p>\n
<\/strong>I wasn\u2019t anticipating this to compare favourably with the expensive electric rice cookers I tested, but it actually does. Using its suggested ratios and timings, my basmati emerged after 15 minutes with individual fragrant grains, with no starchiness or chalky middle. Other rice varieties weren\u2019t mentioned in the instructions, but sushi rice worked well using the same method. For brown rice, I added another five minutes and was successful.<\/p>\n
Time to cook one cup of basmati rice: <\/strong>15mins
Dimensions:<\/strong> 21.6 x 21.6 x 16.4 (WDH)
Capacity:<\/strong> 2.6l
External temperature at end of cook:<\/strong> 85C<\/p>\nBest mini rice cooker:<\/em>
Yum Asia Panda mini rice cooker<\/h2>\n
<\/strong>Yum Asia has done it again with this rice cooker. You can\u2019t fail to turn out the best rice you\u2019ve ever made with one of these on your worktop. Basmati, sushi, brown rice and jasmine were all fantastic, cooking silently and mess-free with minimal steam escaping. It\u2019s brilliant.<\/p>\n
Time to cook one cup of basmati rice: <\/strong>40mins
Dimensions:<\/strong> 22.5 x 30 x 21cm (WDH)
Capacity:<\/strong> 0.6l
External temperature at end of cook:<\/strong> 36C<\/p>\nThe best of the rest<\/h2>\n
Cuckoo electric rice cooker CR-0351F<\/h2>\n
Lakeland mini electric rice cooker<\/h2>\n
Gastroback Rice Cooker Pro 62518<\/h2>\n
GreenPan Omni Cooker<\/h2>\n
What you need to know<\/h2>\n
How long does rice take to cook in a rice cooker?<\/h2>\n