So you finally realized that you need an induction heating rice cooker, but you don’t know which one to buy – you don’t even know why an induction cooker is better than a regular one.
With this article, we have you covered. We’re going to go over everything you need to know to buy a rice cooker. But first, let’s consider the best products currently on the market.
Overall Best Induction Heating Rice Cooker
1. Zojirushi NP-HCC10XH Induction Heating System Rice Cooker and Warmer
The Zojirushi NP-HCC 10XH has multiple preset cooking options. Let’s start from its heating and warming functionality. Imagine you’ve just cooked more rice than you can currently consume. This cooker can automatically keep your rice warm and at the right temperature for a long time. You can forget about microwaving it when you need a second serving.
If you love to eat healthily, this cooker will also serve you quite well. It has settings for brown rice, GABA brown rice, and even germinated brown rice. These rice varieties will give you incredible nutrition without all the excess carbs.
Now, let’s get into a little about how it works. This cooker has a superior induction heating technology that delivers efficient heating to your rice every single time. It does this through the triple heater mechanism. Basically, the button, side, and lid are all heating sources.
So what does that mean for you?
Simply put, you can cook more rice for a lesser time and still get the perfect texture.
The exterior is made of clear-coated stainless steel. That’s awesome because it’ll match most of the other kitchen appliances, including pots, microwaves, toasters, and even your refrigerator. The rice cooker has an electrical power rating of 1,230 Watts and a volt rating of 120 volts.
What We Like:
- Keeps your rice perfectly warm long after cooking
- Tons of healthy rice cooking options
- Removable inner stainless steel lid
- LCD control panel
What We Don’t Like:
- The price is a little steep, especially compared to other brands
- The cooking time is one long hour
The Zojirushi NP-HCC10XH is one of the best-selling rice cookers available, and it’s easy to see why. It has incredible features like separate modes for various kinds of rice, a triple heater mechanism, and a beautiful exterior. If you can afford it, it definitely belongs in your kitchen.
Best For Affordability
2. Tiger JAX-T10U-K 5.5-Cup (Uncooked) Micom Rice Cooker with Food Steamer
Tacook is an innovative cooking function by Tiger, the manufacturer. It lets you cook your rice and maintain a dish with the same cooker. The cool part is, one’s flavor won’t affect the other.
The way it works is actually very fascinating. The Tiger cooker uses steam from your cooking rice to warm, or even cook, dishes placed on the Tacook. That way, you’re saving time, using energy efficiently, and of course, servicing a healthy meal. The manufacturer also includes a cookbook with every product, just to give you suggestions on the best way to use the Tacook feature.
The Tiger induction cooker comes with 4-in-1 functions and up to 10 computerized cooking menu settings.
If you’ve been cooking rice with a rice cooker for a while, you’ll notice just how dirty the lids can get. Luckily, the Tiger JAX-T10U-K has a removable inner lid and steam cap. It makes it so much easier to clean.
What We Like:
- Awesome Tacook features
- It comes with a cookbook
- Removable inner lid and steam cap
- Affordable price
What We Don’t Like:
- It only has a 5.5-cup uncooked capacity
- The power cord is not retractable and it can take up a lot of space.
If you like to save time, the Tiger JAX-T10U-K is excellent for you. Not only can you cook rice in double time, but you can also use the steam to heat another dish. It’s also really easy to maintain with its removable lid and non-stick interior.
Best For Cooking Rice With Variety
3. Zojirushi NP-NWC10XB Pressure Induction Heating Rice Cooker & Warmer
Now, we know what you’re thinking, “Isn’t this the same as the first product?” But no, this is actually different from the first product. They are both from the same manufacturers, and they both make cooking rice awesome, but we wanted to show you this product because of some features we know you’ll love.
One of them is the pressurized steaming process for cooking the rice. With this technique, you can get a gelatinized and sticky, plump rice if you want.
The best part is that the cooker automatically selects the setting, based on the 4 pre-set pressure levels. The Zojirushi NP-NWC10XB also adds a bit of pressure at the end of your cooking period to burn off any excess moisture that may be in your rice. The result? Crisp, dry, and delicious rice.
Let’s tell you a little bit about the menu settings. The settings include white, umami, mixed, sushi, and Jasmine. You can even use it to cook oatmeal!
One thing we love about this cooker is what the manufacturer calls “Advanced fuzzy logic technology with AI.” Basically, the cooker uses AI that learns about your cooking settings and adjusts settings to give you the perfect results every time.
There are a couple of other features we love, like an easy-to-clean interior, holder accessories for cups and spatula, and even a detachable lid.
What We Like:
- AI technology that learns from your settings
- It uses an induction heating system for precise temperature control
- The non-stick inner cooking pan that’s easy to clean and won’t leave an off taste in your rice
- 4 preset pressure levels
What We Don’t Like
- You need to clean the lid after every cooking session
- The cooker may boil over with some water levels
This Zojirushi NP-NWC10XB cooker has a fuzzy logic system which makes cooking so much easier for you, even if you aren’t sure of the measurements. There are other small features that make it a bargain, like holder accessories and a detachable lid.
Best For Power Efficiency
4. Cuckoo CRP-P0609S 6 cup Electric Heating Pressure Rice Cooker & Warmer
Manufactured by Cuckoo, this induction heating rice cooker has what’s called a “heating plate pressure technology.” Basically, that’s fancy speak for a method designed to cook your rice with the shortest cooking time possible.
You may have heard of how algorithms are used to solve all kinds of problems, from software development to engineering. Well, the Cuckoo heating pressure cooker also uses an algorithm. What this does is automatically time your rice’s cooking time, based on the amount of water, amount of rice, and other variables.
The menu has some classics that you’ll find on all induction cookers, like white rice, brown rice, and GABA rice. However, it also has some other options like multi cook for making steamed chicken, steamed ribs, and Nu Rung Ji, which is basically scorched rice.
Many times, it’s the little things – all the features that make its use a little more convenient – that make you love products like these. For example, this pressure cooker has a full stainless steel inner with a non-stick coating, which keeps your rice from burning and sticking to the pot in case you mix up your settings. It also has voice navigation in three different languages. What’s not to love?
We’re often concerned about how much energy our appliances consume – you’re probably the same way, too, and that’s why we love this product. It consumes only 1027W on its highest setting. That’s less than many of the other products we reviewed, and we see it as an absolute win.
What We Like:
- Relatively low power consumption
- Non-stick interior
- Algorithm for perfect rice cooking every time
- 13 menu options to choose from
What We Don’t Like:
- It has a maximum capacity of 6 cups
- The lid opens quickly which can make the entire cooker tip over
The Cuckoo rice cooker consumes less power than others in its category. That’s great if you’re concerned about the electricity bill. Its multiple cooking settings are also great for various kinds of dishes.
Best With One-Touch Controls
5. Toshiba TCS01 Cooker 6 Cups Uncooked (3L)
In our opinion, one of the best things about this cooker is its one-touch cooking function. If you’ve ever cooked rice without an induction heating rice cooker, you know how tedious it can be; there are so many steps.
When using an induction cooker, things become a little easier but there’s still a lot of work to do. Admittedly, the one-touch control on this Toshiba induction cooker works best when you’re using the same settings. However, it’s still a massive improvement.
It also has another nifty rice cooking feature – a large steam vent. The vent ensures that your rice doesn’t bubble over and create a mess, which is something you always have to worry about when cooking rice.
One more thing we have to talk about is the quick rice feature. Imagine you’re hungry and don’t have time to adjust the settings and wait for the normal cooking time. The quick rice feature speeds up cooking time and serves you perfectly cooked rice in less than 30 minutes.
What We Like:
- It has a steam vent to keep your rice from boiling over
- Quick rice feature for when you’re really hungry
- 2 different delay timer settings
- Can keep your rice warm for up to 24 hours
What We Don’t Like:
- Rice may take a while to cook when you’re not using the quick rice feature
- The manual assumes you know how some of its features work
The Toshiba TCS01 is great for you if you’re seeking the most convenient way to cook rice. It has a one-touch function that distills all the settings to a single button, and a quick rice feature that can prep your meal in less than 30 minutes.
What to Know Before You Buy
Using a highly convenient induction cooker to prepare your rice is definitely exciting, but before you pull out your credit card, there are some things to consider.
Perhaps the most important is that all rice cookers aren’t made the same way. For example, one of our favorite products on this list uses AI technology, and even though that word gets thrown around a lot, the cooker actually has Artificial Intelligence. It uses it to achieve perfectly cooked rice every time you turn on the cooker.
Some other cookers have the same feature, but just give it a different name. For example, there’s something called “Micom.” Micom is short for micro-computerized, and it’s simply a chip that detects changes in cooking temperature. Micom also adjusts for human errors, which is why you can botch the cooking settings but still end up with a perfectly cooked serving of rice.
Bottom line, be sure that your cooker has some sort of smart technology that can compensate for your errors. Note that these may be a little more expensive than other models.
Cooking Modes
Even though you’re shopping for an induction rice cooker, that doesn’t mean you won’t prepare other meals. But before we even get to that, note that some cookers have settings for various kinds of rice. If you like variety like us, you’re hoping to cook everything from white rice to GABA rice. It helps to have a cooker that can do all of that.
If your rice cooker can also prepare other grains like oatmeal, that’s even better. Rice cookers are large, and it would be such a shame to have all that technological marvel cook nothing but rice. The best way to know if your cooker can handle other grains is to look at the product description.
Fuzzy Logic
You can’t look at three rice cookers without stumbling on one with fuzzy logic, but what is it exactly?
Well, fuzzy logic is a bit like the AI we discussed earlier, except it performs a specific function. You see, most rice cookers heat until the internal pressure reaches a certain point. That makes the cooking faster and more efficient. Unfortunately, this is only excellent if you get all the measurements of rice and water perfectly.
Cookers with fuzzy logic make up for you in all the places where you slip up, like using the wrong settings for the wrong kind of rice, or adding too much water. It’s called fuzzy logic because it makes estimates based on the settings you’ve preset. Fuzzy logic also keeps your rice regular by measuring how fast the temperature rises so it can adjust the power accordingly.
Basically, unless you’re Gordon Ramsey in the kitchen with perfect measurements, you need a fuzzy logic cooker. (Cnet)
FAQs
Q: Are Induction Cookers Faster?
A: Yes, induction rice cookers are faster and more efficient than other models. They can cook your rice in less time without burning it or leaving any side overcooked. The cookers achieve this through the inner pot’s high conductivity.
Q: How Long Does it Take an Induction Rice Cooker to Cook Rice?
A: This depends on the kind of cooker, the settings you’re using, and the amount of rice. For reference purposes, the Toshiba TRCS01 can cook rice within 30 minutes with its quick rice mode.
Q: Can You Cook Oatmeal With Induction Rice Cookers?
A: Yes, you can cook steel-cut oats using a rice cooker, and it’s not difficult to do, either. One thing to remember is to add a lot of water when using a rice cooker because oats tend to soak up water after they’re done. You can find an amazing recipe for cooking oatmeal with induction rice cookers, here.
Q: Do Induction Rice Cookers Have Retractable Cords?
A: No, not all induction rice cookers have retractable cords. That means you may need to find an efficient way to store the appliance after use.
Best Brands
Zojirushi
Zojirushi rice cookers are arguably the best-selling products in their category, but what most people don’t know is the company’s history dates back to a glass-lined vacuum bottle that it created in 1918. Since then, they’ve manufactured rice cookers, coffee makers, and everything in between.
Cuckoo
The beautiful thing about Cuckoo is that they focus on making kitchen appliances, and they do it extremely well. As you already know, they make rice cookers, but they also make electric kettles, multi-cookers, humidifiers, and water purifiers.
Toshiba
Toshiba is a large and trusted manufacturer that makes everything from laptops and TVs to rice cookers. The company focuses on providing quality and affordable appliances that apply many of the same technologies used by more expensive brands.
Tiger
Tiger is a Japanese manufacturer that’s partially responsible for the positive reputation that Japan has in the world of appliance manufacturing. They make everything from rice cookers and air purifiers to mochi makers and barbecue grills.
Final Thoughts
Here’s a quick recap of what you need to know about the best induction heating rice cookers.
The Zojirushi NP-HCC10XH is our favorite rice cooker because it has all the features you could ever need, and then some. For example, it can cook several kinds of rice, from white and brown rice to GABA and even germinated brown rice, due to its advanced menu selection.
The cooker also has an incredible heating system, and it’s able to deliver heat to the rice from the bottom, sides, and top. That makes your rice cook much faster than you’d expect.
If the Zojirushi NP-HCC10XH is too pricey for you, consider the Tiger JAX-T10U-K. It also has amazing features, including 10 computerized cooking menu settings and a detachable lid. Plus, it’s quite affordable!
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