Rice cookers are awesome for cooking perfect rice every time. They’re typically fairly easy to use as well, and a great addition to any kitchen. But, when it comes to choosing the best rice cooker, you may feel a bit overwhelmed by all the choices available.
Japanese rice cookers are very good at helping you make your rice just the way you love it, and there are many brands available. So, which Japanese rice cooker is the best one for you?
In this comprehensive article, we’ll show you the best Japanese rice cookers, discuss what you should look for before buying, and also answer some frequently asked questions.
Don’t have time to read? Here’s a quick summary of the products we recommend.
| Rice Cooker Name | Why We Picked It |
| Zojirushi Induction Heating Rice Cooker | Two delay timer settings |
| Tiger 5.5 Cup Rice Cooker | Preset cooking timers |
| Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker | Durable but compact |
| Toshiba One-Touch Cooker | Easy to use and clean |
| Thanko Handy Rice Cooker | Ideal for making lunch |
| Panasonic Rice Cooker With Fuzzy Logic | Fuzzy logic technology |
| Tiger JNP-1000-FL Rice Cooker | Cooks fast |
| T-fal RK705851 10-In-1 Rice and Multicooker | Impressive capacity |
| Panasonic Rice Cooker & Multi-Cooker | Quick cook function |
| Tiger Corporation JBX-B10U Rice Cooker | Removable power cord |
| Zojirushi NS-TSC10 Micom Rice Cooker and Warmer | Cleanup is easy |
| TIGER JBV-A10U 5.5-Cup (Uncooked) Micom Rice Cooker | Simultaneous and separate cooking |
| Zojirushi Rice Cooker and Warmer | Keep warm function |
Top Japanese Rice Cookers
Zojirushi Induction Heating Rice Cooker
If you’re looking for a Japanese rice cooker that isn’t overly big and won’t take up a lot of space, you’ll love this one. It works with an induction heating system and is made from stainless steel. You can cook three cups of rice in this quality rice cooker.
Cleaning is fairly easy thanks to the detachable stainless steel inner lid and you get extra accessories like a spatula and a measuring cup upon purchase.
You may find this to be a rather expensive rice cooker when looking at its capacity, but the quality of your cooked rice will convince you it was worth every penny.
Your rice will cook fast and evenly with this rice cooker and the control panel makes it easy to use. It has two delay timer settings and an automatic ‘keep warm’ function to keep your rice heated until it’s time to dish it up.
Cooking white and brown rice is easy, and you can also prepare sushi and porridge with this rice cooker.
Pros
- Even cooking
- Made of quality materials
- Keep warm function
- Two delay timer settings
- Easy to clean
- Easy-to-use control panel
Cons
- Rather expensive
- Small capacity
Tiger 5.5 Cup Rice Cooker
This sleek stainless steel rice cooker is perfect for medium-sized families with its 5.5 cup capacity. It is equipped with great features, such as the two preset cooking timers and the automatic ‘keep warm’ function that can keep your rice heated for up to 12 hours.
This is also a very versatile rice cooker that can easily cook white and brown rice but do so much more. You can use it as a slow cooker as well, and cook your meal for up to three hours, you can steam meat and vegetables, prepare porridge, and a lot more.
There are ten different computerized cooking settings.
The inner pot is easy to clean and you can remove the steam cap as well for pressure release. This is a quality cooker but its power cord isn’t retractable, so it might get in your way sometimes.
The lithium-ion battery you need to run the cooker is included, but keep in mind that it doesn’t last very long so you’ll have to replace it eventually.
Pros
- Versatile cooking options
- Preset cooking timers
- Easy to use
- Adjustable time
- Durable
- Keep warm function
Cons
- Included battery will not last very long
- Cord isn’t retractable
Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker
Here we have another rice cooker by Zojirushi, this one making use of fuzzy logic to cook perfect rice. The ability to set the heating time and set temperatures ensures that your rice will always be delicious when using this rice cooker.
There are several cooking modes that let you make white rice, brown rice, sweet rice, porridge, and more with the click of a button. With a one-liter capacity and triple heaters, you can be assured that your rice will cook evenly with heat that makes it all the way to the sides and top.
This rice cooker has an ergonomic design and retractable cord that makes it very user-friendly. It’s also easy to transport and the cooker will make an audible sound to let you know that your rice is ready.
The ‘keep warm’ function ensures your rice will stay warm for up to 12 hours, and the delay timer means you can start cooking your rice at a time that suits you best. The only noticeable drawback of this rice cooker is that the non-stick coating isn’t as durable as the machine itself, and might come off quickly.
Pros
- Easy to use and clean
- Audible beep when cooking is done
- Durable but compact
- Retractable cord
- Keep warm function
- Even cooking
Cons
- Non-stick coating may come off
Toshiba One-Touch Cooker
This could easily be the best Japanese rice cooker — it has a 3-liter capacity, uses fuzzy logic, and has a brilliant LED display. You can cook white rice, brown rice, mixed rice, and even oats and porridge with ease with this cooker.
With the intelligent six-step cooking process and seven pre-programmed settings, you know you can expect perfectly cooked rice every time. The cooker is sturdy and durable, so you will be using it for many years.
Extra accessories that come with this cooker include a soup spoon, steam basket, spatulas, and measuring cups. The ‘Quick Rice’ feature allows you to quickly cook your rice to perfection in under 30 minutes.
And with the ‘keep warm’ function of 24 hours, you can keep your food fresh and tasty for longer.
Rice cooking is made more fun with this cooker, with its programmable delay timer that has a melody to indicate when your food is ready. The non-stick inner pot is also fairly easy to clean. The only fault to be found with this rice cooker is that it doesn’t have a retractable power cord.
Pros
- Versatile cooking abilities
- Impressive cooking features
- 24-hour keep-warm function
- Easy to use and clean
- Many extras included
- Quick Rice feature
- 3-liter capacity
Cons
- No retractable cord
Thanko Handy Rice Cooker
Not many rice cookers can boast of being as portable as this one. It may not have all the technological features other cookers have, but it is still an impressive little machine. It is compact and easy to carry anywhere, so you can make your rice wherever you want.
Although it’s not the biggest cooker out there, it’s still able to compete with the best of them when it comes to durability. You can cook vegetables too and, because of the cooker’s size, you’ll find it’s great for making your lunch in a jiffy.
While this is a useful little cooker, it does take a bit longer than the bigger ones to prepare rice, so keep that in mind if you do end up choosing it. It’s not suitable for big families but is great for making meals for one person and is easy to clean.
Pros
- Easy to use and clean
- Compact
- Durable
- Ideal for making lunch
- Can prepare rice as well as vegetables
Cons
- Not for big families
- Doesn’t have many technological features
Panasonic Rice Cooker With Fuzzy Logic
It may seem like the best Japanese rice cooker will be highly expensive, you can actually find many that are affordable and perform really well. This Panasonic cooker is a great option that doesn’t cost as much as most others. If you’re on a tight budget, this might be just what you’ve been looking for.
It makes use of fuzzy logic technology to give you perfectly cooked rice, and the advanced ‘keep warm’ function makes sure your rice stays fresh and warm for up to 12 hours.
The induction cooking method makes this a powerful-performing machine that could be the best Japanese rice cooker for those who don’t want to spend hundreds on a cooker.
Although this rice cooker doesn’t have many fancy features, it can still cook white and brown rice as well as make delicious porridge and soup. The automatic shut-off function ensures your rice won’t burn.
The controls are easy to get used to and you get a rice measuring cup as well as a rice s