If you have been planning to shop for the best mini rice cooker, we will help you in the endeavor. We have listed out the best small rice cooker that have really good ratings and also got a lot of loves from customers that buy them.
All these small rice cookers cook the right amount of rice, cost less amount of money and are energy efficient as compared to big rice cookers. Moreover, small rice cookers can easily be carried along and can fit into a small kitchen countertop. So, let’s get started!
Toggle for Table of Contents
List of Best Small Rice Cooker
|
Description |
Editor Rating |
NCS Grade* |
Price Range* |
|---|---|---|---|
|
A- |
$$ |
||
|
A |
$$ |
||
|
A |
$$ |
||
|
B |
$ |
||
|
A |
$ |
||
|
B |
$ |
||
|
B |
$ |
||
|
B |
$ |
Toggle for Product Review Video
*For more information about NCS (Net Customer Satisfaction) grade, please click here. (Price range: $ = $1 - $75 / $$ = $76 - $250 / $$$ = $251 -$500 / $$$$ = $501 - $750 / $$$$$ = Above $750 )
Why Buy a Rice Cooker?
So, what’s the need to shop for a rice cooker? Well, the answer is simple. If you are planning to cook perfect rice, it will need your constant attention.
Uncooked rice has a grainy taste while overcooked rice gets mushy. This is when rice cookers can take the guesswork out of the situation. Preparing rice in a rice cooker is as simple as switching on the cooker and within 20 minutes you will get a perfectly cooked rice.
Also, you can cook many other dished with a rice cooker too. Check out this quick video or, read up this list of surprising things you can cook in the rice cooker.
Components of a Rice Cooker
Rice cookers are not your regular kitchen appliance because it not only cook rice but also give it a perfect taste that a traditional cooking pot lacks. The basic components of a rice cooker include:
Inner cooking pot
Rice cooker inner pot is generally detachable for added convenience. Mini rice cookers generally have non-stick inner cooking pots which make it easy to clean the pot.
External casing
The external casing houses the inner cooking pot and provides heat. It is constructed in such a manner that it retains heat for a long time.
Power cord
Being an electric device, rice cookers are bound to work with a power cord. All you need to do is pour the rice, add all the other important ingredients into the inner pot, plug the cable and switch the machine on.
Things to Consider While Shopping for a Rice Cooker
Here are what you need to consider when buying a rice cooker.
Use of the rice cooker
A good rice cooker can be quite costly, therefore when making an investment make sure it lasts more than 3 to 4 years. Consider the frequency of its use. Will it be used every day? Do you use it to cook rice only or planning to use it for various types of cooking? If so, the multi-task cooker is better to suit you.
Size of the cooker
You can shop different sizes of a rice cooker, so make sure you know which size to pick depending on your requirements. Small rice cookers can be considered for non-commercial options, while rice cookers that can make up to 46 cups of rice can be chosen for commercial use.
Features you need
Rice cookers come equipped with different features; this is the reason why you should choose one that suits your needs. If you love making different types of rice, you need to pick a cooker that can easily cook a variety of rice recipe. But if you don’t like experimenting with your food, pick up a simple rice cooker.
Convenience
Every cook wants a utensil that does not require maintenance and cleaning. While this situation may sound impossible, there are some rice cookers in the market that are easy to use and maintain. Some models come with dishwasher safe material which makes cleaning a breeze.
Budget
One of the biggest concerns of homeowners is the budget. This is a factor that can alter your decision. So, make sure you are clear about your requirements and if it is possible, try to shop for the best rice cooker model otherwise you will be wasting your money.
Sharing is Caring
Like what you read so far? How about help us to spread this AWESOME post to your friend and family? Your shout-out will help to motivate us to create more great posts for you and everyone else. Thanks for your support!
Check out this post for '8 Best Small Rice Cooker That Is Ideal For Singles, Couples And Small Families.' @gordanskitchen
Top 3 Best Small Rice Cooker Reviews
Zojirushi NS-LAC05XT Micom Rice Cooker
The Zojirushi NS-LAC05XT is multifunctional, stylishly designed rice cooker and come with MICOM Technology (smart cooking technology). This rice cooker perfect for cooking rice, porridge and is also one of the best small rice cookers for brown rice.
It offers sufficient space to cook enough rice for a one-time meal. It can be aggressively handled thanks to its strong stainless-steel body.
Additionally, it comes with a one-year warranty that makes your purchase secure. Also, we found out that Zojirushi is one of the best mini rice cooker makers when compared to other available brands in the market.
What we like about it...
- Inner heating plate promotes even cooking
- Can easily cook 3 cups of rice
- Comes with various convenient features
- There’s specific setting available for porridge, mixed rice, sushi, quick cooking, and brown rice
- Built-in retractable power cord
What we don't like...
- Some users have reported peeling of inner plate lining after a long time of use
|
Description |
Rating / Grade |
|---|---|
|
Editor Rating |
|
|
NCS Grade* |
A- |
Cuckoo CR-0351FR Rice Cooker
If you are someone who has a low budget or have minimal cooking needs, the Cuckoo CR-0351FR is the most budget-friendly option available in the market. Regardless of its size, it still boasts of the same features that have made Cuckoo a reliable brand.
What we like about it...
- Non-stick inner cooking pot
- Intelligent cooking algorithm
- Easily cooks 3 cups of rice
- LCD fuzzy display
- Turbo cooking option
- 5 cooking settings available
- Easy to clean
What we don't like...
- User manual lacks proper information
|
Description |
Rating / Grade |
|---|---|
|
Editor Rating |
|
|
NCS Grade* |
A |
Zojirushi NS-VGC05 Electric Rice Cooker
Zojirushi rice cooker is a great solution for all those looking forward to saving time while cooking. Equipped with Fuzzy technology, it easily adjusts itself with the requirement of the cooker’s content. During the cooking process, ingredients are not required to be stirred. Moreover, the removable inner pan makes it easy to clean.
This rice cooker performs well but doesn't offer as many functions compared to the first model. However, it’s still one of the best small rice cookers to get the cooking job done perfectly.
What we like about it...
- Comes with detachable power cord
- Available in 2 different colors
- Can easily cook 3 cups of rice
- You can cook a wide array of dishes apart from rice
- Consist of a delay timer
- Also available with higher capacity
- Also available with higher capacity
What we don't like...
- The menu option does not offer a lot of variety
|
Description |
Rating / Grade |
|---|---|
|
Editor Rating |
|
|
NCS Grade* |
A |
Our Pick
We go through hundreds of products listing at Amazon and also study the ratings left by previous buyers to find the best small rice cooker for you. Besides that, we also calculate the overall net customer satisfaction (NCS) grade because we want to see how happy is the previous buyers with their purchase of the product.
From our finding, we can say that Zojirushi and Cuckoo are the best small rice cooker brands. These brands are popular and received many excellent ratings for their products.
Also, the Zojirushi NS-LAC05XT Rice Cooker, Cuckoo Electric Heating Rice Cooker and Zojirushi NS-VGC05 Rice Cooker score favorably for the ratings as well as the NCS grade compare to the rest. We believe that you would find these small rice cooker a good buy too.
How Does a Rice Cooker Works?
Rice cookers guide the rice through boiling process, steaming and resting phase.
Water and rice are measured and put into the cooking pan before it is inserted into the cooker. The heating plate brings the water to a boil, while the spring thermometer gauges the contents temperature.
Water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit and after that, it won’t get any hotter. So, as long as there’s water in the cooking pot, the temperature will remain stable.
After the rice has absorbed all the water, the temperature begins to rise. This is when the rice cooker senses the changing temperature and will switch to a warming cycle. The rice has been cooked and entered the resting stage.
While cooking rice, it’s best to follow these best practices:
- Make sure to measure the amount of rice and water. Uncooked rice will expand upon cooking, so follow the mark while pouring in water and rice.
- Secure the lid properly as it helps in faster cooking as the heat is contained in the pot and to also make the rice cook evenly.
- Steam helps the rice to cook faster, while the water vapors keep the rice moist and tender.
- The warm feature activates automatically to keep the rice warm.
It generally takes 20 to 30 minutes for the rice to turn out perfect. However, time can vary depending on the quantity of the rice, the motor speed, condition of rice, power supply, and some other similar conditions. Here is a quick video on how to use a rice cooker generally.
Common Types of Rice Cooker
Rice cookers vary in their shape, sizes, heating technology, functionality and more. Here are some of the common type of rice cookers:
Simple rice cookers
These are the traditional rice cookers with all the basic components in place. They are capable of getting switched off automatically after the rice is cooked. They lack light indicators and non-stick cooking pots.
Keep warm cookers
If you can spend a little more money, you can choose the keep-warm rice cookers. These are convenient as they keep the food warm for hours even after the cooker has been switched off.
Smart rice cookers with digital controls
This category includes hi-tech rice cookers which are highly sophisticated and costlier. For example, features included will be like the keep-warm function that maintains the temperature of the cooker for about 12 hours and many other pre-set functions that lets you cook other dishes beside rice.
Induction heating cookers
Similar to the smart rice cooker, these cookers offer effortless cooking as they are the most modern cookers. They are highly expensive but cook to perfection. You just need to pour the rice, water, and other ingredients in the rice cooker and it will adjust according to the ingredients. An example of an induction cooker is the multi-cooker.
Conclusion
According to us, Zojirushi brand rice cooker tops the list because it is durable, performs well, easy to use and has a lot of satisfying customers. However, while shopping for the best small rice cooker, make sure you consider all the above-stated factors we just mentioned.
So there you have it. We hope that this quick guide has given you some useful information on rice cooker and also has helped you to choose the best small rice cooker that suits you.
The post 8 Best Small Rice Cooker That Is Ideal For Singles, Couples And Small Families appeared first on Gordan Ladd's Kitchen.
| List Price: | $175.00 | List Price: | $99.99 | Price: | $99.99 | List Price: | $147.00 |
No comments:
Post a Comment