- Best for Meal Prepping | Aroma Housewares | Find on Crate & Barrel
- Best Large Capacity | Nutribullet | Find on Amazon
- Most Versatile | Instant Pot | Find on Williams Sonoma
- Best Clay Rice Cooker | VitaClay | Find on Amazon
If rice is a staple in your household, it's worth splurging on a good rice cooker that can produce perfect rice every time. Whether you are a jasmine rice lover, a short-grain rice person, or a basmati rice eater, cooking rice just got much easier with a great rice cooker. Add water and uncooked rice or your grain of choice, press a few buttons, and voila! You'll have delicious and nicely cooked rice in just minutes.
To help you find the right gadget, we've rounded up seven of the best rice cookers below. All the products included are free from PTFE, PFOA, lead, cadmium, and other toxic ingredients that may leech into your grains as they cook. Takeout enthusiasts, avid meal preppers, and homemade sushi makers rejoice!
The 7 Best Rice Cookers That Are Non-Toxic
Now that you know what to look for, let's take a look at the best rice cookers on the market today. We've included machines of every material, cooked rice capacity, and multi-purpose capability to ensure you find something that suits all your wants and needs.
GreenPan™ Ceramic Nonstick Rice Cooker
Best Overall
Source: Saks Fifth Avenue
This versatile GreenPan™ Ceramic Nonstick Rice Cooker makes a great addition to any chef's repertoire. The multi-tasking advanced induction heating technology distributes heat evenly and automatically adjusts cooking temperatures to ensure precise, consistent results, whether you're making regular white rice, quinoa, or chicken and brown rice soup. It's finished with a dishwasher-safe, diamond-infused Thermolon™ Volt ceramic non-stick coating for a clean release and easy clean-up after every meal.
An easy-to-read control panel helps you keep track of progress as your meal cooks. Five pre-programmed settings allow you to make white rice, brown rice, quinoa, steel-cut oats, and soup with the push of a button. Use the convenient keep-warm setting for dinner parties, holiday feasts, and meals where you know you'll be coming back for seconds.
Cooked Rice Capacity— 8 cups
Pros:
Cons:
Green Life Go Grains Rice Cooker
Best Small Rice Cooker
Source: GreenLife
Non-toxic, dishwasher-safe materials and a plethora of preset functions won this Green Life Go Grains Rice Cooker our pick for the best budget-friendly rice cooker. Whether it's white rice, quinoa, or steel-cut oats, its four "no guess" presets deliver flawless grains at the press of a button. A Smart Grain feature uses fuzzy logic technology to automatically adjust cooking conditions for perfectly cooked rice every time.
The healthy non-stick coating was designed specifically for countertop electrics, ensuring it stays non-stick through endless batches over the years. Derived from sand instead of toxic chemicals, the ceramic finish is free of PFAS, PFOA, lead, and cadmium. A heat-proof exterior— offered in four eye-catching hues— keeps your countertop safe too.
Cooked Rice Capacity— 4 cups
Pros:
Cons:
Vermicular Musui-Kamado Cast-Iron Induction Cooker
Worth the Splurge
Source: Williams Sonoma
If you're going to splurge on a high-end rice cooker, pick a multi-purpose gadget that can whip up much more than just rice. This innovative Vermicular Musui-Kamado Cast-Iron Induction Cooker combines the high-tech precision of a sous-vide (without vacuum pouches) and the reliability of a classic cast iron pot. Its 4-quart enameled cast-iron pot and electric induction heating element draw inspiration from traditional Japanese kamado stoves, providing consistent heat distribution at every temperature setting.
With a temperature range of 90°F–445°F, users can sear, saute, braise, sous vide, and steam anything they please. One of the four automatic temperature settings is a rice cooking mode for fluffy rice in just a few easy steps. The multi-purpose rice cooker will be your new go-to cooking method for all your favorite grains and legumes!
Cooked Rice Capacity— 4 cups
Set Includes— Lid stand, rice measuring cup, water measuring cup, and 70-recipe cookbook
Pros:
Cons:
AROMA Professional 8-Cup 360 Induction Rice Cooker and Multicooker
Best for Meal Prepping
Source: Crate & Barrel
With the Aroma Professional 8 Cup 360 Induction Rice Cooker And Multicooker, you'll never have to settle for microwave or stovetop rice again! Its versatile cooking functions maximize your meal prep possibilities, while its BPA- and PFOA-free design makes your meals that much healthier. The inner iron pot features a proprietary 7-layer Duraroma ™ non-stick coating that's dishwasher-safe for easy clean-up after mealtime.
Unlike other rice cookers with bottom heating elements, this AROMA rice cooker surrounds its contents with 360 degrees of advanced induction heating technology. Once your rice is finished cooking, the device automatically switches to a keep-warm setting that keeps contents at the perfect temperature until it's time to serve. With an 8-cup capacity, it's ideal for cooking large batches for family dinners and weekend meal preps.
Cooked Rice Capacity— 8 cups
Set Includes— Rice measuring cup, food steamer tray, and a plastic serving spatula
Pros:
Cons:
Nutribullet EveryGrain™ Rice Cooker
Best Large Capacity
Source: Walmart
This Nutribullet EveryGrain Rice Cooker is the perfect gadget to cook dinner for a small family or a crowd. The 10-cup cooking pot features a steaming basket that can be stacked on top of the grains for simultaneous cooking or used solo on the Steam setting. For an easy weeknight meal, cook a batch of white or brown rice on the bottom while you steam vegetables and a filet of fish on top.
The EveryGrain™ Cooker is constructed with a durable plastic base and cooking pot with a PFOA-free non-stick finish. It features pre-programmed settings for brown rice, white rice, oats, quinoa, and grains— plus delay-start and keep-warm settings so you can prep meals according to your unique schedule. Needless to say, it's a lifesaver during busy weeks!
Cooked Rice Capacity— 10 cups
Set Includes— Steaming basket, measuring scoop, rice spoon, and recipe guide
Pros:
Cons:
Instant Pot Pro Multi-Use Pressure Cooker
Most Versatile
Source: Amazon
With 28 intelligent cooking programs and five customizable favorite settings, this Instant Pot Pro Multi-Use Pressure Cooker can truly do it all. The versatile pressure cooker can also be used as a rice cooker, sous-vide machine, slow cooker, saute pan, steamer, and more. Thanks to an upgraded stainless-steel inner pot, this new-and-improved model offers 20% faster preheating and up to 70% faster cooking than most rice cookers and other rice-cooking methods.
The all-in-one Instant Pot machine comes equipped with built-in safety features like a splash-free steam valve, Easy Grip handles, locking lid, and Overheat Protection™. Its 6-quart interior is large enough to cook rice for the whole family or the whole work week. Now, all that's left to do is decide which recipe to try first!
Cooked Rice Capacity— 24 cups
Set Includes— Extra stainless steel sealing ring, steamer rack with handles, and recipe book
Pros:
Cons:
VitaClay VF7700-8 Chef Gourmet 8-Cup Rice and Slow Cooker
Best Clay Rice Cooker
Source: Amazon
Looking to avoid non-stick coatings altogether? Skip the stainless steel, and add this VitaClay Chef Gourmet Rice and Slow Cooker to your cart. Its unglazed clay cooking pot enhances your food's natural flavor and texture as it cooks. Plus, it cuts your slow cooking time in half, using up to 50% less energy.
Use the programmable cooking timer to "set and forget" contents in thirty-minute increments up to twelve hours. Settings for white rice, brown rice, soups, and stews, ensure every meal is perfectly cooked. With an 8-cup capacity, one batch will last you all week long.
Cooked Rice Capacity— 8 cups
Pros:
Cons:
What to Look for in a Rice Cooker
As with any kitchen gadget, no two rice cookers are exactly alike. Products vary widely based on price, quality, cooked rice capacity, and tech-savvy functions. So before you begin your search, skim through these helpful tips on how to find the best rice cooker for your kitchen.
Rice Cooker vs. Multicooker
While there's nothing wrong with sticking with a dedicated rice cooker, many multi-cookers (such as an Instant Pot or pressure cooker) now come pre-programmed with a convenient rice-cooking setting. Opting for a multi-purpose machine is a great way to save space on your countertop.
Cooked Rice Capacity
Most rice cookers can make between 4-16 cups of cooked rice in a single batch. While models with a greater cooked rice capacity are great for meal prepping and family-size meals, many rice cookers will take up more space in your cabinets and typically cost a bit more.
If you are making rice for a small family, a five or six-cup rice cooker is an ideal size for you. A mini rice cooker is available if you are single or a couple, and a mini rice cooker is also more storage-friendly, making it perfect for dorm rooms or small apartment living.
Non-Toxic Materials
Prioritize your health (and the health of the planet) by strictly narrowing down your search to rice cookers made with non-toxic materials. Look for products with an inner pot crafted from clay, stainless steel or with a non-sticking coating labeled as PFOA-, PFA-, and BPA-free.
Pre-Programmed Settings
Every grain requires a slightly different cooking time, so if you're not the savviest in the kitchen, stick with a rice cooker with pre-programmed settings for different types of rice. These days, most rice cookers come equipped with one-touch buttons for white rice and brown rice. At a minimum, the device should have adjustable time and temperature controls.
Keep Warm And Quick Cook Settings
Features like keeping your cooked rice warm until dinner is ready to be served can come in handy, especially if you are still finishing other dishes or keeping it warm for someone coming home later.
Quick cook setting is another great function when you want to cook up some rice quickly to go with your meal.
Fuzzy Logic Technology
The latest innovation in countertop rice cooking is called fuzzy logic technology. These models utilize computer chips that intuitively adjust cooking time and temperature to ensure perfect rice every time. They're excellent for cooking brown rice, quinoa, sushi rice, and other grain varieties that may easily result in mushier rice in other machines.
Care And Maintenance
Taking care of a rice cooker is easy, thanks to its nonstick coating. With some hot and soapy water, clean-up is a breeze. Some inner pots are dishwasher safe, but you should check the brand cleaning instructions first.
Most rice cookers have a steam catcher that will need to be emptied after each use. If you leave it unattended, it can get grungy and moldy. After cleaning, make sure all parts are dry before placing them back into the machine.
