Don’t you have a lot of time for cooking rice? So, the fastest rice cooker is a splendid solution. All models below can minimize your rice cooking process, but this is not the only benefit. With the options in this article, you can take advantage of them for your cooking tasks more conveniently. Before anything else, just check the list here first:
Here are the fastest rice cookers you can buy in 2024:
- Best For Small Families (Induction Rice Cooker): Zojirushi
- Budget Option (Induction Rice Cooker): Panasonic
- Best For Bigger Families (Induction Rice Cooker): CUCKOO
- Compact Design (Regular Rice Cooker): DASH
- Easy To Clean (Regular Rice Cooker): YumAsia
- Smallest Capacity (Regular Rice Cooker): Aroma
- Largest Capacity (Multi Cooker): Instant Pot
- Most Versatile (Multi Cooker): COMFEE'
8 Fastest Rice Cookers | ||
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Best For Small Families | Zojirushi
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Budget Option | Panasonic
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Best For Bigger Families | CUCKOO
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Compact Design | DASH
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Easy To Clean | YumAsia
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Smallest Capacity | Aroma
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Largest Capacity | Instant Pot
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Most Versatile | COMFEE'
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Best For Small Families: Zojirushi
- Straightforward to use and clean
- Inexpensive
- Large, clear, and easy-to-read display
- Lightweight
- Clear illustration
- Too small for a large family
If your family is small or you live alone, it’s so great. The Zojirushi Induction Rice Cooker with 3-cup capacity can meet these requirements. You said that you have a lot of money and you can completely buy a large-capacity model, right? It is not a worthy investment for your needs. A too large and heavy rice cooker will increase unessential pressure on your kitchen counter.
Despite its small size, it has all functions and features of an induction rice cooker. Rather than using a heating element to transfer heat to the pot, induction heating technology is used. When the pot is inserted, an electromagnetic field is created inside the appliance, moving electrical current around the inner pot and generating heat. The pot heats up faster, more evenly without burning the pot bottom. Thus, this type of cooker can use the energy more efficiently, especially, it cooks rice faster than a regular rice cooker.
This product includes some accessories such as rice spatula, spatula holder, rice measuring cups, detachable and washable stainless steel inner lid.
Zojirushi Specifications | |
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Dimensions | 7.5"D x 11.87"W x 9.12"H |
Capacity | 3 cups |
Menu Settings | White/mixed Sushi Porridge Brown GABA brown Rinse-free Quick cooking |
Highlight Features | 700 watts/ 120 volts Thick and spherical inner cooking pan |
Despite a small size, the Zojirushi Induction Rice Cooker is a high-quality product because of its high-end design and features.
Budget Option: Panasonic
- Nice design
- Non-stick
- Effortless to use
- Keep warm for a long time
- Quick to cook
- The water line is a bit too high
- Annoying to clean
Can you buy a good-quality rice cooker with a tight budget?
Yes. Of course, nothing is perfect. The Panasonic Induction Rice Cooker is budget-friendly and good-quality, but it lacks some advanced functions. However, it is still great with the following features:
You can use this machine to cook different rice such as short and long-grained rice, mixed rice, glutinous rice, brown rice, and white rice. No matter which type of rice you cook, its advanced fuzzy logic technology allows you to adjust the precise cooking time and temperature for the most consistent results.
If you usually come back home late and cook rice before leaving your home, this feature is very useful. The keep warm feature can automatically turn off to avoid being overcooked and keep rice at a serving temperature for up to half-day.
Also, its extra accessories help make your rice cooking process more convenient. You can use a steaming basket to steam vegetables and meat while a special measuring cup allows you to portion the desired amount, especially, there is a non-scratching rice spoon.
Panasonic Specifications | |
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Dimensions | 10.2"D x 13.9"W x 7.8"H |
Capacity | 1 Liters |
Menu Settings | Quick cook/ Steam White rice Brown rice Porridge/Soup Off/Keep warm |
Highlight Features | Advanced fuzzy logic technology Automatic shut-off function |
Although the Panasonic Induction Rice Cooker is cheap, it's functional enough to do your basic cooking tasks.
Best For Bigger Families: CUCKOO
- Useful instruction
- Easy to use, operate and clean
- Expensive
If you are shopping for a big family, investing in a large-capacity cooker is a must. And the CUCKOO Induction Rice Cooker can save you because of its 10-cup capacity. Apart from XL size, this machine is ideal to handle different food from brown and white rice, to veggie and scorched rice, even baby food thanks to 16 menu options.
CUCKOO Specifications | |
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Dimensions | 17"D x 12"W x 12"H |
Capacity | 10 cups |
Menu Settings | GABA/brown rice Glutinous/white rice Veggie rice Scorched rice Baby food Sticky rice High/non-pressure options A quick turbo mode |
Highlight Features | Pressure cooking and non-pressure cooking Premium X-Wall nonstick black coating LED touch-controls, 3-language voice guide (Korean, Chinese, English) Keep-warm function |
The large capacity of the CUCKOO Induction Rice Cooker can provide all members in your big family with enough warm and fresh rice at once.
Compact Design: DASH
- Simple and effortless to use and clean
- Versatile
- Portable
- Expensive
If your kitchen counter is limited, you will want to save as much space as possible by choosing small appliances like this compact DASH regular rice cooker.
Thanks to a small footprint, you have a lot of space for other cooking tasks. Specifically, its size is 6.5"D x 8.3"W x 16"H. Of course, nothing is perfect. Its 2 capacities can serve only one person or 2 people.
DASH Specifications | |
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Dimensions | 6.5"D x 8.3"W x 16"H |
Capacity | 2 cups |
Menu Settings | Cook and Warm |
Highlight Features | Keep warm function Indicator light 200 watts |
The DASH Regular Rice Cooker takes less space on your kitchen counter, but it's just ideal for a small family.
Easy To Clean: YumAsia
- Compact
- Easy to use
- Versatile
- Convenient to store
- Beautiful
- Too small for a large family
If you use your rice cooker several times a day, you will want a model that can minimize your effort on the cleaning task. Here, the YumAsia Regular Rice Cooker is what you are looking for because it’s easy to clean from the inside out.
Apart from a smooth surface of the exterior that allows you to easily wipe down dirt and dust with a cloth, many of its parts such as the lid, outer steam cap, and condensation collector can be removed to clean more effortlessly.
YumAsia Specifications | |
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Dimensions | 8.86"D x 11.81"W x 8.27"H |
Capacity | 0.7 Liters |
Menu Settings | Slow cook Cake baking Steam function Preset timer Keep warm |
Highlight Features | 7 Phased Advanced Fuzzy Logic Control |
The YumAsia Regular Rice Cooker takes less time and effort on your part for cleaning the whole model.
Smallest Capacity: Aroma
- Simple and straightforward to use and clean
- Non-stick
- Fast to warm soup
- Nice, compact, and solid design
- Reasonable price
- No on/off switch to turn it off
If you are looking for a cheaper model than an induction rice cooker for yourself or your small family, the Aroma Regular Rice Cooker with small capacity (1.5 cups) is efficient enough.
Obviously, it also has other benefits of a small cooker. For example, the combination of the lightweight & portable design and collapsible carry handle allows you to carry it anywhere easily.
And it helps you solve the problems when using a large rice cooker. For instance, its compact size doesn't take a lot of space on your kitchen counter.
Aroma Specifications | |
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Dimensions | 6.25"D x 6.75"W x 7.25"H |
Capacity | 1.5 cups |
Menu Settings | White rice Warm Brown rice |
Highlight Features | Programmable digital controls Removable nonstick Cooking Pot with Cooking Lid Dishwasher-safe |
Although the Aroma Regular Rice Cooker has a small capacity, it is very functional and inexpensive to buy.
Largest Capacity: Instant Pot
- Versatile
- Easy to use and clean
- Quick to cook
- Safe
- Quiet
- Not for canning
This unit is designed for large families who like to try different cooking ways with a large rice cooker.
Apart from 7.57-liter capacity, it has 7 cooking modes so that you can cook different recipes. They include pressure cook, slow cook, rice, steam, saute, make yogurt, and keep warm.
Instant Pot Specifications | |
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Dimensions | 13.18"D x 14.8"W x 10.4"H |
Capacity | 7.57 Liters |
Menu Settings | Pressure cook Slow cook Rice cooker Yogurt maker Steamer Sauté pan Food warmer |
Highlight Features | 13 customizable Smart Programs Finger-print resistant Dishwasher-safe lid Inner pot |
The Instant Pot Multi cooker is large enough to serve all members in a big family with a large amount of rice.
Most Versatile: COMFEE'
- Easy to use and clean
- Straightforward to store
- Not have automatic shutoff
As the name suggests, this COMFEE' Multi cooker is versatile since it can cook different rice and other foods such as wild rice, black rice, quinoa, white rice, brown rice, and yellow rice, oatmeal, chili, soup, and pasta. Aside from cooking rice, this machine provides you with other cooking ways, including stew, slow cook, sautee, steam, and DIY.
COMFEE' Specifications | |
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Dimensions | 10.75"D x 11.02"W x 10.75"H |
Capacity | 5.2 Quarts |
Menu Settings | Rice Pasta Soup Stew Saute Steamed veggies and DIY function |
Highlight Features | 12 digital cooking programs User Friendly Digital panel LED display Automatically switches |
The COMFEE' Multi cooker can handle different foods with many cooking modes.
How To Choose The Fastest Rice Cooker?
Which Features Are Useful To You?
Quick-Cook Setting
If you are reading these sentences, this feature is useful to you for sure. It allows you to cook your rice quickly, but the rice texture is not as good as when you cook rice normally.
Keep-Warm Setting
Do you need to cook rice before your mealtime for hours because you are so busy that your cooking time is very short?
Is the rice cooked well before the rest of your meal for a long time?
Do you need to keep the rice warm for someone who would come home late?
If all of your answers are yes, you need the keep-warm function of a rice cooker.
Fuzzy Logic
This feature is significant for people who are not good at cooking, especially cooking rice. If your rice cooker is equipped with a computer chip - fuzzy logic, it can help you adjust cooking parameters when you make an error. Here are some examples: adding too much or too little water, even environmental factors such as heat and humidity.
Meanwhile, basic rice cookers work mechanically because they can’t recognize when you add too much or too little water.
Alert Or Musical Tone
This feature allows you to know when your rice is done, but most cheap models lack this function.
Mobile App
If you are too busy, you can control your cooking process from your cell phone through this mobile app. For example, the Cuckoo app is available on Google Play. You can choose the timers and keep-warm settings through this app to have your warm and fresh rice that is waiting for you when getting home.
Voice Navigation
This function is helpful for blind people because it will announce which button you press. However, the default language is Korean, and it's especially hard to switch to English.
Should You Invest In A Nonstick Cooking Pot?
For me, this is a worthy investment. Although the nonstick coating on the inner pot can’t help you cook faster, it saves your time on cleaning tasks. There is no need to scrub off stuck-on rice since you can clean this smooth surface easily. Cooking rice is gentle and even, so you don’t have to worry about damaging this layer when cooking at a high temperature.
Which Accessories Do You Need?
Plastic Rice Paddle
If possible, choose a machine with this accessory that allows you to scoop out rice without getting rid of a nonstick coating.
A Steamer Basket Or Tray
This accessory is ideal for those who usually use their rice cooker for steaming vegetables and meat while cooking rice simultaneously .
Which Type Of Lid Is The Best?
Unsealed lid
The unsealed lid is pretty cheap, intuitive to use, and effortless to clean, especially if you can check how well your rice is cooked through the glass lid. However, this design can spatter the starchy water onto the bench top when cooking with high capacity.
Sealed lid
The sealed lid can avoid any rattle and the bench top spatter, but it’s hard for you to clean. You just can clean the removable inner lid in the sink. If you use this lid design, don’t forget to clean the outer lid with a steam vent.
How Is A Good Handle Design?
If you choose a rice cooker with high capacity and usually take advantage of its maximum capacity, it’s better to choose a large handle that allows you to lift the whole model easier.
Is A Removable Cord Good?
It is good if you want to carry your cooker place to place and store it away after using because of your small kitchen.
How Much Rice Do You Need To Cook At Once?
This helps you determine the capacity of a rice cooker. If you choose a too small model for a large group of people, you will take more time to cook rice many times to serve enough rice. Rice cookers range from 3 to 10 cups of uncooked rice, so you should choose one based on your needs.
In case you don’t use your rice cooker for a large family, a 6-cup cooker is a safe solution. Your kitchen counter shouldn’t withstand the unessential pressure of a bigger-capacity model.
Machines that are smaller than 6-cup size work well for dorm rooms and people who live alone.
For big families, 10-cup rice cookers are always the best choices.
Note: most manufacturers measure the capacity of a rice cooker by using uncooked-rice cups, but Hamilton Beach and Instant Pot use cooked-rice cups to indicate the capacity of the rice cooker.
Which Brands Make The Fastest Rice Cooker?
Zojirushi
Zojirushi has over 90 years of experience. One of their most impressive achievements is launching their first glass-lined vacuum bottle that sets an industry standard of new vacuum insulation technology for household products. They provide their customers with a new generation of cooking appliances.
FAQs
How long does it take to cook rice in a rice cooker?
This depends on the kind of rice, the amount of rice you cook, and the type of cooker you choose.
If you cook white rice in a pot-style rice cooker, check the cooking time in the table below:
White rice (cup) | Cooking time (minute) |
One cup | 10-15’ |
Two cups | 20-25’ |
Three cups | 30-35’ |
Four cups | 40-45’ |
Five cups | 50-55’ |
Six cups | 60-65’ |
Seven cups | 70-75’ |
Eight cups | 80-85’ |
Nice cups | 90-95’ |
Ten cups | 100-105’ |
Below is the cooking time table to cook white rice in a cool-touch rice cooker
White rice (cup) | Cooking time (minute) |
One cup | 10-15’ |
Two cups | 20-25’ |
Three cups | 30-35’ |
Four cups | 40-45’ |
Five cups | 50-55’ |
Six cups | 60-65’ |
Seven cups | 70-75’ |
Eight cups | 80-85’ |
Nice cups | 90-95’ |
Ten cups | 100-105’ |
Brown rice takes you more time to cook compared to white rice because the former has starch layers and additional bran. You can check the cooking time table when cooking it in a pot-style rice cooker below:
Brown rice (cup) | Cooking time (minute) |
One cup | 25’ |
Two cups | 35’ |
Three cups | 50’ |
Four cups | 60-70’ |
Five cups | 70-75’ |
Six cups | 75-80’ |
Seven cups | 80-90’ |
Eight cups | 100-110’ |
Nice cups | 120-125’ |
Ten cups | 130-135’ |
Note: No matter how many cups of brown rice you cook in a cool-touch rice cooker, it also takes you around an hour.
Here are the cooking time for other kinds of rice:
For one cup of short, medium or long-grain rice, you need to spend at least 15 minutes cooking in a rice cooker.
But, one cup of whole-grain rice takes you up to 40-45 minutes cooking while one cup of parboiled rice just requires you about 20 minutes cooking.
Does rice cook in 15 minutes?
Yes.
Is an induction rice cooker faster than a regular rice cooker?
Yes.
What is a quick rice setting?
As the name suggests, this function allows you to cook rice faster, so you can save more time, but the quality of cooked rice is not as good as the regular cooking way.
How can I speed up my rice cooker?
Rice without starch layers can be cooked faster in a rice cooker, so you can remove excess starch by rinsing the rice in a fine-mesh strainer. Apart from the result of a nice and fluffy texture, this way can even keep grains of rice from sticking together.
Simply cooking your rice with the right amount of water can speed up your rice cooker. This is the rule: add one cup of water for one cup of rice, but it can change based on the kind of rice you cook and your personal preferences. For example, you can add more water for the result of softer rice and add less water to cook firmer rice.
If your rice cooker has a quick rice setting, you can use this function. Simply cooking rice with the right amount of water and pressing the button, you can cook your rice quickly thanks to this feature.
Letting the water escape before removing the lid can keep your rice from being overcooked or becoming mushy.
Conclusion
Many people don’t like the quality of rice when cooking by applying the quick rice setting, but they are too busy. In fact, you don’t have to sacrifice the rice quality to cook rice faster. Choosing the fastest rice cooker in this post can quickly cook rice and keep the rice quality good.