In almost every Asian household, rice is the undeniable staple of our meals. Cooking rice may seem like a brainless routine especially when we do it every day – just pop in rice and water and click the ‘cook’ button. But if we’re talking about whipping up fluffy, evenly heated rice with the perfect amount of moisture, choosing the right rice cooker can make things a whole lot easier for you.
Here are 9 best rice cookers in Singapore that have surpassed all the basic functions to bring you impressive features such as fragrance-retaining valves and 48 different cook programs to zhng your home cooking. PSA: some even have the ability to bake cakes or prepare yogurt!
Just do a quick Google search on best rice cookers and Zojirushi’s products are bound to pop up.
Zojirushi’s Neuro Fuzzy rice cooker
Image credit: Zojirushi America
This model is equipped with Neuro Fuzzy Logic technology, which helps to automatically adjust the cooking temperature and time based on the amount and type of rice you put in. Plus, its triple heaters located at the bottom, top and sides will make sure that your rice is evenly cooked, so you won’t ever have to eat half burnt or semi-cooked rice.
No need for agaration – measurement marks to indicate how much water is needed for different types of rice
Image credit: Zojirushi America
You’ll be able to cook a variety of rice from white, sushi and mixed to porridge, brown, and semi brown rice. If you’re rushing for time, the quick cooking option will be your saving grace as it reduces cooking time by up to 20 minutes, depending on the type of rice you’re preparing.
You can even utilise the delay timer to decide what time you want your rice to be cooked so that you can dig into a steaming heap once you wake up in the morning, or return home from work. It also comes with a reheat setting that can keep rice fresh for up to 3 days.
NS-ZCC10 (1L)
Capacity: Up to 5.5 cups /1L
Electrical Rating: 680 Watts
Accessories: rice spatula, spatula holder, regular rice measuring cup, rinse-free rice measuring cup
Price: $179.49
Get the Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy 1.0L cooker/warmer.
NS-ZCC18 (1.8L)
Capacity: Up to 10 cups /1.8L
Electrical rating: 1000 Watts
Accessories: rice spatula, spatula holder, regular rice measuring cup, rinse-free rice measuring cup
Price: $183.38
Get the Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy 1.8L cooker/warmer.
Families with little ones are especially mindful about “silent lurkers” such as bacteria and chemicals that can enter their children’s meals, so having safe cooking equipment is of top priority.
With the Song Cho 1.8L Induction Heating Rice Cooker, you won’t need to stress about such issues. Its inner pot is made of 3-ply stainless steel without any chemical coating, making sure that your home-cooked rice is safe for consumption.
On top of that, you can say goodbye to hard, chao ta rice. Equipped with a smart cooking system, the cooker functions via induction heating that is more responsive to temperature change. This ensures evenly-distributed heat during the cooking process so that your rice will have a consistent texture and will be easy to scoop out.
Capacity: up to 10 cups / 1.8L
Electrical rating: 1200 Watts
Accessories: plastic steamer, rice scoop, soup ladle, measuring cup
Price: $269.16 (before GST)
Get the Song Cho 1.8 Induction Heating Rice Cooker SC-IH50F.
Image credit: @ilisulaiman
Tefal’s Pro Induction Spherical Rice Cooker will blow your existing perception of rice cookers right out the water. With a whopping 48 cooking programs, you’ll be able to steam vegetables and fish, prepare porridge, claypot dishes, and even bake a cake for dessert time.
For home chefs can also use its DIY Chef function to customise cooking temperature and time and memorise your own recipes for easy future use.
Rice cookers are infamous for leaving you with a hardened mess of leftover rice when it’s time to wash up, butTefal’s inner cooking pan and its 7 durable and non-stick layers will eradicate this problem for you… forever.
Capacity: 10 cups /1.8L
Electrical rating: 1200 Watts
Accessories: steam basket, spoons, measuring cup
Price: $238
Get the Tefal Pro Induction Spherical Rice Cooker.
Image credit: Salam Parenthood
Tefal’s mini rice cooker may be small but power is not something it’s lacking – it comes with 11 cooking programs – including steam, congee and instant noodles – so you’ll still be able to enjoy these next-level functions with this mini version of #2.
A worthy investment for those living in compact spaces such as dorms and studio apartments, as it won’t take up too much space. The smaller cook capacity also makes it the perfect fit for small families so you won’t have to worry about food wastage.
Capacity: 4 cups/0.7L
Electrical rating: 350 Watts
Accessories: steam basket, rice spoon, soup spoon, measuring cup
Price: $119
Get the Tefal Mini Rice Cooker.
Image credit: @philips_my
Now at this point you might be thinking that you’ve already seen all there is to see where cookers are concerned, but the Philips’ Avance Collection rice cooker takes things up a notch with its very own patented iSpiral technology and fragrance-retaining valve to ensure that every rice grain is heated evenly and can remain fresh for long.
It has up to 13 multifunction programs, such as a fast cooking mode that can complete cooking within 25 minutes, a slow cooking gmode for processing tender meat, and can even prepare desserts. Don’t worry about getting confused with all these options though, as its large digital display can help you to navigate these different functions easily.
If you’re all about eating healthy, an added bonus is that this rice cooker use a Bakuhanseki coating – a type of stone material that contains minerals and trace elements such as calcium, iron, zinc – that is good for your body.
Capacity: 8 cups /1.5L
Electrical rating: 1500 Watts
Accessories: steaming basket/tray, spatula, measuring cup
Price: $243
Get the Philips IH Avance Collection Rice Cooker.
Image credit: Qoo10 SG
Philips’ Viva collection rice cooker is another model that’s designed for small families or singles. But what sets this rice cooker apart is that it’s built for executing healthy recipes – apart from rice, soups, congees and risotto, you can prepare nourishing stews and even yogurt for your daily dairy fix. Cooking completion times for all 6 menus can be set 24 hours in advance, so if you want to come home to a ready-cooked meal, just pop in the ingredients and you’re all set! It’s also coupled with a built-in hydrating micro-pressure valve design to retain maximum moisture.
Its sleek design uses touch sensor for easy operation, and the Viva collection rice cooker also comes equipped with a child lock so that young’uns won’t hurt themselves should they fiddle around.
Capacity: 4 cups /0.7L
Electrical rating: 330 Watts
Accessories: measuring cup, rice scoop, soup scoop
Price: $105
Get the Philips Viva Collection Rice Cooker.
Image credit: Reviewed
Panasonic’s Micom rice cooker simplifies things for the noobest of cooks out there and isn’t too newfangled for the elderly to navigate. Fuss-free and super easy to operate, the Micom rice cooker lets you control 6 menus with only 4 buttons – white, brown, porridge, steam, soup and quick cook.
Don’t be fooled by its simplistic design though, the cooker still comes equipped with advanced technology such as fuzzy logic to make sure your rice is cooked to perfection.
Capacity: 5.5 cups /1L
Electrical rating: 750 Watts
Accessories: steaming basket/plate, rice scoop, measuring cup
Price: $79.90
Get the Panasonic Micom Rice Cooker.
Image credit: Tiger
If you’re a busy bee who can’t afford to set aside too much time to prepare a meal, Tiger’s Microcomputer controlled rice cooker can help you speed things up with their “Tacook” synchronised cooking function. You’ll be able to cook rice along with a side dish simultaneously, so you won’t even have to use a stove to prepare a full course meal.
A cook plate is used to separate your side dish from your rice during the cooking process, but you won’t have to worry about it pressing down on your rice as it’s suspended above like a 2-tier lunchbox. Apart from synchronised cooking, other cooking programs include rice, steaming, and slow cooking.
This model even comes with an exclusive cookbook – there are up to 25 dishes with specific instructions on how to utilise your cooker to the max.
JAX-S10S (1L)
Capacity: 5.5 cups /1L
Electrical rating: 700 Watts
Accessories: Cooking plate (BPA free), measuring cup, rice spatula, soup ladle and exclusive cookbook
Price: $228
Get the Tiger Microcomputer Controlled 1.0L Rice Cooker.
JAX-S18S (1.8L)
Capacity: 10 cups /1.8L
Electrical rating: 1003 Watts
Accessories: Cooking plate (BPA free), measuring cup, rice spatula, soup ladle and exclusive cookbook
Price: $299
Get the Tiger Microcomputer Controlled 1.8L Rice Cooker.
Image credit: Qoo10
XiaoMi’s smart electric rice cooker may have a minimalist design with only 3 buttons on the exterior, but you’ll be surprised when you unveil its full potential by connecting it to the Mijia app. You’ll be able to control your rice cooker from anywhere, such as at your workplace before you head home, so you can get to come home to a bowl of freshly cooked rice.
The app allows you to check the state of your rice in real time and sends you a notification once it’s done.
Aside from these atas smart features, the smart electric cooker also does a pretty good job at the basic function of cooking delicious rice as it uses advanced electromagnetic and micro-pressure heating technology to ensure that your rice is heated evenly.
Capacity: 16.5 cups /3L
Electrical rating: 1130 Watts
Price: $128.90
Get the Xiaomi Smart Electric Rice Cooker.
While many of these rice cookers have added bonuses such as simultaneous cooking and multiple menus for soups and even yoghurt, they also deliver when it comes to their main job – cooking rice.
With advanced technology such as Fuzzy Logic and a micro-pressure valve design, these rice cookers will leave you hard-pressed to make a decision if you’re in the market for a new one.
Check out more kitchen appliance guides:
The products have been ranked in terms of features and price from sources and reviews online.
Original article published by Ong Zhi Yi on 30th June 2020. Last updated by Deborah Gan on 7th October 2020.
Cover image adapted from: Song Cho, @ilisulaiman
This article contains partial partnership content. However, all opinions are ours.
Where else would you be able to get health supplements and alcohol for this cheap?
#5 may bring back memories of listening comprehension exams in primary school.
"Do you feel a sense of familiarity with the bus since both of you are…
If you want to sit back & relax while being driven to JB, here are…
Another reason to visit Changi Airport apart from catching a flight and stuffing yourselves at…
These free online games like Gartic Phone and Cards Against Humanity can be played on…