Rice Cooker Buying Guide: Capacity, Inner Pot and Power

Rice cooker buying guide: pick the size first, then the heating type, then the inner pot. A rice cooker heats rice and water, then stops when the water is gone. Three choices decide how well it does that job and how much it costs: capacity, power and inner pot. This guide covers each one in plain terms.

How a basic rice cooker works

A basic cooker has a body, an inner pot, a heating plate and a thermostat. You add rice and water and press the switch. The water stays at its boiling point, 100 degrees Celsius, until the rice has absorbed it. Then the temperature in the pot can climb above 100 degrees. That rise trips the thermostat, and the cooker stops heating.

Many models then drop to a low keep-warm mode, which holds rice at about 65 degrees Celsius. Simpler models just switch off and let the rice rest. If you eat rice at different times of day, keep-warm is worth having. If you cook and eat at once, you may not need it.

Sources: Wikipedia, Rice cooker

Pick the capacity first

Rice cookers are sold with a plastic measuring cup. The usual cup holds 180 millilitres of dry rice. When a box says "1.0 litre" or "5.5 cups", it is describing the inner pot, so check which unit the seller means.

Think about who eats at your table. A small pot suits one or two people. A family that eats rice at two meals a day needs a larger pot. A pot that is too small means you cook twice. A pot that is too large cooks a small amount of rice badly, and it takes more space on the shelf.

Leave some room. Rice swells as it cooks, so never fill the pot past the top mark inside it. Measure your counter and the space above it, because steam leaves through the lid.

Sources: Wikipedia, Rice cooker

Basic, induction or pressure

These are the three main types you will see in shops. They differ in how they heat.

• Basic cooker: a heating plate under the pot and a thermostat. It is simple, cheap and easy to repair. It heats from the bottom, so the rice can cook less evenly.
• Induction heating cooker: it uses electromagnetic induction to heat the pot itself. This kind of cooker first appeared in 1988. It costs more, and its makers say it heats the pot more evenly.
• Pressure cooker model: it seals the lid so steam builds up. Higher pressure raises the boiling point. At about 1 bar above normal air pressure, water reaches roughly 120 degrees Celsius. Food can cook in about one third of the usual time.

Ask yourself what you want. If you cook white rice a few times a week, a basic model does the job. If you want firmer control, or you cook brown rice and mixed grains, look at induction or pressure models and read what the maker says each one does.

Sources: Wikipedia, Rice cooker, Wikipedia, Pressure cooking

Check the inner pot

The inner pot touches your food every day, so look at it closely. Most are metal with a non-stick coating. Some have a thicker, heavier build. A heavier pot usually holds heat more evenly, but it also costs more.

Ask the seller what the pot is made of and what the coating is. Read the care notes. Many makers tell you to use a plastic or wooden paddle, because metal can scratch a coating. Wash the pot with a soft sponge and do not put it in a hot oven.

Look for a pot you can buy again. Over years of use the coating wears. A brand that sells spare inner pots in Vietnam saves you from buying a whole new cooker.

Read the wattage and the safety marks

Wattage is printed on the rating plate on the base. Higher wattage usually heats faster, and it puts a heavier load on your socket. Plug the cooker straight into a wall socket. Avoid thin extension leads for any heating appliance.

Household electrical appliances are tested against safety standards. The IEC 60335 series is the general safety standard for household and similar electrical appliances. Ask the seller whether the model was tested to it. Check the rating plate for the maker, the model number, the voltage and the wattage. A seller who cannot explain a mark on the box is a warning sign.

Check the build in the shop. The lid should close firmly. The cord should have a proper plug that fits your socket. Never buy a unit with a cracked housing, even at a large discount. Get a written warranty that names where to take the cooker for repair, and keep the receipt.

Sources: Wikipedia, IEC 60335

Quick checklist

Before you pay, run through this list. It takes two minutes.

• The pot size matches the number of people you cook for.
• You know whether the capacity is given in cups or litres.
• The type, basic, induction or pressure, fits how you cook.
• The seller can say what the inner pot is made of and sell a spare.
• Voltage and wattage are on the rating plate.
• A written warranty names a repair point.

Use any cooker with care. Keep it on a flat, dry surface away from curtains. Do not open a pressure model while it holds pressure, and do not use it if a valve is blocked. This is general information about appliances, not professional electrical advice.

Sources

• Wikipedia, Rice cooker: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice_cooker
• Wikipedia, Pressure cooking: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pressure_cooking
• Wikipedia, IEC 60335: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_60335