Best Small Rice Cooker – Let Your Rice Cook Anywhere You Go!

Types of Small Rice Cookers

While every small rice cooker looks similar to its alternatives, they are actually a little different. Here, we’re explaining how various models can differ from each other:

Conventional

The conventional model is simple. You just add rice to it, some water, then just press the button, and that’s it.

This model will cook your rice in a few minutes (20 to 60) depending on its size and overall capacity. And you won’t have to do much more than pressing a few buttons to start.

With one of these, though, you won’t be able to cook meats, steamed vegetables, or prepare soups. That minimizes how much you can get out of it – but will make the whole piece easy to use.

Multi-Purpose

As for multi-purpose appliances, you will have the chance to cook practically anything you want. They tend to be a little larger than conventional models, but tend to offer the same kind of performance.

But of course, you can cook meats, steam vegetables, prepare soups, and may even unique dishes that wouldn’t be possible with other models.  

A multi=purpose model tends to be a little harder to use than a conventional one. But that difficulty comes from the ability to deliver a much more varied set of results.

Factors That Matter When Buying a Mini Rice Cooker

When you go and search for a portable rice cooker, you’ll want something no less than fantastic. That’s why it is critical to know what you should be looking for and why. The following factors will help you with that:

Pot or Pan Durability

The first thing we always recommend prioritizing is the material that composes the cooking pot or pan. That’s the part that goes into the interior in which you place the rice and water.

To make sure it is durable, you should go for something like aluminum or stainless steel. You may find other materials like ceramic or clay, but they aren’t as durable, yet still decent.

Size or Capacity

The amount of rice you can place inside the cooker is also an essential factor to think about. You won’t like to get short of space inside or eventually get too much that finally leaves your rice uncooked.

For a small model, you can go for anything close to 1 cup or up to 5 cups of capacity. Remember, each cup represents about one to two rations.

But it’s vital also to know that uncooked and cooked cups are different. For example, one cup of uncooked rice can transform into 1.5 up to 2 cups of cooked rice depending on the type of rice and method. So, be careful when choosing.

Lid Type

Most of these machines come with a closed lid. They are helpful to keep steam and heat inside. But they don’t let you watch the rice while it cooks.

That’s why going for a see-through lid can always be useful. You don’t have to choose one necessarily, but it will surely make your experience better.

If you can go for a stainless steel model, that would be even better. Also, make sure it is detachable to allow effortless cleaning.

Ease of Use

The whole purpose of a rice cooker is to make the preparation easy and time-saving. That’s why you should focus on ease of use if you want a better experience with the machine.

It is important to note that not all cookers are similar when it comes to operation. Some of them come with a one-touch system in which you just need to push a button, and that’s it. But others are a little more complicated, offering a wide array of features and options to cook your rice.

Of course, a conventional model with the one-touch system is way better if you want simplicity. But if you appreciate practicality and extra features, advanced models with slightly harder controls can be your best choice.

Cleaning Ease

There’s no point in getting a rice cooker that eventually becomes a headache to clean. For that, we recommend easy-to-clean models with bowls and lids that are dishwasher safe. And of course, a non-stick surface and tight design that doesn’t drip steam or water can always help.

Accessories

From serving spoons to ladles, measuring cups, insert trays, steam baskets, and many other accessories are all useful to have. If you can go for a rice cooker model that offers at least some of them, you are going for a more practical product.

Features To Look for in a Small Rice Cooker

After learning about the different factors that make a mini rice cooker ideal, you may also need to consider a few features that could improve the experience of using them. The following list will help you get a more practical model overall:

•       Light or sound indicators will let you know when the rice is ready to prevent a mess
•       Auto shut-off systems help to avoid the rice from overcooking
•       A keep-warm feature will make sure your rice doesn’t cool down
•       A delay timer may help you increase the cooking time with precision
•       Reheating cycles provide ideal results after several hours
•       The fuzzy logic or micro-computer feature cooks your rice effective without tweaking
•       A quick-cook function always increases overall convenience
•       Texture options may help to get the right rice result
•       Steam, simmer, and slow cook functions to achieve all kinds of rice

All these functions will improve the experience of using a rice cooker. Don’t overlook them when you spot them – you won’t regret it. (Other Japanese Cookers can also be worth considering)