Are you shopping for a new rice cooker with a stainless steel inner pot? If you are, then you come to the right place. In this article, we’ll help you find the best stainless steel rice cooker that offers the best value.
Due to the potential harm that aluminum and nonstick coated inner pots can give, many people have asked us about stainless steel rice cookers. To make your selection easier, we’ll review five popular stainless steel rice cookers by looking at each of their features. If interested to know, check our guide and reviews.
Why Use A Stainless Steel Rice Cooker?
A stainless steel rice cooker is better than its aluminum and nonstick-coated counterparts because it offers the following advantages:
- Safer Alternative
Unlike aluminum, stainless steel is nonreactive to acidic foods. It also doesn’t impart any chemical residues when exposed to high heat, which is a great advantage over Teflon or non-stick coated inner pots.
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- Durable And Rust-Resistant
Unlike other metals, stainless steel doesn’t dent easily. Even when exposed to high heat, it doesn’t lose its shape. Best of all, the surface is pretty much resistant to scratches, rust, and stains. This makes this rice cooker last longer than other types of the rice cooker.
- Easy To Clean
Because stainless steel offers a nonstick surface, cleaning might be a breeze. To clean, simply soak the pot in warm water and dish washing detergent. Just rub the cooking surface gently, and it will clean immediately.
The convenience in cleaning makes this rice cooker a great option for those with a busy lifestyle. Since it cleans up well, you can say that this rice cooker is hygienic as well.
Making Rice In A Rice Cooker
Before you use the rice cooker, read the manual first. Usually, rice cookers instruct the basic 1:1 ratio of rice and water. When cooking larger batches, scale up using this same ratio.
Now, you need to rinse the rice to remove any loose starch. In a large strainer, rinse the rice under cold running water. You can also rinse the rice by hand as shown in this:
Once the water is not longer cloudy, add the water and cook the rice by turning on the rice cooker. After the rice is cooked, turn the unit off and let it rest for 15 minutes with the lid on. Before you serve, fluff the rice in the rice cooker using the spatula.
What To Look For A Best Stainless Steel Rice Cooker
Convenient Features
The best stainless steel rice cooker should have convenient features to make the operation fast and easy. Usually, basic models have a one-touch operation where you lower a knob to start cooking. An automatic keep-warm setting is a nice feature if you want to keep the heat at a lower temperature.
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Capacity
The capacity might depend on the size of your family. If you’re only a few, then you can choose a smaller capacity, like 3 cups. However, if you belong to a large family, getting the largest capacity might be more convenient.
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Via thespruce.com
Keep in mind that rice cookers specify two types of capacities: one for the uncooked rice and second for the cooked rice. Focus on both so you’ll know how much rice to cook and how much cooked rice you can expect. Try not to use the maximum capacity because it will cause the water to spill over the rim.
To save electricity, you can opt for a large capacity so you can cook rice only once daily and not every meal. The capacities of the rice cookers we will review below range from 6 cups to 22 cups.
Warranty
Since rice cookers are often priced expensively, you’ll need to look for a warranty to protect your investment. The warranty will allow you to return or repair the item if defective. The longer the warranty, the better.
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Usually, a warranty can be a great indicator of durability and quality. The manufacturer won’t offer a long warranty period if he’s not confident with its quality. The longer the warranty, the more durable the product can be.
Accessories
To get the best value for your money, look for extra accessories that go with the rice cooker. Many rice cookers include a rice measuring cup and a rice paddle. For more versatility, look for a unit that provides a steaming tray.
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Via josephjoseph.com
The steaming tray will expand your cooking options. While the rice is cooking, you can use the steaming tray to steam some foods, like dim sum, vegetables, or fish. Also look for a glass lid, so you view the rice while cooking easily.
Price
Just like with any other purchase, you’ll want something that doesn’t hurt your budget too much. With stainless rice cookers, you can’t compromise the quality with the price. Some units may be cheaper because they use low-grade materials. If you can find a good quality rice cooker at an affordable price, the better.
Five Best Stainless Steel Rice Cookers
1. Oyama Stainless Steel Rice Cooker
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The Oyama Stainless Steel Rice Cooker can cook up to 8 cups of uncooked rice and 16 cups of cooked rice, which is quite large.
This rice cooker includes an all stainless steel cooking pot which can damage your rice without imparting any chemicals. The steamer tray is free and can steam several foods, such as fish, vegetables, and dim sum.
The operation is quite easy with its one-touch button and keep-warm setting, which warms your rice before serving.
It features a glass lid so you can watch the rice visibly while cooking. You can get one year free parts and labor with its warranty.
PROS
- The price is decent for its size and quality
- Includes a steamer tray for versatility in cooking
- Supports a one-year warranty for parts and labor
- The glass lid allows easy viewing while cooking and a hole is designed to let the steam out
- Made of surgical-grade stainless steel interior pot for safe cooking
CONS
- The inner pot seems to too thin, so it chips after several uses
- The hole that let the steam out tends to create a splattering mess everywhere
- The rice seems to stick to the bottom of the pan
2. Tatung TAC-11KN(UL) Multi-Functional Stainless Steel Rice Cooker
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The Tatung TAC-11KN(UL) could have the largest capacity of 11 cups uncooked rice and 22 cups cooked rice.
This model is multi-functional, so you can do more than just cooking rice. With TAC-11KN(UL), you can make porridge, steam foods, and create a stew. What I love about this unit is both the inner and outer pot is made of food-grade 304 stainless steel.
Aside from the stainless inner pot, this unit includes a measuring cup, rice spatula, steaming tray, and an inner pot lid.
To keep the flavor and texture of food, this unit uses an indirect heating system. This system heats and steams the whole pot, so meals are more delicious and cooked evenly.
PROS
- Provides a very large capacity
- Built with a food-grade 304 stainless steel inner and exterior pot
- Includes some great accessories, like the rice spatula, measuring cup, steaming tray, and inner pot lid
- Uses indirect heating system to cook more evenly and preserve more flavor
- Can be multifunction
- Comes with a one-year warranty
CONS
- A bit expensive given its very thin stainless steel construction
- It would have been perfect if it can steam and cook rice at the same time
- The electric wire design is a bit cheap and can easily get loose contact
3. Miracle Stainless Steel Rice Cooker Model ME81
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The Miracle ME81 Stainless Steel Rice Cooker is built with a surgical-grade 304 stainless steel cooking pot.
The ME81 includes a measuring cup, rice paddle, and a stainless steel steamer tray. This makes this model a complete package for daily cooking.
This model can cook up to eight cups of uncooked rice and 12 cups of cooked rice. The glass lid allows you to watch the rice while cooking.
It cooks automatically and switches to warm mode after your rice is done. You can get your unit repaired for free because this model supports a one-year warranty.
PROS
- Offers a one-year warranty for free repair and parts replacement
- Includes some great accessories, such as the rice paddle, measuring cup, and steamer tray
- Can yield up to 12 cups of cooked rice which is more than sufficient
- Designed with a glass lid for easy viewing
- Built with the basic features like automatic cooking and warm mode
- Made of all surgical-grade stainless steel interior pot and steamer tray
CONS
- May leave some sputtering mess from the air hole
- The plastic housing construction is a bit flimsy
- The rice tends to get burned when left under the warm setting
4. Aroma Simply Stainless Steel Rice Cooker
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The Aroma Simply Stainless Rice Cooker offers a 3-cup capacity for uncooked rice and 6-cup capacity for cooked rice. This can cook any variety of rice in one simple, one-touch operation.
The cooking spot is made of 100% surgical-grade 304 stainless steel so you can expect durability and ease in cleaning.
This stainless rice cooker features a keep-warm function, which is great if you want to keep the rice warm before eating.
Aside from instant cooked rice, this cooker is suitable for other dishes, like chili, soups, and jambalaya. This rice cooker includes a serving spatula and a rice measuring cup.
PROS
- Built with the basic features, such as the keep warm function
- Can cook other dishes, like soups, chili, and jambalaya
- Includes essential accessories, such as serving spatula and measuring cup
- The price is good for its quality
- Doesn’t burn the rice
- Easy to clean and wash
- The interior pot is made of durable, surgical grade stainless steel
CONS
- It will have been greater if it includes a steamer tray
- The water may splatter everywhere when cooking two cups of uncooked rice
- The capacity is a bit small
5. Lotus Foods Stainless Steel Rice Cooker And Steamer
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The Lotus Foods Stainless Steel Rice Cooker comes with a steamer tray, rice paddle, glass lid, and a stainless steel inner pot.
The stainless steel construction makes this a safer alternative to nonstick and aluminum cooking surfaces. This rice cooker can yield up to 12 cups of cooked rice.
With the steamer, you can do several things, like steam vegetables, reheat frozen foods, and soften tortillas. This rice cooker supports a one-year warranty, but you need to fill out the warranty card and mail it to the manufacturer.
Just like with any other basic models, the Lotus Foods rice cooker features a warm mode setting to keep the rice warm before serving.
PROS
- Easy to clean and use
- Can yield up to 12 cups of cooked rice
- Includes a steamer tray, rice paddle, and measuring cup
- Made of surgical-grade stainless steel inner pot and steamer tray
- Can steam vegetables and reheat frozen meals
CONS
- May stop working after several months
- It will have been better if the vent hole is wrapped in stainless steel and not with rubber
- The price is a bit high
Which Is The Best?
Based on our scores, the Aroma rice cooker is the best stainless steel rice cooker because it has met most of the qualities that we’re looking for. The Aroma Simply Stainless Steel Rice Cooker has the basic, convenient features, and includes essential accessories.
The capacity of the Oyama rice cooker is 16 cups, and it offers all essential accessories, like a glass lid and steamer tray. Although Tatung TAC-11KN(UL) has the largest capacity of 22 cups, we still prefer the Aroma Simply Stainless Steel Rice Cooker because easy to use when you’re cooking the rice. It also has the best price given its quality and features.
If you have questions or suggestions, let us know in the comments section. Don’t forget to share this article if you like it.