Imagine perfectly fluffy rice, every single time. No more mushy bottoms or undercooked grains! But when you walk into a store or browse online, the sheer number of rice cookers can be overwhelming. You see fancy features, different sizes, and brands you’ve never heard of. It’s tough to know which one will actually make your rice taste amazing without breaking the bank.
That’s where America’s Test Kitchen comes in. They’re like your trusted kitchen superheroes, testing out all sorts of gadgets to find the very best. They’ve done the hard work of sifting through all those confusing options for rice cookers, so you don’t have to.
In this post, we’re diving deep into what America’s Test Kitchen discovered about rice cookers. You’ll learn which ones they recommend and why. Get ready to discover the secrets to making perfect rice with ease, and find a rice cooker that will be a star in your kitchen for years to come.
Our Top 5 Rice Cooker America’S Test Kitchen Recommendations at a Glance
Top 5 Rice Cooker America’S Test Kitchen Detailed Reviews
1. Bowls: Vibrant Recipes with Endless Possibilities
Rating: 9.0/10
Get ready to transform your meals with “Bowls: Vibrant Recipes with Endless Possibilities.” This cookbook is your new go-to for creating delicious and healthy bowls that are as beautiful as they are tasty. It’s packed with creative ideas that will make you excited to cook and eat.
What We Like:
- Offers a huge variety of bowl recipes.
- Recipes are easy to follow.
- Uses fresh, colorful ingredients.
- Inspires healthy eating habits.
- Great for beginners and experienced cooks.
What Could Be Improved:
- Some recipes might require uncommon ingredients.
- Could include more vegan or vegetarian options specifically.
“Bowls: Vibrant Recipes with Endless Possibilities” truly lives up to its name. It’s an excellent resource for anyone looking to add more flavor and health to their diet.
2. The Side Dish Bible: 1001 Perfect Recipes for Every Vegetable
Rating: 9.2/10
Tired of serving the same old boring sides? The Side Dish Bible: 1001 Perfect Recipes for Every Vegetable, Rice, Grain, and Bean Dish You Will Ever Need is your ultimate solution. This cookbook is packed with an incredible variety of recipes. It covers everything from simple steamed veggies to complex grain salads. You’ll find dishes for every occasion and every taste. This book truly lives up to its name, offering a comprehensive guide to side dishes.
What We Like:
- An enormous collection of recipes for endless meal possibilities.
- Covers a wide range of ingredients like vegetables, rice, grains, and beans.
- Provides options for all skill levels, from beginner to advanced.
- Inspires creativity and helps you elevate your meals.
- Makes meal planning much easier and more exciting.
What Could Be Improved:
- The sheer number of recipes might feel overwhelming at first.
- A visual index or categorization by cuisine type could be helpful.
This cookbook is a fantastic resource for anyone who wants to make their meals more interesting. It’s an investment that will keep on giving, transforming your side dish game forever.
3. The Complete Beans and Grains Cookbook: A Comprehensive Guide with 450+ Recipes
Rating: 9.5/10
If you’re looking to add more healthy and delicious meals to your diet, then The Complete Beans and Grains Cookbook: A Comprehensive Guide with 450+ Recipes is a must-have for your kitchen. This cookbook unlocks the amazing world of beans and grains, offering a huge variety of recipes that are good for you and taste fantastic. You’ll find everything from hearty main courses to simple side dishes and even tasty desserts, all featuring these versatile ingredients.
What We Like:
- Incredible variety with over 450 recipes, ensuring you’ll never run out of new dishes to try.
- Covers a wide range of meals, making it easy to plan breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks.
- Focuses on healthy and budget-friendly ingredients, perfect for everyday cooking.
- The recipes are generally easy to follow, even for beginner cooks.
What Could Be Improved:
- Some recipes might require less common grains or beans that aren’t available in all grocery stores.
- The sheer number of recipes can be a bit overwhelming at first.
This cookbook truly lives up to its name by providing a complete resource for anyone wanting to explore the benefits and flavors of beans and grains. It’s a fantastic investment for a healthier and more exciting culinary journey.
4. Zavor LUX 8 Quart Multi-cooker with America’s Test Kitchen Multicooker Perfection Cookbook
Rating: 8.9/10
Get ready to revolutionize your kitchen with the Zavor LUX 8 Quart Multi-cooker, paired with the highly-rated America’s Test Kitchen Multicooker Perfection Cookbook. This bundle is your ticket to effortless and delicious meals, backed by the trusted expertise of America’s Test Kitchen, who named this multi-cooker a “runner-up best.”
What We Like:
- Versatile cooking: Pressure cook, slow cook, make rice and yogurt, steam, sauté, brown, and simmer all in one pot.
- Convenient features: The Time Delay lets you plan your meals ahead, and Keep Warm ensures your food stays perfectly hot.
- Safety first: ETL approved with locking mechanisms to prevent opening under pressure.
- Powerful performance: A strong heating element gets it up to temperature quickly.
- Easy cleanup: The stainless steel pot is dishwasher-safe and free from harmful chemicals.
- Great value: Includes a Quick Guide, User’s Manual, and a digital recipe book with over 120 recipes, plus a 1-year warranty.
What Could Be Improved:
- While the 8-quart size is generous, it might be too large for smaller kitchens or households.
- The cookbook is excellent, but some users might prefer a more extensive selection of included recipes beyond the digital offering.
This Zavor LUX Multi-cooker bundle makes cooking easier and more enjoyable. It’s a fantastic addition for anyone looking to simplify meal preparation without sacrificing flavor or quality.
5. Zavor LUX LCD 6 Quart Multi-cooker with America’s Test Kitchen Multicooker Perfection Cookbook
Rating: 9.1/10
Get ready to revolutionize your kitchen with the Zavor LUX LCD 6 Quart Multi-cooker, paired with the highly-praised America’s Test Kitchen Multicooker Perfection Cookbook. This stainless steel powerhouse is designed to make cooking easier and more delicious. America’s Test Kitchen named this 6-quart multi-cooker the best, and this bundle includes their top-rated cookbook. You’ll have everything you need to create amazing meals.
What We Like:
- It offers 12 amazing functions: Pressure Cook (high/low), Slow Cook (high/low), Steam, Brown, Flex (for Sous Vide), Simmer, Yogurt, Grains, Eggs, Dessert, and Keep Warm.
- You can choose from over 33 programmable settings, including Meat, Beans, Soup, Risotto, Vegetable, Omelette, and Cheesecake.
- The White Rice setting cooks rice perfectly, just like a traditional rice cooker.
- The Flex function lets you use it as a pressure cooker or a regular stockpot.
- Making homemade yogurt is simple with the easy 2-step process.
- Each food setting has pre-set cooking times and temperatures for great results every time.
- The Brown function lets you brown meats right in the pot before cooking.
- Steam your vegetables and fish to keep their nutrients.
- The Keep Warm feature keeps your food hot until you’re ready to serve.
- You can even program it to start cooking up to 6 hours in advance with Time Delay.
- Helpful icons on the panel show you what the cooker is doing.
- It comes with a 1-year warranty for peace of mind.
What Could Be Improved:
- The cookbook, while excellent, focuses on specific multicooker recipes, so you might still need other cookbooks for variety.
- While user-friendly, mastering all 33+ programmable settings might take a little practice.
This Zavor LUX multi-cooker bundle is a fantastic addition to any kitchen, offering versatility and expert guidance for delicious home-cooked meals.
Choosing the Best Rice Cooker: America’s Test Kitchen Guide
Rice cookers make cooking rice simple and easy. America’s Test Kitchen has tested many rice cookers to find the best ones. This guide will help you pick the right rice cooker for your kitchen.
1. Key Features to Look For
When you buy a rice cooker, think about what you want it to do.
Capacity
How much rice do you cook? Rice cookers come in different sizes, from small ones for one or two people to large ones for families. A 3-cup cooker is good for small households. A 5-cup or 6-cup cooker is better for families.
Cooking Functions
Some rice cookers just cook plain white rice. Others have special settings for brown rice, sushi rice, or even steaming vegetables. If you like to cook different kinds of rice, look for a cooker with more options.
Keep Warm Function
This feature keeps your rice warm after it’s done cooking. It’s handy if you’re not ready to eat right away. Most rice cookers have this, but check how long it keeps the rice warm.
Delay Timer
A delay timer lets you set the cooker to start cooking later. You can wake up to fresh rice or have it ready when you get home from work. This is a very useful feature.
Inner Pot Material
The pot inside the rice cooker is important. It should be non-stick so rice doesn’t stick. Ceramic or thick aluminum pots are usually good.
2. Important Materials
The materials used in a rice cooker affect how well it cooks and how long it lasts.
Inner Pot
Look for a thick, durable inner pot. Non-stick coatings like ceramic or Teflon are good. This makes cleaning easy. Some high-end models have stainless steel or cast iron pots, which are very durable but can be heavier and more expensive.
Outer Casing
The outside of the cooker is usually made of plastic or stainless steel. Stainless steel looks nice and is durable. Plastic is lighter and often cheaper.
3. Factors That Improve or Reduce Quality
Some things make a rice cooker better, while others can make it worse.
Heating Technology
Induction heating (IH) is a newer technology. It heats the pot more evenly and cooks rice better. Micom (microcomputer) technology uses a chip to control cooking. It’s more advanced than basic models and gives better results.
Build Quality
A well-built rice cooker feels solid. The lid should close securely. Cheaply made cookers might break easily or not cook rice evenly.
Ease of Cleaning
A good rice cooker is easy to clean. The inner pot should come out easily. Many have detachable inner lids too. Non-stick surfaces help a lot.
4. User Experience and Use Cases
Think about how you will use the rice cooker.
Simple Operation
Most rice cookers are easy to use. You add rice and water, close the lid, and press a button. Some have more complex settings, but the basic function is usually straightforward.
Versatility
Beyond plain rice, some cookers can make porridge, steam food, or even bake cakes. If you want a multi-functional appliance, look for these extra features.
Consistency
The best rice cookers cook rice perfectly every time. America’s Test Kitchen looks for cookers that produce fluffy, well-cooked rice without being mushy or burnt.
Small Kitchens vs. Large Families
If you live alone or with one other person, a small, compact rice cooker is ideal. For a family, you’ll need a larger capacity cooker to make enough rice for everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What is the best rice cooker according to America’s Test Kitchen?
A: America’s Test Kitchen tests many models and recommends different ones based on price and features. They often highlight models that are easy to use and cook rice perfectly.
Q: Do I need a special rice cooker for brown rice?
A: Some rice cookers have a specific setting for brown rice. This setting usually cooks it longer and at a slightly different temperature, which helps it cook properly.
Q: How much rice can a standard rice cooker make?
A: Standard rice cookers are often measured in “cups.” This refers to the uncooked rice. A 5-cup cooker can typically make about 10 cups of cooked rice.
Q: Is it hard to clean a rice cooker?
A: Most rice cookers are designed to be easy to clean. The inner pot is usually non-stick and can be washed with soap and water. Some have removable inner lids for easier cleaning.
Q: Can I cook other grains besides rice in a rice cooker?
A: Yes, many rice cookers can cook other grains like quinoa, oats, and barley. Check your cooker’s manual for specific instructions.
Q: What does “Keep Warm” mean on a rice cooker?
A: The “Keep Warm” function automatically turns on after the rice is cooked. It keeps the rice at a safe serving temperature without overcooking it.
Q: Is induction heating really better than basic heating?
A: Yes, induction heating cooks rice more evenly and can result in better texture. It’s a more advanced heating method found in higher-end models.
Q: How long does rice take to cook in a rice cooker?
A: Cooking time can vary, but plain white rice usually takes about 20-30 minutes to cook, plus a little time for the keep warm function.
Q: Can I open the lid while the rice is cooking?
A: It’s best not to open the lid while the rice is cooking. Opening it lets out steam, which is needed for proper cooking. It can make the rice cook unevenly.
Q: What is the difference between a basic rice cooker and a “smart” rice cooker?
A: Basic rice cookers have simple on/off switches and maybe a “cook” and “warm” setting. Smart rice cookers, often with microcomputer (Micom) technology, have multiple cooking cycles, timers, and sometimes even app connectivity.
In conclusion, every product has unique features and benefits. We hope this review helps you decide if it meets your needs. An informed choice ensures the best experience.
If you have any questions or feedback, please share them in the comments. Your input helps everyone. Thank you for reading.
Hi, I’m Larry Fish, the mind behind MyGrinderGuide.com.. With a passion for all things kitchen appliances, I created this blog to share my hands-on experience and expert knowledge. Whether it’s helping you choose the right tools for your culinary adventures or offering tips to make your kitchen more efficient, I’m here to guide you. My goal is to make your time in the kitchen not only easier but also enjoyable! Welcome to my world of kitchen mastery!