Whether you pair it with a glass of sake or plain old beer, one can never deny that the experience of having some delicious sushi will always beat any other culinary experience out of the water.
Okay maybe that was an exaggeration but the mouth-watering combination of firm fish with rice and sauce is just delectable.
But I bet many of us have refrained from having that wonderful experience because it is crazy expensive to order in many restaurants or maybe we think we wouldn’t like the taste of raw fish.
Either way, it’s a very pleasant experience you can have regardless of your expense constraints. The simplest way to go ahead and have a try – is to make your sushi at home.
I mean it’s just a roll of sticky rice, fish, some veggies and seaweed right? Well, I leave it up to you to decide how hard (or not) it may be to prepare the delicacy yourself, but in this post I will try and make things a bit easier for you.
I have put together a list of the best rice cookers for sushi rice available on the market. You can keep reading to see how they measure up against each other or just look at the comparisons I made here to save you some time in deciding.
If you don’t, and you want to make an informed decision – then go through our rice cooker buying guide here to know what exactly you need for making sushi at home.
Or you can go through our FAQ here.
Table of Contents
This is a smart rice cooker and warmer that has a capacity of cooking 5.5 cups of uncooked rice and warming about 10 cups of cooked rice.
It has a variety of smart features that include an audio indicator to alert the user when the rice has been cooked, a legible LCD display and a programmable delay timer which comes with two settings.
It operates on Fuzzy Logic technology. See what that is in our FAQ section here. It also comes with some accessories like a spatula holder and two measuring cups.
- It can cook a variety of rice dishes apart from sushi rice, including brown rice, steamed rice and porridge
- Time settings can be manipulated manually
- Portable with folding handle and retractable power cord
- Good quality sensors
- Has a detachable inner lid for convenient cleaning
- Handles stay cool upon touch, so there is no need for oven mittens here
- It is programmed to have the ‘Keep Warm’ setting on default
- Rice may turn out to be a bit dry if you don’t apply the right settings
- LCD control panel may be a bit confusing for some users
- Rice will start to spoil if you leave it in for longer than 12 hours (make sure to turn off the ‘Keep Warm’ setting if you decide to do this)
- Extended cooking time in some cases
This is a multi-functional rice cooker that is able to cook some pretty delicious as well as nutritious rice meals for everyday use.
It has tons of cooking options for you, and can be used to make your favorite oatmeal or quinoa too.
It has an excellent capacity for cooking about 20 cups of rice and comes with accessories like an inner pot, measuring cup, steam tray and spatula for the rice.
- Cooking capacity is tremendous
- Cooking time is faster than many peer products
- Control panel is user friendly and responsive
- Very versatile with the number of dishes it can cook
- Comes with a slow cooking and delay timer option
- Steamer can be used to steam vegetables too
- Consistent results with how the rice turns out every time, given the right settings are applied with the recommended amount of water
- Inner pot is non-stick so may get damaged if you use metal utensils with it
- Cleaning is a bit inconvenient with the lid and venting holes getting clogged after a few uses
- Indicator is not always useful in letting users know about cooking times
Another great option by Zojirushi that operates on Fuzzy Logic technology.
It has a stainless steel exterior and a steam basket that can be used to cook up to 10 cups of rice and warm about 20 cups of rice.
This functions on microcomputer technology and can adapt to different types of rice put into it to give amazing results each time.
- Comes with clock and timer options
- It can also be used for baking cakes using its dedicated cake setting
- Inner lid is removable and therefore, easy to clean
- Steaming basket is BPA-free in case you are looking for non-toxic options
- Inner pot is marked with water levels that are very useful to reduce measurement errors
- Has a retractable power cord for ease of transport
- Cooking cycles can be longer than the average time required to cook
- Rice holding capacity can only be measured accurately with the measuring cup that comes with it. If you lose that cup, your water measurements may go wrong and rice may turn out to be mushy or dry
- Cooker can be quite bulky to move around
- Storage for its accessories can be a hassle
This good-looking cooker from Cuckoo has a very unique option for users that allows them to choose between pressure and non-pressure cooking.
This helps the user to have control over the texture of the resultant rice.
Comes with a smart LED panel, Cuckoo’s premium rice cooker has a very sturdy build but does not compromise on its appearance.
- Extensive menu options on the control panel
- Twin pressure option helps to choose between sticky rice for sushi or fluffy rice to fulfill your Asian cuisine cravings.
- Auto steam cleaning that makes it much easier to wash the clogs without much manual effort
- Effective drainage system to remove condensed that collects during cooking
- Comes in both capacities of 6 cups and 10 cups of uncooked rice
- No retractable cord
This versatile multi-purpose product has several functionalities, including defrosting and air-frying.
It comes with a 5 quart cooking pot that can not only steam or broil but with its crisping lid, you can also have a crackling skin to your meat, if that’s how you like it.
- Fast cooking cycles
- Comes with a stainless steel broiling rack that can be stored inside the cooking pot
- Has a non-stick Teflon coating.
- BPA-free for a non-toxic cooking option
- Dishwasher safe crisping plate for fast cleanup
- Non-detachable air fryer lid
- Can be quite space consuming
- Indicator for water measurement can sometimes be inconsistent
A customizable smart rice cooker that allows the user to have much more control over how they want their meals done.
Apart from sushi rice, this can be used to cook ribs, soups and even desserts.
This stainless steel cooker may not be serving the best looks but can definitely serve some fast meals for those who can’t wait for long periods to have something simple cooked for lunch.
- Customizable pressure levels
- Comes with Slow-Cook and delay timer settings
- User friendly control panel
- Comes with a steam rack and base handle to hold the lid for convenient usage
- Tri-ply bottom construction for even heat distribution
- Dishwasher safe inner pot and accessories
- Usage can get complex for beginners
- Instruction manual isn’t very transparent
- Customer service can be troublesome
Another functional cooker option from Aroma that I’m sure people with a budget will approve of.
Comes with a unique flash functionality that will cook rice faster than you can say it. Or not.
- Has a 15-hour delay timer
- Can hold up to 8 cups of cooked rice
- Easy to use control panel with a Keep Warm setting
- Removable steam tray
- Non-stick inner pot that is PFOA, lead and cadmium free
- Inner pot is dishwasher safe
- No built-in option for sushi rice so you may have to tweak the timer and water measurements to get it done
- Takes a longer time to warm up and cool down with default settings
- Requires adequate supervision for getting perfect results
This popular rice cooker from one of the leaders in the market, may seem very basic at first glance.
But if you’re just a novice at cooking or want something that is not too fancy, Hamilton Beach is here to address your woes.
This is a very good budget option for people who need to cook rice or steam vegetables for individual needs and not for family purposes. Simple to use and easy on the pocket.
- Perfect for one-pot meals
- Can be used for a variety of dishes including whole grains and cereal.
- Accessories include a serving paddle and measuring cup for water requirements.
- Can hold up to 8 cups of cooked rice.
- Steam basket can be doubled as a rice rinser to help save on prep time.
- Does not come with too many functionalities and caters to people with basic needs
- Cooking cycles can go longer than expected
- Bottom layer of rice runs the risk of sticking if the appliance is not allowed to cool properly before using
This sleek looking rice cooker is one of the only 2 gadgets on this list that uses an induction system to cook.
It has a capacity of 1.8 liters or 10 cups of uncooked rice and has the ‘Keep Warm’ setting switched on by default. Comes with an audio indicator and 1 year warranty.
- Induction heating technology for cooking provides even heat distribution
- Has a variety of default rice settings including sushi rice
- Stainless steel inner lid is detachable, making it easier to wash
- Product has a 1 year warranty on parts
- Cluttered control panel
- Expensive
- Reports of unreliable gasket and hinge
This not only checks the basic functions off the list but goes beyond its peers in a similar price range by offering Fuzzy Logic technology for efficient cooking.
- Uses induction technology for faster cooking cycles
- Fuzzy Logic technology allows for faster and more precise results
- Teflon coated cooking pot
- Has an automatic shut off feature
- The lid is designed as a dome to prevent condensed steam from making the cooked rice soggy
- Retractable cord
- No audio indicator to alert the user on completion of cooking
- Non-detachable inner lid that makes cleaning inconvenient
- Build quality can be improved
