Best Microwave Rice Cooker
There is an alternative to boiling a pan of rice on the stove. Microwave rice cookers are convenient, easy to use, energy-efficient, and fast, producing perfect fluffy rice in a matter of minutes.
We look at four popular rice cookers to see what attributes they have, making the Prep Solutions Rice Cooker our HowToHome pick for capacity, a 16-piece accessory set, and a simple design.
- 2.84-liter capacity
- 16-piece accessory kit
- Locking lid
- BPA-free propylene
- Lockable lid
- 2.6-liter capacity
- Vents in the lid
- Cool to touch exterior
- BPA and phthalate-free
- Includes a serving spoon
- Lockable lid
- 2-liter capacity
- Rice paddle doubles as a carry handle
- Great styling
- Lockable lid
- 2.8-liter capacity
- Multiple uses
- Includes recipe book and measuring cup
- Easy to grip handles
- Adjustable vent
- Lockable lid
If you are looking for a rice cooker that comes with a broad array of accessories, comes recommended on Amazon, and comes with technical support, then this Prep Solutions product is the one for you.
The 16-piece set includes a set of measuring spoons, an additional pasta draining basket, measuring cups, a rice paddle, and a steamer insert. What this rice cooker lacks in capacity, it more than makes up for it in what you get for your money.
Like the Sistema Collection Rice Cooker, this model is also top-rack dishwasher safe, and the plastics are BPA-free, meaning that you won’t suffer any chemical leakage in your rice.
While this Prep Solutions rice cooker can never compete with the Handy Gourmet for versatility, this rice cooker can also cook pasta, as well as steam vegetables.
Where this rice cooker does compete is the capacity. It can handle 2.84 liters compared to the Handy Gourmet at 2.8 liters, meaning this rice cooker is the best choice for larger families.
Also, for the sheer number of the accessories you get for your investment, we heartily recommend this rice cooker as our HowToHome pick.
Pros
- 16-piece accessory set
- Top-rack dishwasher friendly
- Cooks pasta
- Doubles as a vegetable steamer
Cons
- Smaller capacity for rice
This Sistema rice cooker has a steam vented lid to help release built-up pressure during cooking. It also has a special cool touch feature so you can reduce the likelihood of burnt fingers when you lift it out after cooking.
This model holds 2.6-liters of rice, so can comfortably feed an average family. This Sistema is also easy to clean because it’s top-rack dishwasher safe, as well as freezer safe. For the price, it is an excellent choice as a budget rice cooker as long as you accept that that’s really all it is; and you don’t require any extra functionality, or instructions.
It is also BPA and phthalate-free, so that it won’t disperse any unwanted chemicals into your food. It is the perfect material for food storing and cooking!
On the downside, it is very basic. And even though it is a 2.6-liter rice cooker, the basic guidelines it does have only explain how to cook less than half that capacity. Also, some have complained that some of the rice goes hard, almost as if it is overcooked.
Plus, the plastic is 100 percent virgin, meaning that it is made directly from the source and not through recycled materials, which is bad for the environment.
Setting aside these points, this Sistema is a popular rice cooker, and for the price and capacity, hard to ignore.
Pros
- Great price
- Virgin plastic
- Vents in the lid
- Top-rack dishwasher safe
Cons
- Basic instructions
- Lacks versatility
- Some rice cooks hard
- Not made from recycled materials
We made this Handy Gourmet product our HowToHome pick for versatility because it is a rice cooker that will produce perfect fluffy rice in less than half the time it takes to boil a pan on the stove. But aside from its rice making abilities, this model is a microwave pressure cooker; that means you can cook stews, meat, pasta, and hearty meals.
It also comes with a recipe book and a measuring cup.
This microwave rice cooker is constructed from BPA-free plastic and comes with a central vent that can be opened either halfway or fully to release the steam.
The lid is lockable, meaning that the inside of your microwave will be free from splatters, and at a generous 2.8 liters, this is the best product on the list for capacity. That should be enough to handle the most substantial rice portions. Plus, two large handles make it easy to grip when hot and straight from the microwave.
On the downside, the white plastic tends to stain if you cook anything with an intense color like soup.
That said, for versatility, ease of use, capacity, and multiple functions, this microwave rice and pressure cooker is our favorite versatile product in the review.
Pros
- Has a multitude of uses
- Lockable lid
- Great capacity
- Adjustable vent
- Traps in juices
- Faster cook times
Cons
- Stains easily
- Build quality issues
- The lid seal fails sometimes
This Joseph Joseph might not have the catchiest name in the world, but this BPA-free, food-grade rice cooker has a 2-liter pot that doubles as a colander. And it comes with a paddle to both fluff the rice and to act as a locking device for the lid. And the design is by far the most eye-catching, which is why we made this our best style pick.
It also comes with a measuring cup for adding the perfect amount of water to the rice. This Joseph Joseph is dishwasher safe, easy to clean and, with the lift-out colander, even easy to serve.
The plastic is BPA-free and will pop in your dishwasher, so cleaning up after making rice will be straightforward. And because the spoon acts as a locking device, the lid stays securely in place and shouldn’t lead to any spills or splatters in the microwave.
On the downside, the rice paddle also acts as the primary carry handle, which means that it isn’t as secure as other products featured in the list, with just a small lip on either side of the rice cooker to grip to.
Plus, the instructions are only written with an 800-watt microwave in mind, which means that if you don’t have an 800-watt microwave, every time you want to work out the cooking guidelines, you have to scale up or down the cooking times by mathematical calculations, or you resort to trial and error.
That said, if you want a stylish kitchen aid that cooks rice to a high standard and you don’t mind having a smaller capacity, then this Joseph Joseph rice cooker is ideal.
Pros
- Stylish design
- Inner pot doubles as a colander
- Lockable lid
- Dishwasher safe
Cons
- Limited instructions
- Paddle doubles as a small handle
Comparison Chart
| Prep Solutions Rice Cooker | Sistema Collection Rice Cooker | Handy Gourmet Microwave Pressure Cooker | Joseph Joseph Rice Cooker | |
| Capacity | 2.84-liter | 2.6-liter | 2.8-liter | 2-liter |
| Accessories | 16-piece set | 1-piece | 2-piece | 3-piece |
| Lockable lid | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Adjustable vents | X | X | ✓ | X |
| Weight | 2.05 lbs | 10.88 oz | 5.12 oz | 1.18 lbs |
| Dimensions | 10.8 x 6.5 x 9 | 8.5 x 7.7 x 6.3 | 4.75 x 8.5 x 8.25 | 8.7 x 5.3 x 7.1 |
| Dishwasher safe | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multi-use | ＊＊＊ | ＊＊ | ＊＊＊＊＊ | ＊＊ |
| Price | $$ | $ | $$ | $$ |
Buyer’s Guide:
Microwave Rice Cooker
Final Thoughts
Microwave rice cookers are convenient, but may require a little bit of practice to get the desired results. Once you master the technique, you’ll wonder how you managed without one.
Our HowToHome pick is the Prep Solutions Rice Cooker. It comes with a 16-piece accessory set, Amazon technical support, and it offers versatility for cooking pasta and vegetables. It even comes complete with measuring spoons and cups, plus additional lids and steamers.
The budget-conscious will love the Sistema Collection Rice Cooker, especially as it has a decent 2.6-liter capacity and costs a fraction of the others.
If you want your rice cooker to be versatile, then look no further than the Handy Gourmet Microwave Pressure Cooker because nothing comes close for versatility and capacity. This cooker can hold 2.8 liters of rice, and it doubles as a microwave pressure cooker, so there are plenty of other uses for this device.
And if you like everything in your kitchen to be functional and stylish, then try the Joseph Joseph Rice Cooker. This has a minimalist design, with clever features like the inner pot doubling as a colander.
Whichever microwave rice cooker you choose, make a note of our list of considerations; versatility, capacity, dishwasher friendly, and a lockable lid. If you shop with these in mind, you should end up with a rice cooker that is perfect for you.
