Rice is one of the staple meal items in most of Indian households. To ensure that rice cooked is nice and fluffy, it is convenient to use best electric rice cookers. We all know that we can cook rice in a pot, but to avoid kitchen disasters like uneven cooking, overcooking, or just plain burnt rice, we all need a good rice cooker in our homes.
Though they look simple, not all rice cookers are made the same. Some are bigger, some have more advanced technologies, and some have more features. So it is wise to consider your needs when choosing a model. In this post , we list things to consider when buying a rice cooker and also out top pick models to ease your search.
Suggested: Best Electric Kettles | Best Electric Pressure Cookers | Best Pressure Cooker
List of Best Electric Rice Cookers in India
| ELECTRIC RICE COOKERS | CAPACITY | POWER | WARRANTY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prestige Rice Cooker – Best Pick | 1.8 liters | 700 Watts | 2 years |
| Panasonic Rice Cooker | 4.4 liters | 660 Watts | 5 years |
| Bajaj Rice Cooker | 0.4 liters | 200 Watts | 2 years |
| BMS Rice Cooker | 0.6 liters | 400 Watts | 1 year |
| Kent Rice Cooker | 1.8 liters | 700 Watts | 1 year |
| Black + Decker Rice Cooker | 1.8 liters | 220-240 volts | NA |
| Preethi Rice Cooker | 2.2 liters | 850 Watts | 2 years |
Pressure Cooker vs Rice Cooker: What is the Difference?
PRESSURE COOKER
- A pressure cooker is a versatile appliance that enables you to cook various food items apart from rice.
- There are chances of the rice overheating or getting burnt as it does not switch off automatically. The pressure cooker depends on the availability of water inside the appliance. In case the water dries up, and you omit to switch off the stove, the rice can burn.
ELECTRIC RICE COOKER
- On the other hand, the rice cooker is a specialist.
- A rice cooker is an automatic appliance that shuts off after cooking the rice. Some cookers switch over to the warming mode to keep the rice hot.
- Rice cooker cooks comparatively slowly
- Rice cooker is an electric appliance. Pressure cooker can be used on gas stove top, induction or electric stoves.
Detailed Review of Best Electric Rice Cookers in India
Now let us take a deeper look into each of the top electric rice cookers available in India.
1. Prestige 1.8 litres Rice Cooker at Amazon
Since its inception a decade ago, Prestige brand has been super consistent in providing quality, performance and innovative products to its consumers across India. Among their product range, PRWO Delight has grabbed first position in our list of best electric rice cookers in India. This electric rice cooker offers more than just cooking rice. It is capable of cooking porridge, soup, stew, idlis, steam veggies, pulao and other dishes in the most convenient way.
This electric cooker has the capacity of cooking 1 kg of rice at a time. The aluminum cooking pan is specially designed to distribute the heat efficiently and evenly. An additional cooking pan is provided for more cooking convenience.
These cooking pans can be stacked easily for easy and convenient storage. It comes with a high quality stainless steel lid with a vent to let the steam escape. The cooking pans are suitable for cooking and serving as well.
It consumes 700Watts of power so doesn’t much affect your electricity bills. This electric rice cooker comes with a control switch that automatically turns off and shifts to keep the cooked rice warm. It also comes with indicators that let you know when it is cooking mode and when it is in warm mode.
The double wall body of this electric rice cooker keeps the handles cool to touch and easy to carry. The handles of this appliance are quite sturdy and durable. It comes with a detachable cord which makes the electric cooker portable and convenient.
PROS (good things)
- 2 Aluminum Cooking Pans/Bowls
- Sturdy build material
- Appealing print design
- 1kg cooking capacity
- Detachable cord for easier mobility
- Measuring cup to measure rice
- Ideal for mid to large families
- Cook time is 10-15 minutes
CONS (poor things)
- Just one-year warranty
- Rice sometimes tends to stick to the bottom of the aluminum bowl
2. Panasonic 4.4 liters Rice Cooker at Lowest Price
Panasonic Appliances India Company Limited is a well-known brand for designing and developing appliances for modern kitchen to fulfil customer needs. The SR-WA18 automatic rice cooker of Panasonic is a perfect appliance for cooking rice and other delicious foods in the most comfortable way.
This electric rice cooker from Panasonic can help you prepare several rice dishes that include vegetable pulao, biryani and others. Having the capacity of 1.8 liter, it is ideal for a small nuclear family consisting of 3 – 4 people.
Coming to the hardware specifications of the cooker, the cooker is a simple automatic on and off and is not a stay warm cooker. The inner lining of the induction heating element is made up of Anodized aluminum cooking plate.
The cooking pot of this electric cooker is made up of anodized aluminum which is durable to stay long enough. The body of the cooker is made of premium quality CRCA, food-grade material and the lid is made of tough stainless steel.
It has two plastic handles that are resistant to heat so you can safely handle the pot without getting your hands hurt. This electric rice cooker also saves you a lot in terms of electricity bill. Operating at a small power usage of 450 watts, the Panasonic SR-WA10 is highly energy efficient.
PROS (good things)
- Economic Pricing
- Compact Size
- Power usage of 450 watts
- 600 grams cooking capacity
- Ideal for bachelors and family of 3-4
- Simple to use design
- Great quality of materials used
- Easy to clean
- Cook time is 15-20 minutes
- 2 years’ manufacturer’s warranty
CONS (poor things)
- Does not come with the stay warm feature
3. Bajaj 0.4 litres Small Rice Cooker
Bajaj Electronic Ltd is an Indian consumer that is well-trusted brand for kitchen and household appliances. If you are a bachelor or a family of two, then this mini multi-function rice cooker is the perfect choice.
Majesty New RCX1 mini electric rice cooker is perfect for people who travel a lot. Being compact in size and light in weight, you can take it along with you for trips and travels.
In this mini rice cooker, you can cook 0.4 litre of rice at a time. The cooking pot providing with this cooker is made of high quality aluminum which durable to last for a very long time. Apart from cooking rice, you can also boil eggs and cook noodles in this rice cooker.
The cooking pot comes with a transparent lid which ensures you can see the cooking process. The multi-function cooker has two cool to touch handles which lets you handle the rice cooker without burning your hands. Apart from cooking pot and transparent lid, manufacturer also provides spatula and measuring cup.
This appliance consumes only 200Watts electricity hence you will save a lot of electricity. It has very easy and straight forward operations which makes it easy to use and operate. This product also comes with 2-years of manufacturer’s warranty for damage or malfunction.
PROS (good things)
- Compact Size
- Ideal for bachelors and newlywed couples
- Has 2 years’ manufacturer’s warranty
- Easily portable
- Transparent lid
- Cool touch handle
- Travel friendly
- Consumes only 200Watts
- Easy straight forward options
CONS (poor things)
- Not ideal for larger and bigger families
4. BMS 0.6 litres Small Rice Cooker
BMS is a local brand that provide good enough electric rice cookers for an affordable price. Just like the above product, this one is also a multi-function and compact electric rice cooker.
BMS Lifestyle Electric Rice Cooker has the capacity of 0.6 litre cooking in a single go. It has the ability to not just cook rice but also a wide range of food items such as brown rice, pasta, oatmeal, omelet, khichdi and even soup too.
This compact sized electric cooker is small, mobile and comes with a long plastic handle bar for you to carry it around. It is basically the size of a large carry tiffin box. The small plastic plate like lid has a few steam holes in it while aids in the dissipation of any extra steam to keep the rice from getting spoiled and you can use it for prolonged usage.
It is perfectly ideal for bachelors who live alone in rooms/hostels and who wish to cook some maggie, heat milk or any other above mentioned dish. Furthermore, it is as economic it can get for these products.
PROS (good things)
- Compact size
- 7 in One model
- Energy efficient with only 200 watts’ power consumed
- 600 ml capacity
- 1-year manufacturer’s warranty
- Keep warm option can be used for boiling and thawing of food
- Ideal pick for bachelors living alone.
- Easy to carry around ergonomics
- Value for money economic product
CONS (poor things)
- Build quality could have been a little better
5. Kent 0.9 litres Small Rice Cooker
Kent is a famous Indian brand that is pioneer in developing products that include water purifiers, electric rice cookers and several other household products. Their personal rice cooker is one of the stylish, compact, high capacity and economic ones in the market.
Its creative and stylish design makes it look like a lunch box which can be carried around easily to your workplace or picnics. This rice cooker can cook about 0.9 liters of rice in a single go. The cooker has 4 preset programs which can be used according to their feasibility and requirements.
For cooking brown rice and white rice, manufacturer has provided separate optional cooking modes. A warm option is also provided just in case; you wish to keep the rice warm until you serve. And you can cancel the warm option if you no longer wish for it.
The delay cook option allows you to slow down the time taken for the rice to cook. All these options to let the you cook the rice according to your requirements. Apart from its cooking features, this electric rice cooker is also highly efficient.
Along with cooking pot, it also comes with miniature container, measuring cup, and user’s manual. This electric rice cooker is perfect for travelers, bachelors and small families. Manufacturer provides 1-year warranty on this product.
PROS (good things)
- Programmable to various settings
- Has separate settings for white and brown rice
- Has keep warm settings
- Come with a delayed timer
- Compact and stylish design
- Highly energy efficient with just 180 watts’ power consumption
- Can cook 0.9 liters in a go
- Has a separate container to heat small amount of curries
- Ideal for bachelors and newly weds
- Value for money
- Has a 1-year manufacturer’s warranty
CONS (poor things)
- Build quality can be better
6. Black + Decker 1.8 litres Electric Rice Cooker
Black + Decker is an International company founded in 1910. This brand is well-known for developing clever and innovative products to help consumers across the world. Because of its large capacity and several features, this appliance is a must-have for medium family members.
With this electric rice cooker, you can not only cook rice but also cook idlis, steamed vegetables, momos, kichidi and several other dishes. Unlike other rice cookers present in the list, this one comes with an additional removable aluminum steaming tray.
Apart from that, a cooking plate for starch separation is also provided which ensures the rice isn’t soggy by allowing the starch to seep out through the holes present on it. The cooking pot comes with a stainless steel lid which traps the heat and steam inside to cook the rice evenly.
The cooking pot comes with water level marking which ensures you ensure the water-to-rice ratio is correct to cook the rice to perfection. This electric rice cooker comes with cook and automatic warm functions. Once the rice is cooked, it will automatically turn the warm function to keep the rice warm until you serve.
Though the cooking pot will be hot, the durable handles will be cool enough to touch for a secure and comfortable grip.
PROS (good things)
- Automatic cook and warm function
- Extra aluminum steam tray
- Cooking plate for starch separation
- Stainless steel lid
- Easy to clean and maintain
- Water level indicator
- Cook touch handles
- Suitable for medium to large families
CONS (poor things)
- Takes a bit long than other electric rice cookers to cook rice
7. Preethi 1.8 liters Electric Rice Cooker
The final product from our list is from Preethi – which is a well-known and common brand for kitchen appliances. Primo RC 311 P18 Flora electric rice cooker is indeed an exceptional work of Preethi.
This electric rice cooker has got a powerful heater which cooks the rice or other dishes within less amount of time. It has got heavy gauge double walled body which ensures to keep the heat within the cook to provide evenly cooked rice.
High quality plastics are used to resist the heat generated while cooking the rice. They have cooling vents which let the electric rice cooker operate trouble free.
It also comes with detachable PVC insulated 0.75 sq mm flexicord with 6 amps plugtop and earthing. The cooking pans are extra durable as they are rust proof giving the product great longevity.
Apart from cooking rice, you can also cook several dishes that include biryani, payasam, halwa and several others. It consumes 700Watts of power which will not make much of a difference in the electricity bills.
PROS (good things)
- Powerful heater
- Stainless steel fasteners
- Accurate thermostat control
- Cooling vents for trouble free operation
- Detachable PVC insulation
- Heavy gauge double walled body
- Heat resistant high quality plastics
- 1-year warranty
CONS (poor things)
- Difficult to clean and maintain
Buyer’s Guide – How to Choose Best Electric Rice Cooker?
Rice is a staple food in India and rice cooker is a household appliance that we expect to stick with us through thick and thin.
Therefore it is important to choose the one that is of best quality and fills your need. Check below aspects to make sure it meets your expectations.
1. Choose the right size for your need
Before anything else, you should first consider how much rice you usually cook. Rice cookers come in many sizes and will yield different amounts. They are typically measured in liters or cups, cups being the most common method.
| Cooker Capacity | Raw Rice Qty to Cook | Suitable Family Size |
|---|---|---|
| 0.5 L | 250 g | 1 to 2 |
| 1 L | 500 g | 3 to4 |
| 1.2 L | 600 g | 4 |
| 1.5 L | 700 g | 5 |
| 1.8 L | 900 g | 6 |
| 2.2 L | 1100 g | 7 |
| 2.5 L | 1400 g | 8 to 9 |
2. What type of rice cooker is good for you?
There are four types of electric rice cookers available in the market.
1. Standard Rice Cookers
Standard rice cookers are the most inexpensive options out of all the other types. These cookers are easy to use. All you have to do is add washed rice, water, and turn on the cooker. Once the rice is cooked, the cooker will switch to warm mode automatically. A standard rice cooker comes with a detachable cord and a non-stick cooking pot in different sizes.
2. Improved Rice Cookers
Improved rice cookers are very similar to the standard rice cookers but with additional features. There are different settings like steam feature, digital timer, and additional functions like Keep Warm.
3. Multi-functional Rice Cookers
Multi-function rice cookers are a bit costly. They use micro-computer technology and thus, the functions are automatically controlled with the help of advanced technology. You can cook a variety of dishes apart from rice in this type of cooker such as porridge, pulao, etc. The cooker comes with a digital display along with delay settings like reheat or extended warming functions.
4. Induction Heat Rice Cookers
Induction rice cookers are the most expensive options out of all. These cookers aim to cook the rice evenly and consistently by producing a magnetic field that helps in heating the cooking pot quickly and evenly. You can cook multiple dishes in this type of cooker. It also comes with digital and multi-function control options.
3. What type lid type you prefer?
Electric rice cookers feature two types of lids: Sealed and Unsealed.
Sealed: Rice cookers with sealed lids prevent splattering of rice or water in the kitchen. However, it is a bit difficult to clean them. Some models come with a removable vent so that it is easy for you to clean it.
Unsealed: Rice cookers with unsealed lids are cheaper comparatively. They are easy to clean and maintain. Some models of these cookers even come with a see-through lid so that you can monitor the process. Other models feature a close fit stainless steel lid.
4. What is the inner pot material made up of?
Most manufacturers either use stainless steel or non-stick aluminum. Some manufacturers even use aluminum coated stainless steel material to make the inner pot.
Aluminum
Rice cookers that use aluminum to make the inner pot are generally light in weight and are available at a cheaper price. Aluminum is considered as the best conductor of heat. However, it is not as durable as stainless steel. Vessels that are made using aluminum can bend too if you apply too much pressure.
Stainless Steel
Pots made using stainless steel are very durable. With a shiny finish, these pots or vessels look new for years. When compared to other materials, stainless steel vessels are a bit expensive. The heat conduction property of stainless steel is not as good as that of aluminum.
Non-Stick
As no food material sticks to the pan, vessels with non-stick coating are very easy to clean. However, these non-stick coatings tend to wear off faster. Once the coating starts wearing out, you will have to replace the inner pot.
5. How easy to use and maintain?
Ease of use is an important factor while buying rice cooker as we use it every day.
- Large handles with a proper grip so that it is easy to lift even when the bowl is heavy.
- An easy to clean and a non-stick bowl.
- Labeled controls so that it is easy to understand the functions.
- A long and removable cord as it makes it easier to carry and store the cooker.
6. What additional accessories come with the cooker?
Most of the rice cookers are also used to cook many other dishes – more so if they are multi-purpose cookers. So following can be good to have.
- A measuring cup to add raw rice and water in correct quantities. There is no standard size that you must look for as different brands offer cups in different colors and sizes.
- A spatula or a ladle that is helpful while mixing or serving the rice. Most brands offer a plastic ladle as it is easy to scoop out the rice without scraping the non-stick coating.
- A steamer basket or tray can be helpful while steaming rice or veggies.
Why You Should Buy an Electric Rice Cooker?
Electric rice cookers are of great convenient and bring many advantages in your kitchen. At the same time there are some drawbacks. Let us check both here:
ADVANTAGES
- Rice cookers are easy to use.
- They offer proper measurements for rice: water ratio.
- Rice is cooked evenly. It is neither undercooked nor overcooked.
- You can cook different varieties of rice (brown rice as well as white rice) in a few models of electric rice cookers.
- Some models of rice cookers even offer additional features like Keep-Warm that helps in keeping the rice warm after the cooking is done. This way, you can serve warm rice.
- It does not require consistent monitoring. The cooker turns off automatically as soon as the rice is cooked.
DRAWBACKS
- You might not be able to cook brown rice properly in some models of rice cookers.
- A few models are big and bulky. The issue with such models is they require a lot of space.
- Some users find it difficult to select the correct size of cookers for them.
Common Questions about Rice Cookers
Prestige Delight 1.8-liter electric rice cooker
Panasonic Rice Cooker
Black + Decker Rice Cooker
Prestige is one of the best brands for electric rice cookers in India. This brand several models of electric rice cookers. So, read carefully the specifications mentioned, understand your requirements and choose accordingly among the top ones listed earlier in this post.
Yes, it is is completely safe and not harmful to your health. These appliances just generate heat to cook the rice. They don’t generate any UV or other harmful rays which makes it safe. However, it is not recommended to hold food in the cooker for more than 6 – 7 hours.
Over to You
You just read a definitive guide for buying a best electric rice cookers in India, and some recommendations for choosing right one along with our top picks. Prestige Electric Rice Cooker is our top pick for the reasons mentioned earlier. Get the right one for your home and step up your rice cooking game with these modern appliances!
