With age comes lots of changes in our diets. Brown rice is one important meal for people with underlying health conditions. How to prepare sumptuous brown rice has been a challenge to quite a good number of individuals.
To prevent the issues that come with brown rice preparation, you need the best brown rice cooker. In this guide, we review some of the top quality brown rice cookers you can probably come across in the market. Besides, we seek to answer some of the questions you might have concerning this topic.
Why do we do so? Well, we don’t want you to buy the best product but still not get the best out of it due to wrong usage. Here is a complete breakdown of all the information you need to know about brown rice cookers.
Reviews of Best Brown Rice Cooker Consumer Reports
Here are top rated Rice Cooker on the market today
Zojirushi NP-HCC10XH Stainless Rice Cooker
This is a 1230-watt induction brown ice warmer and cooker from Zojirushi Stores. The induction heating technology helps the unit in automatic temperature adjustment for exceptional rice meals. It comes with multi-functions from which you can choose from when preparing a variety of rice.
The clear-coated stainless steel makes it easy to clean and attractive. Fitted with triple heater mechanism for uniform rice cooking. It also has an auto-warm feature that keeps the rice warm after cooking so that it’s served warm.
The control display that it comes with is easy to operate. It comes with a 1-year warranty plus a detachable inner lid for easy cleaning. It’s built with 2-settings delay timer.
Pros
- Easy to operate
- Quick cleanup
- Even rice heating
- Nice appearance
- Solid and durable
Cons
- A little pricy
Tiger JKT-S10U-K IH Rice Cooker
This is a brown rice cooker that is fitted with a microcomputer that allows it perform up to 4 functions. These are synchro-cooking, bread baking, slow cooking and the main one being rice cooking. It also comes with a menu that is computerized with 11 settings.
The cooker has a capacity of up to 5.5 cups. Brown rice cooks so nicely in this cooker due to even heat distribution occasioned by the multi-layer inner ceramic coating. Its lid can easily be disassembled for ease of cleanup.
The outer section is a 5-layer metal that makes it very durable. The grip handle makes it easy to carry as well. Its power consumption is 1080 watts and it comes a preset timer.
Pros
- Durable
- Versatile
- Ergonomic handle
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Inner paint gets scratched so easily
Cuisinart CRC-800 Rice Cooker
The CRC-800 from Cuisinart is capable of making between 8 and 15 cups of cooked rice. The brushless stainless steel finish makes it very attractive and modern. It has an auto-warm switch function that helps keep rice warm after cooking is done.
It comes with a retractable cord that makes it easy to store. When buying this product, the package that’s part of it includes glass lid, measuring cup, non-stick anodized aluminum bowl and a steaming basket made from stainless steel.
The silver color makes it attractive and a very ideal for any kitchen setup. The handle is chrome-plated which is makes it cool to touch even when cooking rice. Its durable and the non-stick inner coating makes it easy to clean either.
Pros
- Safe from burns
- Auto-warm function
- Easy and quick cleanup
- Durable
- Easy storage
Cons
- Steam splattering which is quite dangerous
Aroma Housewares ARC-150SB Rice Cooker
This is a 3-in-1 brown rice cooker, slow cooker and food steamer that is very handy in any kitchen. It’s capable of making up to 20 cups of cooked rice. It is built with an auto switch that shifts it to warm function when cooking is complete.
The unit also has a steam tray from where other foodstuffs like vegetable and meats can be steamed. It has a 15-hour programmable delay timer that enables your family have their favorite meal at their time of need.
All the accessories including the inner pot are easily removable for cleanup. The accessories include serving spatula, measuring cup and a steam tray. Its round shape doesn’t take lots of space making it easy to store.
Pros
- Large capacity
- Easy cleanup
- Automatic warm function
- Takes less storage space
- Faster cooking
Cons
- Poor customer care services
- Spews liquid when cooking
Aroma Housewares 8-cup Rice Cooker
Here is another multi-functional rice cooker from Aroma Housewares. It has 4 digital functions which have already been pre-programmed. This together with the clearly visible display makes the cooker easy to use.
The keep warm function after every cooking ensures the tasty brown rice is served hot. Its steam tray is meant to allow you cook other foods simultaneously with the rice. The 25-hour delay timer it comes with is ideal when you are always on the go.
It yields 8 cups of cooked rice which makes its compact size ideal for individual or small group rice preparation. The unit consumes 450W of power supplied from a 120V outlet. Its bonded non-stick granite inner pot makes it one of the most durable rice cookers you can find.
Pros
- Easy to operate
- Compact size
- Quick cleanup
- Long-lasting
Cons
- Hood on lid is too weak
Panasonic SR-DF101 5-cup Rice Cooker
This is a Japanese-style rice cooker that has a capacity of up to 5 cups or uncooked brown rice. It comes with pre-programmed settings from which you can choose from when preparing a variety of meals. It uses an induction mechanism where electric current formed in the pot heats your rice.
Just like most of the cookers in this guide, it also has a keep-warm feature that prevents overcooking while at the same time keeping the food warm at the time of serving. The keep-warm setting lasts for up to 12 hours.
Some of the additional accessories that the steaming basket comes with are a measuring cup and a non-scratch spoon. The non-stick design makes it easy to clean. Besides, it has a compact design that makes it fit on nearly all countertops.
Pros
- Very convenient keep-warm function
- Compact and easy to store
- Non-stick surfaces are easy to clean
- Relatively large capacity
Cons
- Burns small amounts of rice
Midea Mb-fs5017 Smart Rice Cooker
This cooker also has a one-touch operation panel from where you can easily select the parameters depending on what needs to be cooked. About from rice cooking, it can also be used in steaming other foodstuffs.
The Midea cooker comes with a keep-warm function warm rice servings. To prevent overcooking of your rice, this cooker comes with a temperature sensor, smart one. Your rice will always, therefore, cook to perfection.
The upper cover is detachable for easy cleanup. It has a preset timer also from where you can choose when to start cooking your rice. Its capacity of 10 cups makes it ideal for a family setup.
Pros
- Large capacity
- Heavy weight and durable
- Non-stick and anti-scratch inner pot
- Good customer care services
Cons
- The outer plastic material isn’t durable
Factors to consider when choosing the best brown rice cooker
- Settings
Not every rice cooker you come across is designed to prepare delicious brown rice meals. You need to be sure that there are specific settings meant for brown rice and nothing else. Without paying attention to this will make you buy a cooker that won’t be suited for your brown rice.
- Capacity
The capacity of a rice cooker is usually determined by the number of uncooked cups of rice it can take up. The more the number of these cups the larger the capacity of cooker. Remember, the cooked rice will always be twice the amount of uncooked rice.
If you are a family guy or you intend to have visitors, then a larger cooker will be so ideal for you.
- Price
Rice cookers are available in different prices depending on a number of features including size, quality and even the model. Always choose a product that gives you value for your money; a not-so-expensive and not so cheap cooker will serve you right.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- How should you cook brown rice in a rice cooker?
First you need to rinse clean your brown rice using cold water. You can use a mesh strainer with fine holes when rinsing. Thereafter soak the rice in hot water for about 45 minutes. You can even soak in chicken broth or vegetable for additional flavor.
Now, turn on the cooker and choose the brown rice setup and let your rice cook. You don’t need to worry about anything once the right selection has been done on the cooker. Once the cooking is done, let the rice sit for about 10 minutes in the warm state before serving.
- How much water do you need for brown rice cooker?
It is recommended that for every cup of brown rice you add 2 ¼ cups of water. Use the measuring cups that the cooker comes with to get this ratio right. Use of any other measuring cups might produce poor results.
You will realize that this ratio is slightly higher than the one for white rice.
- Why does brown rice take longer to cook?
Being that brown rice require slightly more water to cook compared to white rice is a clear indication that it will definitely take longer to cook. But why? Brown rice is less-processed and therefore still have a layer of bran.
For this layer to soften it takes time. This is what calls for the more water and extended heating time.
Conclusion
It’s time to begin eating healthy meals. However much the food appears healthy, a wrong choice of an appliance might spoil it altogether. For this reason, you need to spend your money on top quality kitchenware.
One of these very important kitchen appliances is the best brown rice cooker. Of the above products, Zojirushi NP-HCC10XH Rice Cooker is the best. It is easy to operate and clean, comes with lots of additional settings and keeps rice warm for extended durations of time. It is the best pick you can ever think of.
Having the right cooker is one thing, using it the right way is another great thing. We hope you enjoy your brown rice.
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