Rice is arguably a staple in most homes and we can understand that because the grain is delicious especially when prepared the right way.
You want to avoid undercooked, burnt, wet, or mushy results when you cook your rice, which is an issue with most people, to be honest.
In that regard, you want to invest in the best Korean rice cooker. With this handy appliance, you can eliminate all the guesswork when it comes to getting perfectly cooked rice.
If you are planning to purchase a rice cooker, this review should help you make the right choice so keep reading to find out more.
Best Korea-Style Rice Cooker – Comparison Table
The following is a table comparing some of the best rice cooker models in the market. It is somewhat a preview to guide you as you go through our comprehensive review as well as the buying guide.
We believe that it will help you determine which product is right for you.
Buying Guide – How to Pick the Top Korean Rice Cooker
As you search for the best Korean rice cuckoo, there are several things you need to keep in mind. These include:
Cooker Size
Most rice cookers in the market specify the number of rice cups you can cook in them. For instance, you will find a rice cooker that can cook as little as 3 cups or one that can cook as many as 20 cups.
Usually, the sizes listed do not mean the amount of uncooked rice the appliance can fit. If the product description says that it fits 3 cups, it means you can fit a cup of uncooked rice and two cups of water.
As you pick the size, you want to consider how many people you will be cooking the rice for. A smaller one is ideal for people living alone while a bigger one is perfect for those people who love to host or those who have bigger families.
Ease of Operation
Whether you are a beginner or not, you need your cooking appliances to be user-friendly and your rice cooker is not an exception.
For instance, you want a basic rice cooker with a one-touch operation because it allows for simple cooking.
Cooking Mechanism
Essentially, electric rice cookers use two cooking mechanisms. Heat induction and thermal cooking. Now, you can go for either but we would recommend going for heat induction because it is better at making perfectly cooked rice all the time.
Still on that, you want your rice cooker to come with a keep-warm feature, as it will allow you to keep your food fresh and hot for whenever you need to eat.
Cooker Convenience
When we talk about storage and convenience, you want to consider getting a rice cooker with a removable power cord.
With that, you will be able to easily store your appliance when you are done cooking without having to drag the power cord.
Still, on convenience, you probably want to get a cook and serve rice cooker because then you can simply cook and carry your rice to serve and eat wherever you like.
Ease of Cleaning
If you are not too keen on spending a significant amount of time cleaning your rice cooker, you need to ensure that yours comes with a nonstick interior surface.
This makes it simple to clean using soapy water and a sponge.
Appliance Aesthetics
This is not necessarily a crucial factor to consider but if you want good-looking things in your space, you may want to consider an aesthetically appealing rice cooker.
It could have a sleek, glassy design or even a color that matches the rest of the appliances or décor in your kitchen.
Product Warranty
An authentic product should come with a warranty. It is as simple as that. A warranty sends the message that the manufacturer is confident about the quality of their product and that they are ready to correct any defects at no extra cost should there be any.
Of course, this only applies during the warranty period, which should not be too short either.
Included Accessories
As you cook your rice, you need to keep in mind that there are recommended accessories to be used with your appliance. Some useful accessories include a measuring cup and a rice scoop.
Such accessories make your work easier and extend the life of your unit.
We have put together a list of some of the best-rated Korean rice cookers easier to make the selection and buying process easier for you.
Let us go through them.
The Best Korean Rice Cooker in 2021
1. Cuckoo CRP-G1015F Pressure Rice Cooker
To start us off, we have this unit from Cuckoo that features a distinct technology that allows you to control your cooking temperature, as you like.
This appliance is fitted with an original technology that discreetly and safely discharges cooking steam.
What We Liked
The manufacturer of this rice cooker had your safety in mind as they were designing it because this piece does come with 12 useful safety features.
Other than that, you will be able to delay your cooking time by up to 12 hours. This is simply done by presetting your cooker to when you want it to begin running.
What we love most, however, is that this rice cooker automatically keeps your food warm once it stops cooking. It also gathers excess water vapor once it is done cooking to maintain the flavor of your rice and we bet you will love that.
What Could Have Been Better
This product comes with a user manual in both English and Korean but some users have complained that the English instructions are unclear.
The manufacturer should simply have given clearer instructions in the language to avoid this.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Easy to clean
- Keeps food warm
Cons
- Unclear instructions
2. Cuckoo CRP-P1009SW Pressure Cooker & Warmer
It is quite challenging to feed many people but you do not have to worry about that with this rice cooker. How so? This appliance is so big that it can cook enough rice to feed 10 people.
It cooks faster as well and with a removable stainless steel lid, it is easier to clean hence saving you time and energy.
What We Liked
What would an entire pot of rice be if it were bland and tasteless? Luckily, that is not going to be an issue with this unit because it maintains the flavor of your rice.
Moving on swiftly, it has a nonstick coating on the inside as well as a detachable lid to make the cleaning process easier.
We love that it comes with a customized rice scoop that guarantees that the nonstick coating does not come off as you serve your rice.
What Could Have Been Better
According to some users, this unit broke after several uses. We feel that the manufacturer should have put more work into guaranteeing the longevity of the product.
Pros
- Easy to clean
- User-friendly
- Maintains rice flavor
Cons
- Not as durable
3. Cuckoo CRP-JHSR0609F Pressure Rice Cooker
This rice cooker from Cuckoo is both intelligent and efficient. It comes with a whopping 14 cooking functions complete with an LCD display.
In addition, you do not have to keep referring to your user manual when operating this appliance because it comes with a voice navigation function. How efficient is that?
What We Liked
When you hear about professional quality, you will find it in this rice cooker. It comes with a stainless steel interior that distributes heat evenly throughout your food to ensure that it fully cooks.
However, what we found most appealing when it comes to this unit is that it is easy and safe to use. With an alarm to alert you of overheating, temperature controls, and a pressure and steam emission mechanism, there is no doubt that this piece was designed with safety in mind.
It also helps that Cuckoo has over 40 years of experience in the industry so you can never go wrong with their products.
What Could Have Been Better
There are no instructions to set this rice cooker to guide in English, which can be an inconvenience for people who do not speak Korean.
We feel that the manufacturer should have provided easy to read and use instructions in both languages.
Pros
- Multi-functional
- Programmable
- Easy to clean
Cons
- No English instructions
4. Cuckoo CR-0655F Warmer & Rice Cooker
Who said it is impossible to have a rice cooker if you live in a small apartment or dorm room? With the CR-0655F model from Cuckoo, you can have perfectly cooked rice even in your small space.
It comes with accessories such as a measuring cup and rice scoop to make your cooking and serving easier.
What We Liked
The cover and cover packaging of this appliance is removable hence easy to clean. When it comes to cleaning the rice cooker, all you have to do is press a button and steam will be released to clean the interior.
We love that this appliance allows you to preset your cooking for up to 12 hours. This means that you do not have to be present once your rice is done cooking, as it will automatically switch to ‘keep warm’ mode.
What Could Have Been Better
The metal coating of this appliance tends to peel off after several uses meaning that it is not of premium quality.
We feel that the manufacturer should have used better-quality material to avoid this.
Pros
- Value for money
- Easy to clean
- User-friendly
Cons
- Coating not good quality
5. Cuchen CJS-FD1000RV Pressure Rice Cooker
Right out of the box, this appliance appears smaller and lighter. This is not a bad thing especially if you have limited storage space or if you intend to travel with it.
Although this unit from Cuchen does not come with an assortment of features like the other options on this list, it does perform remarkably well in terms of cooking rice.
What We Liked
We love that this piece comes with an internal microchip that adjusts the temperature and cooking times as signaled by in-built thermal sensors.
As expected, this results in delicious and well-cooked rice every single time. It comes with a ‘keep warm’ function as well to keep your rice fresher and warmer for longer.
Other than that, this unit does come with a detachable lid to facilitate easier cleaning and we love that as well.
What Could Have Been Better
Does not have a fast cooking setting
Pros
- Detachable lid
- Ideal for small homes
- Durable
Cons
- Less cooking functionality
6. Cuckoo CRP-HS0657F Pressure Rice Cooker
At this point, it is easy to tell that Cuckoo is a force to reckon with when it comes to the production of home appliances.
Well, this particular piece is not any different. It comes with a multi-cook function that allows you to cook other kinds of foods aside from rice.
What We Liked
This rice cooker can prepare food for six persons so if you have a medium-sized family, go ahead and get your hands on one.
With 11 cooking functions, you can cook other foods other than rice and we love that about this unit. It is also durable so you do not have to think about buying another one any time soon.
The cleaning process is easy because the appliance is self-cleaning and we believe you will love that. With a steam cap, you get a quieter and safer cooking experience with this piece as well.
What Could Have Been Better
This rice cooker comes with many buttons that may contribute to making the operation complicated. We feel that the manufacturer should have included fewer multi-function buttons to avoid that.
Pros
- Easy cleaning
- Durable
- Multi-function
Cons
- Complicated operation
7. Cuckoo Rice Pressure Cooker
Have you ever heard of smart cooking? Whether you have or not, you get to experience it with this appliance.
It expertly sets the cooking time, temperature, and grain type while utilizing induction cooking to provide you with perfectly cooked rice within no time.
What We Liked
This unit is designed for safety and efficiency. How do we know that? It comes with automated pressure and steam emission as well as automatic temperature control and an overheating alarm.
With a full stainless steel interior and eco ventilation system, this rice cooker is made to provide you with reliability.
We found it appealing that this rice cooker is user-friendly and that it maintains the flavor of rice as it cooks.
What Could Have Been Better
The coating of this unit peeled off after a few weeks of use according to some users. The manufacturer should simply have used better quality coating to counter that.
Pros
- User-friendly
- Easy cleaning
- Maintains rice flavor
Cons
- Substandard coating
8. Cuckoo CR-0631F Multifunctional Warmer & Rice Cooker
This is yet another smart-cooking rice cooker from Cuckoo. It comes with an intelligent cooking algorithm to detect the temperature, grain type, and cook time.
With this unit, you will be able to have ready dishes within a matter of minutes because it is fast cooking. That is not all because once the food is cooked, this appliance automatically switches to ‘keep warm’ mode.
What We Liked
Safety comes first and the manufacturer of this piece had that in mind when designing it. With a lid-locking device, automatic pressure and steam emission as well as automatic temperature control, you can see how that is true.
Cuckoo is a reputable brand and we love how they work to produce elegant yet functional appliances. This piece is as durable as they come and you can be sure it will last for years.
It is user-friendly as well so do not worry about experiencing problems when it comes to its operation.
What Could Have Been Better
Unfortunately, this model does not come with a pressure cooking option. This could be inconveniencing for some people and we feel that the manufacturer should simply have included the function.
Pros
- Easy to clean
- Durable
- User-friendly
Cons
- No pressure-cooking functionality
How to Use a Rice Cooker
It is important to know how to operate your rice cooker to avoid accidents and improper cooking. Here are the steps.
Step 1
Measure the amount of rice you want to cook and put it in a bowl. Remember that the ratio of rice to water should be 1:2. So for one cup, ensure that there is enough space in the rice cooker for two cups of water.
Step 2
Rinse your rice with water twice or thrice or until the water turns clear. This is to get rid of the surface starch in the rice.
You then want to transfer the rice to your rice cooker.
Step 3
After that, you want to add water and any other ingredients you want such as oil or spices to the rice in the cooker pan. Next, close and close the top.
Step 4
Plug your rice cooker into a power outlet and switch the on button. Most of these appliances have an indicator light to let you know that the unit is on so look out for that.
Step 5
Once your rice is done, the cooker will either produce a sound to alert you, flip the switch up, or turn off the light.
Allow your rice to sit for about 15 minutes in ‘keep warm’ mode before serving to allow for evaporation of excess moisture and for your rice to absorb the water.
Always use plastic utensils to scoop the rice from the cooker to avoid scratching the interior.
Tips for Maintaining Your Rice Cooker
The following are some useful tips to help you ensure that your rice cooker lasts longer.
- Read the user manual carefully before attempting to operate it to avoid damaging it or being injured. Whenever in doubt, always refer to the user manual as well.
- Always use the measuring cup that comes with your rice cooker to measure cooking water or simply fill water until it reaches the provided scale in the cooker.
- Avoid keeping your electric rice cooker close to any wet areas to avoid electric shock.
- Keep the inner parts of the cooker such as the pan and lid clean to avoid corrosion and odor.
- Never use the cooker without the inner pan as this may cause damage to the cooker.
- Always transfer food from the cooker once it cools down to avoid harboring of bacteria.
- Ensure that your cooker is clean and dry before storing it away to extend its lifespan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions when it comes to the best Korean rice cookers. We believe our answers to them will give you a clearer insight into the topic.
Are rice cookers any good?
Yes, they are. These appliances not only look great in your kitchen but they also help you make perfectly cooked rice easily and faster.
How long should rice stay in the rice cooker?
If you want to keep your rice for longer, it is recommended that you turn off the appliance about 4-6 hours after the rice is done. As long as you do not keep opening the cooker, the rice will remain edible.
However, after 12 hours you need to refrigerate the rice to keep it from going bad.
Can I leave my rice in the rice cooker overnight?
Yes, you can do that but it is not advisable. Leaving it overnight can cause the rice to lose taste, change color, or worse still harbor bacteria.
Our Top Pick
We have assessed all the products on our list and the Cuckoo CRP-G1015F Pressure Rice Cooker made it to be our top pick.
One of the reasons we chose this rice cooker is because it quietly and safely eliminates cooking steam to guarantee your safety.
Once this appliance completes cooking your food, it automatically switches to ‘keep warm’ mode so that you can enjoy a warm meal even if you decide to eat later. The cherry on the cake is that this unit maintains the flavor of your rice so no blandness in your food.
Final Thoughts
You could never go wrong with a Korean rice cooker if you are the kind of person that enjoys rice dishes. Rice cookers take the guesswork out of the cooking process since you will get the same result whenever you use the appliance.
We believe we have taken all the hard work out of the selection and buying process so it should not be hard to make this wise kitchen investment.