Best Rice Cookers in Canada

Our main mission hasn’t changed in years. We strive to stay on top of household trends and appliances that enhance the quality of life, save people time and money, and can help Canadians cook tastier and healthier foods.

We only give recommendations based on in-depth evaluations, rigorous data collection, and comparisons. Every product is analyzed based on numerous considerations regarding build quality, performance, perks, and how each caters to our fellow Canadian consumers. Once we have enough information to determine a product’s quality, we will send you our recommendations.

When creating our list of the best rice cookers in Canada, we looked at a few key indicators.

• Type. Not all Canadians need the same kind of rice cooker. Each type serves a specific purpose or could add more flexibility to the kitchen.
• Pot. The cooking pot’s quality often dictates the end product’s quality. If you don’t have the best rice cooker inner pot, having the best appliance won’t save your rice and maximize its flavour.
• Capacity. The capacity is a key indicator of whether you may pay for more than you need. Unless cooking for a big family, smaller rice cookers can cook your favourite carbs just as well as a larger appliance in the average Canadian household.
• Functions. Some functions are must-haves for quality of life and getting the best flavour and value for your money. And depending on how much flexibility you want, sometimes a long list of functions and programs could be the only viable solution for your kitchen.

Why Use a Rice Cooker in Canada?

There are many YouTube videos on how to make fluffy rice in a pot or creamy risotto in a saucepan. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy to do without enough practice. You need the right pot, the best pan, and plenty of trial-and-error to avoid burning or undercooking your rice.

Can you give up rice and not worry about it? Rice is a healthy source of carbs, and as Canadians, we need our carbs during the winter. The solution to perfect rice and less hassle is to use a rice cooker.

Using a rice cooker in Canada ensures you don’t have to worry about not having a good portion of carbs to go with your protein. There’s no guesswork, no stirring, and no time or ingredients wasted.

Besides, a rice cooker can be more versatile than you think and can cook other hearty Canadian one-pot dishes.

How to Choose a Rice Cooker for Canadians

If you decide to ditch the saucepans and pots to make perfect rice every time, you need to find the best option. Rice cookers may seem like simple appliances designed for a single purpose, but they’re more complex than many believe. Understanding the dos and don’ts of buying a rice cooker in Canada will spare you from bad experiences, especially as a first-time user.

Type

Rice cookers help cook rice efficiently, but that doesn’t mean all machines are equal in functionality and performance. And not all Canadians need or want the same type of rice cooker.

Choosing a rice cooker for a Canadian family requires understanding how these appliances work and what they can do.

For example, traditional rice cookers are as straightforward as they come. They’re cheap and do a decent job of evenly cooking rice but lack bells and whistles.

Jar-o-mat rice cookers come with extra heating elements that ensure proper cooking on all sides and minimize the risk of burning. These might be the best for you if you want fluffy rice every time.

An induction rice cooker is an interesting alternative. It can cook rice fast and uniformly, using electromagnets to heat the inner pot. But unless you’re a bodybuilder or someone going through pounds of rice weekly, you may not need the best rice cooker in Canada using induction technology.

Microcomputing (Micom) rice cookers are arguably the most versatile. These can be the best rice cookers for Canadians who want to cook more than rice. A multi-function rice cooker can switch temperatures based on recipes, detect measurements, and perfectly cook more ingredients.

Power

Every appliance comes with a wattage rating, including rice cookers. But how much power do Canadian rice cooker users need to cook their rice?

Rice is easy to burn. While a high wattage rating can indicate faster heating and a quicker cooking process, that’s not necessarily the best thing. Besides, maybe you’re more environmentally conscious and don’t want appliances that consume too much.

In that case, the power and wattage ratings could help you decide which rice cooker in Canada best fits your kitchen.

Capacity

Every appliance that cooks food, rice cookers included, has different capacities. Knowing how much food you can cook in one go is essential. A rice cooker for Canadian families should have at least a 6-cup capacity. Some may prefer to make even more than 10 cups simultaneously.

However, if you live alone or are a young Canadian couple looking for a rice cooker, 3 to 5 cups are enough for the inner pot.

Naturally, getting a rice cooker capacity slightly higher than your maximum estimate is okay. You can make as little as you want, but you can’t increase the capacity. Make sure to consider the other functions the rice cooker performs when looking at the capacity. If you want to steam vegetables in the rice cooker, for example, you’ll want to look for an option with a slightly larger capacity than you might think you need.

Durability

A rice cooker’s outer shell plays a big part in its overall durability. A stainless steel appliance can easily make the list of the best rice cookers in Canada. Stainless steel is easy to maintain, doesn’t rust, and can help minimize the amount of radiant heat.

That said, a thick plastic housing isn’t necessarily bad. It can help you save money and still performs similarly to the best rice cooker in Canada. You can invest the money you save in other appliances.

But a stainless steel rice cooker is preferable in most cases. It’s slightly safer to use because it may not overheat as much as a plastic one.

Programs and Functions

Some rice cookers available in Canada come with must-have features, and others have too many bells and whistles. Here are some ideas of what you might see on a rice cooker in Canada.

• Steaming
• Reheating
• Delayed start
• Express cooking
• Sushi, brown, wild rice, and other predefined programs
• Dual cooking

A warm function or a reheating program can offer many advantages, especially if you want your meal ready when you get home. But steam functions aren’t for everyone. It can be an expensive and unnecessary feature for someone who doesn’t want to steam meat or vegetables or already has a similar appliance.

If you’re a foodie and love to experiment, white rice is probably one of the many types you cook. A rice cooker with separate programs for brown rice, black rice, sushi rice, wild rice, and other varieties might be more appropriate for your kitchen.

Express rice cooking is a nice option to have. But a low-end rice cooker could burn or undercook the rice.

Dual or synchronous cooking is an exciting option found in the best rice cookers in Canada. These features are available in entry-level and high-end rice cookers. They might be worth a few extra dollars because they make rice cookers more versatile.

With a proper design, a dual-cooking feature allows you to separate the rice at the bottom of the pot from other ingredients. You can put those on a plate or tray and steam them at an even temperature. This is a great way to cook fish, vegetables, soya chunks, and other ingredients without altering the taste or consistency of the rice.

Balancing rice cooker features and programs based on your priorities and favourite Canadian rice dishes is important.

Inner Pot Material

The appliance itself doesn’t have to be the best on the market. But a poor quality inner pot can make rice cookers available in Canada yield disappointing results.

Ideally, a rice cooker in Canada will have a dishwasher-safe pot made from durable materials. Both stainless steel and ceramic pots can do an excellent job. However, a non-stick inner pot makes cooking rice and cleaning the pot even easier.

It’s important to understand that some rice cookers available to Canadians feature proprietary material lining compositions that give their inner pots extra “oomph.” Every rice cooker manufacturer can claim they make the best pot. But you should still look at the materials list to determine if it’s a good combination for you.

For example, a blend of mainly stainless steel layers can cook rice unevenly or eventually succumb to rust.

Lid Quality and Materials

A rice cooker is only as good as its lid. The rice can cook unevenly if the cover doesn’t maintain the temperature and keep the steam inside the pot.

Unsealed lids are great if you want to save money as a Canadian rice cooker user. But they can be messy and eliminate too much steam during the rice cooking process.

Sealed leads are harder to clean and pricier but preserve the optimum temperature during and after the cooking process. These are preferred when cooking a one-pot rice meal overnight or while you’re at work.

Additional Factors

With the basics down, it’s time to check out some additional features that may influence your decision. The following factors can make a difference when choosing a rice cooker, so keep them in mind as you shop. 

• Brand. Some brands consistently create high-quality rice cookers available to Canadians. Others make cheaper appliances, while some excel at specific types of rice cookers. Comparing brands and manufacturers can give you a better idea of what machine to buy.
• Warranty. If you plan to use a rice cooker in Canada more like a commercial appliance instead of a residential one, a better warranty policy could be an attractive perk. Heavy use causes wear and tear and may require more frequent repairs. Make sure to check the warranty policy on your rice cooker thoroughly. Some are void with commercial use, so it’s best to be prepared.
• User Reviews. Don’t be afraid to look at what other people say about a rice cooker. Many Canadians probably want the same thing you want. Finding like-minded buyers and reading about their experiences can help you make a faster and more informed decision.

Dimensions

Here’s an interesting fact about rice cookers available in stores across the Great White North and rice cookers in general. The size of the appliance isn’t always proportional to its capacity.

You might not need the biggest rice cooker in Canada to make up to 10 cups of rice or more per use. Besides, you should try to get a rice cooker that easily fits your countertop and won’t be difficult to store or clean.

How to Safely Use a Rice Cooker in Canada

Rice cookers for Canadians are generally safe to use if you follow a few simple rules and ensure you use an appliance compatible with your wall socket.

• Avoid placing the rice cooker under shelves and curtains. Escaping steam can damage objects in your kitchen or create condensation. The condensation can cause water to drip onto the rice cooker or reach the wall outlet.
• Don’t exceed the recommended water-to-rice ratios. Overflowing the inner pot with either rice or water can cause spilling, undercooking, and more severe problems when using the steam function.
• Avoid developing an overreliance on the keep-warm feature. Even if designed to maintain food at an optimum temperature to avoid spoiling, leaving the rice cooker unattended for too long isn’t a good idea.
• Don’t clean or move the rice cooker until after unplugging the appliance. Likewise, use oven mitts if your rice cooker doesn’t come with always-cool handles.
• Always check if the lid and pot are dishwasher-safe. Cleaning the appliance itself should be easy enough with a damp cloth when unplugged.
• Don’t use the rice cooker if you hear buzzing or crackling sounds or if it heats up more than usual. Try plugging it into a different outlet. If the problems persist, use your warranty and send it for repairs.
• Although rice cooker bowls are made to withstand high temperatures and can take some abuse, it’s best to avoid using the inner pot as a food storage container. Let it cool naturally before washing it, and transfer the remaining food to other containers. You’ll get a better seal for your food and spare the pot from unnecessary abrupt temperature changes contributing to wear.