5 Best Japanese Rice Cookers (Definitive Guide)

2. Best Budget Friendly with Micom / “Fuzzy Logic” :
Tiger JBV-A10U Micom Rice Cooker

Tiger JBV-A10U

• Great value
• Multiple cooking options
• Simple to operate
• Price (at time of publish): $80

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Detailed description:

Tiger is another well established Japanese brand that makes rice cookers as well as other consumer products. They were actually the first company to produce an IH (induction heating) rice cooker with a ceramic pot.

If you want something a bit more high-tech, but don’t want to spend over $100 on a rice cooker, then your best option is the Tiger JBV-A10U Micom (I wish companies came up with easier names for rice cookers).

It features four different cooking options — plain rice, brown rice, slow cook, and “synchro-cooking”

The synchro cooking — or “tacook” function — allows you to simultaneously cook something in the provided steaming/cooking plate at the same time you cook your rice. A useful cookbook is included to help you make use of this synchro-cooking function.

This rice cooker comes in two sizes — 5.5 cup or 10 cup. It comes with a spatula and measuring cup.

Overall, the Tiger is a great entry-level micom rice cooker. It cooks rice well, and is simple to use, but lacks a bit of features found in more expensive rice cookers like a clock/timer, and additional cooking settings.

The other main downside is that there is no sound to indicate when the rice is finished cooking (just a light).

If you want a step up from a basic rice cooker, but can’t fathom spending more than $100, then the Tiger JBV-A10U may be the best Japanese rice cooker on the market for you.

At the time of writing, the 5.5 cup version is currently on sale for just $80 (via Amazon).

Note: The Tiger JBV-A is manufactured in China

Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 / NS-ZCC18

• Made in Japan
• Multiple cooking options
• Excellent Fuzzy Logic
• Price (at time of publish): $200

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Detailed description:

This gem from Zojirushi has been one of the brand’s all-time best selling models, and for good reason.

Let’s take a further look at some of its features that helps it stand apart:

“Neuro Fuzzy” Logic System

First things first — this Zojirushi cooks perfect rice, every time. Each grain will be consistent, evenly cooked, fluffy, and delicious. This is due in large part to Zojirushi’s extremely well designed fuzzy logic system which they call “Neuro Fuzzy”.

It allows the rice cooker to automatically make fine adjustments to the temperature and cooking time according to the type of rice, amount of rice, and other custom options you may choose. And, those options are seemingly endless (white, sweet, semi-brown, brown, and rinse free). There is also an option for cooking porridge (i.e. congee).

For white rice, you can even select the texture/hardness according to your taste (regular/sushi, softer, or harder).

The “quick cooking” option lets you speed up cooking time when you’re in a rush, but will result in the rice being a bit harder than normal. After pressing “cook”, the rice cooker will calculate and display how long it will take to cook the rice.

When the rice is finished cooking, the Zojiurushi will automatically switch to the “keep warm” option. It will regulate the temperature to keep the rice fresh for up to 12 hours!

There is even an “extended” keep warm option. When this is selected, the rice cooker will lower the inner temperature a bit (to approx 60°C / 140°F), which helps reduce dryness, discoloration, and smell. 

Forgot when you cooked your rice?  Don’t worry, the LCD panel will display exactly how long it has been since the rice has finished cooking.

When you want to eat again, you can simply select the “reheat” button. The cooker will bring the rice back up to a more suitable eating temperature.   Awesome!!

Heating system + inner pot

Another feature which lets this Zojirushi cook rice better is it’s heating system. While budget rice cookers will typically only heat from the bottom of the pot , this baby heats from the bottom, around the sides, and even from the top! This helps ensure even cooking all around.

To further help cook rice evenly, the inner pot is slightly spherical compared to other rice cookers which have a more cylindrical pot. The rounder shape further promotes even cooking throughout.

The inner pot is non-stick, but also scratch resistant. This means that you can wash your rice directly in the pot without worrying about scratching it.

There are markings on the inner pot to show you the recommended water levels for cooking different types of rice (white, brown, semi-brown).

Other Details

Besides cooking perfect rice, there are a ton of other small details which really make this the best premium Japanese rice cooker.

It has a timer so you can set the rice cooker to finish cooking at exactly the time you want to eat. There are even 3 different types of sounds you can choose from to notify you when the rice is finished cooking.

It is easy to clean thanks to its detachable inner lid. The inner pot has non-conductive (“stay-cool”) handles so you can easily hold the pot without burning your hands.

The power cord is retractable and there is a carry handle so you can easily store the rice cooker when it’s not in use.

This rice cooker comes with TWO measuring cups (one for normal rice), and one for rinse-free rice. It also comes with a rice paddle and paddle holder.

Made in Japan

To top things off, the NS-ZCC10 model it is actually made in Japan, so you can be extra certain that you are getting a high quality rice cooker.

If you are looking for a premium Japanese rice cooker, then you will not be disappointed with the Zojirushi NS-ZCC10/18. If you don’t believe me, you can read the 2000+ excellent reviews on Amazon (4.7/5). 

It typically retails for around $200, but is on sale from time to time. Click the link below to check current prices:

Panasonic SR-HZ106

• 13 Pre-set Cooking Programs
• Induction heating system
• Durable 7-layer inner pot
• Price (at time of publish): $512

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Detailed description:

In Western countries, Panasonic is probably best known for making televisions and microwaves. In Japan, they are known for making some kick-ass rice cookers.

They were the first company to introduce induction heating rice cookers to the market way back in 1988.

The SR-HZ106 is one of Panasonic’s top-of-the-line offerings for the international market. It uses induction heating coils from five areas surrounding the pot — from the lid, from below the pot, and from 3 levels around the middle of the pot.

This ensures the rice is uniformly heated from all directions to produce consistent, fluffy rice.

The inner pot is made of seven different layers, each with its own purpose. The most outer layer is made of copper for better heat conductivity. The pot itself is made mainly of a magnetic stainless steel, which (with the help of induction heating) transforms the entire pot itself into a heating element. This helps promote consistent heating from all angles, and more evenly cooked rice.

The inner most layer is made of a diamond ceramic material which provides a durable, non-stick surface that is also scratch resistant. This means that you can wash rice directly inside the pot without worry about damaging the coating. It also makes cleaning up a breeze.

The rice cooker features 13 (!!) different pre-set programs for a variety of different rices and other foods. This includes white rice, brown rice, sticky rice, jasmine rice, multi-grain rice, porridge, and quinoa. There is also quick cook, steam cook, slow cook/soup, and even an option for cakes/bread.

Apart from all the cooking options, the SR-HZ106 also has all the bells and whistles you would expect from a super premium rice cooker.

It has a timer so you can set when you want your rice to cook. The automatic “keep warm” option keeps rice fresh after cooking for up to 12 hours. The “reheat” button brings the rice back to the perfect eating temperature. The inner lid is easily detached, and the inner frame is made with stainless steel for super easy cleaning. The large, clear LCD screen makes it easy to see how much time is remaining, and what selections you are making.

Included with the rice cooker are two scoops (one for rice, one for porridge/soups/stews), and a measuring cup. It is only available in one size (5-cups / 1L).

Overall, the rice cooker also looks great in my opinion, and would make me jealous if I saw it in your kitchen.

As you can see, the Panasonic SR-HZ106 is much more than a simple rice cooker. It is more suitable to label it as a multi-cooker, as it can be used for such a large variety of dishes.

If you are looking to splurge on a super premium Japanese rice cooker, then you should definitely consider this Panasonic. It current retails for around $500!

Zojirushi NP-NWC10XB

• IH and Pressurized Cooking
• 14 cooking settings
• Advanced fuzzy logic with AI
• Price (at time of publish): $450

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Detailed description:

This insance rice cooker from Zojirushi is filled with the latest technology — all in the pursuit of extra perfectly cooked rice.

It includes everything from the above mentioned NS-ZCC10 model, plus even more:

Induction Heating + Pressure Cooking

The first main unique feature is that it combines induction heating (IH) with pressure cooking. Based on the cooking option you select, the rice cooker will automatically apply one of three pressure settings. How does pressure cooking work? What is the benefit of changing the pressure?

With the help of a pressure cooker, the boiling point of water can increase past the typical 100°C. It does this by trapping steam inside the pot which causes the pressure — and therefore temperature — to increase. Since the boiling point of water is higher (i.e 105°C vs 100°C), then the rice is also cooked at this higher temperature .

The increased temperature and pressure helps water and heat better penetrate the rice grains which results in more tender, soft, and fluffy rice.

This is very useful for cooking grains like brown rice which have a harder outer shell. According to Zojirushi, rice cooked under higher pressure can also stay soft for longer periods of time compared to normally cooked rice.

Fuzzy Logic + Artificial Intelligence

The second unique feature of this rice cooker is its fuzzy logic A.I. (Artificial Intelligence) system.

A typical fuzzy logic system will simply base the cooking process on the various options selected. This A.I. system takes it a step further.

It will actually “learn” from past cooking experiences and automatically adjust the cooking process (i.e. soaking time, steaming wait period) to produce your ideal rice (based on what you usually cook).

It even takes into consideration water/room temperature so that your rice will be the same in summer or winter. How does this work? I have no idea. It sounds amazing though.

Other premium features

Other than the above two technologies, there are a few other added features not found in lower end models. There is an additional cooking function for “GABA brown rice“, which is basically a more nutritious way to cook brown rice.

An “umami” setting increases soaking time and steaming time to bring more sweetness out of the rice. A “scorch” setting is available which lightly toasts the rice at the bottom of the pot to make it crispy.

Platinum inner pot

The inner pot of this rice cooker has also been further designed to increase the deliciousness of your rice. The nonstick coating on the inner layer is infused with platinum particles which makes the water become more alkaline.

Alkalized water penetrates the surface of the rice grain better, and is thus absorbed better by the rice. The result is sweeter, fuller cooked rice. The platinum coating is also more durable and resistant to scratches and peeling.

There was a ton of thought, research, and technology put into this rice cooker, and makes me think that it is worth every penny of the $500 or so it is selling for.

The only downside of this rice cooker is that it has many extra parts to clean due to the pressure cooking feature.

If you want the latest and greatest rice cooking technology, then you should consider this Zojirushi