Do you love sushi? Most people would say yes, but we bet not many know how to make sushi at home.
Rice cookers are a great start to being able to make delicious sushi at home.
Not only do they make you feel accomplished, but you will also be able to save big by avoiding visits to the local sushi restaurant.
If you want to make mouth-watering sushi at home, we recommend getting the Panasonic 5-cup rice cooker.
With a capacity of up to 1 liter.
This rice cooker works well for making meals for one or two people and making large feasts for family or friends.
This blog reviews some of the top rice cookers for sushi on the market to help you start cooking perfect sushi every time.
Types of Sushi rice cookers
The following list includes the different types of sushi rice cookers available in the market:
1. Basic
A basic sushi rice cooker is an appliance with minimal features.
It has a bowl and heating element that heats water and cooks rice.
A basic rice cooker has no special features other than easy-to-use controls.
Unlike more advanced models with multiple cooking modes, quick timers, and settings that let you cook foods other than rice.
A basic sushi rice cooker has a simple interface.
2. Digital
A digital sushi rice cooker comes with a digital control panel.
You can pre-set your cooking time or temperature using a digital rice cooker.
It operates just like an ordinary rice cooker but has an additional feature.
It measures the temperature and adjusts the cooking time to suit the cooked rice type.
3. Multi-function
A multi-function sushi rice cooker has multiple cooking settings.
It is commonly used for cooking rice but has other functions, including making soups, steaming vegetables, etc.
Multi-function rice cookers save users time and money by cooking multiple items simultaneously without taking up too much space.
They save your money by doing all your cooking in one go instead of purchasing additional appliances to do several jobs separately.
5. Induction heat
An induction heat rice cooker uses a magnetic coil to heat rice directly rather than boiling water.
Using induction heating technology, this type of rice cooker can produce perfectly cooked sushi every time.
Induction heat rice cookers are more costly than other rice cookers due to their precision cooking capability and multiple functionalities.
Related Reading: How Long Does A Rice Cooker Take – Click Here To Find Out.
5 first-rate rice cookers for sushi
1. Panasonic 5-cup Digital Rice Cooker
This Asian rice cooker by Panasonic can cook all types of five cups of uncooked rice, which become 10 cups of rice after cooking.
Not only can it cook sushi rice perfectly, but it can also make different types of delicious meals like:
- Chicken rice
- Porridge
- Soup
- Vegetable rice
- Steamed vegetable
- Steamed fish
- Steamed chicken
- Dumplings etc
This rice cooker comes with six auto-cook programs, white rice, brown rice, steam, quick cook, porridge, and soup.
- It has a durable non-stick inner pan.
- It has a removable inside lid.
- Its automatic “keep warm” function keeps food hot for up to 5 hours.
- It has an auto switch-off function that prevents overcooking food.
- It includes a steam basket, a rice spoon, and a rice measuring cup.
2. Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 Rice Cooker
While the Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 Rice Cooker might seem a little futuristic to the western consumer, this rice cooker would be seen as a classic in Japan.
It has likely made tens of millions of dishes over the last decade.
Even the best sushi chefs vouch for the Zojirushi brand as their choicest rice cooker.
This rice cooker is suitable for shorter-grained brown or wild rice and excellent for sushi rice.
It can also make bulgur wheat, porridge oats, and other grains and steam your proteins and vegetables.
3. MOOSUM Rice Cooker MO-RCB01US
If you are looking for a basic rice cooker that is extremely easy to use, then this Rice Cooker by MOOSUM fits the bill.
It can be used to make various types of rice, including sushi rice, though it comes in only one setting.
The MOOSUM Rice Cooker MO-RCB01US can also be used for steaming veggies and proteins with the steamer tray and cooks pasta, soups, and a few other dishes.
This model does not have any bells and whistles since it is a basic rice cooker for sushi, but it can get the job done perfectly at an affordable price.
4. Dash DRCM200GBAQ04 Mini Rice Cooker
Cooking rice in a 20-cup rice cooker isn’t favorable for everyone.
This mini rice cooker can make up to 2-cups of perfect rice at a time, which is excellent for couples or single people.
It is also best for making small amounts of sushi rice, pasta, or soups.
The only issue with this rice cooker for sushi is that it has no button for on/off.
So you have to unplug the machine by yourself when it is done cooking or if you need to turn off the warming function.
This is a relatively minor issue, though, and should not stop a buyer from buying this mini rice cooker for use in RVs, small apartments, or anywhere else.
You can be sure to get a load of compliments not only on your food but also on the sweet looks of this machine.
5. Reishunger Digital Rice Cooker
This digital rice cooker can cook up to 6 cups of different types of rice like sushi rice, brown rice, and white rice.
This rice cooker has 12 cooking functions, including turbo, grain, steam, congee, soup, baking, and crispy.
So it is a great all-in-one rice cooker.
In addition, this large-volume rice cooker has a timer that can be used to cook dishes at a specific time.
It has a ceramic, non-stick inner pot that is entirely safe.
Benefits of cooking rice in a sushi rice cooker
Here are some of the great uses of owning a sushi rice cooker.
1. Perfect cooking
A rice cooker for sushi is purposely built to produce perfect rice every time.
As long as your rice and liquids are measured correctly, you can rest assured that your rice will not burn or become too soft or too hard.
A sushi rice cooker will generally have appropriate settings for each type of long, short, medium-grained rice, etc., and can cook each to perfection.
2. Saves time
Rice cookers for sushi, even the high-end ones, are not limited to just cooking rice.
You can fix the timer at night to prepare your breakfast as you wake up the following morning.
Many Japanese rice cookers can make incredible porridges or oatmeal, saving you precious time every morning.
3. Saves money
Going out often to get a sushi treat can be expensive, especially if you are going with the whole family.
By making your sushi at home, you can enjoy a fun family activity and save money in the process.
Best rice cooker for sushi – FAQs
1. What is the average lifespan of a rice cooker?
Medium-quality rice cookers can last up to 10 years, with minimal parts and limited electronics that can go faulty over time.
2. Can you cook 1 kg of rice in a 5 Liter cooker?
You can cook about 1.5 kg of rice in a 5-liter pressure cooker.
3. Are induction heat rice cookers safe?
Induction rice cookers promote safe cooking since the heat from the electromagnetic field stays within the pot.
Unlike the standard rice cookers, the induction rice cooker’s exterior does not get hot.
Therefore, it is safe to touch.
4. What is the difference between a traditional and a Japanese rice cooker?
The significant difference between a traditional rice cooker and a Japanese model is the design of the appliance.
The traditional rice cookers have a light-fitting lid, while the Japanese rice cookers are steam pressurized.
Related Reading: Air Fryer Vs Deep Fryer – Learn More.
The Verdict
If you are looking for the best rice cooker for sushi, then the 5-cup Digital Rice Cooker by Panasonic certainly wins the title.
If you cook rice on an almost daily basis, then it is undoubtedly worth buying this model.
It is good value for money and is a fantastic rice cooker that will surely delight you with perfectly cooked sushi.
