The 5 Best Rice Cookers in Singapore

Raise your hand if you’ve never gone a day in your life without eating rice – yup, Asians know all about it. That’s why rice cookers are a staple in every Singaporean household.

This food is so embedded in our lives that you’d see it everywhere – restaurants, hawker centres, and canteens. We just can’t not have rice!

That’s why we made this list.

We tested and reviewed a bunch of these cookers to determine the top performers that’ll give you that soft, warm bowl of rice with every press of a button, and some that’ll probably last you for decades.

So, here are the 5 best rice cookers in Singapore that won’t just give you your money’s worth, but also feed you and your family for years.

In Summary

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Best Rice Cooker Overall

Zojirushi 1.0L Rice Cooker (NS-TSQ10) (Stainless Brown)

You ever seen a car and go, “what a nice ride.” Quiet engine, sleek design? Well, that’s the Zojirushi Rice Cooker NS-TSQ10 but for rice cookers.

Fancy and top-tier, customers have branded this as the “BMW of rice cookers,” definitely a high compliment, and one that we recently got to prove.

It’s good for a family of two or five with a capacity of 5 cups uncooked rice, you can practically use it for any dish – definitely an all-rounder.

But do you wanna know why it’s our top pick? It’s because this unit absolutely understands what any rice lover wants: a nice warm bowl of rice – not dry or hard like it’s a day or two old. And this Zojirushi cooker delivers just that at any part of the day. That means you can leave it warming and it won’t dry out the rice. It just keeps it at its best state.

The one responsible for this cooker’s brains is its fuzzy logic – a technology that allows the rice cooker to fine-tune the temperature and cooking duration. So, no more hard, charred rice at the bottom and wet, slightly uncooked at the top. You’re sure to have every grain cooked to perfection (unless someone botches the rice-to-water ratio!)

More than that, anyone who eats this grain staple knows just how annoying and tedious it can be to clean out the pot that’s got leftovers. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried to scrape off old hard rice and accidentally hurt myself.

So when we tested this rice cooker, I was on the lookout for this situation. And when it finally happened, it took me by surprise how easily those grain-like rice slid off of the non-stick pot when I cleaned it.

There’s several caveats to this, though. The most obvious one is the price. Zojirushi rice cookers are known for being on the higher-end of appliances, costing hundreds of dollars the fancier the features get. While the NS-TSQ10 is around mid-tier, people who have bought an appliance for this brand swears up and down on its durability.

I mean, if you’re telling me that I get a decade’s worth of use from a rice cooker that costs around $300, then I’d say it’s a pretty good deal.

One other issue – but this one’s pretty minor – is that cooking time may be longer than usual. For quick cookers, this might be a deal breaker. But for others who are more than content to wait out the full hour of cooking, then the trade-off is pretty decent.

Overall, this BMW of a rice cooker has got everything you’ll need and more. When you’re paying for quality and convenience, there’s no question to the kind of cooking this Zojirushi cooker gives.  

Key Specifications

Micom Rice Cooker | 1.0L capacity (5.5 cups uncooked) | 8 cooking modes incl. porridge & cake | Fuzzy logic with triple heater system | Keep warm & delay timer (up to 10 hrs) | Dimensions: 255mm (W) x 355mm (D) x 215mm (H)

Best Rice Cooker for Value

Mayer 0.8L Digital Rice Cooker (MMRC08D) (Black/White)

Now, if you’re on a budget but don’t want to sell yourself short of a good rice cooker, then you’ll want to check out the Mayer Rice Cooker MMRC08D.

This compact, aesthetically-pleasing powerhouse packs in a lot of features that you wouldn’t expect to come from such a small rice cooker.

With a capacity of 4 cups of uncooked rice, it’s perfect for solo living, couples meals, or mini get-togethers. And if you’re craving for anything other than white rice, this Mayer cooker has 6 cooking presets including dishes like congee, porridge, or soup.

To be honest, what really made us go, “this rice cooker is perfect!”, aside from its relatively cheap price, was that it went hand-in-hand with our lazy days. Don’t want to cook? Just stick some dumplings in the steam basket, cook it with the rice, and voila! Dinner is served. Want some soup? Throw in some chopped veggies, seasoning, water, and let the rice cooker do its thing. It’s so versatile and really serves us the cravings we want without lifting much fingers!

It’s design is an underrated feature too, with its wood-grain bottom and sleek black or white design. The rice cooker doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb on the counter, especially if you’re one who considers design as a deal breaker.

Another feature we really loved was the ceramic-coated pot. Like I said, cleaning rice pots is the least liked activity in this cycle of eating. But with this one? No sweat. Plus, the controls are so straightforward and easy to use that even my non-techy parents were able to operate it without a manual.

Although, there’s still some things that set this rice cooker back. One is that it has to take the back seat whenever we host get togethers or parties that exceed 5 people. Obviously, a 0.8L capacity isn’t going to cut it for big gatherings. But that’s expected of a rice cooker designed for 3 people max. So unless you live solo, you might need an extra cooker or to get takeouts when you’re expecting to feed a lot of people.

One other comment made by its customers is their issues with durability. Though we didn’t really experience it first hand, some who’ve had the similar Mayer rice cooker have pointed out issues with closing the lid or the menu’s back light flickering after several years of use. Definitely something to consider when buying this rice cooker.

Key Specifications

Digital Rice Cooker | 0.8L capacity (2–4 pax) | 6 cooking presets incl. steam & soup | 5-layer ceramic-coated inner pot | 24-hour delay timer & keep warm | Dimensions: 240mm (L) x 215mm (W) x 215mm (H)

Best Rice Cooker for Small Households

TOYOMI 0.6L Mini Rice Cooker (RC 616)

Now, if you have a small family, or not a big eater, there’s a rice cooker for everyone. In small households like these, the Toyomi Rice Cooker RC 616 is the best pick.

The 0.6L capacity is perfect for 1-2 servings and it doesn’t take up much space in the kitchen. Though it only has one setting (cook/warm), it’s pretty reliable when you’re in need of a quick fixing of rice.

Testing this rice cooker was super fun because we found out just how quick it took to cook. You get a cup and half of rice cooked in just 30 minutes and will automatically go to warm mode after cooking, making sure that your rice stays warm and fluffy.

However, because it’s quite simplistic, there’s no timer to switch it off from warm mode. This only means one thing: overheated or over-dried rice. You’d have to manually unplug the rice cooker to turn it off (probably a few hours after your meal) to avoid this.

A plus side to this is the steam basket it comes with. Though small in size, you can actually cook more than just rice. Vegetables, eggs, dumplings – basically anything that can be steamed – will always be on the menu.

If that’s not enough, then hear this: it’s so compact you can take it anywhere with you! It was initially just a silly idea and not something we’d really act on, but when an opportunity presented itself (a trip involving staying at an Air BnB) we brought it along. Let me tell you, knowing you have a reliable cooker that can be used for any dish is such a heaven sent, and this Toyomi rice cooker definitely delivered.

One thing to note about this, though, is that people have mixed reviews about its durability. While some customers shared how their rice cookers are still going after 3+ years, some have noted theirs having issues. Others have attributed these to its budget-friendliness and aligning their performance expectations with the price it has.

That said, this Toyomi rice cooker’s strengths cannot be discredited, especially for people who’s needs can be suited by a 0.6L rice cooker.

Key Specifications

Mini Rice Cooker | 0.6L capacity (serves 2–3 pax) | Stainless steel inner pot & steam tray | One-touch fuzzy logic cooking | Cooks rice, porridge, soup & more | Dimensions: 190mm (L) x 190mm (W) x 220mm (H)

Best Rice Cooker Multigrain Cooking

Tefal Rice Cooker 1.5L (RK8131)

If you’re someone who’s adventurous with food or simply prefer to eat something else other than white rice, then the Tefal Rice Cooker (RK8131) is the best fit for you.

Why, you ask? Short answer: it’s got a 1.5L capacity and 14 auto-cooking programmes.

The longer answer is, this rice cooker is so versatile. Probably the most versatile I’ve seen because it has a cake cooking programme. Aside from that, it’s got a specific setting for different rice like Jasmine, mixed, Basmati, or brown, and programmes for congee, soup, and slow cooking. To top it all off, you can set the texture you want for these dishes.  

We were honestly already impressed with the wide range of cooking options, but we shouldn’t be swayed so easily. So we tested the cooking programmes and what we got were consistent results. I wanted to see in particular how well it would do when cooking brown rice. I say this because brown rice for me often tasted like disappointment: it’s either wet, mushy and overcooked or crunchy, undercooked rice.

After testing this Tefal cooker’s abilities, the final verdict was tens across the board, thanks to its ceramic-coated pot and induction heating. Not too soft, not too hard – just that perfect consistency you need in any rice.

But because it has a big capacity, this also means that it can be quite bulky. Sitting at about 5-6kg, it’s not something you want move around constantly. The trade off to its performance dims this drawback and it’s expected from a 1.5L rice cooker.

On a slightly more noticeable issue, if you’re someone who’s used to simple one-button models, the control panel can be a bit of a learning curve. The icons and labels to the non-techy may be confusing, but with the manual’s help, we think this can be an easily solvable issue. Just a reminder as well to be careful around it when it’s cooking as the sides can get really warm.

Key Specifications

Induction Rice Cooker | 1.5L capacity (up to 8 cups) | 14 cooking modes incl. brown, mixed & porridge | Spherical ceramic-coated pot | 24-hour keep-warm & preset timer | Dimensions: 261mm (W) x 212mm (H) x 334mm (D)

Best for Large Families

Tefal Rice Cooker 1.8L (RK8198)

Large families? No problem! There’s a rice cooker for everyone and for a household like this, the Tefal Rice Cooker (RK8198) is for you.

Just like it’s RK8131 cousin, this rice cooker has just as much cooking programmes and more customisable but this time, bigger. With a hefty 1.8L capacity (about 10 cups uncooked rice), this cooker can feed 5 people or more – definitely ideal for larger gatherings, parties, or get togethers.

What really makes it the best for big groups is its 24-hour keep warm function. In our case, we rarely eat at the same time as we have different schedules. So having this feature really helped ensure that whenever it was time for someone to eat, there’s a pot of warm and, most importantly, not dry rice waiting for them. It’s automatic too, so all you have to do is set it to cook, and it’ll switch on and off of the warm function. No need to manually unplug or press.

More than that, all the programmes returning evenly cooked rice each time is made possible by the induction heating (IH) and fuzzy logic tech its equipped with. Because of this, we’ve even tried using it to cook dishes other than rice. Reheating curry? Into the pot it goes. Good ole chicken soup, noodles, mac and cheese – anything we could think of. It always delivered.  

But no machine is ever perfect. One thing we noticed was the varying reviews from people online. While some laud the rice cooker and its brand, some have expressed disappointment over a few setbacks like control malfucntions after a few years, or getting a toasted bottom layer of rice when not programmed to do so. Now, these may be a result of wear and tear or other unknown factors that could have caused these issues. Personally, we didn’t experience any issues but it’s something to keep in mind when buying this rice cooker.

The other thing that needs pointing out is the bulkiness of this cooker. It’s undeniably massive and will need a lot of counter space in your kitchen, so be prepared for a little manoeuvring if you hadn’t done so. Other than that, no other significant issues arose, landing itself as the best rice cooker for large families without breaking your wallet.

Key Specifications

Induction Rice Cooker | 1.8L capacity (up to 10 cups) | 14 cooking modes incl. brown, porridge, sushi | 3.0mm ceramic-coated spherical pot | 24-hour keep-warm & delay timer | Dimensions: 336mm (D) x 265mm (W) x 261mm (H)

Final thoughts

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from testing all these rice cookers, it’s this: rice may be simple, but getting it right is an art—and your rice cooker is the artist.

Whether you’re a solo diner living off dumplings and congee, a multitasker who wants soup and rice done at once, or a full-on family household that needs rice on standby 24/7, there’s a model here with your name on it. From smart features to sleek designs (and even one that makes cake!), today’s rice cookers are far more than “just for rice.”

So go ahead, treat your grains right—you deserve fluffy, warm, never-soggy rice with every meal. And if you’re lucky, maybe even with zero scrubbing after.