Sushi is so much more than just raw fish. For example, the standard California roll is often a hidden gem with fresh, strong flavors. Good sushi starts with good rice, so many home cooks invest in an electric rice cooker and some high-end Japanese short-grain rice.
What Is Sushi Rice?
Specialized sticky or sushi rice is best suited for sushi preparation. Prepared with vinegar, salt, and sugar, you can make it with either short- or medium-grain Japanese rice.
Anyone who has tried sushi before understands the significance of sticky rice. It’s the glue that holds the dish together and tastes great. How sticky the sushi rice is ultimately depends on the type of rice used and how thoroughly it has been cooked.
The suitability of various types and sizes of rice for use in sushi is highly dependent on several factors. White Japanese rice, especially short or medium grain, is commonly used to produce sushi because it has the ideal amylose-to-amylopectin ratio.
Because sushi rice requires a specific degree of moisture during cooking, selecting the perfect variety of rice is only half the battle. It won’t stick with too much or too little water (and still not stick).
Managing the time and temperature is another important aspect. Attempting to do it by hand using a pan or pot can be difficult. Instead, consider investing in a sushi rice cooker with a specific setting for making sushi and let the machine do all the work for you.
What Is A Sushi Rice Cooker?
A sushi rice cooker is a great way to ensure that you have perfectly cooked, sticky rice for your sushi and other Japanese foods.
They are powered by electricity, and their inner pot and heating element are what bring water to a boil and steam the rice. As a result, the rice for sushi can be ready in as little as 20 minutes with the push of a button on a particular setting on most rice cookers.
The outside shell typically comprises aluminum or stainless steel, allowing temperature management. The front control is either manual or digital, allowing you to select the appropriate cooking function for your sushi rice.
Benefits of Sushi Rice Cookers
- Sushi rice is cooked to perfection and is just slightly sticky.
- Steaming or slow-cooking food is a great way to prepare nutritious meals.
- To have sushi rice whenever you like by setting a timer.
- It helps you save money and time by cooking rice on your own.
- An alternate rice preparation method employs various cooking times and temperatures.
Even with your average long-grain white or brown rice, you’ll get a better result if you steam it instead of boiling it on the stovetop or popping it in the microwave. An electric cooker lets you do both with minimal effort and without the risk of burning yourself. But which one is the best rice cooker for sushi you should buy? Keep reading our sushi rice cooker reviews to find out.
Tried and True: The Best Overall Sushi Rice Cooker:
1. Tiger UHD-10 Ultra High-Quality Japanese Rice Cooker
If you have the money and are serious about making sushi at home, you should buy theTiger UHD-10 Ultra High-Quality Japanese Rice Cooker. It’s expensive, but it’s also a professional-grade machine designed to make restaurant-quality rice. With this sushi rice cooker, you can choose to cook white or brown rice, sushi rice, or even porridge.
It’s easy to use and clean, and it comes with a 1-year warranty and a “troubleshooting” guide to help you through any kinks that might develop. This machine is an excellent choice for people who want a professional-grade rice cooker to make home sushi.
Ultra-Dependable: Best rice cooker for sushi rice
2. Hamilton Beach Brandsmart 10-cup Electronic Stay-warm Rice cooker
Suppose you’re looking for a simple, dependable machine that is inexpensive and can be easily stored in a kitchen cabinet between uses. In that case, the Hamilton Beach Brandsmart 10-cup Electronic Stay-warm Rice Cooker is a good choice. It doesn’t have many extra features but does what it’s supposed to do.
This machine can make up to 10 cups of rice at a time and features a “keep warm” setting that keeps your rice at the perfect temperature for hours. It also has a measuring cup and a non-stick bowl that’s easy to wipe clean. It’s a good sushi rice cooker for people who want a basic rice cooker that they can store out of sight between uses.
Zojirushi Rice Cooker:
3. Zojirushi NS-ZCC18 Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker
You can’t go wrong with a Zojirushi brand rice cooker if you want to make restaurant-quality rice at home. This company’s sushi rice cookers are incredibly versatile and built to last for years. Zojirushi’s top-of-the-line model, the NS-YAC18, comes with a 10-cup capacity, a fuzzy logic control system, and a steaming basket for cooking puddings, dumplings, and even Chinese buns.
It’s a ridiculously high-tech machine that can make any rice, including brown rice, sushi rice, porridge, and more. It’s also one of the few rice cookers with a year’s worth of free telephone support and a lifetime warranty. So if you want to treat yourself or your kitchen to something special, this is the rice cooker.
Tiger Corporation Rice Cooker:
4. Tiger JBV-A18U-W 10-Cup Uncooked Micom Rice Cooker
If you don’t have the money to spring for a Zojirushi, don’t worry. Tiger’s traditional rice cooker is a real workhorse. With a 10-cup capacity, it’s almost the same size as the Zojirushi and will fit the same size as the kitchen cabinet. Its main difference is a lack of a steaming basket and “fuzzy logic” controls.
It does boast a “keep warm” feature, though, which is a nice plus if you’re ever served Asian-style meals where every course comes out at once. While this sushi rice cooker doesn’t claim to be as reliable or high-end as the Zojirushi, it’s still a professional-grade device, and its price tag is very reasonable.
Panasonic Rice Cooker:
5. Panasonic 10 Cup Uncooked Rice Cooker
If you’re looking for a middle-of-the-road rice cooker that doesn’t break the bank and still gets the job done, Panasonic’s 10-cup model is a good choice. It boasts a “fuzzy logic” control system that determines the best cooking cycle for your specific type of rice and a “keep warm” function that will keep your rice at the perfect temperature for hours.
This sushi rice cooker is also straightforward to clean, thanks to its non-stick bowl and lid that can be wiped clean with a sponge. Because of this, it’s a great machine for anyone on a tight budget who nevertheless require a dependable and flexible tool.
Aroma 10-cup Rice Cooker:
6. Aroma Housewares 10 cups uncooked Digital Rice Cooker
Aroma’s 10-cup model is one of the most affordable rice cookers on the market today. It has all the basic features you’d expect from a machine in this price range, including a “fuzzy logic” control system and a “keep warm” function. However, it doesn’t have a non-stick bowl—so it’s not one to buy if you’re prone to burning yourself in the kitchen.
This machine is also small for many people’s purposes; it’s fine for a couple or a small family, but larger families might want to look for a larger model. It’s a good starter sushi rice cooker for people who want to test the waters of making their rice but need more time to prepare for a high-end model.
Conclusion
Whether you choose an electric or traditional rice cooker, make sure you buy one that’s big enough to cook rice for your entire family—particularly if you plan to make sushi. Sushi rice contains flavor and nutrients but needs a longer cooking time and a higher water-to-rice ratio than regular rice. In addition, the best sushi rice cooker will let you program them easily and have a “keep warm” setting so your rice doesn’t go cold while you’re eating.
Read Again