Enter the characters you see below Sorry, we just need to make sure you’re not a robot. We’ve picked products we think you’ll love and may earn commission from links on this page. Read about why you can trust BBC Good Food reviews. Getting your head around cooking rice, its many varieties and best electric pressure cooker water ratios can be tricky.

This is why a rice cooker is a valuable piece of kitchen equipment. Rice cookers come in all shapes and sizes, from the most straightforward, affordable microwave models to all-singing, dancing multi-cookers. We tested an extensive range and the results were surprising. So, which is the best rice cooker for you?

Read on to discover our top buys. The Bamboo matches its price tag in the quality of its build, attractive design and the fluffy, flavourful rice it produces. Settings include a ‘GABA’ option that’s designed to germinate brown rice, and ‘Yumami’ function for white rice that uses phased temperatures to release sugars for a sweeter flavour. Non-rice programmes include slow cooking, porridge making, steaming and cake baking. The Sage the Fast Slow Go multi-cooker is a super-stylish, with a brushed stainless steel outer so good looking, you’ll want to keep it on your worktop.

Apart from making tender, fluffy rice, it has many valuable functions, including making excellent risottos. The instructions are well-written, so you can have the Sage up and running in no time. This specialist machine scores highly for its simple functionality. We tested the three-cup cooker, but the Cuckoo is also available in a larger six-cup model. Both versions are compact and have small footprints. Though there is only one programme for cooking rice, we had good results with white, brown and short-grain. Read our full Cuckoo automatic rice cooker review.

Multi-cookers offer just that: a variety of cooking options in one appliance. Tefal has various all-in-one machines in its range, but for rice cooking, this pressure cooker hybrid scores highly. In addition to plain rice, the pressure cooker can be used to make risotto, paella and other rice-based dishes, so it’s ideal for busy family mealtimes. Read our full Tefal all-in-one pressure cooker review.

Rice cookers can be bulky, but this diminutive version from Lakeland is ideal for smaller kitchens. The rice-cooking programmes work well and produce good, fluffy results. The cooker’s other functions include slow cooking, cake baking and yogurt making, and it can also be used for proving bread dough. Read our full Lakeland mini multi-cooker review. This compact machine is perfect for one or two people, or to make a couple of small portions of rice occasionally.

The cooker is fully automatic, with a one-touch button that makes it extra-simple to use, with the bonus of the inner pot and detachable inner lid being dishwasher-safe. The Lakeland two-portion rice cooker is small, sturdy and uses intelligent cooking, which requires little intervention to produce great rice. Plus, using the delay timer, it will also make two bowls of porridge while you sleep. The cooker has a small footprint, so it’s great when space is tight. We especially love the look and feel of this sturdily built little cooker, and the included three-year guarantee. If space in your kitchen is limited, a microwavable rice cooker is a good alternative to an electric version.

This model is large enough to cook four servings of rice and can also be used to make couscous, quinoa and other grains. After a few attempts, the finished results were very good. The stylishly designed cooking bowl can be taken straight to the table to serve and has a double-layered wall to keep the rice warm on the table. The Russell Hobbs 27040 large rice cooker is a rice cooker for larger groups and families, promising it can cook up to 14 portions. The cooker is straightforward to use, with just one switch that automatically switches off the cooking function once done and flips it onto the ‘keep warm’ function.

The transparent glass lid makes keeping an eye on the rice cooking easy and, when removed, hangs neatly from the handles, keeping the worktop clean and uncluttered. The Joseph Joseph microwave rice cooker is a neat, stylish and efficient cooker that makes from one to six portions of fluffy rice. It’s perfect for anyone who wants an easy to use rice cooker. The two-litre cooker is made of durable plastic, with a bright orange rice paddle that neatly doubles up as a handle and lock, plus an inner pot that doubles as a colander for washing the rice. Before looking at what’s available, know what size you need to help steer your choice. Rice cookers can be bulky, so consider the available space in your kitchen before buying. A glass lid is usually found on simpler, cheaper models.

This means you can watch the rice cooking, which is missing on sealed models. However, as rice cooking is quite vigorous, the lids tend to spit out water and steam at the edges, which can be dangerous. Sealed lids are often only on more expensive rice and multi-cookers and usually have a vent, making them safer and far less messy. These machines are dedicated to cooking rice only, with a few offering vegetable steaming and porridge functions. Single-purpose rice cookers should come with instructions for cooking different rice types and usually include a measuring cup for the rice and water as well as a rice paddle.

If you cook rice often and have room to store a machine, this option could be for you. Multi-cookers are more expensive, but offer greater flexibility than just cooking rice. With many functions in one machine, it may at first seem complicated, but this tends to get easier with use. However, when the multi-cooker is used consistently to cook strong-flavoured foods like curries and stews, or for air- or deep-frying, it will eventually taint the flavour of rice. Therefore, rice purists may prefer a single-purpose cooker. Basic rice cookers use a thermal sensor to determine when the rice is done.