If you enjoy eating rice or cooking for guests, it can often be tricky to get it right each time. And if the water levels in the pot are not precise or the stove temperature is not adjusted carefully, you’ll end up with either undercooked or worse, sloppy rice.
That’s where electric, countertop appliances can come in handy for taking the guesswork out of cooking rice traditionally. These usually fall into two camps — the rice cooker vs the best Instant Pot. But which one is better for the task?
As a home editor (and rice lover), I've tested both Instant Pots and rice cookers in my own kitchen, and I’ve broken down the differences between the two popular cookers and help you come to a decision. So, if you don’t want mealtimes to be a disappointment, check out our stats on rice cooker vs Instant Pot with my tried-and-tested comparison.
Rice cooker vs Instant Pot: How do they work?
Essentially, rice cookers or steamers are automated appliances designed to boil and cook rice. These work by an electric heating element, sensors and a thermostat to monitor the required temperature. As the water heats and reaches boiling point, it then evaporates and steams. Once the grains have absorbed remaining water, this will then create soft, fluffy rice. Most rice cookers have a Keep Warm setting to maintain a steady temperature for mealtimes.
While Instant Pots are multi-functional, pressure cookers. The key factor here is the lid of a pressure cooker is designed with a rubber or silicone gasket, making it airtight. This seal prevents the escape of air or liquids once it is tightly locked, and creates steam. The build-up of steam is then forced back into the food, helping it cook quickly and evenly — without drying out. Typically, Instant Pots are designed to cook food faster than traditional cooking methods.
Both appliances come with a non-stick, inner pot that is either dishwasher safe or easy to clean by hand.
Rice cooker vs Instant Pot: Price
Generally, rice cookers are more affordable than Instant Pots. You can buy a basic cooker for as little as $16, or an advanced cooker for under $200. This all depends on the capacity, which starts from 3-cup cookers ideal for 1-2 people, up to 30-cup cookers for the whole family.
Instant Pots are generally more expensive, but this is also due to the fact that it has multiple cooking functions. For the basic model,these typically start from $89 right up to $200 for advanced models. In any case, Instant Pots are known to go on sale regularly, so your choice will depend on the specific functions that you need and budget.
Rice cooker vs Instant Pot: Features
The humble rice cooker has evolved over the years and can do much more than just cook delicious, white rice. Cookers like the Toshiba Rice Cooker can cook brown rice, mixed grain, porridge, egg and cake. If you're a fan, you can even find some models that can tackle specialist grains such as sushi rice.
Instant Pots, however, have multiple functions for cooking various things. Essentially, they act as a pressure and slow cooker, steamer, rice cooker, sous vide, yogurt maker and sterilizer, all in one handy appliance. Additionally, there are a few models with an air fryer function like this Instant Pot Duo Crisp and Air Fryer and many advanced models have App connectivity. Instant Pots are also convenient for cutting down the number of countertop appliances cluttering up your kitchen.
Rice cooker vs Instant Pot: Design
The Instant Pot is quite a cumbersome appliance with its signature stainless steel and black appearance. Designed to be user-friendly and quick to use, it has a one-touch, LED control panel at the front, which are all self-explanatory. In addition, capacity starts from 3-quart to 9-quart sizes for larger families.
In contrast, the rice cooker comes in many different sizes and designs to suit your home. If you have a limited countertop space, you can buy a 3-cup, rice cooker that has a smaller footprint and easier to store away. Or if cooking large quantities, you could opt for a 30-cup size.
Rice cooker vs Instant Pot: Performance
As a keen rice lover, I’ve cooked white rice in both a dedicated cooker and Instant Pot. And I’ll have to say that each time, I’ve consistently had better, flavorsome results in a rice cooker.
Firstly, the humble rice cooker is equipped to handle any type of rice grain so you won’t have to worry about precise temperatures. This is ideal if you like to experiment with a range of rice dishes, including risotto. Secondly, rice cookers are designed to regulate the cooking temperature, so this helps the rice retain its aromatic flavor, resulting in tastier rice. I also notice the steam makes the rice notably soft, compared with cooking on a stove or in an Instant Pot.
Although I did have good results in the Instant Pot Pro cooker, it still fell short of a rice cooker. In fact, I found cooking results in a few other Instant Pot models to be inconsistent, less fluffy or lacking flavor. Since these appliances are not specifically designed to cook rice like a rice cooker, the texture and taste are never as good. In any case, it takes a shorter time to cook white rice on a high setting, at just six minutes – compared to the 20 minutes of a rice cooker.
Rice cooker vs Instant Pot: Verdict
Deciding on which appliance to buy will largely depend on your cooking needs and tastes. If you find yourself often making favorite rice dishes, then you’ll certainly benefit from a rice cooker. These will set the correct temperature to ensure the perfect grain texture, and aromatic flavors should be consistent. However, although you can steam certain foods in a rice cooker, they are not as versatile as Instant Pot multi, pressure cookers or slow cookers — so you’ll be limited to what you can do.
Similarly, Instant Pots are better for cooking a wide variety of foods, besides steaming rice. However, since these are not dedicated rice cookers, quite often, the overall results won’t be as good.
If you want versatility and aren't so fussy when it comes to getting perfect rice every time, an Instant Pot will do the job and cook a variety of dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. However, if you want to guarantee delicious rice every time, the winner overall has to be the humble yet mighty rice cooker.
