A question that I often get asked is which size of rice cooker to buy. Is a 3 cup rice cooker too small? Is a 20 cup rice cooker too big? I only need to cook a small amount or I eat lots of rice every day – which is the best one for me?
Well, a 3 cup rice cooker is a great size for many households and is , typically, the smallest size cooker you can buy. You may be tempted to purchase a larger rice cooker for those times when you are entertaining or when you have the extended family around, but I would advise you to rethink this.
Buying a smaller rice cooker that will serve your needs the majority of time actually makes sense.
They Save Space
With counter tops being cluttered with an increasing selection of small appliances, it makes sense to conserve this valuable real estate by avoiding large bulky items. So, while purchasing a 10 cup rice cooker may seem like the best choice , many people are surprised by their large size, and you can quickly tire of looking at such a large scale piece of kit sitting (and getting in the way) permanently on your counter top. Storage is also a problem, especially in smaller houses or apartments where cupboard space can be limited.
They Save Money
If you have even had a cursory look around the stores or online for a 3 cup rice cooker you will have noticed the large price differential across different makes and models. Take, for example, a rice cooker at the high end of the scale – in this case the Zojirushi, and compare that to one at the low end (the Black and Decker 3 Cup),and its easy to see where the extra money goes. The Zojirushi has additional features and technology and is easier to use and gives better results. Is it worth the extra $150 or so? Only you will be able to make that decision but it goes to show that even when looking at smaller devices such as 3 cup rice cookers you need to do your due diligence before buying.
Top of the Range – Zojirushi 3 Cup Rice Cooker
The Zojirushi 3-cup rice cooker (Zojirushi NS-LGC05XB ) sells for around $150 and is considered the Cadillac of rice cookers. Among the many features that make these models so popular even with the relatively high price tag is the onboard tech known as “Micom Neuro Fuzzy”. I have discussed this before, and it’s great. Essentially, it allows the cook to make adjustments throughout the cooking process to ensure that the rice is perfect every time. This advanced feature allows you to cook any variety of rice, be it jasmine, white basmati, brown basmati, or brown/white mixes, with ease. No longer do you have to experiment to determine the proper cooking times for different varieties of rice – just select the program and sit back.
Another feature that many people love about the Zojirushi 3-cup rice cooker is the timer and automatic warmer. You can set up the cooker in the morning before work and come home to perfectly cooked rice.
- Compact: With its compact size and ability to cook as little as 1/2 a cup of rice or oats, this rice cooker is ideal for small families or couples
- Steel Cut Oatmeal Menu Setting: This is a special menu setting for cooking steel-cut oatmeal. The cooking flow is different than the regular Porridge setting and has a shorter completion time
- Brown or GABA Brown Menu Setting: The Brown Rice Activation (or GABA Brown Setting) activates brown rice by keeping the temperature inside the pan at about 104 degrees F for 2 hours. By activating brown rice, GABA, one of the nutrients contained in brown rice, increases its amount by 1.5 times as much as that contained in non-activated brown rice
- Long Grain White Menu Setting: This is a special menu setting for cooking long-grain white rice. The cooking flow is different than the White rice setting because long-grain white rice cooks differently than short or medium-grain white rice
- Easy to Transport and Hassle Free Storing: It can be transported easily with the help of a fold-down handle. The built-in retractable power cord makes moving and storing hassle-free
Budget Range – Black & Decker 3 Cup
At the other end of the price scale, the Black & Decker 3-cup rice cooker retails for about $15 – which is one of the lowest prices you will find any cooker. However, in spite of the low price many owners have found that this cooker serves their needs just fine, If you cook the same quantity and type of rice on a daily basis, and have no need for such features as timers, warmers, and computer controls, then this will probably be ideal for you. The Black and Decker is a basic cooker that has a good track record for reliability and longevity and, while the quality of the pan and the non-stick coating is not up to par with the Zojirushi, its well built, comes with a good warranty and will definitely last you for many years. It only has 2 settings – cook and warm – but really, for simple rice dishes, that’s enough.
- 3-Cup Cooked Rice Capacity – Makes 1 to 3 cups of cooked rice (white rice), perfect for small meals, sides, or leftovers. Max capacity: 1.5 cups of uncooked rice using the included cup. Do not fill past the highest water line in the pot.
- Use Only Included Measuring Cup – Comes with a 3/4 cup rice measuring cup (not a standard kitchen cup). For best results, only use this cup to measure dry rice. See product images for rice-to-water ratios, cook times, and final yield.
- Automatic Keep Warm – After cooking, the rice cooker automatically switches to “Keep Warm”, so your rice stays hot and ready to serve without overcooking.
- Nonstick Pot & Steam Basket – Features a nonstick, removable inner pot for easy cleanup and a steaming basket for preparing vegetables, seafood, or dumplings while rice cooks below.
- Compact & Convenient – Space-saving design: 10 x 9.0 x 5.5 inches, 120V ~ 200W. Includes a nonstick-safe plastic spoon and easy-to-follow user manual with care and cooking tips.
Honorable mention – 3 Cup Rice Cooker With Steamer
The Aroma Housewares 3-Cup Uncooked Pot Style Rice Cooker and Food Steamer in white gets an honorable mention here because it’s such good value for money. For around $20 you get a reliable no-frills rice cooker from a trusted brand. There’s no fancy tech on this device – just a cook and warm switch – but with a stainless steel steamer pot thrown in, there’s no wonder this cheap and cheerful rice cooker has almost 20,000 positive reviews on Amazon.
- 3-Cup Cooked Rice Capacity – Makes 1 to 3 cups of cooked rice (white rice), perfect for small meals, sides, or leftovers. Max capacity: 1.5 cups of uncooked rice using the included cup. Do not fill past the highest water line in the pot.
- Use Only Included Measuring Cup – Comes with a 3/4 cup rice measuring cup (not a standard kitchen cup). For best results, only use this cup to measure dry rice. See product images for rice-to-water ratios, cook times, and final yield.
- Automatic Keep Warm – After cooking, the rice cooker automatically switches to “Keep Warm”, so your rice stays hot and ready to serve without overcooking.
- Nonstick Pot & Steam Basket – Features a nonstick, removable inner pot for easy cleanup and a steaming basket for preparing vegetables, seafood, or dumplings while rice cooks below.
- Compact & Convenient – Space-saving design: 10 x 9.0 x 5.5 inches, 120V ~ 200W. Includes a nonstick-safe plastic spoon and easy-to-follow user manual with care and cooking tips.
Final Thoughts
Choosing which 3-cup rice cooker to buy comes down to a number of different things. If you have the need for the advanced features that are included in cookers such as the Zojirushi, then the extra money is a worthwhile investment. For many of us though, the final decision will not be so much based on features, but it will be on price, and, in that case, there are lots of great 3-cup rice cookers available for under $40. One final thought, though, in my opinion, a rice cooker is a visible addition to your kitchen as, most of the time it sits on the counter top so it pays to have one that looks good – and for my money, you cannot beat the looks of the Zojirushi.
Take care.
Hopefully, you enjoyed this post and, if you would like to find out more great ways to use your rice cooker, I have posts covering how to cook pasta, fish, or even lentils. Who knew that a rice cooker could be so versatile ?!
Last update on 2025-10-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
