Rice cookers come in a variety of sizes. Brands advertise different sizes and capacities, like 4 cups, 8 cups, and 10 cups. How do you know which size is right for you?
Brands base the listed Rice cooker cup size on how many cups of uncooked white rice the cooker can hold. Additionally, a rice cooker comes with a measuring cup. This measuring cup equals ¾ cup US rather than a full cup. Read on to learn how to choose the right rice cooker and use the measuring cup included in your purchase.
What Size Rice Cooker Should You Choose?
Rice cookers come in different sizes, determined by how much dry rice they can hold. The smallest rice cookers hold 2 cups, while larger rice cookers advertise holding up to 10 cups. These maximum cup sizes are for dry white rice, not cooked rice or brown rice. Brown rice expands differently than white rice, so your rice cooker may not be able to hold as much brown rice as white rice.
Choose the size of your rice cooker based on the following
1. How many people are in your family, or how many people do you usually feed?
2. How much rice does each person eat?
- 4-cup rice cooker: feeds 1-4 people
- 5-cup rice cooker: feeds 1-5 people
- 7-cup rice cooker: feeds 1-7 people
- 10-cup rice cooker: feeds 1-10 people
Rice typically doubles in cups as it cooks—for example, two cups of uncooked rice yields four cups of cooked rice. If you usually cook for four people, a four or five-cup rice cooker will suit your needs. If you often cook for a crowd or love storing leftovers, go for a bigger model.
How To Measure Rice For Your Rice Cooker
We measure rice by volume rather than weight. Why? Rice grains all have different weights. The weight of each grain depends on the following:
- Grain thickness and length
- How much moisture is in the grain
- The age of the rice crop
For example, a cup of fresh brown rice may weigh more than an aged crop of jasmine rice. Using a fixed measuring cup, like the one included with your cooker, ensures you always get the correct amount of rice. Remember that the correct rice-to-water ratio is essential for fluffy, moist rice.
The Measuring Cup That Comes With Your Cooker
Most rice cookers come with a plastic measuring cup. This cup is usually ¾ cup (180 ml) US rather than a full cup. The size of this cup hails from Japanese culture. The cup, or gō, was a Japanese unit of measure. In 1891, it was standardized and used for a serving of rice or a cup of sake. The gō is no longer a standard unit of measure, but these 180 ml cups are usually included with rice cookers.
4 Steps to Measure the Correct Amount of Rice For Your Rice Cooker
Here’s how I measure rice for my rice cooker so I get the correct amount of rice each time.
1. I dip my measuring cup into my container or bag of rice.
2. I overfill it so that the rice grains are slightly higher than the edges of the cup.
3. I take a butter knife and level off the grains.
4. I rinse the rice and add it to my cooker.
I repeat the steps above if I need more than one cup of rice. I’m careful never to overfill my cooker. If you add too much rice and water, your cooker may boil over.
How To Use Your Rice Cooker Without A Measuring Cup
Maybe your cooker didn’t come with a measuring cup, or perhaps you’ve misplaced your cup. Here are three ways to use your rice cooker without the rice measuring cup.
Use Any Cup You Have
White rice and water need a 1:1 ratio. So, use any cup you have and add 1 cup of white rice with 1 cup of water. I’ll admit I prefer my white rice with more water, so I sometimes add 1 ¼ cups of water for a little extra moisture. Cook as directed by your rice cooker manual.
Brown rice needs a 1:2 ratio of rice and water. So, add 1 cup of brown rice with 2 cups of water. If you’d like to make more, double those amounts and add 2 cups of brown rice with 4 cups of water. Cook as directed by your rice cooker manual.
Use Your Knuckles
Touch your index finger to the bottom of the inner pot of your rice cooker. Fill the pot with rice until it’s even with the first knuckle on your finger. Rinse and drain your rice. Then, fill the pot with water until it reaches the second knuckle of your finger. Cook as normal.
Use A Regular Measuring Cup
Add ¾ cup white rice to ¾ cup water. For brown rice, add ¾ brown rice to 1 ½ cups water. Cook as directed by your rice cooker.
How Long to Cook Rice in a Rice Cooker
For best results, follow the instructions in your rice cooker manual. Below are suggested times for cooking white and brown rice in a rice cooker.
1 cup:
- White Rice: 30 minutes
- Brown Rice: 55 minutes
2 cups:
- White Rice: 33 minutes
- Brown Rice: 58 minutes
3 cups:
- White Rice: 36 minutes
- Brown Rice: 63 minutes
4 cups:
- White Rice: 38 minutes
- Brown Rice: 70 minutes
If you have a large cooker, refer to the instruction manual for cooking times. If you’re short on time, use minute rice in your rice cooker!
Final Thoughts
Rice cookers come in different volume sizes. These cup sizes refer to the maximum amount of dry white rice the cooker can accommodate. The measuring cup included with your rice cooker equals ¾ cup US. If you don’t have that measuring cup, you can still use your rice cooker by following one of the abovementioned methods.
