Best Rice Cookers UK

Our verdict at a glance – four ways to choose Best budget: Russell Hobbs 27040 at around £29.79, with a 14-portion capacity and dishwasher-safe parts. Best for one or two: Lakeland 2 Portion Mini Electric Rice Cooker at around £34.99, with a 500ml pan and delay function. Best multi-function: Cosori Rice Cooker 5L at around £119.99, with 9 rice presets plus steam, slow cook and sauté. Best premium: Yum Asia Sakura at around £139.90, with seven-phase fuzzy logic and grain-specific settings.

Rice is one of those staples that looks simple and still goes wrong on the hob. The pan boils over, the base catches, or the grains turn out gluey one night and hard the next. A dedicated rice cooker takes the guesswork out by measuring, heating and switching to keep-warm on its own, which is why so many households keep one on the worktop for weeknight dinners, batch cooking and packed lunches.

The UK market splits into a few clear groups. Basic on-and-off cookers cost around £30 and do one job well. Mini cookers suit one or two people. Fuzzy logic and multi-function models cost more, but they also handle brown rice, porridge, steaming and slow cooking. If you would rather have one machine that does far more than rice, it is worth looking at our guide to the best multi-cookers UK 2026 before you decide.

This round-up covers four rice cookers with active listings on Amazon UK: a large budget family model, a compact single-portion cooker, a 5 litre multi-function cooker and a premium fuzzy logic model. Capacities, wattages, dimensions and prices below come from the current listings, so check the box beneath each section for the latest price before you buy.

Russell Hobbs 27040 Rice Cooker – best budget rice cooker for families

The Russell Hobbs 27040 is the simplest way into rice cooking. It is listed at around £29.79, which makes it one of the cheapest full-size cookers from a well-known UK brand. The listing describes a 2kg capacity that cooks up to 14 servings of rice at 145g per serving, and the bowl holds up to 1.8 litres. That is plenty for a family of four with leftovers, or for hosting friends.

It runs at 500W and works as a one-touch cooker: add rice and water, press down the switch, and the cooker keeps the rice warm automatically once it has finished. There is no display, no menu and no delay timer. For plain white rice, that simplicity is a strength, because there is very little to learn and very little to break.

Practicality is where it scores well for the price. The removable non-stick bowl and the glass lid are both listed as dishwasher safe, and the box includes a steamer basket, measuring cup and spoon. The steamer basket means vegetables or fish can cook above the rice, which turns the cooker into a basic one-pot meal maker. Russell Hobbs lists a two-year guarantee, with an extra year when the product is registered online.

Size is the main consideration. The listing gives dimensions of 24.5cm deep, 32.2cm wide and 22.6cm high, and a weight of around 1.87kg, so it needs a decent patch of worktop, although it is light enough to store in a cupboard between uses. Because it lacks brown rice or porridge programs, it suits people who cook mainly white or basmati rice and want a reliable, low-cost machine.

Lakeland 2 Portion Mini Electric Rice Cooker – best mini rice cooker for one or two

Full-size cookers are wasteful for a single person, and this is the problem the Lakeland mini cooker solves. It is listed at around £34.99 and is built for one or two portions of white or brown rice. The lift-out non-stick pan holds 500ml, and the listing gives dimensions of 14.5cm deep, 19cm wide and 16.5cm high, so it fits easily on a shelf or into a small kitchen.

Unlike the cheapest basic cookers, it has an LED panel and a delay function. The delay function is the useful extra, since it lets you set the cooker in advance so rice or morning porridge is ready when you are. The listing describes it as suitable for both white and brown rice, which is a step up from a plain on-and-off switch. It is rated at 250W, so it draws little power.

It is a sensible choice for students, people cooking for themselves, or anyone who wants a small second cooker for side portions. The pan is small, so it is not the right pick if you regularly cook for three or more people. Lakeland lists a return window of up to three years when bought from Lakeland with proof of purchase, and the pan is listed as hand wash, so allow for that when cleaning.

At a similar price to some full-size cookers, the mini model is not the cheapest way to cook rice. What you pay for is the compact footprint, the timer and the smaller portion sizes that stop rice going to waste.

Cosori Rice Cooker 5L – best multi-function rice cooker

The Cosori 5 litre cooker is closer to a compact multi-cooker than a basic rice pot. It is listed at around £119.99 and offers fuzzy logic control across a seven-step cooking process, with presets for white rice, sushi rice and brown rice. The listing describes it as a 17-in-1 appliance, with 9 rice presets and 8 other functions including steam, slow cook and sauté, plus a delay timer and keep-warm setting.

Power and size set it apart from the cheaper models. It is listed at 970W with a 5 litre capacity, and a Quick Rice feature that cooks white rice faster at 1000W according to the listing. That makes it a good fit for larger households or for anyone who likes to cook rice alongside soups, stews or porridge in the same machine.

The inner pot has a ceramic coating and the listing describes the parts as dishwasher safe, which helps with cleaning up after starchy rice. The dimensions are 31.2cm deep, 26.9cm wide and 23.4cm high, and the weight is around 4.22kg. This is a serious worktop appliance rather than something to lift in and out of a cupboard daily, so it makes most sense if you will use it several times a week.

It costs around four times as much as the Russell Hobbs, so the extra outlay only makes sense if you will actually use the additional programs. If you plan to cook mostly white rice, the simpler model does the same job for much less. If you want slow cooking, steaming and grain settings in one machine, this is the more flexible buy.

Yum Asia Sakura Rice Cooker – best premium fuzzy logic rice cooker

The Yum Asia Sakura is the most specialised cooker here. It is listed at around £139.90 and is built around what the brand calls advanced fuzzy logic, with a computer-controlled seven-phase cooking process. The listing points to separate settings for white or long grain, short grain or sushi, and brown rice, so the cooker adjusts the heating for different types of grain.

Capacity is listed as 8 cups of uncooked rice, or 1.5 litres, suitable for one to eight people. It is rated at 860W and includes a 24-hour timer and keep-warm function. Beyond rice, the listing describes settings for steaming, porridge, casserole, soup, cake baking, crust (tahdig), slow cooking and yoghurt, which makes it more versatile than the price alone suggests.

The inner bowl is a five-layer, 2mm ceramic-coated bowl with printed water level lines and easy-lift handles, and the box includes a steam basket, measuring cup, spatula, spatula holder and soup ladle. The control panel is a touch panel with an LED display and a ten-minute countdown on the rice functions. It arrives with a detachable UK plug and a two-year manufacturer warranty.

The listing gives dimensions of 41cm deep, 32cm wide and 26cm high, with a weight of around 2kg, so leave room for it. This is the choice for people who eat rice most days, care about texture and want a machine that treats sushi rice and brown rice differently. For occasional use, it is more cooker than most kitchens need.

How to choose a rice cooker

Capacity

Manufacturers list capacity in cups, portions or litres, and the three do not line up neatly. As a rough guide, a 500ml pan suits one or two people, a 1.5 litre bowl suits a small family, and 1.8 litres or more gives family-size batches. Buy a size up if you like to cook extra for lunches.

Simple switch or fuzzy logic

A basic cooker heats until the water is absorbed and then clicks to keep-warm. Fuzzy logic models use sensors and a program that adjusts heat through several phases. The difference shows most with brown rice, sushi rice and small batches, and less with everyday long grain rice.

Bowl coating and cleaning

Non-stick and ceramic-coated bowls make cleaning easier. Check whether the bowl and lid are dishwasher safe, and use a plastic or wooden spoon so the coating lasts.

Rice cooker FAQ

Is a rice cooker worth it if you already have a hob?

For many people, yes. A cooker measures the heat and time for you, so the rice comes out consistently without watching the pan. It also frees up a hob ring, which helps when cooking curries or stir fries at the same time.

How much does a good rice cooker cost in the UK?

Basic cookers such as the Russell Hobbs 27040 cost around £30. The compact Lakeland mini cooker is around £35. Multi-function and fuzzy logic models, such as the Cosori at around £120 and the Yum Asia Sakura at around £140, cost noticeably more.

Can a rice cooker cook anything besides rice?

Most models with a steamer basket, including the Russell Hobbs, can steam vegetables or fish above the rice. The Cosori and the Yum Asia Sakura go further, with slow cook, soup, porridge and cake settings listed.

Which rice cooker is best for one person?

The Lakeland 2 Portion Mini Electric Rice Cooker is the most compact option here, with a 500ml pan and a delay function. It costs around £34.99 and takes up very little space.

Is a fuzzy logic rice cooker necessary?

Not if you mostly cook white or basmati rice. Fuzzy logic earns its price if you regularly cook brown rice, sushi rice or other grains and want more consistent results.

Getting better rice from any cooker

Whichever model you choose, a few habits make a bigger difference than the price tag. Rinse the rice in cold water until it runs mostly clear, especially basmati and other long grain varieties, to wash off surface starch that makes grains stick together. Use the measuring cup supplied with the cooker and the water level lines inside the bowl, because the two are calibrated together and a standard kitchen cup is a different size.

Leave the lid closed while cooking and, once the cooker clicks to keep-warm, let the rice rest for ten minutes or so before fluffing it with a plastic or wooden paddle. That resting time lets moisture spread evenly through the grains. Metal utensils can scratch non-stick and ceramic bowls, so stick to the spatula or spoon that comes in the box.

Keep-warm settings are designed for a couple of hours, not a whole day. If rice is going to sit longer than that, it is safer to cool it quickly, refrigerate it and reheat it until it is piping hot. Rice cookers are also handy for batch cooking, since a large-capacity model can make enough for several meals in one go, ready to portion and chill.

Which type of rice cooker suits your kitchen?

If you cook rice a couple of times a week for a family, a large basic cooker such as the Russell Hobbs is hard to beat on value. If space is tight or you cook for yourself, the Lakeland mini cooker avoids the waste of cooking a big batch. If you want to replace a slow cooker or steamer as well, the Cosori covers those jobs from a single bowl, and the Yum Asia Sakura is the specialist option for people who care about grain-specific programs.

Think also about storage. Every one of these cookers takes up worktop or cupboard space, and the larger ones are noticeably bulkier, so measure the spot where it will live before you order.

The final word

For most households, the Russell Hobbs 27040 at around £29.79 is the sensible starting point: a large capacity, dishwasher-safe parts and a steamer basket for very little money. Choose the Lakeland mini cooker at around £34.99 if you cook for one or two, the Cosori 5L at around £119.99 if you want a rice cooker that also slow cooks and steams, and the Yum Asia Sakura at around £139.90 if rice is on the menu most days and grain-specific settings matter to you.

Whichever you pick, match the capacity to the number of people you cook for, and only pay extra for programs you will genuinely use.

Related guides

If you are still deciding, these related Kitchen Kit guides are worth a look:

• Best multi-cookers UK
• Best slow cookers UK
• Instant Pot vs Ninja Foodi
• Instant Pot Duo Crisp review
• Tefal Cook4Me Touch review
• Best egg boilers UK