Non-Toxic Rice Cookers: Stainless Steel, Steam & Clay Options
Almost every rice cooker on the shelf has a nonstick inner pot, and ours had started to scratch. It took some digging to find good options with uncoated stainless or clay pots, so here they are in one place.
A scratched nonstick pot is a good reason to replace a rice cooker. If you want to avoid coatings, you have three options: a stainless inner pot, an indirect-heat steam cooker, or clay. You can also cook rice in a stainless pot or an Instant Pot with a stainless pot.
Honest trade-off: rice sticks more to stainless steel than to nonstick. Rinse the rice, use the right amount of water, let it rest 10 minutes after cooking, and soak the pot before washing.
Rice cookers with stainless steel pots
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Illustrative photos, not the actual products. Tap a photo to see that pick on Amazon.
Aroma Select Stainless 6-Cup Rice Cooker (ARC-753SG)
A simple one-switch rice cooker with a stainless steel inner pot instead of the usual nonstick one, plus a glass lid.
Why we picked these
- Aroma Select Stainless 6-Cup Rice Cooker (ARC-753SG) Stainless inner pot A simple one-switch rice cooker with a stainless steel inner pot instead of the usual nonstick one, plus a glass lid. Worth knowing: The outer body is plastic, and rice can stick to stainless; soak the pot before washing.
- Elite Gourmet 6-Cup Rice Cooker with Stainless Pot Budget stainless pot An inexpensive switch-style rice cooker with a stainless steel cooking pot and glass lid. Worth knowing: Expect a bit of sticking on the bottom with stainless.
- Buffalo Stainless Steel Inner Pot Rice Cooker, 5 Cup Clad stainless pot A pricier small rice cooker built around a stainless steel inner pot rather than a coated one. Worth knowing: The listing also uses the word non-stick, so read the pot description carefully before buying.
- Aroma Select Stainless 14-Cup Rice Cooker (ARC-757SG) Bigger, with steamer tray A larger switch-style rice cooker with a stainless inner pot, glass lid and a steamer tray for vegetables. Worth knowing: Check the listing for the steam tray material.
On these the body and some lid parts are plastic. What matters most is the pot touching the rice.
Indirect-steam & clay cookers
Illustrative photos, not the actual products. Tap a photo to see that pick on Amazon.
Tatung TAC-06KN 6-Cup Indirect Heat Multi-Cooker
Tatung's Taiwanese indirect-heat cooker steams rice in a stainless inner pot sitting in water in an outer pot.
Why we picked these
- Tatung TAC-06KN 6-Cup Indirect Heat Multi-Cooker Classic steam cooker Tatung's Taiwanese indirect-heat cooker steams rice in a stainless inner pot sitting in water in an outer pot. Families have used them for decades. Worth knowing: In many models the outer pot is aluminum and the food sits in the stainless inner pot, so check the listing for your model.
- Tatung 11-Cup Indirect Heat Multi-Cooker Family-size steam cooker The bigger Tatung for families. It steams rice, soups and buns with one switch and has a stainless inner pot. Worth knowing: Same caveat as the small Tatung: check whether the outer pot is aluminum.
- VitaClay Clay Pot Rice & Multi Cooker Unglazed clay pot An electric cooker with an unglazed clay inner pot for rice, stews and broth, if you'd like clay instead of metal. Worth knowing: Clay needs gentle care. Avoid soap soaking and sudden temperature changes.
- Japanese Donabe Clay Rice Cooker, 2-Rice-Cup Stovetop clay pot A traditional Japanese donabe for cooking rice on a gas stovetop. It's beautiful, has no electronics and makes a nice crust at the bottom. Worth knowing: Donabe need seasoning before first use and won't work on induction or most glass-top stoves.
Tatung cookers steam food in a stainless inner pot that sits inside an outer pot. On many models that outer pot is aluminum and doesn't touch your food, but check your model. Clay pots need gentle care: no sudden temperature changes, and follow the seasoning instructions.
Food safety tip
Cooked rice shouldn't sit at room temperature for hours. Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate them in glass, and reheat until steaming hot.
