Rice has always been the staple food for all Malaysians. Rice is always served with popular Malaysian food like curry, fried chicken, roast chicken, grilled meat, rendang and even satay. In short, Malaysians will not be able to live without rice!
For those who frequently cook at home, a good rice cooker is such a key kitchen appliance for you to prepare a great meal. Hence, it is important to understand your own needs and pick the best rice cooker accordingly.
What are the best rice cookers in Malaysia?
The best rice cookers should cook rice evenly and fluffy, with no crispy edges and no mushy centres. They should also keep warm and quick-cook features. A non-stick inner pot is also highly recommended.
The best rice cooker for most Malaysians is Tefal Easy Rice Cooker RK7321. It cooks rice perfectly, is affordable, and can serve up to 10 people.
Here are the 10 best rice cookers you can buy in Malaysia 2022, based on the different price ranges and unique features.
- Best-Rated Rice Cooker: Tefal Easy Rice Cooker RK732
- Best-Selling Rice Cooker: Philips Jar Rice Cooker HD3129
- Best Budget Rice Cooker: Toshiba Mechanical Rice Cooker
- Best Mini Rice Cooker: Tefal RK5001 Rice Cooker
- Best Smart Rice Cooker: Mijia Smart IH Rice Cooker
- Best Budget Smart Rice Cooker: Xiaomi Mijia Smart Rice Cooker
- Best Budget Large Rice Cooker: Pensonic 2.8L Rice Cooker PSR-2802
- Best Low Sugar Rice Cooker: Sinshiro Low Sugar Rice Cooker
- Best Stainless Steel Rice Cooker: Khind Anshin Rice Cooker 1.8L
- Best Digital Rice Cooker: Tefal Rice Xpress IH Rice Cooker RK7621
1. Tefal Easy Rice Cooker RK7321
Best-Rated Rice Cooker
Tefal RK732 rice cooker is the best value for a money rice cooker that suits most Malaysian households. It has a 1.8 litres capacity, nonstick inner pot, fuzzy logic, and 8 different cooking programmes. And it costs only RM179.
Tefal RK732 rice cooker specifications:
- Inner pot – 1.5mm aluminium non-stick inner pot
- Volume – 1.8L (10 cups)
- Features – fuzzy logic, dishwasher-safe, steam basket, keep warm
For many housewives in Malaysia, Tefal is the recognizable brand name synonym for best non-stick pans and cooking wares. There are hundreds of good reviews for this rice cooker, which is rated 5 out of 5 stars.
Tefal RK7321 comes with a spherical nonstick pot, steam basket, measuring up and other accessories.
For many reasons, I like Tefal RK7321, but mainly because it cooks rice fluffy and perfectly. In addition, it offers all the essential features of a great rice cooker.
- Just right capacity – this cooker is neither too big nor too small. It can cook up to 10 cups or 1.8 litres of rice which is enough serving for about 8 to 10 people.
- Spherical pot – Ensures an even distribution of heat. It is especially important when you are cooking half or a full pot of rice.
- Nonstick coating – Tefal uses 4 layers of coating including a non-stick coating for optimum durability.
- Fuzzy logic – This feature allows the rice cooker to sense cooking conditions (for example too much or too little water added) and adjust the cooking temperature as necessary.
- Multiple preset programmes – white rice, brown rice, porridge, quick-cooking/steam, slow cook/stew, reheat, start, keep warm (12 hours)
The Tefal RK7321 is the perfect rice cooker for cooking all types of rice to a delicious and soft consistency. The Fuzzy Logic feature and its unique spherical pot ensure optimal heating throughout the whole cooking process.
2. Philips Jar Rice Cooker HD3129
Best-Selling Rice Cooker
Philips HD3129 Rice Cooker is one of the best-selling rice cookers on Shopee. It has been sold for more than 5,300 units and received 3,300+ reviews. It is rated 4.9 out of 5.0 stars.
Philips Rice Cooker HD 3129 specifications:
- Inner pot – Extra thick 5 layers non-stick alloy pot
- Volume – 2.0L (14 people)
- Features – Smart 3D heating, steam basket, keep warm (48H)
The Philips HD3129 features a distinct red colour design. It comes with a steam basket, measuring cup, spatula. But its power cable is non-removable.
Its non-stick alloy inner pot is very durable and truly non-stick, according to many customers. And it has a very handy big handle at the side so it is very easy to remove the pot from the rice cooker.
The inner pot features advanced anti-scratch coating and copper outer coating that help retain heat better.
The rice is evenly cooked and no rice crust can be found at the edge or bottom, thanks to the smart 3D heating technology.
One customer said the rice was ready in less than 15 minutes for cooking a small portion of rice.
The Philips HD3129 also has an extra-long keep-warm function that can keep warm for up to 48 hours. Hence, it keeps the rice fresh for longer hours.
The Philips HD3129 is a 2.0L rice cooker that is ideal for large families with more than 10 to 14 family members.
3. Toshiba Mechanical Rice Cooker
Best Budget Rice Cooker
Toshiba Mechanical Rice Cooker RC-18JH1NMY is the best budget rice cooker in Malaysia. It is currently selling for only RM99. When it is on promotion with Shopee Coin cash back, you will be able to buy this rice cooker for less than RM90.
Toshiba RC-18JH1NMY Rice Cooker specifications:
- Inner pot – grey non-stick pot
- Volume – 1.8L
- Features – steam basket, keep warm (6H)
Toshiba RC-18JH1NMY is a very basic 1.8L rice cooker. It comes with a spatula, steam tray, measuring cup and a detachable power cord.
It only has a cook and warm function. It can only keep warm for up to 6 hours, which is much shorter than Philips HD3129’s 48 hours.
Though it is an affordable rice cooker, it is still able to cook rice nicely and there are no sticking issues. To avoid rice that burns, users just need to be more precise with the water used for cooking rice.
Most importantly, there’s no other branded 1.8L jar rice cooker that is selling at a similar price point as Toshiba RC-18JH1NMY Rice Cooker. It is recommended for those with a tight budget.
4. Tefal RK5001
Best Mini Rice Cooker
The Tefal RK5001 rice cooker is small and very space-saving. Although it is a mini rice cooker, it has all the features of a bigger rice cooker: a nonstick inner pot, a timer, and fuzzy logic.
Tefal RK5001 Rice Cooker specifications:
- Inner pot – 2.0mm inner pot with ceramic coating
- Volume – 0.6L (3 to 3.5 cups)
- Features – 3D heating, LCD display, 9 preset programmes, timer
Tefal RK5001 Rice Cooker is a mini rice cooker of 0.5 or 0.7L (3-4cups) capacity. Due to its small capacity, this rice cooker is perfect for college students, bachelors, and small families.
The size of Tefal RK5001 is very small. It is about half the size of a normal 1.5 litres rice cooker.
It has a 2.0mm inner pot covered with a diamond-shaped ceramic coating. This mini digital rice cooker boasts 9 functions, such as rice, quick-cook, steam, congee, instant noodles, porridge, brown rice, reheat, keep warm, and an adjustable timer.
Also, it has a built-in fuzzy logic technology that helps to cook perfect rice. It has a tightly fitting cover that helps maintain a consistent cooking temperature, which Tefal calls 3D-heating. The steam produced during the cooking process will circulate inside the pot and cook the rice evenly.
In my opinion, the Tefal RK5001 Mini Rice Cooker is highly recommended to purchase because it doesn’t have the flaws of other mini rice cookers.
For example, the Midea MG-GP06B 0.6L rice cooker that is selling for RM45 has issues like rice sticking to the inner pot, burnt rice at the bottom and uneven cooking.
5. Mijia Smart IH Rice Cooker
Best Smart Rice Cooker
Xiaomi IH smart rice cooker is the best value for money smart IH rice cooker. It uses induction heating technology and can be connected to WiFi.
Mijia Smart IH Rice Cooker specifications:
- Inner pot – 3.0mm inner pot with non-stick coating
- Volume – 3L (8 bowls of rice)
- Features – Induction heating (IH), app control, quick-cooking mode, timer
There are hardly any real smart rice cookers on the market as of yet. The majority of rice cookers only come with preset cooking programs and timers but without WiFi connectivity, so they aren’t “smart”.
Xiaomi is the only smart rice cooker that can connect to the internet and be controlled by a smartphone app. It contains hundreds of recipes because the recipes are downloadable from the app. There are even users who use it to bake cakes, cook desserts, and so on.
People who are busy can really benefit from a rice cooker that’s connected to WiFi. You may return home early some days and late some days. You can begin cooking the rice right before you leave your workplace.
The Xiaomi rice cooker comes with a spatula, measurement cup, and steam basket.
The white body of the Xiaomi rice cooker is clean and minimalistic. The inner lid is detachable, making it easy to clean. The inner port has a thickness of 3mm and is nonstick.
The Xiaomi smart rice cooker uses induction heating (IH) to cook rice. Rice cookers with this feature are usually sold for more than RM500 and above. An IH rice cooker heats up the entire inner pot evenly, so the rice cooks at the same rate in all directions. This prevents rice crust and raw rice issues.
You can use it for any type of rice: brown rice, basmati rice, sticky rice, sushi rice, jasmine rice or even quinoa.
There are a few downsides to the Xiaomi IH Smart Rice Cooker. First, it doesn’t come with a local UK/MY plug. You will need to use a plug adapter.
Secondly, the Xiaomi rice cooker does indeed cook the perfect rice, but it takes a very long time to cook. Its standard cooking time is 1 hour, while its quick-cooking mode takes 40 minutes.
Nonetheless, Xiaomi IH smart rice cooker 3L is the best smart rice cooker for millennials who like to invest in smart home gadgets.
6. Xiaomi Mijia Smart Rice Cooker DFB201CM
Best Budget Smart Rice Cooker
The Xiaomi DFB201CM is the best mini smart rice cooker. It is only selling for RM138, which is almost half of the price of the Xiaomi IH smart rice cooker.
Xiaomi DFB201CM Smart Rice Cooker 1.6L specifications:
- Inner pot – 1.7mm non-stick inner pot
- Volume – 1.6L (6 bowls of rice)
- Features – WiFi 2.4g, app control, timer
The reason Xiaomi Smart Rice Cooker 1.6L is cheaper is that it lacks a few key features of the IH model. This model uses conventional electric plate heating rather than induction heating (IH).
And its inner pot is thinner, only 1.7mm thick. It has 5 layers of coating including a non-stick PFA coating. So, it is very easy to clean.
Also, it is a bit inconvenient to connect to this rice cooker. You will have to switch to the Chinese Mainland region in your Mi Home.
Detailed steps as below on how to connect Xiaomi Smart Rice Cooker 1.6L to WiFi:
- Install Mi Home App from Google Play Store or Apple Appstore
- Register a Xiaomi account
- Go to setting, select region: Chinese Mainland
- WiFi needs to be set at 2.5Ghz on mobile
- Search for Mi Smart Rice Cooker 1.6L in the app
- Press the 1st and 3rd button simultaneously for 5 seconds to turn on the WiFi on the rice cooker
Once you are connected to WiFi, you can control the rice cooker remotely through the Mi Home app.
This rice cooker takes about 40 minutes to cook rice to perfection. There is no burnt rice or soggy rice.
The Xiaomi Smart Rice Cooker 1.6L cooks delicious rice every time without fail. Plus, it is very compact and affordable!
7. Pensonic 2.8L Rice Cooker PSR-2802
Best Budget Large Rice Cooker
Pensonic’s 2.8L Rice Cooker PSR-2802 is the best large rice cooker at an affordable price. This big rice cooker is enough for approximately 9 to 12 people.
Pensonic 2.8L Rice Cooker PSR-2802 specifications:
- Inner pot – Non-stick inner pot
- Volume – 2.8L (10 cups)
- Features – Keep warm, 1000W
Thanks to its capacity of 2.8L, this Pensonic rice cooker is ideal for preparing lots of rice when you are hosting a party.
In the box, it includes a steaming tray, rice scoop and measuring cup.
The inner box is coated with a basic non-stick coating. It is not as good as the one you find on Philips, Tefal and Xiaomi Rice cookers.
If you’re looking for a large family-use rice cooker, then Pensonic PSR-2802 will be a good choice.
8. Sinshiro Low Sugar Rice Cooker
Best Low Sugar Rice Cooker
Sinshiro Low Sugar Rice Cooker is the best sugar-reducing cooker that I don’t recommend anyone to buy. In fact, I don’t encourage buying low sugar or healthy rice cookers at all. Just controlling the serving size will be a significantly more efficient way to improve your health.
Sinshiro Low Sugar Rice Cooker specifications:
- Inner pot – Outer pot with non-stick ceramic coating, stainless steel inner pot
- Volume – 3L as stated by vendors (only 1.2L in actual)
- Features – 10 cooking menu, 24H appointment timer, low sugar cooking
Similar to any low sugar rice cooker, Sinshiro uses a double inner pot design to desugar the rice. The dual pot design is used to separate rice from the water.
As low-carb rice is steam cooked, manufacturers claim that some water containing carbohydrates will be drained from the rice basket through the small holes, thereby reducing carbohydrate content.
According to a report by consumer.org.hk, such a cooking method would only reduce 1% to 3% of starch. And at the same time, it reduces other nutrient content such as water-soluble vitamin B in the rice.
Hence, I don’t recommend buying a low sugar rice cooker regardless of the brand. And most low sugar rice cookers, eg: Toshiba, Corvan are really expensive. If you really want to try it out, you can get the Sinshiro Low Sugar Rice Cooker at only RM200.
9. Khind Anshin Rice Cooker 1.8L
Best Stainless Steel Rice Cooker
Khind Anshin rice cooker 1.8L is a rare rice cooker that comes with a high-quality stainless steel pot. It suits extremely health-conscious people as well as those who are rough with their cookware.
Khind Anshin Rice Cooker 1.8L specifications:
- Inner pot – Buffalo stainless steel pot
- Volume – 1.8L
- Features – ECO mode cooking
Khind, a local brand, has collaborated with Buffalo (famous for their stainless steel wok and pot) to launch the Anshin series rice cooker. Anshin(安心) means peace of mind in Chinese.
So, you don’t need to worry about any harmful substances when cooking rice with it.
It is an old-fashioned conventional rice cooker with a stainless steel inner pot.
Since this is a basic rice cooker, you could get rice crust and uneven cooking results if you don’t put in the correct amount of water.
As a result of the lack of non-stick coating, rice will also stick to the pot. Luckily, you don’t have to worry about damaging the pot surface when you scrub the inner pot because stainless steel is very durable.
This cooker has an ‘ECO’ mode, in which the power supply will automatically cut off when the rice is nearly cooked, thus saving electricity. The heat from the inner pot will continue to cook the rice to its perfection.
The Khind Anshin Rice Cooker is not for everyone as it is really expensive considering that it is just a conventional rice cooker. The main selling point of it is the Buffalo stainless steel inner pot. If you’re fine with a less-premium stainless steel pot, you can check out the Primada Smart Rice Cooker PSCL301.
10. Tefal Rice Xpress IH Rice Cooker RK7621
Best Digital Rice Cooker
Tefal Rice Cooker RK7621 is the best digital rice cooker with induction heating and express cook technology.
Tefal Rice Xpress IH Rice Cooker RK7621 specifications:
- Inner pot – 3mm thick spherical, non-stick pot
- Volume – 1.5L (8 cups)
- Features – Xpress Cook Technology, 3mm spherical pot, 12 cooking programs, 24 hours delayed start
It features an innovative Xpress Cook Technology that accelerates cooking time up to 2 times faster thanks to air injection that allows continuous boiling during the whole cooking process. It can cook 3 cups of rice in less than 20 minutes!
Not only that, this rice cooker is very versatile. It comes with 12 cooking programs: 9 Xpress programs and 3 normal programs, as below:
- Brown rice
- White rice
- Jasmine rice
- Mixed rice
- Japanese rice
- Glutinous rice
- Congee
- Soup
- Steam
- Clay pot
- Reheat
- 1-cup rice
You can rely on the Tefal Rice Xpress IH Rice Cooker to cook rice perfectly every time. And most importantly, it saves a lot of waiting time.
However, this rice cooker costs over RM629 and surely isn’t fit for everyone’s budget. You could have bought a usual rice cooker and a pressure cooker at this price. So, make sure you budget wisely before you make a purchase.
Competitions
Cuckoo Rice Cooker Review
Cuckoo has a few budget models such as the Cuckoo CR-0675F, CR-0810F, CR1055 and CR0671V. They are priced between RM120 to RM260. Cuckoo products have always had a good design. Apart from that, there aren’t any other noteworthy features on its rice cooker.
It is better to buy rice cookers from Tefal, Philips or even Xiaomi.
Rice Cooker FAQ
Which rice cooker brand is the best in Malaysia?
The best rice cooker brands in Malaysia are Tefal and Philips. Both of the brands produce high-quality rice cookers that cook rice evenly and nicely.
In addition, they use non-stick pots that are easy to maintain and clean.
Is Tefal a good rice cooker brand?
Yes, Tefal is a good rice cooker brand. Tefal rice cookers stand out with their thick, non-stick, spherical inner pot that cooks rice to perfection each and every time.
How do I choose a rice cooker?
A good rice cooker should use a quality non-stick inner pot that is thick. A thin inner pot will result in uneven cooking.
Jar type rice cooker is preferred over traditional rice cooker as they can retain the heat better.
IH rice cooker is the most advanced rice cooker that cooks the fluffiest and best-tasting rice.
I have not used any of the rice cooker mentioned here. LOL 😀
You should really try one someday. A good rice cooker makes a lot of difference, which I wasn’t aware of as well until I bought the Xiaomi IH smart rice cooker.
It is really worth it. It cooks rice nicely and is super easy to clean.