Instant Pot vs Rice Cooker Comparison

What Is a Rice Cooker?

A rice cooker is designed to do one thing—but to do that thing perfectly. If you’re like me and often mess up cooking rice on the stove, then a rice cooker can feel like a miracle. You’ll never have the problem of undercooked or overcooked rice again.

I first came across a rice cooker when I was in university. One of my friends from Korea had one in her dorm. I still remember the first time I ate rice cooked in a rice cooker—there was no going back after that.

A rice cooker’s job is simple: you add rice and water, and it prepares perfect rice for you. If you ask anyone who eats rice regularly, they’ll tell you how essential it is.

Nowadays, there are rice cookers that can even prepare brown rice, porridge, sushi rice, or oatmeal with extra settings. Some models also come with a steam tray, allowing you to cook vegetables or dumplings at the same time. This saves time and gives you a complete meal in one go.

Why I Like Rice Cookers

Personally, I’ve been using rice cookers for many years, and I love how consistent they are. Most rice cookers come with markings inside the pot that show how much water to add. If you like your rice warm, the “keep warm” feature is perfect—it keeps rice soft and prevents it from drying out.

I recommend getting one with an auto shut-off and overheat protection. I often forget to turn off my cooker, and honestly, these features have saved my meals more than once! Most rice cookers also have a non-stick inner pot, making them super easy to clean.

Pros of a Rice Cooker

• Consistent results every time—cooks each grain evenly and perfectly
• Super easy to use—just add rice and water, then press a button
• No guessing with the water-to-rice ratio—comes with markings or a guide
• Some modern rice cookers can also cook porridge, oats, and steam vegetables
• Safety features like auto shut-off and overheat protection
• Cheaper compared to Instant Pots or multi-cookers

Cons of a Rice Cooker

• Takes longer to cook compared to an Instant Pot
• Has limited functions—mainly focused on rice and similar grains

Types of Rice Cookers

Electric Rice Cookers

The most common type is the electric rice cooker. They’re simple to use and cook rice evenly using heating plates or induction.
Modern rice cookers often include timer settings, automatic shut-off, and “keep warm” features. Some high-end models even adjust heat and cooking time automatically for different types of rice.

Gas Rice Cookers

These are mostly used in restaurants or large kitchens. They’re great for cooking big batches and are faster than typical home versions.

What Can You Cook in a Rice Cooker?

Rice cookers today aren’t limited to just cooking rice. You can make oatmeal, porridge, quinoa, or even steam vegetables and dumplings.
It’s also common to see students using them in dorms for soups, noodles, or even small cakes (yes—cake in a rice cooker actually works!).

The Best Rice Cooker Reviews

Instant Pot vs. Rice Cooker – What’s the Difference?

Safety

Like everyone else, safety is the first thing I look for when buying anything for my kitchen. Both rice cookers and Instant Pots are safe, but if I have to choose one, it would be the Instant Pot. The visible steam valves give you a sense of security and full control. You can see and hear the steam release, which helps you decide when it’s safe to open the lid.

When I used it for the first time, I was a little anxious about the pressure build-up. But the way the lid locks securely and the steam releases automatically reassured me about its safety. Instant Pots are designed so that hot steam escapes safely before you open them.

On the other hand, rice cookers are generally safe too — you just need to be patient. Since they don’t have a pressure valve, it’s hard to tell if there’s still hot steam inside. The best rule is to wait about 10 minutes before opening the lid. This helps you avoid any unexpected burst of hot air.

What you can cook

When it comes to what you can cook, the Instant Pot is the clear winner because of its versatility. I use it for my everyday cooking — not only for rice but also for soups, stews, curries, and more. The Instant Pot feels like a mini kitchen on its own. You just press a button, and your meal is ready in no time.

The rice cooker, on the other hand, is dedicated to one specific task — cooking rice. Some newer models allow you to cook oatmeal or porridge, but that’s about it. So once again, the Instant Pot clearly wins when it comes to the variety of meals you can make.

Process of Cooking

The way an Instant Pot and a rice cooker work is very different. The Instant Pot uses high-pressure steam, which allows it to cook rice in about 4–5 minutes. I still remember the first time I cooked rice in it — it beeped after just five minutes, and I thought something had gone wrong!

A rice cooker, on the other hand, takes its time. It gently simmers, and the steam slowly cooks the grains until they’re perfectly soft. I don’t know why, but rice cooked in a rice cooker always reminds me of my mom’s cooking — the aroma and slow process bring back a lot of childhood memories.

Cleaning Up

The Instant Pot is very easy to clean. It has a stainless steel inner pot that doesn’t scratch easily and is dishwasher-safe. As I mentioned in my Lux model review, cleaning the sealing ring can be a bit of a challenge. I usually soak it in vinegar water to get rid of any lingering food smells.

Most rice cookers come with a detachable inner pot, which makes cleaning simple. However, some models don’t have a removable pan, and those are quite hard to clean.
Some affordable models use Teflon nonstick coatings, which make cleaning super easy — but I personally don’t prefer those.

Instant Pot or Rice Cooker: Which one to buy?

Both rice cookers and Instant Pots are great, but choosing one depends on what and how often you cook.

If you want something simple, reliable, and affordable that makes perfect rice every time, go for a rice cooker.

If you want an appliance that can handle multiple cooking tasks and don’t mind paying a little extra, then the Instant Pot is worth it. You can cook almost anything in it — and it’s not just fast but also surprisingly good at preparing a wide range of dishes, thanks to its pre-programmed modes.