Basic Rice Cooker Method

  1. 1

    Use the rice cooker’s measuring cup

    Most rice cookers come with a measuring cup that is smaller than a standard cup (typically 150–180ml rather than 240ml). Use this cup exclusively for both measuring rice and water — the water level markings on the inner bowl are calibrated to this cup size.

  2. 2

    Rinse the rice

    Place rice in the inner bowl, fill with cold water, swirl and drain. Repeat 2–3 times until water runs mostly clear. Rinsing removes excess surface starch that causes gummy, clumped rice.

  3. 3

    Add water to the correct line

    After rinsing, add water up to the line corresponding to the number of cups of rice you added. The inner bowl has lines marked “1, 2, 3” etc for white rice. Different lines exist for brown rice and other grains.

  4. 4

    Press Cook and wait

    Insert the bowl, close the lid and press Cook. The cooker switches to Warm automatically when done. Do not open the lid before the cycle ends.

  5. 5

    Rest on Warm for 10 minutes then fluff

    Leave on Warm for 10 minutes after the switch clicks. The residual steam finishes the cooking and dries the surface of the rice slightly. Open, fluff with a rice paddle or fork, and serve.

Water Ratios by Rice Type

  • White jasmine or short-grain rice: 1:1 rice to water using the cooker cup + markings
  • Basmati: Slightly less water — use the Basmati line if available, or 1:1.25
  • Brown rice: More water and longer cooking — use the brown rice line, typically 1:1.5 to 1:2. Brown rice takes 40–50 minutes vs 20 for white.
  • Quinoa: 1:1.75 ratio, White Rice setting — see our dedicated guide
Keep warm vs leave too longRice cookers are designed to keep rice warm safely for 4–6 hours. Beyond that, rice can dry out and develop a slightly odd flavour. For meal prep, cook, portion and refrigerate within 1–2 hours rather than leaving on Warm all day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Too much water is almost always the cause. Make sure you are using the rice cooker’s own measuring cup (not a standard kitchen measuring cup) and filling water to the corresponding line. Also ensure you are rinsing the rice — unrinsed rice releases extra starch into the water, making it stickier. If you are using the correct amounts and it is still mushy, try reducing water by a small amount.
Yes — rice cookers can steam vegetables (place in a steamer basket above the rice or water), cook oatmeal, make soups and stews, steam eggs, and even bake simple cakes in some models. The Warm function is also useful for keeping dishes hot during a meal.