9 Things You NEED to Know About Stainless Steel Rice Cookers

There are so many rice cooker materials to choose from! It can be hard to decide and shop online. Looking for a healthy rice cooker or nonstick rice cooker alternative?

Explore the benefits of a reliable, ultra-durable stainless steel rice cooker. Aroma has answers to your most common questions:

1. What are rice cooker inner pots made of?

Are they all stainless steel? It depends on the rice cooker model! Aroma offers several material options for inner pots, including stainless steel, purple clay, aluminum, and cast iron.

2. Do all rice cookers have Teflon?

Not all Aroma rice cookers have a nonstick PTFE coating (commonly known as Teflon), but nonstick rice cooker pots are traditionally our most popular models because they’re super easy to clean.

Conversations are popping up around health and safety of nonstick chemicals in the kitchen. Is PTFE safe to cook with? Medical experts agree that yes, PTFE nonstick rice cookers are safe for everyday use with non-scratching utensils, up to 500°F.

PFOA chemicals, however, were flagged for health concerns and have been completely phased out of nonstick manufacturing for more than 10 years.

If your family is concerned about cooking with PTFE or just wants to try another option, Aroma offers stainless steel rice cookers and ceramic coated pots.

3. What rice cooker material is best for you?

  • For lightweight portability, you can’t beat aluminum.
  • For a boost of alkaline minerals, try purple clay earthenware.
  • For long-term durability, choose a stainless steel rice cooker!

4. Is stainless steel good for cooking rice, and is it safe to use?

Stainless steel is arguably one of the ‘safest’ materials for cooking because it’s extremely durable, naturally corrosion-resistant, and non-toxic – even if scratched or heated to high temperatures.

Stainless steel rice cookers won’t react to acidic ingredients, like tomatoes or lemons, so you can enjoy cleaner, more authentic flavors.

5. Why do all rice cookers have Prop 65 warnings?

Aroma follows California regulations, so you’ve probably seen Prop 65 warning labels on our boxes. Companies are required to post warnings for common materials like the flame-retardant coating on power cords and circuit board components.

6. Are stainless steel rice cookers hard to clean?

Stainless steel rice cookers are fairly easy to clean with warm soapy water and a soft sponge! Because there is no coating, the rice cooker pot is also safe to run through the dishwasher.

7. Does rice stick to a stainless steel rice cooker?

Sticking rice is a downside to stainless steel rice cookers… rice won’t slide right off the surface, like in a nonstick pot. (That’s why Aroma’s nonstick coatings are so popular for quick, easy cleanup!) However, using the right rice-to-water ratio and adding a small amount of butter or oil can help prevent sticking.

8. How to prevent rice from sticking to stainless steel?

We have four easy suggestions:

  1. Rinse rice before cooking to remove excess starch.
  2. Add a teaspoon of oil or lightly butter the pot surface before adding rice and water.
  3. Measure with Aroma’s rice measuring cup (included in the box with your stainless steel rice cooker!), then add water up to the measuring lines in the pot.
  4. Leave the lid on and let cooked rice sit for 5-10 minutes on ‘Warm’ mode before serving. The trapped steam can help lift fluffy rice off the sides of the pot.

9. How to clean a stainless steel rice cooker?

We recommend removing all cooked rice from the pot while it’s still warm and soaking before the pan fully cools.

If you have a stubborn, cooked-on mess to clean, just soak your stainless steel rice cooker in warm, soapy water! After soaking, scrub with a soft sponge and run it through the dishwasher.

Want more advice? Check out the full rice cooker cleanup blog here.

Highest-Rated Aroma Stainless Steel Rice Cookers:

Most versatile making perfect one-pot meals for a family of 3-4: ARC-914SBDS

 

2 sizes and 3 colors available to handle your everyday grain needs: ARC-753SG ARC-757SG

 

Comes with a stainless steel steam basket! Also 2 sizes available for every family: ARC-735-ING, ARC-757-1NG