Are you hosting a big birthday party or event at your house soon? Or do you need a reliable industrial size rice cooker for your restaurant? Whether you need a lot of rice for your home or place of business it pays to do your research.
But we understand that you are busy and may not have time to put in all the leg work research-wise that you want to. Not to worry because in today’s review, we are going to be taking a look at the very best commercial rice cookers.
Aroma 48-Cup Commercial Rice Cooker
Editors’ Choice: 4.8 out of 5.0 stars
This is a heavy duty rice cooker that can take up to 24 cups of uncooked rice and turn it into 48 cooked cups in no time. The simple front-mounted control panel is easy to operate and it features an automatic “keep warm” function.
So you can essentially set and forget this rice cooker. This Aroma model is made mostly of stainless steel. The lid closes shut securely and the inner cooking pot is easily removed for quick cleaning.
Cuckoo CR-3032 30 Cup Electric Commercial Rice Cooker
Editors’ Choice: 4.8 out of 5.0 stars
If you are looking for the best rice cooker for restaurant use, this may be the one for you. The Cuckoo CR-3032 can prepare up to 30 cups of rice at a time all in a 18” x 18” x 18” body. Speaking of the body, the outer body and lid are made of 18/8 grade stainless steel.
That’s restaurant grade in case you were wondering. The inner cooking pot is made of aluminum so it’s lightweight and durable. You can choose between the cook, steam and warm functions with the easy front-mounted dial.
Panasonic SR-42HZP 23-cup Commercial Rice Cooker
Editors’ Choice: 4.8 out of 5.0 stars
Panasonic is a trusted name in rice cookers and their Sr-42HZP model doesn’t disappoint. It can cook a whopping 46 cups of rice in about a half hour. The keep warm function kicks on automatically and can stay on for up to 2 hours.
There are also nice safety features like auto-shutoff if the unit gets too hot. The lid is made of stainless steel while the inner cooking pot is constructed of a lightweight aluminum alloy.
Zojirushi NYC-36 20-Cup Commercial Rice Cooker
Editors’ Choice: 4.8 out of 5.0 stars
If you have ever shopped rice cookers in the past or read commercial rice cooker reviews, you know the name Zojirushi. This is a reliable and compact rice cooker that stands about 13” tall and 17 inches wide.
You can cook up to 40 cups of rice in this cooker too. The inner cooking pot is lined with a quality non-stick coat so it is very easy to clean by hand. There is even a side-mounted condensation collector to keep your rice fresh and dry.
Pantin 50 Cup Commercial Restaurant Electric Rice Cooker
Editors’ Choice: 4.8 out of 5.0 stars
The great thing about this rice cooker is that it was made specifically for commercial use. It is one of the highest capacity rice cookers on our list – it can make up to 50 cups of rice at a time. And it operates at 1500 watts so it’s plenty powerful.
The high output also means that it can cook a lot of rice in very little time. So if you have a busy kitchen, this is a very handy restaurant rice cooker to have on deck.
Aroma Housewares 60-Cup Commercial Rice Cooker
Editors’ Choice: 4.8 out of 5.0 stars
Number six on our list is the big brother of the first Aroma entry. It has all the same features as the Aroma 48 Cup rice cooker, but as the name implies, you can cook up to 60 cups of rice in this model.
And the great thing about this particular commercial-grade rice cooker is that it cooks consistently fluffy and appetizing rice whether you fill it up to capacity or just need a few cups of rice. Plus, this model comes with 2 measuring cups and a plastic rice paddle.
Tiger JNO-A36U-XB 20-Cup Commercial Rice Cooker
Editors’ Choice: 4.8 out of 5.0 stars
The last item on our list comes from the manufacturer Tiger; an Asian company known for stout commercial rice cookers. This particular model can prepare up to 40 cups of perfectly cooked rice at a time.
Plus, it comes with some thoughtful accessories like a silicone sheet to help prevent burning and a rice measuring cup.
Commercial Rice Cooker Buying Guide
Your needs may vary depending on whether you intend to use your cooker in your home or commercial kitchen. But in general, to get the best commercial rice cooker, you should look for:
Nonstick Inner Liner
Anyone who has ever had to clean sticky rice out of a cooker know how important this feature is. It will cut your cleaning time and effort in half.
Auto-Warm Function
This is handy for both home and commercial kitchens. An auto-warm function kicks on as soon as the cooking is done so your rice stays fresh and doesn’t go cold.
Chime
This may be more helpful in a commercial kitchen than a home kitchen. But having a chime function that sounds when the rice is done can alert a busy commercial cook who may have forgotten that he/she was cooking rice in the first place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is a rice cooker a good investment?
A: If you cook a lot of Asian food at home or own an Asian restaurant, they are an essential investment.
Q: How do you cook rice in a commercial rice cooker?
A: The operation is the same as a home rice cooker. Load rice and add a certain amount of water depending on how much rice you are cooking, close the lid and flip the switch.
Q: What is the largest size rice cooker?
A: The largest capacity rice cooker we found was the Aroma 60 cup cooker.
Some Final Advice
If you just need a lot of rice for home use, then you may not need an overpowered rice cooker that operates at 1500+ watts. If you intend to use yours in a restaurant, than the best commercial rice cooker for you will be one that is fast, can cook a lot of rice at once and is durable.
Our article features models that will fit the bill for either situation so make sure you start your shopping by perusing our list!
