A tempered glass lid is often used on an inexpensive rice cooker. It gives the user the ability to see the rice being cooked or the food being steamed. Although a rice cooker with a glass lid might be easy to clean, people often complain about starchy steam being released out of the small vent hole in the glass lid.
Introduction
There are two things to consider when using a pot style rice cooker with a glass lid.
First, you should always use the included rice measuring cup to measure the rice. It has a 6-ounce capacity and is not the same as a standard US cup that is 8 ounces. If you do not measure the rice correctly, then you might have problems with the rice boiling over.
Second, get into the habit of rinsing the rice before cooking until the water is not cloudy anymore. This removes excess starch that might bubble out of the vent hole and cause a sticky mess.
We have selected some of the most popular electric rice cookers with a see-through glass lid. This includes glass lid rice cookers from companies such as Aroma, Oster, Panasonic and Zojirushi.
Panasonic Rice Cooker With Glass Lid
The Panasonic SR-3NA is a 1.5-cup uncooked rice cooker with a clear glass lid. It can prepare up to 3 cups of cooked rice.
The Panasonic SR-3NA rice cooker has the usual nonstick-coated aluminum inner cooking pot. There is only one switch: it cooks the rice and then shuts off. It does not have an automatic keep warm function.
Costs
- Very small rice cooking capacity.
- Not recommended for making brown rice.
- More expensive than other small rice cookers.
Benefits
- Perfect size for one person.
- Needs very little kitchen counter space.
- Clear glass lid: see rice inside the inner cooking bowl.
Summary
This small Panasonic 1.5 cup uncooked rice cooker is ideal for a single person. The lack of an automatic warmer is not such a problem because it cooks such small amounts of rice. There is probably no rice left after a meal to keep warm.
Please note: it seems like the Panasonic SR-3NA has been replaced with a newer model. It is the Panasonic SR-3NAL 1.5-cup automatic rice cooker. Nevertheless, these models have almost the exact same model number and features, so not much has changed (view it at Amazon).
Zojirushi Rice Cooker With Clear Glass Lid
The Zojirushi NHS-10 rice cooker can cook up to 6 cups of uncooked rice to prepare about 12 cups of cooked rice. It keeps the cooked rice warm after cooking. Unplug the rice cooker to turn it off because there is no on/off button.
The inner cooking pot is coated with a nonstick coating. The steaming tray is made from stainless steel and can be used for steaming vegetables. The clear glass lid covers the cooking pot and steaming tray and makes it easy to see inside. Available in a white color finish.
Costs
- It can sometimes spit starchy water out of the steam vent in the glass lid.
- Appliance has no on/off power switch, you have to unplug it to turn it off.
Benefits
- Use the stainless steel steaming tray for steaming vegetables.
- Small and lightweight, perfect for a single person or a small family.
- Nonstick cooking bowl is easy to clean, just be careful not to scratch it.
Summary
The Zojirushi NHS-10 is a good quality rice cooker and warmer that does not cost as much as other Zojirushi fuzzy logic rice cookers. Its 6-cup uncooked rice capacity makes it the perfect size for a small family. There is also a bigger model available, the NHS-18, that can cook up to 10 cups of uncooked rice.
Remember to rinse the rice before cooking it, otherwise starchy water might boil out of the steam vent in the tempered glass lid and cause a mess on the kitchen counter.
You can view prices, details and reviews for the Zojirushi NHS-10 glass lid rice cooker at Amazon.
Aroma Rice Cooker With See-Through Glass Lid
The Aroma ARC-753SG Simply Stainless rice cooker (now renamed to Select Stainless) can cook a maximum of 3 cups (3/4 US cup size) of uncooked rice to prepare about 6 cups of cooked rice.
The Aroma Simply Stainless rice cooker is very easy to use since its control panel has only one switch for cook. It automatically goes to keep warm after cooking the rice.
The Aroma ARC-753SG has a stainless steel cooking bowl. It comes with its own rice measuring cup and serving spatula. A vegetable steamer basket is not included with the rice cooker.
Costs
- Steamer basket is not included: you have to buy it separately.
- Rice sticks to stainless steel bowl: you need to soak and clean the pot.
Benefits
- Stainless steel inner cooking pot: no aluminum or PTFE coating.
- Clear glass lid, so you can see into the cooking pot.
Summary
The downside of a steel cooking bowl is that the rice can stick to the bottom of the pot. Do not leave the rice in the stainless steel pot on keep warm because the rice will stick and burn. Remove the rice after the cooking is done, and it has switched to keep warm to avoid scrubbing the stainless steel inner pot.
The upside of this rice cooker is the stainless steel inner cooking bowl. There are no Teflon coatings to worry about. The Aroma Simply Stainless rice cooker is one of the most popular stainless steel pot rice cookers with glass lids on the market (buy on Amazon).
Proctor Silex Glass Lid Rice Cooker
The Proctor Silex 37534NR is a glass lid rice cooker with a 4-cup uncooked rice capacity (8 cups cooked rice). It can probably cook other grains such as oatmeal, sorghum, quinoa and barley too.
In addition to the glass lid, the Proctor Silex 37534NR offers the usual nonstick cooking pot, plastic steam basket, paddle and 6-ounce rice measuring cup.
The simple analog control panel has a switch and indicator lights for cook and automatic keep warm. You have to unplug the rice cooker from the wall outlet to turn it on or off.
If you want a cheap 4-cup uncooked analog rice cooker with a tempered glass lid, steam basket and nonstick pot, then the Proctor Silex 37534NR will cook the rice for you. Moreover, there are also larger Proctor Silex models that can cook either 5 cups or 15 cups of uncooked rice (get it on Amazon).
Oster Rice Cooker With Tempered Glass Lid
The Oster CKSTRCMS65 rice cooker can cook up to 3 cups of uncooked rice to prepare a maximum of 6 cups of cooked rice. It can steam vegetables, fish or meat in its steaming basket. It automatically keeps the cooked rice warm until the rice cooker is unplugged.
The inner cooking bowl is coated with a nonstick material. The rice will not stick to the inside of the pot, unless you leave it in the pot on keep warm for too long. The nonstick surface is easy to clean, but be careful not to scratch it.
The tempered glass lid provides a clear view of the cooking process. The glass lid has a handle that stays cool even if the glass lid is hot.
Costs
- It does not have a delay timer.
- The steam vent hole in the glass lid can sometimes release starchy water.
Benefits
- Inexpensive rice cooker with a see-through glass lid.
- Its 3-cup size is big enough for one, two, or three people.
- Nonstick cooking pot and glass lid are removable and easy to clean.
Summary
The tempered glass lid is easy to remove and clean because it is not attached to the body of the rice cooker. You can also see the rice cooking in the inner pot. It is a basic electric rice cooker with one switch to cook and keep warm. You need to unplug the rice cooker at the wall outlet to turn it off.
The usual accessories are included with this Oster rice cooker: vegetable steam tray, measuring cup (3/4 US cup size) and rice spatula. It is a cheap, but good, rice cooker for a single person or a couple.
You may read our Oster CKSTRCMS65 review for a comprehensive discussion of its features, likes and dislikes.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a rice cooker with a see-through glass lid to feed your family, then get the biggest one you can afford. The 3-cup uncooked rice cookers are perfect for a single person or a couple, but much too small for a large family. The bigger pot might also decrease the chance of starchy water streaming out of the steam vent.
Remember to rinse the rice at least once, or even more until the water is clear, to remove bits of bran and starch. This might help to prevent a starchy, bubbly mess from boiling out of the steam vent in the clear glass lid. This is a common problem mentioned by owners of rice cookers with glass lids.
Thank you for reading this review of electric rice cookers that have a clear glass lid.