Hamilton Beach 37549 Rice Cooker

Yes, for the right buyer. The Hamilton Beach 37549 Rice Cooker ranks #2 in our Best Rice Cookers Under $50 list (best simple). Its biggest strength: affordable. The main caveat: basic cooking.

Based on our research it suits budgets under $50. It's ranked #2 of 11 in our Best Rice Cookers Under $50 list.

The main trade-offs owners and reviewers point to: basic cooking; nonstick durability; less precise than fuzzy logic.

4-cup, Steam tray, Simple and Under $30.

Worth comparing: Aroma Housewares ARC-914SBD Digital Rice Cooker, Black+Decker RC503 3-Cup Rice Cooker and COSORI Rice Cooker 10 Cup. Each ranks near it in our research for a slightly different buyer.

It's sold on Amazon. Prices and stock change often, so check the current listing before you buy, our link takes you straight to it.

Brown rice retains the bran and germ layers that white rice has removed. These layers require higher temperatures and longer cooking times to soften. Basic rice cookers use a single thermostat that shuts off when water boils away, the same cutoff point for white rice. Brown rice at this point is still undercooked because the bran layer has not fully softened. Fuzzy logic cookers extend the cooking cycle automatically, increase temperature during the later phase, and manage moisture differently for grain type. The result: brown rice that is properly cooked without manual timing.

In a dedicated fuzzy logic rice cooker: approximately 50 to 70 minutes for brown rice vs. 35 to 50 minutes for white rice. In a basic rice cooker (single thermostat): you must add more water and manually set a timer, and results are inconsistent. The extra time in a fuzzy logic cooker is fully automatic, set it and walk away.