Rice is a staple in Asian Cuisine. However, getting good rice requires a few important steps. The first is washing it properly. As a child, I always washed the rice in the rice bowl of the rice cooker. Little did I know, that doing so can damage and shorten the life span of the teflon coating. It is recommended that you get a separate rice washer bowl to do so. This way you will prolong the life of the rice bowl and avoid costly replacement. There are a few different models on the market and choosing the right one can be difficult.

Best Rice Washer Bowl List

Below, you will find some of the best rice washer on the market. There are some variations to the design so pick one that best suits your need.

Inomata Japanese Rice Washing Bowl with Strainer

Inomata Rice Washer is the most basic of rice washer. A simple bowl with side strainer. The bottom is seal so you can agitate, soak and wash rice properly. This is the most utilitarian of all rice washer. Its affordable and light for easy use. You cant go wrong with this rice washer.

Inomata With Bottom Drainers

If you want a model with a bottom strainer, then Inomata is the best choice again. This model has tiny holes to prevent rice from getting stuck. Traditional colander holes are too large and rice tends to get stuck. These model are a quick and easy way to wash rice without draining it.

Helen’s Asian Kitchen Rice Washing Bowl (Best Metal Rice Washer Bowl)

If you want a metal version, the Helen’s Rice Bowl is a great option. One side has a complete perforation for easy draining of liquid. The other side can be used to agitate the rice. While it is stainless steel, it is not impervious to rust. I recommend that you dry it thoroughly after use.

Why Wash Rice

The main reason why people wash the rice is to remove excess starch. Excess starch can cause the rice to get gummy and lose its firm texture. There are some who thinks that washing it removes the nutrition. The only nutrition you are loose is starch which translate to sugar. Its not really nutritious in the first place.

The other benefit of washing rice is that you can get rid of stones and insect that might remain. A lot of time, when you rinse and agitate the rice, the stones will come up.

Hot to Use a Rice Washer Bowl

Using a rice washer bowl is pretty simple right? Just add water and wash. The challenge isnt really the washing part, its getting the rice out. After you drain the liquid, the rice will stick to the side. Clawing it out works but it can be cumbersome after a while.

I find that the best method is to get a good chunk of rice out with your hand. Then use the residual water to drain the remaining rice. If you do it right, most of it should come out. Any excess rice that is left over can be tapped out easily. If you notice any rice that is stuck on the side strainer, you can easily tap that out.

Some rice cooker requires you to drain and measure the water in the actual rice cooker bowl. In those situation, I recommend that you claw most of the rice out and tap the rice out.

Rice Washer with Bottom Strainer?

There are two types of popular rice washer on the market. One with bottom perforation and one without. I personally prefer the one without the bottom holes. These let you hold the liquid and reduce water waste. You can also agitate the rice to wash it better. Not only that, you can also soak the rice in the bowl. A key step in rice cooking.

Having said that, there are benefit to the rice washer with perforation. They are a quick and easy way to wash rice. You do not have to worry about constantly draining the rice. It just makes life easier. Both works, but you should get one that suits your need.

Thoughts

While most people use the rice cooker pot, using a seperate rice washer bowl is a good idea. It makes your pot last longer and it wont scratch it as easily. This can help you avoid a costly replacement. There is a technique to washing rice in these bowls. However, once you master it, its pretty simple. I personally think the rice washer bowl with a bottom are the best. However, the bowl with bottom holes are easier to use. The one you choose should depends on your need.

Need a rice cooker? Check out our article on the Best Rice Cooker.