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Head-to-head · Best Rice Cookers Under $100

Aroma ARC-914SBD vs Hamilton Beach 37518 Digital Rice Cooker

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

Aroma ARC-914SBD comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.3 vs 4.0). The gap is mostly about Budget buyers and small households who mainly cook white rice or grains and want a digital delay timer and steamer without spending much. — read the strengths below before deciding.

Aroma ARC-914SBD
Higher ratedRanked #4 in Best Rice Cookers Under $100
Aroma ARC-914SBD
3 sourcesall derived$36.97as of Aug 1

The Aroma ARC-914SBD is the budget champion of this roundup: a digital 8-cup (cooked) cooker with a delay timer, Flash Rice mode, cool-touch body, and a steamer tray for around $50. We Know Rice and Rice Cooker Junkie rate it solid value for white rice and grains, but agree it stumbles on brown rice and tends to boil over. Right pick for a budget buyer who mostly cooks white rice and wants digital convenience.

Strengths
  • — Excellent value — full digital features for around $50
  • — Cool-touch exterior is safe to handle and child-friendly
  • — 15-hour delay timer and Flash Rice mode that cuts cook time
Watch-outs
  • — Brown rice often comes out undercooked or burns at the bottom
  • — Prone to boiling over, leaving a starchy mess to clean
  • — Nonstick coating durability is mediocre at this price
$36.97 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →
Hamilton Beach 37518 Digital Rice Cooker
Ranked #5 in Best Rice Cookers Under $100
Hamilton Beach 37518 Digital Rice Cooker
1 sourceall derived$35.77as of Aug 1

The Hamilton Beach 37518 is a sub-$50 digital cooker holding a 4.5-star average across more than 27,000 ratings, earned on easy operation, a roomy PFAS-free ceramic pot, and one-touch programs plus a steam basket. Rice Cooker Junkie flags the usual budget caveats, namely sticking and longevity questions after a year or two. As a cheap, simple family cooker it is a dependable value pick.

Strengths
  • — Strong 4.5-star average across 27,000+ ratings for a budget cooker
  • — PFAS-free ceramic nonstick pot is large and family-sized
  • — One-touch programs for white rice, whole grains, and hot cereal
Watch-outs
  • — Longevity complaints after a year or two of regular use
  • — Rice can stick to the bottom of the pot
  • — Cook times can run longer than expected
$35.77 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →

Derived means the reviewer published no score, so one was inferred from their written verdict. Everything else is a number the publisher printed. How we rank.

How they stack up

Aroma ARC-914SBD

The cheapest cooker here by a wide margin, undercutting the Zojirushi NHS-06, Cuckoo CR-0631F, and Tiger JBV-A10U. It shares the boil-over and weak-brown-rice limitations of the conventional Zojirushi NHS-06 but adds a digital timer and Flash Rice mode the Zojirushi lacks. The Hamilton Beach 37518 is its closest budget rival; the two trade blows on price and features.

Hamilton Beach 37518 Digital Rice Cooker

The other true budget pick alongside the Aroma ARC-914SBD, and its closest rival on price and features. Both undercut the Zojirushi NHS-06, Cuckoo CR-0631F, and Tiger JBV-A10U. The Hamilton Beach 37518 counters the Aroma with a PFAS-free ceramic pot, while the Aroma offers a cool-touch body and Flash Rice mode the Hamilton Beach lacks.

Specs side-by-side

SpecAroma ARC-914SBDHamilton Beach 37518 Digital Rice Cooker
Capacity4 cups uncooked / 8 cups cooked4 cups uncooked / 8 cups cooked
Cooking TypeDigital programmableDigital programmable
ProgramsWhite rice, brown rice, Flash Rice, keep-warmWhite rice, whole grain, hot cereal, steam
Timer15-hour delay—
Special FeatureCool-touch exterior, steam trayRinse/steam basket included
Inner PotNonstickPFAS-free ceramic nonstick
Warranty1 year1 year
Dimensions8.63"D x 9.25"W x 8.5"H8.2"D x 9.7"W x 9.9"H
Keep Warm—Automatic
← See the full ranking of best rice cookers under $100