Most complaints about rice sticking or turning out wet come down to skipping this step, not to the ratio or the machine. See the four steps below.
Cooking rice in a stainless steel inner pot is straightforward, but it behaves a little differently from a non-stick cooker. This guide covers our Buffalo and Hoper Layer models.
- Does Rice Stick?
- Quick Start
- Normal Rice vs BoilSteam
- Rice-to-Water Ratios
- Cooking Times
- Hoper Layer
- Maintenance
- Products & Reviews
Does Rice Stick to a Stainless Steel Inner Pot?
No — as long as you do this every time.
- Leave the lid closed when cooking finishes. Don't open it straight away.
- Wait 10 minutes on Keep Warm.
- Fluff the rice through from the bottom with the ladle.
- Keeping it warm for a few hours? Fluff it first, and use a lower Keep Warm temperature.
Why this works. When the cycle ends, the bottom layer is still holding steam. Those 10 minutes let the moisture spread through the rice and lift the grains off the base. Open the lid straight away and that steam escapes, leaving the bottom stuck to the pot. Over a long Keep Warm the base is the first place to dry — fluffing loosens the grains so the heat isn't drying out one compact layer.
Quick Start: Four Steps to Perfect Rice
- Rinse the rice in a separate bowl until the water runs clear.
- Add water. Start with a 1:1 ratio and adjust to taste — see the ratio table below.
- Select and cook. Choose your cooking function and press start.
- Rest, then fluff. When the cooker switches to Keep Warm, leave the lid on for 10 minutes, then fluff the rice through from the bottom with the ladle — see the steps above.
Buffalo: Normal Rice vs BoilSteam
This is the most common point of confusion for new Buffalo owners, because the two modes cook rice in completely different ways.
| Normal Rice | BoilSteam Rice | |
| Where the rice goes | Directly in the inner pot | In the stainless steel steamer basket |
| Water rule | Standard ratios apply | In the inner pot only, just to the top of the rice |
| How it cooks | Rice absorbs the water as it cooks | Rice boils then steams above the water, and excess starch drains into the pot below |
| Texture | Softer, classic rice-cooker result | Firmer, more distinct grains |
| Best for | Everyday rice, most users | Those who prefer firmer rice with separate grains |
- If in doubt, start with Normal Rice. It behaves like any conventional rice cooker and works with the ratio table below.
- A note on "low sugar". BoilSteam is sometimes marketed as a low-sugar or low-GI mode because starch drains away during cooking. In practice the difference in sugar or starch content is minimal — choose BoilSteam for its texture, not as a health treatment.
Using the BoilSteam function (5-cup and 10-cup models)
- Put the washed rice in the steamer basket, not directly into the inner pot.
- Add water to the inner pot. The level should just reach the top of the rice once the basket is inserted. Standard ratios do not apply in this mode.
- Press BoilSteam and select your cooking mode. Brown rice may need a little more water.
General Rice-to-Water Ratios
The table below is general guidance only — the ideal ratio varies with the age, type and mixture of the rice. All capacities are measured with a standard 160ml rice cup. These ratios apply to Normal Rice mode only, where the rice sits directly in the inner pot.
| Rice | Ratio (rice : water) |
| Jasmine / Short Grain | 6-cup model 1 : 1.2 10-cup model 1 : 1 |
| Basmati / Long Grain | 1 : 1.5 (both models) |
| Brown Rice | Soak 2–8 hours, then 1 : 1.5 (both models) |
Cooking Times at a Glance
The times below come from our own testing and the official manuals. The short countdown shown on the display during function selection — 8 or 12 minutes, for example — refers only to the final stage of cooking, and begins near the end of the cycle rather than at the start.
Buffalo conventional model (BRC01, 5-cup)
| Function | Timing | Temperature |
| Rice functions | ||
| Normal Rice – Fast | Around 30 minutes | Fixed |
| Normal Rice – Slow | Around 40 minutes | Fixed |
| Grain Rice (Coarse Cereals) | Around 60 minutes | Fixed |
| BoilSteam – Fast | Around 40 minutes | Fixed |
| BoilSteam – Slow | Around 55 minutes | Fixed |
| BoilSteam – Grain Rice | Around 80 minutes | Fixed |
| Other functions | ||
| Congee (Porridge) | 30 – 90 minutes | Fixed |
| Soup | 30 minutes – 2 hours | Fixed |
| Steam | 10 – 60 minutes | Fixed |
| DIY (slow cook, yoghurt) | 1 minute – 12 hours | 30°C – 160°C |
| Braise | 5 minutes – 2 hours | 90°C – 120°C |
| Warm | 1 – 24 hours | 40°C – 98°C |
Adjustable Keep Warm. Once the cooker enters Keep Warm, press the Temperature button to choose between 40°C and 98°C. For long holds use a lower setting — high temperatures scorch and yellow the rice at the bottom.
Buffalo IH models (BRC03 5-cup and BRC02 10-cup)
Both IH models share the same functions and timings. Rice functions first:
| Rice Function | Timing |
| Fast Rice | Around 30 minutes |
| Slow Rice | Around 45 minutes |
| Crusted Rice | Around 60 minutes |
| Standard BoilSteam | Around 45 minutes |
| Advanced BoilSteam | Around 60 minutes |
| BoilSteam Brown Rice | Around 80 minutes |
The IH models have no DIY function — Braise and Reheat offer fixed temperature choices instead. "Per press" is how much each press of the Time button changes the setting.
| Function | Temperature | Time Range | Per Press |
| Congee | Fixed | 30 min – 2 hr 10 min | 10 min |
| Soup | Fixed | 40 min – 2 hr | 10 min |
| Steam | Fixed | 15 min – 1 hr | 5 min |
| Braise | 100°C / 120°C / 130°C | 30 min – 2 hr | 10 min |
| Reheat | 100–160°C (7 steps of 10°C) | 10 min – 1 hr 40 min | 5 min |
| Warm | 40°C / 60°C / 80°C / 98°C | 1 hr – 24 hr | 30 min |
Hoper Layer 6-Cup Model
Fine Rice and Quick Cook times vary with the volume of rice; the other functions have fixed or manually adjustable timers.
| Function | Timing |
| Quick Cook | 2 cups: about 35 min 4 cups: about 45 min 6 cups: about 50 min |
| Fine Rice | 2 cups: about 60 min 4 cups: about 65 min 6 cups: about 70 min |
| Multigrain | 1 hour 15 minutes |
| Steam | Default 30 min (adjustable 5 – 60 min) |
| Porridge | Default 55 min (adjustable) |
| Soup | Default 2 hours (adjustable 1 – 4 hours) |
| Congee | Default 1 hr 30 min (adjustable 1 – 2 hours) |
| Reheat | Automatic (rice only) |
| Preset (delay start) | Up to 24 hours |
- Minimum rice amount. For best results use at least 2 cups of rice in the 6-cup and 10-cup models.
- Brown rice. Use 1 cup of rice to 2.5 cups of water as a starting point, adjusting for the grain.
General Maintenance
- First use. A faint plastic-like smell during the first few uses is normal as new components heat up, and it fades over time.
- Heating base. Wipe the internal heating base with a damp cloth only. Do not use detergents.
- Stainless steel care. Stainless steel is durable but not immune to corrosion. Clean the inner pot thoroughly after each use and avoid leaving salty or acidic foods, such as vinegar or lemon juice, sitting on the surface.
Products and Reviews
