White Rice Brands Ranked From Worst To Best, According To Consumer Reviews

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Rice is a grain that has been a staple for centuries. It's a central ingredient in many of the world's cuisines. From the rice and beans of Latin countries to fried rice in Asia to Milan, where you can get the best risotto in Italy, the humble grain makes a starring appearance on the menu. You probably cook with rice at home periodically.

A great meal starts with quality ingredients, but is all rice the same? The answer is no. The differences may be subtle, but among the many brands of rice on the market, some are better than others. Rice, in general, is mostly carbs but does have some protein, fiber, and several vitamins and minerals. There are enriched rices with more nutrients and precooked rices with less. Our list relies mainly on quality, taste, and texture. You could sort through online reviews or ask for recommendations, but who has time for that? We have taken on the legwork and present white rice brands ranked from the worst to the best. Take a look, find the brand for you, and cook a meal your family will love.

For various reasons, the precooked brands sit near the bottom in the rankings. Whole Foods 365 Organic Long Grain White Rice is not precooked, but nevertheless, we rank it at the very bottom. Whole Foods has quite a line of food products available at its stores. Some of them are well reviewed. However, Trust Pilot shows a poor rating of 1.8 stars for Whole Foods in general, with many complaints of it being overpriced. The organic long grain white rice has several issues of its own.

According to ShopSavvy, 34% of reviewers mentioned that the rice was mushy, and even more concerning is that 34% claimed the product was infested with weevils! Other reviewers also mention finding bugs in the rice and some say it has a chemical smell. When more than a third of reviewers are finding insects in the rice, that brand must be THE worst, instant or not. With these kinds of complaints of quality, you are better off avoiding it. The higher price does not seem to be justified by the quality of the product. If, for whatever reason, you do decide to try it, rinse it very carefully.

We live in a fast-paced world where saving time in any task is always welcome. This applies to cooking, and Success is a popular brand that comes precooked in a boil-in-bag. Just pop the bag in boiling water, and it's ready in 10 minutes. The ease and speed of cooking make it convenient. Success is also microwaveable, which people like because they can take it to work and cook it for lunch. Owned by Riviana Foods since 1977, the parent company claims to be the leading rice company in the nation. However, there are downsides to this brand. 

The reason Success cooks so easily and quickly is because it is precooked. The process of precooking takes out a considerable amount of the nutritional content of the rice. Precooked rice, such as Success, is dehydrated and loses much of its nutritional content, making it not as healthy. The nutrition chart on the Success website shows zero Vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium content. Instant rice has a higher glycemic index and glycemic load than regular white rice, making it a poor choice for people with Type 2 diabetes. Additionally, some consumers report that it has less flavor than regular rice. A Walmart reviewer stated, "Easy to make but thought it would have better flavor." This places Success second from the bottom of our rankings.

Ben's Original has a long history dating back more than 70 years. The brand developed the process of parboiling, which was intended to reduce cooking time while retaining 80% of the nutrition. Originally called Uncle Ben's, the brand changed its name in 2020 for the purpose of inclusiveness.

It cooks similarly to regular white rice. When the water and rice mixture boils, you simmer for 20 minutes and fluff with a fork. The rice is parboiled, and like precooked rice, it loses some of its nutrition. However, Ben's is enriched and contains small amounts of calcium, potassium, niacin, iron, and thiamine. It has some bad reviews, with one comment on Reddit stating," The taste was off and the texture was horrible".

Ben's Original does not promote the product as being organic, which means pesticides or other chemicals are a possibility in growing and processing the rice. If organic is important to you, this is a brand to avoid.

Minute Rice is a popular brand that has been around for a long time. Since the 1940s, in fact. Like Success and Ben's Original, it is precooked and parboiled. It has no boil-in-bag. You simply add the rice to boiling water, cover it, and let it sit for five minutes. Voila, you have a pot of cooked white rice. Very fast, very convenient and that is the reason it sells and has been on the market for so long. As an instant rice, Minute has many of the same problems other brands of precooked and dehydrated rice do.

Reduced nutrition and a higher GI and GL are also problems with this brand. Although Minute's White Rice Cups are certified gluten-free, regular instant white rice is not. If you are health-conscious and trying to eat well, you probably should pass on this brand. Some reviewers find Minute Rice to have less flavor and not as good a texture as regular white rice. A comment on Reddit states, "Huge difference in the taste and texture of the product vs. an additional 10 minutes of time. Makes sense if you're really pressed for time". The grains tend to be hard and cracked. Convenience is nice, but Minute has all the potential problems of any instant rice and thus ranks near the bottom of our list.

Annie Chun's is a brand that makes easy-to-cook Asian dishes, including white rice. The company was founded by its namesake, a native of South Korea who came to San Francisco in the 1970s and began selling sauces. Eventually, she and her business partner/husband, Steve Broad, grew the company and developed a full line of products and, in 2009, sold Annie Chun's to South Korean company CJ's.

Annie Chun's white rice is precooked through steaming and comes in a plastic bowl that is microwaved. The cooking is fast and easy, which makes it convenient, and it is non-GMO and gluten-free. These certifications can help you avoid the mistakes people make when shopping for gluten-free food. It does suffer from the same reduction of nutrition that all precooked rices do. Reviews are mixed, with some consumers complaining about weird taste and texture. A Walmart reviewer said," Unfortunately, the rice is not good. I love the taste and smell of plain white rice, but this one does not have any rice flavor or scent to it".  These reasons and the fact that it is precooked are why we rank Annie Chun's in the middle of the pack.

Birds Eye changed the way food is sold and cooked.  Its founder, Clarence Birdseye, while on a trip through Canada, witnessed the native Inuits using ice to freeze fish for long-term storage. He developed this process and started his namesake company, a giant in the food industry. The company has a range of frozen vegetables, and it also makes frozen rice. Birdeye Long Grain White Rice is cooked and then flash-frozen. It retains freshness and cooks very quickly right in the pouch it comes in.

The rice has no artificial ingredients or colors, just water and rice. It is Kosher-certified and contains calcium and iron. Consumers like the flavor and ease of cooking. One Walmart reviewer summed it nicely, "Quick, easy, and delicious," however, the texture of the rice is not loved by everyone. A reviewer on Birds Eye's product website complained that the rice was "way too mushy." Mushiness can be avoided with a must-have ingredient for cooking perfect rice. Nevertheless, Birdseye has its share of fans, and it is a brand worth a try. It sits in the middle of our rankings.

4Sisters was founded and is run by, you guessed it, four sisters. These sibling entrepreneurs grew up on a rice farm in Louisiana and built their company. It sells a number of different kinds of rice, including white. Their rice is grown in the U.S., and they are dedicated to sustainability. The brand is non-GMO Project Verifired and USDA-certified organic, as well as K Star Kosher-certified. 4Sisters is enriched with added thiamin, niacin, folate, iron, and potassium. The brand ranks 129th on Amazon's list of best-selling dried white rice. 

One Amazon reviewer said, "This rice is not just tasty, it also has an amazing texture. Love it". Another customer on Amazon said, "This rice is delicious! It comes out perfect every time". Some people find the price on the high side. As another Amazon review states, "Love the rice, just can't afford to maintain it as a kitchen staple". This blemish on an otherwise solid set of reviews is why 4Sisters is not ranked higher. 

Rice started growing in South Carolina during the colonial days, and it was the crop that distinguished the colony from its 12 neighbors. The Carolina Rice Brand was founded in 1927 and although the State of South Carolina doesn't produce nearly as much rice as it once did, the company has flourished, and its long grain rice is grown throughout the South and in California.

Carolina Rice is enriched to meet USDA standards for the content of thiamin, niacin, folic acid, and iron. Thus, it is a healthy brand to choose. It's gluten-free, non-GMO Project Certified, and contains no preservatives. Carolina requires no rinsing. Many comments on Reddit mention recipes that work well with leftover rice. Just be sure to use the best way to reheat rice. Carolina ranks in the Top 100 on Amazon for dried rice, sitting at 92. Customers like both the flavor and texture, with one Amazon reviewer saying, "Plump, chewy, nutty, delicious". With its long history, many people grew up eating this brand of rice and stick with it. A Walmart customer states in a review, "I grew up in New York with it and now live in Wisconsin ... when I found it online, I was thrilled". Carolina's quality, flavor, and enriched nutrition place it in the top half of our rankings. 

Lundberg Family Farms is headquartered in California, where it grows 90% of its rice, and has been in business since 1937. Its products are Regenerative Certified Organic by the USDA. Lundberg is dedicated to sustainability, non-GMO, and environmental concerns. Additionally, it is free from the top nine and top 11 allergens in the U.S. and Canada, respectively. The rice is gluten-free and contains no additives.

It sits at 141 on Amazon's list of top white rice brands. A plethora of five-star reviews attests to its popularity. Customers like that the rice is organic and enjoy the taste as well. One Amazon reviewer said, "I like that it's organic and the company stands behind it. Taste and quality are excellent". Another Amazon reviewer commented on the cleanliness: "The rice was a bright white, not the dull grayish white of most supermarket brands. I first cleaned the rice and noticed it didn't have a lot of the dirty runoff that other rices have". Organic certification, sustainability, flavor, and quality secure Lundberg Farms a high ranking.

Lotus Foods began in 1995, importing black rice, known as "Forbidden Rice" after the Forbidden Palace in China. The company has grown over the years and now sells a variety of rice types. It partners with several Asian companies that grow Regenerative Organic-Certified rice that is also gluten-free on small farms. The company reduces carbon output and saves water. All of that is wonderful, but how does it taste?

Consumers really like this brand. It is a top 50 brand on Amazon in the white rice category, coming in at number 35. One Amazon reviewer said, "This is a beautiful aromatic rice that the flavor carries through once cooked". 

Some customers have mentioned the high price, such as an Amazon reviewer who said," Best I've ever had. I just wish it came in a five or 10-pound bag. I also don't like that it's so expensive". The high price is the only downside and the reason we haven't ranked it higher.

RiceSelect has been in business since 1977 and is an innovator in growing rice. The Texmati rice is a hybrid of American and basmati rice. All of the brand's rices are Certified Organic by the USDA, Project Verified Non-GMO, as well as Certified Kosher by Star K. It is certainly a popular brand, ranking number six in dried white rice on Amazon's best selling list. People like the packaging, ease of cooking, and flavor. A review on Amazon said, "I like the rice because it comes in its own storage jar, easy instructions, nice flavor, and aromatic. I used my rice cooker and it came out great". Another Amazon customer stated, "This is my standard rice. I like it and frankly, I do not want another brand.".

RiceSelect has several white rice varieties, for use in many kinds of recipes. Risotto, sushi, stuffed peppers, chicken with rice. There's a right grain for your needs. Good price, flavor, and aroma, and easy to cook. What's not to like?

Owned by JFC International, a company based in Europe, Botan's Calrose White Rice is Asian-style but grown in California. According to comments on Quora, calrose is a short-grain rice that is well-suited to Asian cuisine, especially sushi (although suhsi you should leave to the professionals, according to chefs). It's Amazon's number four best-selling white rice and has many positive reviews. Customers especially love the texture. One Amazon reviewer stated, "It gets that nice balance of stickiness without being gluey". People like the Asian authenticity as well. A Walmart reviewer said, "I lived in Japan for 5 years and I know what rice should be like. This is it."

Another Amazon customer said, "It has a superb texture and such a nice aroma". Botan is certified non-GMO.  Amazon customers say it is not hard to cook and works very well in rice cookers, provided you look out for the simple rice cooker mistake you can easily avoid. All of these positive comments and attributes add up to a position in second place in our rankings.

Despite its Japanese name and the fact that, like Botan, it's owned by a European corporation, JFC Internatiaonal, Nishiki rice is grown in California. This is very appealing for those who prefer domestic products. The Nishiki website says it is the choice for sushi experts. The brand has a lot more than that going for it, as it is the number one best-selling white rice on Amazon. Holding the top spot on a mammoth retail site is impressive. Amazon reviewers rave about the taste and consistency. Customers praise its use in making sushi rolls, and a comment on Reddit states, "I use it in everything". It is a good choice to make perfect fried rice.

Nishiki is a Japanese-style medium-grain rice, and people like its texture. One Amazon reviewer says, "It's soft, fluffy and sticky in all the right ways". With rave reviews and Amazon's top spot, we rate Nishiki number one in our rankings.

The differences between rice brands can be small, but nevertheless, they are important. We looked at reviews on consumer sites such as Amazon and Walmart, as well as forums such as Quora and Reddit for comments written by people who have tried these brands. Factors considered included taste, texture, ease of cooking, and to an extent, the price. We also looked at health and nutrition websites. The nutritional content and impact of food on one's health is something that concerns most people. We felt the need to include it. Additionally, we checked out each brand's website to see what they had to say about the product and for information on how it is made.

The rice brands are rated by nutritional content, as found on health sites, as well as taste, texture, and ease of cooking. Information from each brand's website was used, as well as ratings, reviews, and comments on Amazon, Walmart, and forums such as Quora and Reddit. Shopsavvy's TLDR condensed reviews and Trust Pilot were also utilized. The differences between brands are sometimes subtle, but we looked at the details to rank them in a useful way.