Black+Decker RC506 vs Aroma ARC-363NG: Which Small Rice Cooker to Buy?
Short answer: The Aroma ARC-363NG, for most people. It has the better owner record on size, durability and value, plus a PFAS-free ceramic pot. Get the Black+Decker if you want a steaming basket and a 2-year warranty.
Aroma ARC-363NG
4.5★ · 27,780 ratings
- You want a PFAS-free ceramic pot
- You'd like fewer complaints about the cooker dying early
- You mostly cook plain rice, oatmeal or a small soup
Black+Decker RC506
4.4★ · 37,137 ratings
- You want to steam vegetables or fish over the rice
- A 2-year warranty matters more to you than the owner numbers
- You want a pot the listing clearly calls dishwasher safe
These two sit at #1 and #2 on Amazon’s rice cooker chart, and on paper they’re twins: 3 cups uncooked, 6 cups cooked, one switch, a glass lid. Together they have nearly 65,000 ratings. So the choice comes down to the small things, and to which one is still running next year.
Side by side
| Aroma ARC-363NG | Black+Decker RC506 | |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 3 cups uncooked / 6 cooked | 3 cups uncooked / 6 cooked |
| Power | 500 W (listing) | 300 W |
| Pot | CoreCoat ceramic, PFAS-free | Nonstick |
| Extras | Measuring cup, spatula | Steaming basket, measuring cup, spoon |
| Warranty | Not stated on listing | 2 years |
| Weight | 2.8 lb | 2 lb |
| Amazon rating | 4.5★ (27,780) | 4.4★ (37,137) |
The deciding difference
It’s how they hold up. Neither is a heirloom. But 236 of 330 durability comments on the Aroma are negative, or 72%, against 348 of 421 on the Black+Decker, or 83%. When the cheaper machine also fails more often in owners’ eyes, the case for it gets thin.
The Black+Decker’s 2-year warranty is a real counterweight, though. If it dies in month 14, you’re covered. Keep the receipt either way.
Where they differ
Capacity complaints. Both use small rice cups, yet the Black+Decker takes far more heat for it. Only 15% of its capacity comments and 48% of its rice-capacity comments are positive. The Aroma’s size topic runs 75% positive. Same nominal size, very different expectations.
The pot. Aroma’s ceramic coating is listed as made without PFAS. Black+Decker just says nonstick. If you’ve been swapping out PTFE pans, that settles it.
Steaming. Only the Black+Decker includes a basket, so you can steam broccoli or a fish fillet above the rice. On the Aroma, you’d cook them separately.
Cleaning. Aroma owners rate cleanup 96% positive across 468 mentions. That’s the strongest single number either machine posts.
What owners say
Aroma owners talk about speed and simplicity. Rice quality runs 81% positive, speed 89%, and 435 of 438 people who use the word “love” mean it. Value sits at 74%.
Black+Decker owners love how easy it is, with 97% of 864 ease-of-use comments positive. Rice quality is close behind the Aroma at 78%. Value lags at 67%, which tracks with all those capacity and durability complaints.
The star split agrees. 78% of the Aroma’s ratings are five stars and 5% are one star. The Black+Decker gets 72% and 7%.
Our pick
Buy the Aroma ARC-363NG for a couple or a small family that mostly makes plain rice. It cleans up easily, it’s coated without PFAS and owners complain less. Choose the Black+Decker RC506 if steaming vegetables over the rice is part of the plan, or if a 2-year warranty gives you more peace of mind than the owner numbers do. Check the current price on both. For more options, see our best rice cookers guide.
Where they differ
| Spec | Aroma ARC-363NG | Black+Decker RC506 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon rating | 4.5★ (27,780) | 4.4★ (37,137) |
| Capacity | 3 cups uncooked, 6 cooked (1.5 qt) | 3 cups uncooked, 6 cooked (3/4-cup measure) |
| Power | 500 W (listing) | 300 W |
| Controls | One-touch | One switch |
| Inner pot | CoreCoat ceramic, PFAS-free | Nonstick, dishwasher safe |
| Lid | Tempered glass | — |
| Keep warm | Automatic | — |
| Size | 8.1 × 8.9 × 8 in | 5.5 × 10 × 9 in |
| Weight | 2.8 lb | 2 lb |
| Extras | — | Steaming basket, glass lid |
| Warranty | — | 2 years |
| Price | Check price | Check price |
What owners say about the Aroma ARC-363NG
Topics mentioned most in Amazon reviews, split into positive and negative mentions. Snapshot taken October 28, 2026.
Owners like how fast it cooks, often citing 20 to 30 minutes, and almost everyone finds the ceramic pot easy to clean. Durability is the complaint that keeps coming up: 236 of 330 mentions describe it breaking, sometimes within a few months.
What owners say about the Black+Decker RC506
Topics mentioned most in Amazon reviews, split into positive and negative mentions. Snapshot taken October 28, 2026.
It's simple and quick, and 97% of ease-of-use comments are positive. Capacity is the big letdown: most people who discuss it say it doesn't make the advertised 6 cups, and 348 of 421 durability mentions describe early failures.
FAQ
Do these really make 6 cups of rice?
Six cups cooked from 3 cups uncooked, measured with the small cup in the box. Black+Decker's is 3/4 of a US cup, so in kitchen measures you get less than the box suggests. That gap explains why only 40 of 259 capacity comments on the Black+Decker are positive.
Which one cooks faster?
Owners of both commonly report 20 to 30 minutes for a full batch. The Aroma's listing rates it at 500 W against 300 W for the Black+Decker, which may help, but neither maker publishes a cook time for a full pot.
Can I put the inner pots in the dishwasher?
Black+Decker says its nonstick bowl is dishwasher safe. Aroma's spec sheet says hand wash, though many owners report washing the ceramic pot in the dishwasher. Hand washing will help any coating last longer.
Ready to buy?
- Our pickAroma ARC-363NG4.5★ · 27,780 ratingsCheck price on Amazon
- Black+Decker RC5064.4★ · 37,137 ratingsCheck price on Amazon
Prices and stock change often, so the button shows today’s price on Amazon.com.
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How we put this together
We compared manufacturer specs and Amazon listing details, read the patterns in Amazon owner reviews (we refresh this snapshot regularly), and scored each product with our published rubric. We have not tested these units hands-on. When we do, the page will say so. Prices change constantly, so we link to the live price instead of quoting one.
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