11 Useful Tips to Create Beautiful Sushi in Minutes

I’ve been craving sushi a lot lately but it’s so expensive at the restaurants! So I decided to challenge myself and opted to go the homemade route. Making my own sushi saved me much time and money. On top of that, I had a lot of fun putting it together after several attempts and variations. I’ve perfected my custom roll and wanted to share with you how I did it so you can too!

Materials

Time is of the essence and sushi kits are a great tool to speed up the process. So I tried and reviewed all of these so you can decide which one is right for you.

Here are 11 Sushi Making Kits I Recommend You Use

1. Luxury Sushi Making Kit – I bought the Comfify brand, but right now it shows that it’s sold out. So I have found a similar package by the UR Happy Place store on Amazon and I can direct you to that link when you hover over and click on the pink text. Here is my video tutorial for this product:

This sushi maker only creates square-shaped sushi because it uses a rectangular oak maki mold to insert the filling. It’s very basic and if that’s what you prefer, you should get this one. It is packaged nicely and great for gift giving. 

Pros:

  • Great price
  • No plastic materials
  • 15 pieces
  • Very presentable packaging. Great for gifts.

Cons:

  • Must be washed immediately after use
  • Can get a little messy
  • Only square shaped sushi available

2. Aya Sushi Maker – This is a Japanese brand that is known for their quality materials. This unique kit teaches you how to make the traditional Japanese sushi right from your own home. You don’t need any professional culinary skills to use it. This kit includes 11 pieces of various shapes and sizes that are round, triangle, square, heart-shaped, and others.

Make your sushi rolls the way you want and customize it by putting all sorts of ingredients in there. This kit is super easy to hold and is perfectly safe for adults and children to use.

There is also a non-stick rice spreader that is part of the kit enabling easier maintenance when working with glutinous surfaces. There is a sharp chef knife so you can slice sushi into even pieces effectively too. 

Since the kit is made of smooth plastic, washing it is simple. It is also BPA-free and approved by the FDA.

Pros:

  • Dishwasher safe kit
  • 11 piece set
  • Non-stick rice spreader
  • Sushi knife
  • Lifetime warranty
  • BPA and FDA approved

Cons:

  • Lack of all sushi sizes
  • Kind of on the pricey end

3. The Sushi Bazooka Maker – This all-in-one kit is great for beginners because it has all the things you need to make round circular shaped sushi in a very short time. The kit comes with the bazoooka, knife, bamboo mat, rice spreader, chopsticks, an avocado slicer, and a portable bag to travel with. 

Made of high-quality bamboo and food grade plastic, this kit is very durable and easy to wash. It is also BPA-free and non-toxic, safe for frequent use.

This bazooka kit is extremely easy to use when you prepare your basic ingredients ahead of time.

Pros:

  • Easy to use
  • Fast setup 
  • Simple wash
  • Dishwasher safe
  • Space saving

Cons

  • Must get used to rolling with the kit in the beginning. Practice makes perfect.

4. Sushedo Sushi Bazooka Kit – Just like how it’s described. It is the ultimate tube machine for sushi. It appears to be a very popular kit out there that doesn’t involve a ton of extra tools. It’s basic with only three pieces and the directions are pretty self-explanatory. There is the sushi tube, plunger, and the end cap to keep the filling and rice in place. 

You’ll only get the round sushi shape only. I experienced a little bit of trouble at first because the hinges were stubborn when I tried closing the kit. But it worked eventually and I liked that I was able to add a lot of rice, fish, and veggies in there compared to the other kits I’ve tried. Extra large sushi rolls made my stomach very happy!

Pros:

  • I can hold a lot of ingredients
  • 3 pieces
  • Round-shaped sushi
  • Dishwasher safe
  • Easy to grasp

Cons:

  • Plastic hinge is flimsy
  • Not good if you want smaller sushi portions

5. 3.5 cm Sushi Roller – Okay so this kind of looks like a hole puncher/laminator all-in-one. Unusual sight, yes, but it is just as effective. Made in France, this roller allows you to prep and roll your sushi quickly with it’s minimal design.

It’s made up of food grade plastic and you can also use it to shape other foods as well. It consists of a roller and a traction sheet that is 3.5 cm in diameter and 24 cm in length. This produces the usual standard sushi size. You can put the roller in the dishwasher without any problems. 

It’s also easy to clean if you use a non-abrasive formula and the traction sheet is replaceable. Not only can you make sushi with it, you can wrap spring rolls, soft tacos, and crepes, to name a few.

Pros:

  • Reusable roller
  • 1.4 inches 
  • Food grade plastic
  • Patented Authentic Tool
  • Multi-purpose
  • Dishwasher safe
  • Easy for beginners

Cons:

  • Circular rolls only

6. BambooWorx Sushi Making Kit – If you want to learn how the old traditional generations made sushi, this one’s for you. This is as basic as it gets and this kit takes you back to the old school techniques. All you need are two high-quality bamboo mats and it comes with a rice paddle and spreader. Tighten the grip as you go while you are rolling and your sushi will be easy to cut. 

Since the nori sheet and rice are a bit sticky, some of it may get stuck on the bamboo mat and your hands. So I advise you to put some plastic saran wrap around the bamboo sheet before you start rolling so it’ll be easier to clean afterwards.

You can only hand-wash this kit with a soft piece of cloth and air-dry it on the counter since the materials are quite delicate. Mild soap and warm water will keep it clean. Make sure not to put them in direct sunlight or else the bamboo’s shape will warp. 

The wood rice paddle is for mixing rice and vinegar together while the spreader is used to place the necessary fillings evenly onto the mat.

Pros:

  • Comes with an extra rolling mat
  • Quality bamboo pieces
  • Wooden spoon and spreader
  • Simple to use

Cons: 

  • Cannot put in dishwasher
  • Saran wrap recommended
  • Expensive kit

7. FUNGYAND Sushi Roller Machine – This kit is very similar to the all-in-one Sushi Bazooka Maker. Well, it pretty much is the same where it has the bazooka, bamboo mat, rice spreader, knife, chopsticks, avocado slicer, and travel bag. The only difference is that there is a neon brush included to glaze the top of your sashimi with seasoned sauce. 

There’s a lot of pieces, but they all have their own valuable function to making quality sushi. The materials are long-lasting, easy to wash, BPA-free, and non-toxic. 

Preparing all your ingredients is basically the longest part of the process. Putting it together takes only a few minutes with this kit.

Pros:

  • Fast end result
  • Easy to clean
  • Durable quality
  • Dishwasher safe
  • Travel-friendly

Cons:

  • Rolling will need practice in the beginning
  • Overpriced 

8. iSottcom Sushi Chef Making Kit – All your necessary tools and utensils are provided in this package. There is also an instructional recipe e-book as well as tips on their app that guides you step-by-step on how to make your own sushi at home. The wooden mold makes square-shaped sushi just like the Luxury Sushi Making Kit I mentioned earlier. It used to include actual ingredients, but they have updated it to just selling the sushi maker by itself.

Pros:

  • Easy to use
  • Includes e-book
  • Includes downloadable app for instructional manual
  • Restaurant-style sushi
  • 1 piece

Cons:

  • Overpriced 
  • Default square shaped sushi
  • No longer includes ingredients with package

9. Zen Formosa Sushi Making Kit – You get five different kinds of variations when it comes of shape and size. I like this one because you get options like having your sushi made into a square, circle, triangle, and heart. It’s fun to show off your sushi at parties because of this unique design. A training frame and rice paddle is also included. The training frame is supposed to make sure that you put just the right portion of rice on the nori sheet so the appearance of your sushi is proportional. 

The rice paddle is plastic and non-stick so rice can easily move off it and onto the training frame neatly. It is very affordable for the amount of pieces provided. It is hands-free so you can avoid touching food by using these convenient tools.

Pros:

  • Nicely designed training frame
  • Non-stick paddle
  • Can cut into 5 different shapes
  • Dishwasher friendly
  • Self-explanatory, no manual needed

Cons:

  • You need to use your own knife

10. Sante Cookware Camp Chef Sushezi Roller Kit – Yes, you’ve seen this before in my list above; however, if you really want to keep it super simple and just need the main rolling tool, get this one. Just remember that this sushi kit will give you large round sushi since the tube size is 12 inches long and has a diameter of 2.5 inches. The bigger your sushi, the faster you will get full. Just a heads up.

What’s cool about this kit is that you can make other things too like round walnut rolls, cake rolls, biscuits, cookies, and other savory pastries. Use your imagination and take advantage of the kit’s form to create different meals and snacks.

Pros:

  • Easy preparation
  • Minimal clean up
  • Quality plastic
  • Dishwasher safe
  • Large storage

Cons:

  • Bring your own knife
  • Default round-shape sushi
  • Large portions only

11. Mashta Sushi Making Kit – This is a very affordable choice and unlike bamboo or plastic, this sushi maker is made of silicone which is super easy to clean. No need for saran wrap. The mat is 10.5 inches long and any sticky substance will be simple to wipe away without much resistance. The material is softer, more flexible, and safe for children.

The package also comes with two pairs of chopsticks and a rice paddle. All three pieces are made from the same quality material. Your delicious sushi rolls will come out round-shaped. 

Pros:

  • Silicone material
  • Quality rice paddle
  • 2 pairs of chopsticks
  • Very Affordable
  • Dishwasher safe

Cons:

  • Mat could be too flexible for even formation
  • Stronger grip when rolling

Ingredients

Here are my custom ingredients directly from my kitchen: 

Instructions

This process should take less than 20 minutes including rice prep:

  1. Place nori sheet on the sushi mat or in whichever kit you purchased.
  2. Mix the salad dressing and sourcream into the rice for a creamy sticky texture. Then evenly spread it onto the nori sheet.
  3. Stir fry the canned salmon for 1 minute into a pan. It is already seasoned, so no need to add salt. Then place it on top of the rice layer.
  4. Cut avocado into thin slices. Lay each slice in the middle one after the other on top of the fish working your way to the end of the roll. 
  5. Then with whichever kit you are using, roll or press it to create your desired sushi shape. 
  6. Cut the roll into ½ inch pieces for 6 rolls and enjoy!

Sushi Questions & Answers:

  • Can sushi last overnight? No, I would advise not to keep it that long. When you have raw fish laying out for a while, bacteria can grow and you will risk being sick. If you have extra ingredients left other than the fish and avocado, it is safe to put in the fridge for the next day. You will just have to re-steam the rice to make it soft again and the seaweed might not have the same consistency if you want to warm it up again. Try to eat the extra sashimi as soon as possible. Sushi should be devoured when it is freshly made and on the same day. 
  • Can you make sushi without any meat? Yes, there are a lot of vegan sushi recipes out there for you to try. Avocado, cucumbers, and carrots are popular choices, but feel free to experiment.
  • Can I use a rice cooker for sushi rice?: Yes, you can. Sushi rice is an art that takes time to perfect; I made mine using a glass pot. But if you’re on a time restraint, a rice cooker is a good alternative to make rice quickly without much effort.

Got extra nori sheets? Use them to make fast easy seaweed soup!

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