Customer Reviews

Sanyo ECJ-B35M Micro-Computerized Rice Cooker and Warmer, Light Blue/White

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This appliance appears to be the functional twin of the Sanyo ECJ B35M, which I have and use frequently.

OVERALL, in balancing its features and price, this small capacity rice cooker is an excellent value. It has a number of excellent features, few of which are mentioned in the brief editorial review. They really should have been, to do this appliance justice:
* fuzzy logic microprocessor control produces EXCELLENT rice: Without reservation I can say that this rice cooker makes the best rice I've ever cooked. Grains are fluffy and don't stick to one another. There's no goo on the bottom, no browning of the rice, and absolutely no burning.
* THICK cookpot (5 mm) makes for even cooking
* titanium non-stick finish makes for easy clean up
* retractable cord of reasonable length
* multiple settings (white rice/mixed, brown, porridge)
* clock with timer for autocook at later time. The default cook time (the one last entered) remains the same until changed, making it easy to set up the next time.
* easy to set digital clock and timer
* no need to unplug/plug to start
* 'countdown' feature tells you when the rice is almost done, beginning at 13 minutes.

Thus far I've successfully cooked white, brown, basmati, and wild rice in this appliance. FYI, the porridge setting can also be used to make risotto.

The only 'down' sides to this appliance are minor:
1. The front to back measurement is longer than side to side, making it most easily placed towards the back of the counter. However, the steam vent is placed at the rear. Unfortunately, if you have cabinets above, this combination of features will result in steam condensing on the bottom of the cabinet--which will NOT result in a good outcome for your cabinets in the long run! This can be dealt with entering the settings you want, then bringing the cooker forward, letting out the cord a bit, and turning the appliance 90 degrees.

2. The manual notes that placement should not be where the appliance will be in the sun, since the appearance of the plastic may change over time. (I think the sun could also heat the rice cooker--something that mainly affects you if you set the timer to start later, or keep rice warm for an extended period.) I mention this because it doesn't appear on the box, and did require that I find another place to put this, where it would always be out of the sun, rather than where I had originally planned.

3. The manual is not the greatest. The cooker is shipped with the inner lid in place. However, there is no mention of how to remove the inner lid; FYI, it's a press-fit, meaning that it should be pulled off gently, using both hands and gentle pressure. After use, the lid needs to be washed, of course. The lid is then replaced in the same way. The instructions for using the pot to prewash the rice are a bit confusing, and there are LOTS of marks in the pot's interior.

4. Its capacity is small. If you are cooking for yourself, for a couple or for a small family/group, for one meal a day, it will meet your needs nicely. If you eat rice twice a day, and don't mind resetting to cook it for the second meal, this will still meet your needs. Otherwise, consider a fuzzy logic rice cooker with larger capacity.

5. When cooking anything other than white rice, mild overflowing can occur. I have found it makes sense to start with no more than 1.5 cups (using their cup, which is about 6 oz.) of raw rice the first time around. Likewise for the porridge feature. FYI, a little olive oil (> 1 tsp) reduces foaming and overflow, if you aren't a purist. It works when you're cooking pasta, too, which is why I tried it.

6. An old toothbrush is handy to clean the underside of the press-fit lid near the vent, and also along the top of the lid near the hinge. Don't put clean-up off, either. It doesn't get easier when it dries.

7. If you've pushed this appliance and are dealing with an overflow extending to the cooking surface, unplug this appliance. Use a wet cotton (NOT microfiber or polyester!)cloth to clean the heating element area.

Bon appetit!

I've had one of these for several years and am generally satisfied.

Making Rice: I always add a bit more water than is indicated on the bowl or it's a little dry.

Making Oatmeal: This is where a rice cooker can really shine. We use steel cut oats and it's great. Two things:
--- DO NOT accidentally use rice mode. It will boil over and make a huge mess. We've done this a couple of time and the cooker comes out fine but it takes a while to clean.
--- For some reason, the cooker doesn't go into keep warm mode when it's making porridge. We like to start the oatmeal in the evening and let it go all night in keep warm mode. We have to start it earlier and manually put it in keep warm mode.


Finally, the battery in this thing is not user replaceable. After two years, we are going to have to take it in. A bit of research seems to indicate that the battery is part of a PC board so we will have to replace a whole module.

Because of the battery and because we make so much oatmeal, if I had it to do over again, I would look for another cooker.

I use this rice cooker for both white rice and porridge. The rice comes out fluffy, moist, and tender (using their recommended water amount), and the rice does not brown on the bottom. I prefer stickier rice so have to use slightly more water. I only make 1-2 of their cups of rice at a time, so have no experience with spill over that was mentioned elsewhere.

The porridge doesn't foam as much if I add a tad of oil (teaspoon). It's not as mushy as some Chinese porridge I've bought; the rice is still distinct but very soft. I wish I could make bigger batches, but I like the small size of this machine better. We can get about 3 large servings at a time.

I like the cleanup on this machine. The non-stick pot cleans up quickly after rinsing with warm water. I was trying to get away from the aluminum pots of the more traditional rice cooker.

The only annoying thing I've encountered was the condensation that rolls off the inner lid and down by the hinge of the lid after making porridge (there's more moisture than with rice). It only gets around the sides of the hinge, though, so I can clean up quickly with a damp paper towel.

I also like being able to set the time for rice/porridge to be done. I can have rice waiting when I get home from work. That means, with the small capacity, I can have fresh rice every day, if I want. Yes, there's no audible alert that the rice is done, but is not an issue in our household.

The unit is short enough to put away in a cupboard, which is a good thing with our limited space (and short shelf height). The retractable cord is good to minimize clutter and is long enough to run behind my toaster oven.

Haven't tried any of their recipes, or the "rinse done" mark. I just rinse like I normally do.

I just bought this Sanyo to replace my Sunbeam food steamer. (I stripped the timer by turning it backward. A No-No on these cheap appliances.) I much prefer the rice from the Sunbeam. The fuzzy logic rice comes out too light, i.e. there's no density, weight or toothsomeness to the cooked rice. I'm not a rice expert but I know that according to my preference the Sanyo overcooks the rice.

Also, the Sanyo has no alarm to inform you when the cooking ends and warming begins. You have to use your separate kitchen timer if you need a reminder. There is however a thirteen (13) minute digital display countdown to finish.

I suspect I'm going to replace my Sunbeam food steamer and, to save valuable apartment space, give away the Sanyo fuzzy logic rice steamer which I bought in part to save space. Sorry, but for me the Sanyo fuzzy logic rice steamer has turned out to be a disappointing waist of money.