Customer Reviews

Sanyo ECJ-B35S Micro-Computerized Rice Cooker and Warmer

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

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.

Bon appetit!

This is my first rice cooker and I love it! It makes great rice every time. I have made white, brown and jasmine rice so far, they all came out fantastic. I eat rice every day now and I feel great!

Pros
- Small size, good for one person or a small family.
- Changes to keep warm mode after rice is done so it doesn't burn or get cold.
- Retractable cord
- Three cooking modes
- Countdown timer starts at 13 minutes
- Delayed start timer
- Very durable
- Easy to clean (except one part, see below)
- Great price!

Cons
- The unit has an inner lid with a small valve that may be difficult to clean if you don't have a dish washer.

This is a great rice cooker for the kitchen-style-conscious small household that likes to cook east-Asian style rice. If you're not too familiar with how the sensibilities of Asian rice cooking vary from Western rice cooking, this feature set on this product will probably seem a little strange to you, and you'd probably prefer a steamer/rice cooker combo model from an American manufacturer.

I traded up to this model after many years of using a rice cooker with an alumnimum pot. I really appreciate the easy-to-clean titanium-coated steel pot on this cooker, and I expect it to last a lot longer. The inside-the-lid pot cover is still made of aluminum, however, and strikes me as rather flimsy compared to the rest of the product, which feels very solid. I'm a little concerned about whether I might dent it accidentally while cleaning.

I have experienced none of the problems that some others noted regarding burnt rice. It seems to shut off at just the right time, and I have found the "keep warm" feature works just as it is supposed to work and the rice remains soft for hours.

I must have looked at over 50 different rice cookers prior to selecting this model. The retractable cord is a definite plus, as is the fuzzy-logic feature.

I've used it for several differents types of rice, from white to brown, and it works with basmati rice as well. I've even made some terrific rice balls and sushi using sushi rice.

For 2 or 3 people, or if your family aren't big rice eaters, the small size is great. I've made two batches using different types of rice one right after the other and have had no problems. I haven't tried the porridge feature.....yet....but I will! ;-)

I'm definitely pleased with this purchase.

I ordered this product without ever using or owning a rice cooker before. I heard that Zojir ushi was the best (but also pretty pricey for a student to purchase). So, in longing anticipation of owning my own cooker, I purchased The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook (by Hensperger & Kaufmann). Based on their recommendations, I decided to purchase this rice cooker.

However, the first cooker I received was broken and I was skeptical that I made the right choice. The replacement came in the mail and I made a batch right away. The rice I've prepared so far is always cooked perfectly. My only concern is the user manual. It is difficult to understand and clearly determine the water to rice ratio needed to make perfect rice.

For it's price and features, this rice cooker is definitely a good deal. Just be wary of the user's manual!

What an exceptional rice cooker!

We eat quite a bit of rice and had a 5.5 cup Panasonic rice cooker for many years. We were pleased with it and when it was time for replacement we almost automatically went to order a new Panasonic machine. Our constraint is the typical size of a NYC kitchen, so when we saw the small dimensions of the Sanyo rice cooker we were intrigued.

We realized that we never cooked more than 3 cups at a time anyway, so we crossed our fingers and in the interests of a smaller machine we took a chance. We are both so glad that we did! The unit saves at least 1/3 of the space of our old machine and it produces exceptional rice. The results are much better than the good results we used to get from our Panasonic.

While I appreciate a well designed product, I'm not the type to normally rave about it to others. This one is an exception - it's just that good. If the size is advantageous to you, don't think twice about ordering the Sanyo rice cooker. The stainless steel finish on the top is very handsome, as well.

Nice small compact size fits easily on a crowded counter. The manual wasn't very well written, but the rice cooker itself was easy to figure out without it. The cooking pot is labeled. If you add one cup of brown rice, you fill it with water up to the 1 mark under the brown rice label. Next you set the menu option for the type of rice then press cook. The best part of this rice cooker is the automatic timer. I can set it to start cooking before I arrive home from work, and if I'm late it automatically switches to the "keep warm" mode after cooking. I am looking forward to trying the porridge setting, not sure if I'll like it or not.

I am researching on which rice cooker to purchase. I simply had to write and comment on the person who gave this cooker 1 star. For the Japanese people rice is more than just a starch to go with their meal. There is a great deal of thought which goes into what type of rice, where it came from, what meal it is being served as/with along with the best way to prepare it. (That does not even begin to consider every other product made with rice) This is why the best rice cookers are Japanese in origin. With a little bit a research all of your questions regarding the information in the manual would be fairly simple to understand. As another reviewer wrote, all American rice can be cooked successfully in a rice cooker, just follow the instructions on the packet rather than your manual (unless using Japanese rice). Granted, Japanese translations can be confusing. This is not just because of language differences, but also due to the cultural difference between rice in Japan and rice in American lifestyle. But, just use your common sense and it will work. Rice cookers will not think for you, and I suspect that that may be the problem you experiece with the machine. Anyway, I hope you are having better luck, and I think I will actually purchase this machine. Thank you to all of the other informative reviewers.

I'd used this little rice cooker for over 3 years now, never once had it disappointed. Guests always comment on how nicely the rice is cooked. White, Brown, Mixed... all cook perfectly.

You can ever get creative and use this thing as a slow cooker with things like oats. etc...

It is a wonderful addition to any kitchen. I love the timer. I have used all of the modes- white, brown rice and porridge modes, I have even cooked grains other than the different rices,--- oats, barley, bulgur wheat, quinoa, mixed grains and have had great results. (The water amounts needed are different than those marked for grains other than rice) My only quibble is with the inner lid which is rather flimsy.