Customer Reviews

Sanyo ECJ-E35S 3.5-Cup Micro-Computerized Rice Cooker/Steamer

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

This was a Christmas present to myself as I have been wanting a micom rice cooker for some time now. I chose this one because of the price, the 3 cup size, the Sanyo reputation, and the features. And a very wise choice it was!! My first impression as I pulled it out of the box was that it was extremely attractive and modern looking; the web site picture does not do it justice. The body is white with stainless steel accents in a very up-to-date style. It is small and easily tucked away if need be, the cord is retractable. The buttons are large and easy to read and access. The menu features a setting for white, brown, porridge, quick cook and a Korean dish called Dol sot bi bim bab. The instruction book is easy to follow, although you really almost would not need it as the controls are very self-explanatory. Included in the guide are some simple recipes, including one for the dol sot bi bim bab.

The main stand out for this model is a bowl that is built like a tank and is titanium nonstick. It is 5 mm. thick--by far the thickest I have seen on any micom rice cooker. It distributes the heat consistently all around the circumference of the bowl. Another plus is that it has separate markings for brown and sweet rice, showing the necessary higher water level needed for those types of rice. Since I mainly cook brown rice, the separate menu selection for brown and separate bowl markings for brown win this cooker very high marks with me. The bowl is a three cup size, but two cups fill it very full. This is the perfect size for a single person or maybe a couple, but a larger group might want to go up to the 5 cup size. (I might get one of those myself....I like this cooker that much!) I believe the 5 cup also has a steam and slow cook function that the smaller unit does not have. Not a big deal for me but for some might be a selling point.

I have cooked brown, japanese white, jasmine, brown basamati, and even Uncle Ben in this and basically had perfect rice each time. I have also used the timer to have it ready when I come home from work! My only gripe is that it takes 1 1/2 hours to cook brown rice, so if I don't use the timer, I have to wait on it. However, the results ARE worth the wait.

Oh, a couple quirks. The condensation cup is on the top of the cooker--empty it each time, or else if you move the unit, it could spash water down the front of it. I learned the hard way. Also, the clock will read 0.00 at noon instead of 12:00--the 0.00 does NOT mean the rice is ready if you happen to be cooking around that time. Also learned the hard way. Clean up is simple, the pieces come off and reassemble without any brain work. More work than a traditional glass lid cooker perhaps, but again, worth it.

Amazon seemed to have the best price and included free shipping for this model Wal-mart and Best Buy also carry it, but they were not in stock (in my area anyway) and had to be ordered--and you pay shipping. The unit has a one year warranty. It is made in China.

In short, this is a very attractive, well-built, well-designed little unit that turns out perfect rice at an incredible price. If you have any thoughts about getting a micom rice cooker, get this one!!

A titanium coating of an inner pot begun to peel off after six months use. I used the rice cooker 2~3 times a week, washed it by hand with a soft sponge. I also used only a spatula which was provided.It was getting worse and I had to give up to use it. I reported the problem to Sanyo through their homepage. They just gave me URL of stores at which I can order it, no apology at all. A new inner pot cost me about $40. I'm so disappointed about the poor quality.

Excellent, just excellent. We have made sushi rice, basmati rice, jasmine rice, brown rice, brown sushi rice, rice porridge, rice baby food, risotto, rolled oatmeal, cut Scottish oatmeal, wheat berry pilaf, and barley soup in this cooker, and have not even scratched the surface... of the heavy, high-quality pot, or of the capabilities of this machine. We are vegetarians and eat a lot of grain, but I was surprised at how easy this cooker makes things I thought were a lot of trouble to cook before. We are also Internet-based workers and need something that can cook unattended without any trouble or stress. For the two of us, it makes exactly enough. For more than two, definitely get a larger-capacity model. But if you're looking for a 3 to 4 cup capacity cooker, stop looking - this is it.

EDIT: Two years after purchasing this rice cooker, with at least 3X per week use, the non-stick coating has finally begun to show wear. It is not flaking off; just showing a few pinprick-sized chips in the bottom. Sanyo has been TOTALLY unhelpful in finding a replacement pot. Maybe Amazon will find a way to offer one (HINT HINT HINT SUPERHINT, Amazon).

This cooker is perfect and works better than advertised. Quick, clean, simple and great rice, a working timer to have rice ready for you when you wake up or when you come home from work. The end result is better than anything I've had at a restaraunt, and it can even make stews, bread pudding, and vegetables/meat with rice.

Do not buy anything cheaper, and unless you're feeding more than four people, don't worry about paying more. For students, people who cook for themselves or small households this is the best and perfect rice cooker. Going cheaper will result in having some notable flaw, or in the case of non-computerized cookers, just plain not be worth the price in proportion. Save if you must but spring for a microcomputer cooker. Anything less and you'll spend more dealing with it, and on your headaches until you toss it.

The quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten.

Compared to my previous one-button tiger rice cooker:
- More menu options, so supposedly more versatile. Timer a plus.
- White rice quality is acceptable, but not impressed. Taste no difference from the old one-button ones, eventhough this one is supposed to be "smarter", plus it takes much longer time to cook ~ 45 min
- Bimbimbob results very disappointing
- Cleanup not as easy due to water streaming down the sides from the inner lid EVEN if you remove the top reservoir first (which is not even capturing half). Tiger has the reservoir on the back so condensed steam will flow in the reservoir when you open, as opposed to all around the side of the pot.
- No spoon rest
- Granted, this is a very good looking piece on the counter top, but given all the above, if I could choose again, I would probably go with the more expensive Zojirushi, and hope that that one would live up to my expectations.

i wavered over the purchase of this machine for several months. did i really need a $100 rice cooker? i usually avoid single-pupose appliances as they tend to consume more real estate in the kitchen than they're worth.

i'm usually cooking only for myself, so it's difficult to make rice in a small enough quantity on the stovetop. clearly, this machine would solve that problem, but would the results warrant the cost?

in short, yes. it's worth its cost.

superficially, the photos do not do justice to the handsome, clear lacquered, brushed metal finish. it looks great on the countertop. the retractable cord adjusts to exactly the length you need, and also makes it easy to bring the unit to the table for serving if you are so inclined. inside, the cooking pot is surprisingly hefty. it is built to heat evenly and it is built to last. the markings for the various amounts of rice and water are clear and easy to read. the carrying handle stays nicely out of the way. buttons are also large and easy to read. also, there's no reason why this cooker needs to stay in the kitchen. any level surface near an outlet will do. you can cook your rice at the table and save your countertop space (i've not tried this at full 3.5c capacity - i would test it on a spillover safe area first). lastly, if you find yourself running out of space on the cooktop, using any rice cooker will free up a slot for you.

i have a few minor complaints - as other reviewers have noted, there's no place to stow the rice paddle. the clock reads 00:00 instead of 12:00. and the condensation catcher can spill when lifting the lid (but there is a channel on the rim to catch the spilled liquid). practically speaking, these are non-issues.

and the rice! the rice is glorious. i've turned out sushi rice which exceeds restaurant quality. every grain is a little jewel. i've also made excellent forbidden rice (a non-glutinous chinese black rice) on the brown rice setting. you can rinse the rice right in the pot, then set the timer far enough in the future to allow the rice to soak. all the fussiness is handled automatically, and you return to perfection.

the warmer also works phenomenally well. i forgot it overnight once, and the rice was still perfectly edible the next day. it is great for reheating too - even when making only one cup (like coffee makers, rice makers use a cup which is smaller than the standard 8oz english measure) of dry rice, i usually end up with more rice than i can eat as a side dish in a single sitting. i can refrigerate half of the cooked rice in a ziploc bag and days later it comes back to life in the warmer as good as new.

cleanup is simple and straightforward. the pot is non-stick and cleans up easily. the condensation catcher separates into two pieces which facillitates cleaning and drying. and finally, there's a metal plate which easily snaps in and out of the underside of the lid. the rest of the unit cleans up with a damp sponge. it's a little more work to clean than a plain pot and lid on the stove, but you shouldn't have any starchy spillover to contend with, and the benefit of setting it and walking away far outweighs the extra minute or two of cleaning.

in conclusion, i'd say this cooker will make anyone who likes a variety of rice and other grains in small quantities very happy. the quality of results encourage experimentation and the quality of construction should keep it operating smoothly for years to come. i have high standards and i wasn't disappointed. it's a very welcome addition to my arsenal of kitchen weapons. :-)

A dandy well constructed rice maker. Excellent design and compact enough for your counter top to avoid cluttering. Makes perfect rice and has options that allow you to make several rice dishes flawlessly.

I'm generally pleased with the performance of this rice cooker - it doesn't burn the rice when cooking smaller amounts of rice unlike some of the other rice cookers that I have owned. The one item that really dimishes the appeal (no pun intended) of the product is the teflon peeling off of the interior of the cooking pot. It is coming off in 2-3 inch sheets. I've only had the cooker for about a year. I've e-mailed Sanyo and have received no response. I just want to know where/if I can purchase another cooking pot. This is what I consider an expensive rice cooker and I thought that I was paying for quality. I would not buy another Sanyo product.

I bought this rice cooker a few years ago and have been really impressed with it. But it has a clock which must be on all of the time, and a battery which keeps it running. Well, the battery ran out - apparently it has about a 4 year life. Now every time I plug it in, the rice cooker will not work until I fiddle with the clock buttons and pretend to set the time.

So I want a new battery - seems logical, right? But you can't get a new battery - you have to take it into a repair place (the nearest one is 30 miles away - and I live in Minneapolis!). They have to solder the a new battery. An expensive undertaking for a $100 appliance!

I looked in the owners manual and sure enough, it's all documented there. After 4-5 years, you need a new battery. But in all practicality, you may as well plan to toss out your perfectly good machine and get a new one after a few years, or fiddle with the clock every time you want to use it.

WOW! Beautiful product design. Fatal Flaw.

My wife is Japanese and researched a lot of rice cookers before settling on this one. First of all, she wanted the 3.5 cup size which is fine for two adults and one or two children. The 5 cup size would just waste space unless you were using it for a party. As other people noted, the pot inside is thicker than most any other cooker and so it heats evenly and is durable. She was also especially interested in cooking brown rice and the cooker does this very well with the rice being tender, not overly chewy. We have also cooked regular white rice and rice we use for sushi and it tastes noticeably better than the same rice cooked in our old cooker. We have done takikomi rice (where you cook things together with the rice in soup stock rather than plain water) and that also came out excellent. The only very minor complaint my wife has is that when you open the lid, the moisture inside then drips down the lid into the trench around the pot which you then have to wipe up. This is the case for other cookers as well, however, and you can't do much about it. The timer works great and the buttons are easy to figure out. This cooker is very good at what it does without going overboard on exotic features. We use this every day and appreciate it more and more.