Customer Reviews

Sanyo ECJ-HC100S 10-Cup Micro-Computerized Rice Cooker and Slow Cooker

5 star:		(52)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

Not normally one to write reviews, this is one time I felt compelled to put my two cents in. I thoroughly researched slow cookers and rice makers before deciding on the Sanyo ECJ-HC100S. I must say that this cooker is the smartest thing I've purchased in a very long time -- a great concept, nicely designed and very well made. It is incredibly easy to use and the heavy duty, non-stick bowls (not one, but two!) and lids are easy to clean. It's sleek and good-looking as well as nice and compact, considering its large capacity -- not bulky or cumbersome like most of the crockpot-type slow cookers out there. And what's better than having two products in one?!

The first thing I used it for was brown basmati rice, which I have never been able to successfully cook on the stovetop. I couldn't have been happier with the result; it was cooked to perfection as was every other type of rice that I've made since then. Just use the cup provided to measure out the rice and then add water to the appropriate line shown inside the bowl and you can't go wrong. Even porridge and steelcut oats come out perfect every time.

For me, the drawback to crockery cooking has always been the need to brown meat in a seperate pan on the stovetop. However, the Sanyo slow cooking bowl is metal with a non-stick interior and has both a high and low setting for slow cooking. Therefore, you can start out using the high setting to brown the meat and then add the rest of your ingredients and switch to low for the rest of the cooking process. A beautiful thing!

So far this item is worth every penny I paid for it. I found the best price online at Bed, Bath & Beyond. Sweeter yet, because I placed my order in person at my local BB&B store, they even accepted my store coupon for 20% off!

Hats off to Sanyo for a great product all around!

Update 30 November 2011: DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT.
As of 8 months ago, the nonstick coating on the rice cooker pot started coming loose. I thought nothing of it, because it was minor scratching. Over time, the nonstick started flaking off into the food, so I started to get nervous. I called the parts people, who informed me that the part is no longer there, and is discontinued. Funny how the rice cooker is still being sold at full price. In other words, after about two years, you'll start losing the nonstick, and you won't be able to replace it. In other words, this thing has lasted me all of three years flat, and I can't replace something that should be a relatively simple thing to replace.

What's worse is that Sanyo's customer service is nonexistent. I cannot find the numbers to call their customer service directly.

Things aren't being built like they used to be. I should have spent the tiny bit extra, and bought the Zojirushi. That's what I'll be doing next.

Thanks for the horrible customer service, Sanyo. I'll never be buying from you again.

Other annoyances: I make brown rice all the time. The cooker always defaults back to white rice, rather than remembering my last choice. It also takes an extra 30 minutes longer than rice should take. Brown rice takes close to 90 minutes, not 45, like I'm used to. White rice takes at least 45 minutes. Over time, the sensors must be going wonky, because in spite of my measuring perfectly each time, the cooker errs on the side of mushy.

The numbers on the inside are written in ink, and not stamped into the pot. This means that the numbers rubbed off. Where did they go? Into my food, clearly. I am very careful with my rice cooker, because it cost a fortune, and the thing is used literally every day. I only wash it with mild dish soap, and a soft sponge. It never goes in the dish washer, because we have no dish washer. So now, the simple task of measuring my rice is a huge pain, because I have to squint to see the numbers's impressions.

The lids that fit over top of the pots, and as a liner to the lid of the cooker start to get gross looking over the course of 3 months or so. Again, they were never placed in the dish washer. The entire machine is shoddily made, and I'm furious at being stupid enough to spend that kind of money.

I filled the slow cooker pot with water, let it run and then measured the temperature of the water. For slow cooking high, the temp was 205. For slow cooking low, the temp was 185. The warm mode temp was 140.

I bought this rice cooker a week ago and can't stop using it. So far I have made the best brown rice that I have tasted in my home. We have also been using this machine to make Biryani (which came out excellent), steel-cut oatmeal with blueberries, and chicken soup.

If you need a machine that can make a wide variety of slow cooked foods, as well as excellent rice, then I highly recommend this machine.

I got this for Christmas and have made jasmine rice and chicken chili (from The Gourmet Slow Cooker Vol II). Both turned out great.

I've used a smaller and cheaper rice cooker for years and this is definately a big upgrade. The rice was an ideal texture and it stayed fresher longer when left in the cooker under the "keep warm" setting. No hard dried rice on the bottom and the rice kept up very well after 24 hours. The lid's steam vent keeps in more of the moisture so the rice doesn't dry out as quickly.

I also made slow cooker chili and it really turned out great too. I'm so glad I got a unit that takes the place of two appliances. I would definately recommend this if you're in the market for a NICE rice cooker and a slow cooker.

I have had the on/keep warm type of rice cooker with the type of lid that snaps and seals, not a glass lid. Despite the PR that the rice or food will be fine once it switched to keep warm I found that wasn't true. It would burn. My last one was much poorer quality so I decided to see if the additional cost is worth it. Yes, yes it is. I made Thai Jasmine rice first day using the user guide's recommendations. It came out just fine. I then used the instructions for the same rice from The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook : 250 No-Fail Recipes for Pilafs, Risottos, Polenta, Chilis, Soups, Porridges, Puddings and More, from Start to Finish in Your Rice Cooker and it came out perfect. So either way, you do get good rice. The steam vent is also the condensation catcher. A design feature I really like. You can take it apart by rotating the 2 interlocking pieces to separate it for easy cleanup. There is a slow cooker pot/lid set and rice cooker pot/lid set. The lid snaps into place and you press the small white lever or release just above the lid and it pops right out. This ensures proper cooking depending on the type of cooking you are doing. The slow cooker pot is non-stick but not as non-stick as the rice cooker pot. I did test the slow cooker function and it also worked perfectly. The keep warm temperature works like it should. The timer feature for the slow cooker combined with the proper keep warm temp means that I feel comfortable with setting it up in the evening to cook overnight or setting up in the morning to cook throughout the day. I am so pleased with the performance, I plan on getting the 5.5 cup model so I can do rice in it and my entrees, soups, and stews in the larger 10 cup model. Should my experiences change, I will update the notes for this review since this is a lot of money but at least it is a multi-functional small appliance. So if a rationalization is needed to help justify the cost, that might be a good one.
Side note: For those not familiar with rice cookers, outside of the U.S. (and Canada too I would guess) they are well known. In Japan they are ubiquitous. Making rice is more science than art. A rice cooker will provide the means to get a really good, consistent outcome for all types of rice. Rice cookers can do a lot more than just rice. Please note that porridge refers to a rice dish but you can use it to prepare steel cut oats. Rice dessert recipes use the porridge setting mostly.

***UPDATE*** Jan 5, 2010
Rice cooker is still working well. I have read some of the more recently posted reviews. I hope that mine doesn't just quit one day. I do unplug it after each use since my state doesn't have the 'cleanest' power so items that I don't plug into a strip I usually unplug when not in use. Will post future updates.

Recently upgraded. Was happy with the last product from the same company. The first thing that struck me was how attractive this product is. Very high-tech looking and easy to use (after a couple reviews of the manual and some practice) it really has alot of functions you wouldn't expect on other rice cookers. The slow cooking function does a good job on soups too. Overall i'm very satisfied

I love my new rice cooker. The rice comes out perfect every time. Use the measurements in the pan...I used the ones in The Rice Cooker Cookbook, but too much water, the rice was too mushy. So, I followed the measurements in the rice cooker and it's always perfect. Cleanup is quick and easy. I would recommend to everyone. Good quality and looks real nice, also.

I love this handy kitchen helper. I originally bought it for the timer on the rice cooker and slow cooker capabilities - after all, with limited kitchen space, it's always better to have appliances that combine several capabilities into one. So I have since gotten rid of my old fashion slower cooker and use this for stews, soups and rice "congee". Since I bought this cooker, I have since had a baby who is now eating steamed food. So I now find this cooker indispensable for steaming all my baby's veggies and fruits. I use it every day for steaming baby food, cooking rice and I even tried making the bread pudding. I'm always raving about this cooker, it is really the most useful appliance in my kitchen. Also love the 2 different cooking pots: 1 for rice and the other for everything else. Highly recommend this cooker.

I love my new toy!
I'm eating like a king and in most cases healthier than ever.
This baby can cook almost anything and it'll take years to enjoy all the possibilities. I'm so glad I waited to buy a slow cooker and found this rice cooker, slow cooker combo. It's easy to switch between the two and cleanup is a breeze. I don't understand why it wasn't designed for normal cups instead of the rice cup but I'll get used to that minor annoyance which is a small price to pay for such an incredible machine.