Customer Reviews

Sanyo ECJ-N55W 5-1/2-Cup Electric Rice Cooker with Porridge/Soup Cooker and Steamer

5 star:		(50)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

I'm Asian and this is a WONDERFUL LITTLE COOKER! Perfect size for a couple or occasional rice makers! Excellent value for the price!

Clean up is SUPER EASY IF YOU DON'T WAIT TOO LONG. If you use this machine properly, as per instruction manual and/or rice cooking directions, a once over with a wet sponge to the outer shell and under the lid will take 2 minutes. Soak non-stick rice pot as soon as possible.

I specifically purchased it to make JOOK... a traditional Cantonese "comfort food". It whipped it up SUPER quick: just under an hour.

In response to previous review: RECIPE PROPORTION- 1 CUP jasmine rice to 5 CUPS water with 1 teaspoon of salt, some ground or fresh ginger and a splash of sesame oil. You can add more water LATER if you like it thinner but BE WARNED... more than 5 cups of water when you first start will cause boil-over and that's a clean up misery! The typical consistency should be like oatmeal. The trick is to STIR occasionally because the water WILL separate once the mixture gets closer to being done. Every 15 minutes should suffice. I think that's why a previous review yielded a soggy rice bottom and liquid on top.

In response to review about Teflon flaking: DON'T USE METAL - EVER! The unit comes with a plastic ladle. Don't use Brillo or harsh scrub sponges to clean it - EVER!

In response to review about "OFF" switch: There is NONE. The cooker is designed to cook the rice/soup until its "Done"... and it mysteriously DOES! Then it goes into "Warmer" mode. The user manual instructs you to UNPLUG it when not in use. A bizarre design flaw but appliances should be unplugged when not in use anyway.

The only strange part about this cooker is the "Steamer" accessory. The lid is hinged it doesn't close with EITHER the Steamer or Soup lid attachment. If your kitchen isn't properly ventilated you may experience a considerable amount of heat and humidity using this option.

I'm extremely happy with my purchase. I got more as gifts.

I bought this because it was recommended by Cook's Illustrated and I've had excellent results from most of their recommendations. Not so with this one. I have major issues with the unit's cleanability. The lid is hinged and is not removable for easy cleaning. The inside of the lid had a scale on it after cooking and I was hesitant to clean it thoroughly because it seemed to be something of a mystery substance and I was afraid that I would scratch it. There is a trough that catches condensation and is also difficult to clean. Likewise with the extremely flimsy gasket. The unit took longer to clean properly than it did to make the rice, and I prefer the old Aroma rice cooker that I bought this to replace.

This product is too dificult to clean in comparison to the cheap but effective simpler rice cookers. Since the lid is attached and there are many nooks and crannies to clean including a rubber gasket,cleanup is a pain

We received this model as a gift from dear friends -- after having cooked rice for decades in a covered saucepan on the range. This is terrific! Just put in the rice, salt and water, press down on the start button, and wait for the cook light to go off. It takes about 20 minutes, just like on the range top, and produces perfect rice -- plus no more guessing, no more checking (and no more occasional overcooked rice as I must admit to when I used the old way in the past).

I've had mine about 2 weeks now and have to say I am very happy with it. It works great with brown rice and white. Reading the water level is difficult as others have mentioned. But I resolved that by taking the special spoon that comes with the cooker, standing it upside down in the pot and filing small marks on the side of the spoon handle that correspond to the pot markings. Now when I add water, I stand the spoon up in it and add water to the mark on the spoon. This makes it much easier for me.

Another thing I did was carefully measure the volumn of the measuring cup that comes with the cooker. I was afraid it would get lost, so I made note of the US measurement equivalent - 2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon.

A few folks have mentioned that it is hard to clean. I found it very easy. But I always rinse my rice first to get rid of excess starch. For me, this elimiates the foamy/boilng water mess. I wash the pot right after cooking, so it cleans easily. The vent in the top lid and the condensation cup both pop out easily for cleaning. A quick wipe down with a sponge and it is clean.

This is one of the best electrical items that I have in my home. It cooks steel oatmeal as well as rice. All these cooked perfectly. It is a breeze to clean and is small and portable. I loved it so much I bought one for my married daughter in Minneapolis. AND she loves it too. I use it at least 2-3 times a week.

I read about rice cookers online via Roger Ebert, and thought to ask Santa for one. The fat man delivered this Sanyo model, and I haven't looked back since. This 5.5 cup ricer cooker/food steamer/crock pot combo can do it all.

Not sure what other people are complaining about, this thing is a breeze to clean. A wet paper towel along all the edges, outside and in, and you're done. Empty the condensation collector every few uses. I do it every time. One of the highlights for me has been the ease of use and time saving in total meal preparation. Soapy water for the pot.

STEAMING! So the rice cooking function is pretty obvious. It works great and 1 cup of rice is cooked in 20 minutes, plus 10-15 minutes of just steamy fluffing. But the best part is the steamer basket that comes with it. It rests perfectly on top of the pot, so when you close the top lid it seals everything together tight. This way you can steam cook eggs, veggies, chicken or other meat, etc. All you have to pay attention to is time. Potatoes take 30 minutes, and at the 12-15 minute mark you can throw in the broccoli and it will all turn out delicious. Hard or soft boiled eggs are awesome.

SOUPS! I've made all kinds of soups in this. It has a soup function that just works. Grab your leftover meats and vegetables and some chicken broth and throw it all in the pot and 20-30 mins later you then have food all day long, possibly two days depending on how much you eat. You can always store the first 5.5 cups and make more. You will save money by realizing you don't have to order out or get Subway, you can make a lot of delicious soup for cheap!

I also think my houseplants are appreciating the extra humidity.

I bought this specifically for making brown rice as I could never get a good texture on a conventional stove -- it's makes wonderful brown rice.

I don't like this rice cooker because the inner pot's non-stick coating peel off after 6 month, and there's no way to replace it. My last Panasonic rice cooker's non-stick coating lasted 5 years.

We liked the perfectly cooked rice at our daughter's house in Southeast Asia, and were disappointed in an American rice cooker we tried at home. The new Sanyo has been great, though, and now we can enjoy rice again.Sanyo ECJ-D55S 5.5-Cup Micro-Computerized Rice Cooker/Steamer, White with Stainless Accent