71 of 73 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Nice, but not a work horse, March 8, 2010
This review is from: Sanyo EM-C6786V 1-Cubic-Foot Microwave Oven with Convection and Grill (Kitchen)
We have owned our Sanyo Microwave Oven with convection and grill for almost two months, and have attempted to test all functions in order to write a complete review. We rely heavily on reviews to help us decide what to buy, so we did our best to evaluate this oven. At almost $180.00 it is not a trivial purchase.
The design is sleek, and the controls easy to use -- but as other reviewers cautioned, keep the booklet handy!
The microwave functions -- cook, auto menu cooking (limited to microwave), auto reheat all work as well as our last microwave -- a G/E over the range.
However, the conbined functions -- micro plus grill, convection plus grill, leave much to be desired.
The roast chicken function -- a combination of micro and grilling is neat and works well -- but does not save time, although it probably saves energy and kitchen heat compared to cooking chicken in a standard oven. When the chicken was taste-tested our family concluded that it was pretty good chicken and assumed that the time to cook was materially reduced -- which it was not. It was agreed that in a "time-bind" they would eat this chicken, but preferred standard oven baked. Given that the chicken took about ten minutes longer than it would have in the oven, the saving was a hot kitchen in the summer, and probably many BTUs.
Combo 1(Micro and Convection) works well -- but it is not fast! Nor are there timing guides. (More on this later)
We have not used Combo 2 (Microwave and Grill) for anything but hot dogs. Too slow by half! Steak is a treat for us, so we cook it with much ceremony outside -- but my experience with grilling hot dogs fo lunch caused me to turn on the broiler in our "real"stove to finish them.
Combo 4 (grill and convection) is rather a joke. Today, in anticipation of putting our review on paper, I took two defrosted quarter pound hamburgs and put them on the grill rack. Dialed in 20 minutes on Combo 4 and walked away. At 20 minutes, the hamburgs registered about 100 degrees F. internal -- as in not cooked. I added another 5 minutes and temped them and got to 120 degrees. Another 6 minutes got them to an edible internal temperature of 140. Thirty minutes to "grill?" two hamburgers?
The convection function alone works well for small quantities of food. But, it is important to note that this is not a convection oven -- in other words an oven that cooks more rapidly than a "standard" oven.
So, what is this neat little oven good for? As a micro it's great. In the same space as a micro you can heat dinner rolls on convection when your main oven is tied up, or bake appetizers while the roast is roasting in the main oven.
What's missing? A recipe book would have helped. The first time I cooked hamburgs using Combo 4 I figured they would cook faster than the time to heat my T-Fal Compact Multi-Grill (rather a waste for two burgers!) and I was dead wrong! (The reason for today's test.) If there had been a booklet or time sheet that indicated 30 minutes to cook two thawed burgers -- well T-Fal would have had the whole job rather than finishing it up!
For people who live in dorm rooms (I was once one of those!) who want all the functions of an oven and a micro in one box -- I would have been glad to have this Sanyo. But -- a recipe book that might indicate time to cook various things -- would really help.
Are we glad we bought this oven? Well, yes. But, and this is important, it is not a Micro/Convection Oven -- nor does it claim to be one.
This oven is a great microwave -- we are very happy with the micro functions. It is also a nice "auxilliary" oven for entertaining -- as long as you can work out the times. It probably saves energy over heating up our main gas oven for small things and will likely keep heat out of our kitchen in the summer.
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49 of 52 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Terrific microwave/convection/grill oven!, July 18, 2009
This review is from: Sanyo EM-C6786V 1-Cubic-Foot Microwave Oven with Convection and Grill (Kitchen)
I recently received my new Sanyo microwave and I could not wait to post a review on it! This is a truly sleek, good looking appliance that has finally broken the mold with the innovative design of its controls. Bye, bye to the traditional and confusing button keypads of other microwave ovens...I won't miss you. :)
As another reviewer already said, there is a scroll wheel (very much like an iPod control) on the inside. You have to open the door to access the scroll wheel, but this is hardly a problem. You simply open the door, put in your plate of food, set the desired function using the scroll wheel, shut the door and hit the Start/+1 minute button. If you have to interrupt cooking, press the Stop/Clear key once to stop the oven, pressing it twice will stop the oven and clear the settings. EASY!
I set the clock on this machine in less than 10 seconds using the scroll wheel. That has never happened to me before! I know it seems trivial, but with every microwave I have ever owned, I had to pull out the instruction manual to remind myself what combination of buttons I had to press JUST TO SET THE TIME.
Incidentally, the pictures of the oven provided by Amazon are not wholly accurate because it is not plugged in. The green tinted clock/timer is on the inside of the oven, but there is a clear, rectangular view finder on the door that allows the time to be clearly displayed while the door is closed. The pictures here make it look like a simple black tinted door with a few buttons on the side. Some might think you have to open the door in order to see the clock, but that is definitely not the case.
My father, who is physically handicaped (he has only the thumb and forefinger on his right hand and has severe vision impairment), loves this oven already because it is so simple to operate. He also likes the fact there is no door handle to pull at, just a simple press of a button, and the door will open. This, again, may seem trivial but try opening a microwave with semi-greasy hands while rushing around in the kitchen. You can open this baby with a knuckle or even the flat part of the back of your hand. When you combine this with the ease of the scroll wheel, this oven may be a wonderful option for those who have severe arthritis too. Just remember to read the instruction manual thoroughly to become acquainted with the functions and you will be scrolling your way through your favorite recipes in no time!
The unit offers four combination cooking settings: combination one (microwave and convection) for frozen entrees and casseroles, combination two (microwave and grill) for steaks, combination three (grill and microwave) for chicken, and combination four (grill and convection) for hamburgers.
I am so excited to start experimenting with this oven! I have only tried the convection option so far (apart from the microwave) and I was very pleased with the results. It took less than 10 minutes to preheat the oven to 350 degrees. The cherry on the top of all this was Amazon's excellent price. When I compared this model to others with similar features, the prices were REALLY out there!
I just hope the thrilled-about-this-purchase euphoria lasts a long, long time! :)
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23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Does everything!, October 2, 2009
This review is from: Sanyo EM-C6786V 1-Cubic-Foot Microwave Oven with Convection and Grill (Kitchen)
This oven has it all. I live in an apartment with no stove. With this appliance I can cook almost anything I want, quickly and efficiently. I have baked muffins, grilled sausages, roasted chicken, cooked corn on the cob, toasted bread and boiled water! It is well worth the money and the wait for delivery.
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