Customer Reviews

Sanyo EM-C6786V 1-Cubic-Foot Microwave Oven with Convection and Grill

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

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.

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! :)

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.

Grill feature was surprisingly nice - does garlic bread perfect and crispy. I bought this for micro feature and to give a try at a convection w/o spending a lot. Although I've only used convection once (consensus still out - doesn't seem to get things crispy... but you can use the grill feature for that, and isn't different than most convections I hear.) This is the coolest looking micro and is a breeze to work. The features for the price are phenemonal. It's fun to use and unlike any you will see on the market. Just buy it - you won't be disappointed. I'm not one to write but had to share --- ENJOY!

I purchased this item in March 2008 from one of the NYC local electronics store (PC Richards) mainly for it's feature set, appearance and somewhat good pricing. This product worked well for about 5 months, then it simply died during normal use with a slight pop sound somewhere inside and a faint burning smell. Since store warranty has already expired, I looked up a closest to my house authorized repair shop from SANYO site, called them and brought it in for repairs. Seemed simple enough, manufacturers warranty was still valid and no questions where asked. It has been almost 4 months since then, I have called them almost every week for the past three months, the only answer I was given - "Parts are on back order". When I asked them if there where any equivalent replacements, they told me that SANYO doesn't label their parts the same way as all generic products and thus they can't match the parts to replace them. Maybe it's the fault of the repair shop, then I ask myself how did SANYO even authorize them to repair anything .... In any case, I have given up on that shop and picked up the unit as is (broken), now I'm in the search of the part/repair shop again having used the damn machine only for 5 months out of 9 that I own it. When I was picking it up from the shop, a repairman told me that SANYO is always that hesitant to provide parts and that it's not the worse case yet... So as a general warning to all who seek a well priced, sleek looking Microwave - buy the one that has a better customer service and don't be fooled by a mere appearance.

I bought this microwave to replace my 10 years old GE microwave. It's very powerful and big inside that can fit in two medium bowls at a time. It heat up foods quickly but it's a little bit noisy when it is turned on. I used the convection and grill combo feature once and it seems to work fine. So far we haven't had any problem with this microwave and it's working well.

Overall, an average appliance that does its job. It looks sleek and will fit into any kitchen. The microwave is only 1000w. If you are looking for something powerful, this is not it. It grills and convects fine. The problem is, it takes 20-30 minutes to heat up when using the convection, broil, or combination settings. The appliance is easy to operate, even with one hand. The turntable sometimes makes a wretched noise when spinning. I hope that the machine will last several years until I find the combo machine of my dreams.

I purchased this to replace the Half Time Microwave / Convection Oven - Stainless Steel which I also reviewed. My Half Time is still working great although a lot of other people report problems, but I really wanted something with a grill. The Half Time can be used with a grilling rack, but it has no grilling element, so really it just bakes. I love steaks, but hate going outside to grill them in the winter almost as much as I hate using the broiler in my big oven. Don't even get me started on frying steaks, ewwww! I was quite pleased to find that this will grill a 6oz (1 inch thick) steak perfectly in 10-12 minutes on the Combo 2 setting. This does everything that the half time does and quite a bit more because it has a grill. Ventilation is especially good. There's little or no condensation inside this oven when you're done cooking. The Half Time looked like the tropical rain forest. This oven has very similar specs to the Half Time. They both have 1000W microwaves. The Half Time has a 1600W convection oven versus 1400W for the Sanyo. But the Half Time is a bigger oven at 1.2CU so the difference in convection oven wattage isn't significant. What this means is you can use the same cooking charts and guides that come with the Half Time. Those are readily available in pdf format (Google Search "Apollo Half Time"). The Use and Care guide is the one you want. It provides the time you need to add to account for preheating in Combo1 (Microwave + Convection) and Convection Modes along with cooking times for common foods. Incidentally, I find it very useful to keep the pdf manuals for products I own on my Kindle so I don't have to hunt them down or scrape food off them when I need them. With these type ovens, you don't preheat. You just add to the cooking time. For convection only, the basic rule is cut the time in half and add 5 minutes. For convection + microwave, I cut the conventional baking time in half and add 3 minutes. If half the baking time is 20+ minutes I don't add any preheating minutes. You can also find recipes by searching for 'Convection Microwave Recipes".

The controls are about as easy to figure out as any other microwave which means it will take some time to learn. I got my oven 'used-like new' from Amazon at a deep discount probably because someone couldn't figure out the controls. I suppose hiding most of the buttons with the door makes it more attractive but I'd prefer all the controls on the outside. The user manual does a great job of describing how to use them. It comes up short when it comes to informing people how to actually cook food with their oven. Since this is about the least expensive oven of this type going, it's likely that for most purchasers this will be their first experience using this type of oven. Recipes and practical examples should be included. I like the microwave one touch 1 minute increments which is sadly lacking on the Half Time. That's a very convenient feature since most of the time this will be used as a microwave. It would be even better if it was 30 second increments. A big plus for the Half Time is that it automatically adds the preheating minutes when used in Convection + Microwave mode. One thing you'll notice right away is this doesn't sound like other microwaves. It makes a low pitched hum as opposed to a high pitched whine. Overall I like this oven. The price was right and it doesn't use so much power that you have to add another circuit breaker.

I hate to write before having allot of info . I know people need more in deapth on this machine . But I almost didnt buy this becuase Amazon had it listed as 1 to 2 months possible wait to ship . I orderred it 7-21 after my 25 year old Sharp Carrosel 2 bit the dust . I am disabled and depend on my micro and a convection oven . So I wanted to upgrade to a combo but couldnt afford one until I saw this machine . I was upset to see it would take so long to arrive but I cant get out easy and its cheaper here then in stores . I orderred it and a caregiver loaned me a spare for the long wait . Well it is here today 7-30th . It is simply the nicest design . The pictures do not do it justice . I love the stainless steel insides . Manual requires 3 inches of clearance on all sides with the front and one other open . Manaual instructions are clear but it is not that intuitive . It is the nicest machine I have seen in my life . If you have a stainless steel kitchen just buy it . If you think its too small for your family buy 2 .
Noticeable issues . The grill / convection rack is too small . The turntable will fit a large dinner plate . I checked before purchase it was about 1/4 inch smaller at 12.4 inches then my old Sharps . I have cooked with it . It does have the minute plus shortcut . You have buttons on the outside to select the mode , grill , convection ...ect and inside the door is a turn dial that goes to 95 minutes and a simple menu pad arrangement . You will need to keep the manual on top for reference and it will take a while to learn . This was noted in complaints by professional reveiwers along with low performance in confecion baking scores . This does not hit the top of the charts with pro reveiwers but most in the public are favorable . For $160 delivered I think if you are a causual user of the other features its the best choice as your paying less then half the price of one of the top class machines and its simply stunning in terms of aesthetics . You wont be dissapointed . The clock shines through the black door wich is translucent with a green light which is unique and pleasant . I am very pleased . I may look to find my own inside grilling rack that a little larger . I will come back in a few months . I just wanted to mention this is worth a wait and after the big scare it came in only 10 days with the free super saver shipping . God Bless you wont feel cheated . I think most people will be very pleased when it arrives . Coffee was piping hot in one minute . Hot dog done 35 seconds . 1000 watts to `1500 for confection .

i am happy with product so far. my only complaint is that sanyo did not include a
booklet on recipes for the convection oven. hard to estimate cooking time for foods.

j.mcguire