# Uh OH......Rice Cooker on the fritz



## Jane917 (Dec 29, 2009)

My ever efficient reliable Sanyo programmable rice cooker seems to have gone belly up! It is one appliance I cannot go without for very long. I don't make a ton of rice, but I really rely on the rice cooker for my morning oatmeal. I know we have had a discussion on rice cookers in this forum. Anyone have any recommendations for a new one?


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## Someone Nameless (Jul 12, 2009)

I got this one last year on your recommendation. It has been great but inflation has hit. It was $118 last December.   

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000E5EDMM/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00


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## Jane917 (Dec 29, 2009)

Someone Nameless said:


> I got this one last year on your recommendation. It has been great but inflation has hit. It was $118 last December.
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000E5EDMM/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00


That is the exact one I have! You are right, the price has sure gone up!


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## Not Here (May 23, 2011)

I love my Zojirushi but they are pricey. I just happened to get a fantastic deal at Costco where it was half off. I'll be very sad when this one dies.  I never knew what I was missing until I bought a nice one. Really makes all the difference. Good luck with the search!


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## gljones (Nov 6, 2012)

Bethany B. said:


> I love my Zojirushi but they are pricey. I just happened to get a fantastic deal at Costco where it was half off. I'll be very sad when this one dies. I never knew what I was missing until I bought a nice one. Really makes all the difference. Good luck with the search!


I swear by my Zojirushi, perfect rice every time. When it dies, we'll give it a proper burial with a few kind words then run out and get a new one.


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## Jane917 (Dec 29, 2009)

It looks like I might have salvaged my Sanyo! I was able to set the clock again tonight, and it is still keeping time. I made some brown rice and it came out fine. With some luck I will be able to put off purchase of a new one.


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## Someone Nameless (Jul 12, 2009)

Oh, it must be the battery.  I remember reading reviews about the battery going out when I bought mine.  I always double check to make sure it is 'off' instead of warming when I unplug it because I don't know if that would drain the battery or not.  It does seem like that even if it loses the time, once it is plugged in you could reset it.  I'm glad it is working now!


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## Jane917 (Dec 29, 2009)

Well....I unplugged it and lost the time display. I am quite sure it is the battery. The Sanyo website is really poor about listing batteries. It looks like maybe Sanyo has been bought out by someone.....maybe Panasonic. The manual says that the battery lasts 4-5 years. I purchased this rice cooker in 8/2008, just over 4 years ago.


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## skyblue (Dec 23, 2009)

I really love my *Zojirushi* rice cooker! I don't know what I would do without it! I haven't priced any in ages. For awhile I considered a combo rice cooker and pressure cooker, but I'm sticking with what I have. I hope yours works out its issue, *Jane*!


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

Jane917 said:


> Well....I unplugged it and lost the time display. I am quite sure it is the battery. The Sanyo website is really poor about listing batteries. It looks like maybe Sanyo has been bought out by someone.....maybe Panasonic. The manual says that the battery lasts 4-5 years. I purchased this rice cooker in 8/2008, just over 4 years ago.


I was trying to figure out what was going on with Sanyo, too.

As you know, I had a Zo that died after 18 months. It worked great while it was working then kaput! I like my Sanyo, better. I love the steamer that came with it--the Zo didn't have one of those.

L


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## Jane917 (Dec 29, 2009)

Leslie said:


> I was trying to figure out what was going on with Sanyo, too.
> 
> As you know, I had a Zo that died after 18 months. It worked great while it was working then kaput! I like my Sanyo, better. I love the steamer that came with it--the Zo didn't have one of those.
> 
> L


I successfully made brown rice last night. It appears that the battery just holds the clock and timer, and those seem to be the parts that don't work. So when I plug in the rice cooker, I have to rig it to get the clock and timer back working so that I can progress through the menus, unless I all I want to do is cook white rice. Since I like to set the rice cooker up overnight to cook oatmeal in the morning, I really need the timer feature.

Speaking of rice, has anyone tried cooking GABA rice? Some of the Zo cookers have a GABA rice cycle. It is a sprouted rice that is supposed to be very healthy.

If I decide to get a new rice cooker, I will probably get a Zo instead of another Sanyo, just because I don't seem to be able to get any support from Sanyo. This one seems to fit my needs, but does not have the steamer. Jane


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## Jane917 (Dec 29, 2009)

I thought I would repost the Rice Cooking thread that has been defunct for a few months. The whole thread runs a couple of years and brings back memories of some people I met there! SN, I think we met on that thread!

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,7743.0.html

In the meantime, I have confirmed that Panasonic bought out Sanyo a couple of years ago. There are many complaints that you cannot get service for Sanyo products, so as much as I love my Sanyo rice cooker, I think I will go with a Zo this time.


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## Someone Nameless (Jul 12, 2009)

It was either there or the AA thread   but we have some good memories and great purchases on both threads.  We wonder how we ever did without our rice cooker now.


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## Jane917 (Dec 29, 2009)

Made my decision based on reading lots of reviews and KB comments.



Interestingly, the 10 cup is slightly less money than the 5.5 cup, but we decided the 10 cup is just too darn big. Thanks to Amazon Prime, it should arrive on Friday.


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## Someone Nameless (Jul 12, 2009)

Merry Christmas to you.  That is one fine rice cooker!


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## Jane917 (Dec 29, 2009)

Someone Nameless said:


> Merry Christmas to you. That is one fine rice cooker!


Merry Christmas to you to, and your entire family! Yes, that is one fine (and expensive) rice cooker. Let's hope we are happy with it.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Does anyone make a rice cooker like all these nice auto ones that does not use a non stick liner? Stainless steel maybe? No matter how careful I am, barely breathing on non stick surfaces, they always without fail peel on me. I went through 2 pressure cookers and finally gave up. 

I remember reading the rice cooker thread, last year I think and holy moly have the prices gone up on some of the models.


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## Jane917 (Dec 29, 2009)

Atunah said:


> Does anyone make a rice cooker like all these nice auto ones that does not use a non stick liner? Stainless steel maybe? No matter how careful I am, barely breathing on non stick surfaces, they always without fail peel on me. I went through 2 pressure cookers and finally gave up.


I think I have looked at every rice cooker out there, and I have not seen one that does not use a non-stick bowl. When I use to make rice in a stainless steel pan, the rice always crusted on the bottom. With the rice cooker non-stick bowls, I have never had a problem. Do you use the plastic or wood paddles that come with the cooker? I have never had a pan peel, but I have never used steel serving pieces with it.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Last year I bought the Secura 3-Tier Stainless Steel Steamer as I did not want non-stick or aluminum. See post in Rice Maker thread. I am still happy with it, especially for hard cooked eggs, vegetables, and brown rice. However it only has a mechanical timer and it is important to not let it run out of water. I did review it on Amazon.


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## geniebeanie (Apr 23, 2009)

I have a great one,it is made by Wolfgang Puck. Use it all the time.  Last Christmas gift from my Mom before she passed last Febuary.  You get mine from QVC.


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## Jane917 (Dec 29, 2009)

My Zo arrived this morning all pretty and shiny. I already have it programmed on GABA Brown Rice to be ready for dinner tonight. I have no idea what else we are having, but there better be good brown rice!


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## skyblue (Dec 23, 2009)

Jane917 said:


> My Zo arrived this morning all pretty and shiny. I already have it programmed on GABA Brown Rice to be ready for dinner tonight. I have no idea what else we are having, but there better be good brown rice!


So happy for you, *Jane*!! I can't wait to hear all about your results!  Tell me more about the oatmeal you make on the timer function. Is it steel cut oats? How do adjust the time?


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## corkyb (Apr 25, 2009)

Jane917 said:


> Made my decision based on reading lots of reviews and KB comments.
> 
> 
> 
> Interestingly, the 10 cup is slightly less money than the 5.5 cup, but we decided the 10 cup is just too darn big. Thanks to Amazon Prime, it should arrive on Friday.


I have this in the 10 cup Jane and it does make a lot of rice and takes up a lot of room. My only complaint about this is that sometimes the rice--I always cook brown rice or other grains, never white rice--seems to get a bit of a crust to it. I think it's a matter of getting the right amount of water into the cooker as I haven't been noticing it as much lately. I do love the induction Zo though. It does have a Gaba cycle, but I've not used it. I've not used the oatmeal either. I should try it as I need to eat more cooked cereal. I will have to check, but I thought it said not to do oatmeal or sweet rice on the timer.


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## Jane917 (Dec 29, 2009)

corkyb said:


> I have this in the 10 cup Jane and it does make a lot of rice and takes up a lot of room. My only complaint about this is that sometimes the rice--I always cook brown rice or other grains, never white rice--seems to get a bit of a crust to it. I think it's a matter of getting the right amount of water into the cooker as I haven't been noticing it as much lately. I do love the induction Zo though. It does have a Gaba cycle, but I've not used it. I've not used the oatmeal either. I should try it as I need to eat more cooked cereal. I will have to check, but I thought it said not to do oatmeal or sweet rice on the timer.


Corky, we ended up getting the 5.5 cup. It fits nicely on my counter, but certainly has a bigger footprint than my Sanyo did. Oatmeal is fine to do on the timer, particularly steel cut oats......as long as you aren't cooking them with milk. When I soak overnight and use the timer, I always cook them in water. However, if I start them in the morning, I cook them in milk.


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## Jane917 (Dec 29, 2009)

skyblue said:


> So happy for you, *Jane*!! I can't wait to hear all about your results!  Tell me more about the oatmeal you make on the timer function. Is it steel cut oats? How do adjust the time?


On my old rice cooker we made oatmeal all the time, probably more often than we made rice. I don't know what you mean by "adjust the time." There is a porridge setting on the menu. If you don't have a porridge cycle, I have no idea how you would make oatmeal in the rice cooker. And yes, we usually use steel cut oats, though I have also used rolled oats.


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## skyblue (Dec 23, 2009)

Jane917 said:


> On my old rice cooker we made oatmeal all the time, probably more often than we made rice. I don't know what you mean by "adjust the time." There is a porridge setting on the menu. If you don't have a porridge cycle, I have no idea how you would make oatmeal in the rice cooker. And yes, we usually use steel cut oats, though I have also used rolled oats.


I have a porridge cycle. I thought you did it on a timer.


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## Jane917 (Dec 29, 2009)

skyblue said:


> I have a porridge cycle. I thought you did it on a timer.


I do put it on a timer if I set it up the night before.

OTOH, my first experience with my new Zo is somewhat of a disaster, though not completely. I set it up on the timer on the GABA brown rice cycle, which takes over 3 hours to cook because a couple of hours is spent soaking at 104 degrees. I had it set up to be done at 6:20 for our 6:30 dinner. Sounds logical, right? I kept waiting for something to happen, but since I really didn't know what would happen I just blindly kept the faith. Finally when it seemed nothing was cooking (and it was 5:30), I checked the clock. No where in the manual does it tell me it is a 24 hour clock. I had the rice all set up to be ready for breakfast tomorrow morning at 6:40am! I quickly reset it to start on the brown rice cycle, which means it won't be ready until about 7pm, but at least we will have rice tonight!


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