My expertise in the area of rice cookers stems from the time I have spent in Japan. Before I lived in Japan, the idea of eating rice on a daily basis was not appealing. However once you try eating rice that has been prepared properly you begin to see why rice is a staple food for a huge number of people across the world. I now consider myself an ambassador for the simple rice grain and genuine Japanese rice cookers. On this site you will find a wide range of online rice cooker reviews manufactured by a range of companies.

My focus will be on discussing Japanese rice cookers that have been designed for the Western market. In effect these machines are very similar to those sold in Japan itself. However important differences include working at the correct voltage as well as having buttons and instructions in the English language. I use my rice cooker on an almost daily basis and specialize in making all in one mixed rice dishes, or as the Japanese would say, takikomi-gohan. I am compiling a list of my favorite rice cooker recipes on this site.

In Japan, the rice cooker market leader is the company, Zojirushi. Many people decide to buy a Zojirushi rice cooker because of their excellent reputation. They make a wide range of top quality rice cooking appliances, including the Zojirushi NS-ZCC10, Zojirushi NP-HBC10 and the brand new Zojirushi NS-YAC10 machines. By clicking the picture links above you are able to find the cheapest prices for these machines on Amazon.com.

To find out more on me, you can click the About link at the top of this page or read about my rice cooker. If you have any questions or comments regarding rice cookers, please leave a comment or contact me via the contact page above. Let me help you find the best rice cooker.

My most recent addition to my collection is a Sanyo ECJ-JG10W IH Pressure Rice Cooker. This is a 5.5 cup family sized rice cooker. I am a self confessed Zojirushi rice cooker fan but it has to be said that I am really impressed with this unit from Sanyo. I like how it offers some features that Zojirushi machines do not have. For instance, the Steamer Plate and steaming function for vegetables and eggs is really cool. I also like how there is a cleaning function setting which can be used if the cooker seems to be retaining odors, e.g. if garlic or onions are added to a dish.

Check out my Sanyo ECJ-JG10W review on Youtube.

Sanyo ECJ-JG10W Review

As far as the quality of the rice that it makes, I am also very happy with that. Admittedly I have not used this machine a great deal yet but I feel that the quality of the rice it makes is as good as I get from my Zojirushi NP-GD05 (EDIT: After using the Sanyo a few more times, I’ve decided that I think my Zojirushi Induction Heating rice cooker makes a better quality rice). Where the Sanyo impresses me is that as soon as I set the rice to start cooking it showed on the timer display how long it would take. This machine is faster than my Zojirushi NP-GD05. This is because the Sanyo has a pressure cooking function which helps to reduce the cooking time.When I made 2 cups of white Japanese rice (at regular texture) it took 37 minutes. This is about 10-15 minutes quicker than I would have expected. This just goes to show that the pressure cooking feature is more than just a gimmick. I’m not sure whether the pressure cooking ability actually makes the rice taste any better but it definitely reduces the cooking time. If you’re not to fussed about the pressure feature then I’d recommend the Zojirushi NP-HBC10 Induction Heating Rice Cooker.

With this unit I also get the choice of choosing the texture of the rice. The options are regular, firm and soft. Another thing that I like, although have not used yet is the Sleep operation. Once the rice has been cooked and the unit has switched to Keep Warm mode, if you know you’re not going to need the rice for a long time, e.g. overnight, you can set it to Sleep. This switches the rice cooker to a slightly lower Keep Warm temperature. The benefit is that is should keep the rice in a more succulent condition. After 8 hours, it will automatically switch back to the normal Keep Warm temperature. The manual states that rice can be kept in the Keep Warm state for a maximum of 30 hours.

Sanyo ECJ-JG10W vs Zojirushi NP-HTC10

If you look on the Amazon website you’ll see that both of these machines are around about the same price. If you want a cheap Sanyo ECJ-JG10W, then you are out of luck. These rice cookers are two of the most expensive available in the U.S.

To be honest, if I had to choose one, I’m not sure exactly which one I would pick. Before purchasing the Sanyo for myself, I would have always suggested going with Zojirushi. I have been using their machines for years and know that they are top quality. On top of this, when I ask Japanese people about rice cookers, they talk a lot more about Zojirushi than they do Sanyo. At the same time, the Sanyo rice cooker is working really well for me so far. The fact that it offers the steamer functionality is a big plus for me. It doesn’t have a GABA brown rice setting though. This is something that Zojirushi IH rice cookers have. If I’m honest, I hardly ever cook GABA brown rice because it takes so long (about 3 hours) but it’s nice to have the option.

So what I’m saying is that both these IH Pressure Rice Cookers are top quality kitchen appliances. They are a bit different so if you want a top of the range model, just decide for yourself which you prefer. I’m sure you’ll be very happy with either of them.

Browse The Full Range

For many people, a stainless steel rice cooker is the most attractive choice. The model that I have myself, the Zojirushi NP-GC05 is this style. For me, they are the most attractive sort that are on sale today. They are really easy to keep clean too.

We have to remember though that as far as their functionality is concerned, they are still just machines for making rice. This is all about the design and styling. Of course, this is something that is very important if you want to leave your machine on display in your kitchen. The best rice cooker is one that not only makes great tasting rice but also looks good.

As always, you can find these machines for sale on the Amazon website at decent prices. Just having the stainless steel styling does not seem to alter the price of the units significantly. Instead, it is the technology that they contain, e.g. Micom, Induction Heating and so on that affects the price to a much greater extent.

The Zojirushi NP-HTC10 is a pretty cool machine. This is in fact the top of the range model sold in the U.S. today. The price of the unit reflects the fact that it is a feature packed model. It includes, Micom, Induction Heating and Pressure Cooking. On top of this, it has a unique stainless steel body. Zojirushi call the coating, stainless brown.

When you look at rice cooker reviews, the main choices that you have are the size of machine as well as the price of the unit. Design is of course a very important issue, but I would personally class this as an item of secondary significance.

Browse All Sanyo Rice Cookers

The Sanyo ECJ-M100S is the most affordable Micom rice cooker on the market today. Typically these devices start at around about $100 for the basic models. But this low priced unit blows them away with an even lower price tag. The design of this machine is different from the majority of the other Micom units. However as far as functionality is concerned, there is not much to set them apart. In fact, if truth be told, this budget model actually has some features that most other rice cookers do not have. This may well be the best rice cooker for a family who want to eat the highest quality rice but want to do so without spending a fortune.

As you can see from the picture above, this is a stainless steel design. This could be an attractive addition to any kitchen. This machine is in fact a 10 cup model. So it is able to make enough rice for almost twenty persons. If you live alone and want to make small quantities of rice, this might not be the best option. A smaller model would probably suit you better. Sticking with the same brand, a Sanyo ECJ-S35K might be quite a nice option.

Turning our attention back to the Sanyo ECJ-M100S for now, this is a machine that can cook all kinds of rice. It has cooking options for white rice, brown rice, sushi rice, rice porridge, mixed grain rice, sweet rice, sprouted brown rice, rinse free rice and a quick cooking option. In addition to this, it can be used to make soup using its slow cook setting, steam vegetables and even bake cakes. So when compared to other more expensive models, it certainly does offer good value for money.

You can find the best price Sanyo ECJ-M100S at Amazon. The list price on the Sanyo website is, at the time of writing, $79.99 so you should expect to find it for less on Amazon.

The device comes with all the standard accessories, a 180ml rice measuring cup, rice spatula and a spatula holder. I also like the fact that the inner lid comes out. This is standard on more expensive machines and it is really handy to help get your rice cooker cleaned thoroughly. This is especially useful when you are cooking anything more complicated than plain rice.

Browse The Full Range

Sanyo ECJ-HC55S Comparison

The Sanyo ECJ-HC55S is basically the same machine as the Sanyo ECJ-HC55H except that the “S” model is white, as you can see above, but the “H” model is dark grey. You can read a ECJ-HC55S and ECJ-HC55H comparison here. The rice cooker featured on this page is the younger brother of the Sanyo ECJ-HC100S which is a 10 cup machine. The ECJ-HC55S is a 5.5 cup capacity unit. What I like about this range of Sanyo rice cookers is that they have more than just rice cooker functionality. This may make one of these machines the best rice cooker for you. Personally I am most familiar with Zojirushi machines. They have the strongest reputation. However with this new style of multi-purpose machine they may well be coming under threat. Sanyo have devised a clever strategy of avoiding going head to head with Zojirushi and instead have developed a range of machines that offers something slightly different to Zojirushi. So there is most certainly space in the market for both brands. Of course, both these companies are Japanese manufacturers so we know that their products will be of the highest quality.

Low Cost Sanyo ECJ-HC55S

To purchase a Sanyo ECJ-HC55S at the best price you may well want to take a look at the official Sanyo website. At the time of writing (November 15, 2010) they are selling this unit for $159.99. This is the price that you have to try and beat. A good place to compare prices is at the Amazon online shopping store. You will likely find that the price they are selling this machine for is lower than the Sanyo list price. Another good thing about ordering through Amazon is that they offer free delivery.

Sanyo ECJ-HC55S Review

As I mentioned above, this rice cooker is able to do lots more than just prepare rice. It actually comes with a variety of different parts that are used inside the machine depending on what you are trying to cook. There is an inner pot and lid for rice cooking. Then there is another pot and inner lid if you want to use the slow cooker setting. In addition there is a special steamer tray that sits on top of the rice cooking pot. Finally there is a tofu container that you can use to make your own tofu. Therefore this machine offers a range of one pot cooking functionality for you to choose.

Sanyo ECJ-HC55S vs Zojirushi NS-WAC10

If we compare this machine to one like the Zojirushi NS-WAC10 we can see that the Sanyo has by far the greater number of cooking settings and options. But the Zojirushi machine is designed by the premium rice cooker company. To be honest, it is hard to argue that the Zojirushi machine is better because the ECJ-HC55S clearly beats it in so many areas. The Sanyo machine is in fact a Fuzzy Logic machine. To get this functionality in a Zojirushi, you have to pay a fair bit more and go for the NS-ZCC10 model.

Browse More Like This

The Sanyo ECJ-HC100S is an exciting multi-purpose rice cooking device. While I usually recommend that you should choose a Zojirushi rice cooker, this machine has so many features for such a reasonable price that it is well worth investigating further. This machine is an advanced Micom rice cooker but it comes at a very reasonable price.

Best Price Sanyo ECJ-HC100S

Finding the best deal on this particular machine is the same for any high quality rice cooker. The lowest prices that I have discovered on the internet are through the Amazon online shopping store. On almost all rice cooker orders they offer free super saver shipping. So the price you see advertised is the price you pay. If you compare the price of the Sanyo ECJ-HC100S on the official Sanyo website with Amazon, you will be able to see which has the lowest price.

Sanyo ECJ-HC100S Specifications

This unit is a 10 cup rice cooker. This is typically the largest size that would be used for home use. A machine of this size can cook enough rice for more than fifteen people when it is filled to capacity. It is a great sized machine for larger families and those of you who enjoy catering for friends and family. It is a Fuzzy Logic rice cooker which is an advanced Micom computer chip that helps to prepare the best textured and tastiest rice.

Sanyo ECJ-HC100S Review

This machine is much more versatile than most rice cookers on the market today. As you would expect, it can make great tasting rice. But this is only the beginning. Other ways that you can use this device are as a slow cooker, it can be used to steam both seafood and vegetables and it also has a tofu making function. As you can see, it combines a number of cooking functions into one compact kitchen appliance. It can prepare a wide range of different types of rice including white, mixed, rinse-free, brown, haiga and sushi rice as well as giving you a choice as to how firm or soft you want your rice to be.

The Sanyo ECJ-HC100S comes with lots of different equipment. There is a removable steam vent on the top of the unit. Then you also get a removable inner lid for rice cooking and a rice cooking inner bowl. When you use the slow cooking setting, you use a different inner cooking bowl and inner lid. There is a steamer tray and also a tofu container. On top of this you get a non-stick plastic spatula, a spatula holder, a measuring cup (180ml) and a recipe booklet. If you are lucky, you may be able to find all this for under $150.

Sanyo ECJ-HC100S vs Zojirushi NS-ZCC18

It really depends upon what you are looking for in a rice cooker as to which one is better for you. The Zojirushi NS-ZCC18 would be my recommendation if you want a top quality 10 cup rice cooker for round about $150. This machine is also a Fuzzy Logic device and has what Zojirushi call Neuro Fuzzy technology. The NS-ZCC18 would be my recommendation if you want the best rice. However it does not have the additional options of the ECJ-HC100S. So the Sanyo machine does have more varied uses. The bottom line is that both machines are decent rice cookers and you will not be disappointed with either.

Sanyo ECJ-HC100S vs Zojirushi NS-TGC18

These two machines are roughly the same sort of price. You should be able to find them both for less than $150. The Sanyo is certainly the more versatile of the two with more overall cooking functions. The Zojirushi NS-TGC18 does offer you the option of being able to make cakes in your rice cooker.

If brand is important to you, Zojirushi are regarded as the best rice cookers. However I think the Sanyo ECJ-HC100S offers really good value for money due to the huge number of cooking options it has.

Browse the Full Range

Induction Heating (IH) rice cookers are some of the most expensive ones available. If you want to compare prices of these models then Amazon is a good place to start. They have some of the best deals online. Realistically, if you want to get an IH rice cooker then you have to pay at least $250. But it is sure to be the best rice cooker you have ever owned. All models with an Induction Heating system are of course Micom rice cookers. The IH functionality is on top of the Micom system.

3 Cup Induction Heating

The only option if you want a 3 cup appliance is the Zojirushi NP-GBC05. As I have mentioned on other articles, I own the Japanese version of this machine, the Zojirushi NP-GD05. The difference between these two machines is mainly cosmetic. The buttons and markings on my inner cooking bowl are in Japanese. Other than that they are pretty much identical.

5 1/2 Cup Induction Heating

There is more choice when you start to look at larger machines. For example in the mid-sized devices, you can choose from the following Zojirushi models: NP-HBC10, NP-KAC10 and the NP-HTC10 which also has a Pressure Cooking function. The Sanyo ECJ-JG10W has both IH and a Variable Pressure control as well but comes at about $100 cheaper than the Zojirushi.

10 Cup Induction Heating

In the 10 cup range there are the Zojirushi NP-HBC18 and NP-KAC18 to choose from. These are basically just the same as the 5 cup models but have a slightly bigger capacity.

Is Induction Heating Worth It?

Getting a rice cooker with IH functionality adds a large amount to the cost. If you want the best then this is the choice you should make. It depends on how often you will use your rice cooker. The more regularly that you cook rice, the more worth paying the extra money becomes. Particularly if you have already owned a normal Micom rice cooker, if yo step up to an IH model, you will certainly notice the difference.

Panasonic SR-MS102 · Sanyo ECJ-HC55H

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When you look at the images of the Panasonic SR-MS102 and Sanyo ECJ-HC55H above, the look completely different. However that is just a trick of the picture sizes. They are in fact roughly the same size. Whether you buy a Panasonic SR-MS102 or buy a Sanyo ECJ-HC55H you get a versatile rice cooking device. In this rice cooker review you will see that these machines can do much more than just cooking rice. For example they both come with steamer trays that allow you to prepare the healthiest steamed vegetables. The Panasonic cooker can make cakes and the Sanyo device can prepare tofu. So while their main function is to cook rice, they can both do much more than that. They are both Micro Computerized rice cookers which is definitely the type to go for if you want one of the best rice cookers. You can read more about what Micom means here.

As far as the cost is concerned, you can find the best price for these machines on Amazon. Both the Panasonic and Sanyo devices are in the same price range. Strangely enough, Amazon is usually cheaper than if you were to buy a rice cooker from either company’s homepage. You can compare prices on Amazon with those on both the Panasonic homepage and the Sanyo homepage. More often that not you will see that Amazon has the best price.

The machines look quite different but you can actually get a white Sanyo machine if you buy a Sanyo ECJ-HC55S. This is the exact same machine as the one pictured above except that it is white instead of charcoal. The rice cookers pictured above both come with detachable inner lids which is an essential feature as far as I am concerned. This makes it so easy to get your machine completely clean after use.

Other minor differences are that the Panasonic SR-MS102 has a detachable power cord while the Sanyo ECJ-HC55H’s power cable is retractable. The Panasonic uses 835 watts while the Sanyo uses 645 Watts.

You can compare the Panasonic SR-MS102 and Sanyo ECJ-HC55H and read customer reviews on Amazon.

Zojirushi · Sanyo · Panasonic

The three most popular Japanese rice cooker brands in the United States and Canada at the moment are Zojiurhsi, Sanyo and Panasonic. In general their machines are all top quality products. If you can afford to get one, you should definitely try to buy a Micom rice cooker. All three brands make this style of machine and there is no doubt about it, Micom rice cookers are the best. Zojirushi are probably the most well respected rice cooker manufacturer in Japan. They have a very good reputation all over the world for the quality of their rice cooking devices. This is because their business is based around the design and production of these kitchen appliances. Sanyo and Panasonic on the other hand are larger companies that make a wide range of household electronics. The interesting thing is that in the arena of rice cookers, they all have something unique to offer. Sanyo rice cookers are possibly the most versatile of the three brands. For example, the Sanyo ECJ-S35K has a bread cooking function. Also many of their machines come with steamer trays to make delicious and healthy vegetables and many of them also have a slow cooker setting. This means they are also able to make stews and soups if you like. Panasonic’s selling point is that they are possibly the most reasonably priced Micom rice cookers. So within these Japanese rice cooker brands there should be a machine to suit your needs. An important point to remember is that the size of rice cooker you choose should correlate to the number of people in your household, e.g. don’t get a 3 cup rice cooker if you have a huge family and do not buy a 10 cup rice cooker if you live alone!

Japanese Rice Cooker Brand Main Points

• Zojirushi: solid reputation; for many people, the best Japanese rice cooker manufacturer.
• Sanyo: most versatile rice cookers; can make loads of different foods.
• Panasonic: top quality at the most affordable prices.

If you go to Amazon you are able to compare prices for a wide range of rice cooking appliances. Micom devices start at about $100 but if you have the money, you can pay as much as $400 if you like. To be honest, the more you spend, the better then machine you purchase will be. You really do, get what you pay for. Amazon are known for offering the lowest prices online and you can find some great deals there. Before you make your final purchasing decision it would be wise to read a range of reviews so that you can make an informed decision. You can check out a huge range of rice cooker reviews on this site for many of the models that are now on sale in the United States and Canada.

Sanyo ECJ-JG10W · Zojirushi NP-HTC10

Both the Sanyo ECJ-JG10W and Zojirushi NP-HTC10 are 5 1/2 cup rice cookers. They are the most expensive model of machine in both Zojirushi and Sanyo’s product line up of rice cookers that are sold in the United States and Canada. If you want to buy the best rice cooker then if you can afford it, one of these machines may well be what you need. You can find the lowest prices for these two machines on Amazon. They are offering a sustantial discount on the price for the Sanyo ECJ-JG10W that is being offered on Sanyo’s own U.S. website. So if you want the best prices online then Amazon is a good place to start your search. Finding a better deal may be hard.

Both of these appliances are have the same capacity. If you want a bigger rice cooker that has both Induction Heating and Variable Pressure Control then the only option is to buy a Zojirushi NP-HTC18. Sanyo do not have a larger capacity cooker is this range. As you would expect, both machines come with detachable inner lids for ease of cleaning. As these machines have the same major components I want to focus on their smaller differences.

The ECJ-JG10W from Sanyo comes with a steamer tray and a special steam setting. This can be used to create the healthiest steamed vegetables. The Zojirushi NP-HTC10 does not have this feature. Of course you can see from the pictures above that they look quite different. They both have a wide range of rice cooking settings. The Zojirushi however is the only one to have a special setting for GABA brown rice. This is a long cooking option that takes about 3 hours but it is supposed to make the rice softer and the nutrients more readily digestible. However the Sanyo machine does have a pre-soak function which is kind of similar.

Another difference that you will be interested to find out about is that the Sanyo unit is cheaper than the Zojirushi. You can easily check this by comparing their prices on Amazon.

Some people question whether the pressure cooking feature is worth the money. If you buy a Zojirushi NP-HBC10 the only difference between that rice cooker and the NP-HTC10 is that they look slightly different and the former does not have the Pressure Cooking functionality. You can save yourself about $100 by going for the less expensive rice cooker.