Aika ML100a electronic pressure cooker, 爱家, broken after only 1.5 years. Made in China
I have seen a couple of these Chinese made Aika ML100a electric pressure cookers on the side of the road, discarded. They have obviously malfunctioned in someway and are now garbage. I decided to pick one up and rip it apart.
This Aika pressure cooker was probably a response to the popular “Instant Pot”. The Chinese is 爱家, aijia, “love family”. The name Aika is also not Japanese.
As the date of manufacture is 09/2017 and 1.5 years has passed it is fair to say that this appliance might have been in service for maybe a little over a year but no more than 1.5 years. I picked it up about 2 months ago. I hate to see the earth’s resources be used for such a short time, only to be thrown away as garbage.
AIKA Electric Pressure Cooker ML 100A
Two inner pots; 8 cooking menus; 6L capacity
Regular price CA$229.99 Sale price CA$179.99
★ 8 cooking menus: rice, porridge, chicken, meat, tendons,beans, soup and cake
★ 6 L capacity, suitable for 3-8 persons
★ Two inner pots for different cooking needs
★ 24 hours delay timer for convenient use
★ Precise temperature control system,keep food nutrition
★ Separate lid, easy to clean
Product Description
AIKA is translated into “爱家” in Chinese, and it means loving your home and loving your family. So warm brand and it also designed warm product for you. This electric pressure cooker ML 100A will make you feel easy at kitchen. 8 cooking menus including rice, porridge, chicken, meat, tendons, beans, soup and cake for you to make different meals for your family members. It has two inner pots for you to cook distinctive food. 24 hours delay timer for you to cook convenient food. The capacity for this cooker is 6L, suitable for 3-8 persons.
source
As it was discarded without the pots I am assuming that the 2 inner pots broke, leaving the pressure cooker disabled. I have tried researching how to buy inner pots, but as with Chinese products, you cannot get replacement parts. As well, there is no way to find a replacement gasket, which would eventually wear out. This is in stark contrast to my Presto pressure cooker model 126002, which is over 20 years old and works well. My traditional stove top pressure cooker has less moving parts, replacement parts are available and it still works. In the overall longevity of products, this Aika electric pressure cooker is a waste of money.
The Chinese company Intertek has contact offices within China and seems to have something in Canada The Aika brand is not on their web site, nor is much available on Google Search. The company web address is not on the pressure cooker. Their web site looks like they want to do everything, from chemicals and pesticide, to shoes, to appliances, to nuclear. It seems they have put any and everything on the site. Is this a company that will stand by their pressure cooker? No.
Aika ML100a electronic pressure cooker, 爱家, broken after only 1.5 years
Overall the pressure cooker seems well put together. There is the top that swivels off completely. The body looks like stainless steel, but I don’t know. There is plastic on the handle, top and base, but it is sturdy.
Aika ML100a electronic pressure cooker, 爱家, broken after only 1.5 years. Made in China. Heating element after I cut off protruding connectors
Disassembly is from the bottom. There is a plastic plate that, after removal of a single screw, is rotated counter-clockwise. From the bottom you can remove most of the philips screws. The plastic base separates from the stainless side panel with pressure clips on the plastic. The heating element, which looks like a metal plate on little legs, is first removed. The switch in the middle of the heating plate is flimsy at best. I removed the heating element, cut off the protruding connections with a hacksaw, and will use it for a pot holder. There are three metal legs that attach the metal pot to the plastic base, all easily removable. There is an IC board under there, which is also easily removed.
There are 2 screws to remove from the inside heavy metal pot, after which the pot can be separated from the body. The top lip of the pot is plastic. Remove the single screw underneath the caution sticker on the pot, and the top ring will separate from the pot.
The body has a IC board behind the touch screen, held in by 4 small screws. I removed the IC board and reassembled the cover.
Overall the appliance is repairable, but because replacement pots are unavailable, this is a throwaway device that only lasted for a year. As a pressure cooker it probably was not used daily, so use was minimal. Overall this was not good value for money, and a waste of Mother Earth’s resources.
This is a simple device. The ICs are all easily opened. There is nothing tricky about opening it up. I am unsure about the lid nor its sealing ability. The pressure cooker part seems cheap, but the pressure is not that high. The base is stable and the inner pot seems strong.
Recommendation: Do not buy this appliance. It is a waste of your money and will break prematurely. Replacement parts are unavailable. The device is engineered well enough and could be repaired, but we have no infrastructure for parts and the manufacturer has no distribution network for parts or service. You are on your own for parts and service. No store will service this. Buy something else.
Aika ML100a electronic pressure cooker, 爱家, broken after only 1.5 years. Made in China. Model number label
Aika ML100a electronic pressure cooker, 爱家, broken after only 1.5 years. Made in China. Lid instructions
Aika ML100a electronic pressure cooker, 爱家, broken after only 1.5 years. Made in China. Caution decal on inner pot
Aika ML100a electronic pressure cooker, 爱家, broken after only 1.5 years. Made in China. Inner pot and circular heating element
Aika ML100a electronic pressure cooker, 爱家, broken after only 1.5 years. Made in China. Lid pressure valve seems a bit flimsy. I don’t know if the seal works.
Aika ML100a electronic pressure cooker, 爱家, broken after only 1.5 years. Made in China. Lid pressure valve seems a bit flimsy. I don’t know if the seal works.
