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Bought two of these 3 compartment stainless steel lunch boxes for my twin preschoolers, and two of the smaller single-compartment boxes for their morning tea. I assumed stainless steel would be durable and long lasting compared to plastic, and expected to get at least a couple years use out of them. After only a couple weeks use, I am finding they have so many issues that they're not even functional, and I will be returning them.
Even with insulated containers, though, there’s more you can do to boost their efficiency. Fill them with hot (or icy) water first, and then let them sit for a bit before emptying the water and filling them with food. That simple step means that the stored food itself doesn’t have to do the heavy lifting of first heating and cooling its own container. (This works for everyday coffee mugs and insulated beverage containers, too.) The edges of the tabs along the bottom of the box feel uncomfortably sharp when washing out the box by hand (more on washing below). The Spruce Eats / Brigitt Earley What to Look for in a Lunch Box Water-Resistant and Leakproof Fabrics Food-safe linings help ensure your food stays fresh without being contaminated by lunch box materials. Look for the term “BPA-free" in the product’s description, which means that the lining doesn’t contain the chemical bisphenol-A that’s used to craft many common materials and could possibly seep into food and beverages. FAQs How can you keep food hot or cold in a lunch box?Even the lid seemed to clasp on quite well, so maybe there wouldn't be any issue with leakage as advertised. I never had any leakage issues. To keep food from spoiling and drinks refreshingly cold, be sure that your lunch box boasts insulating capabilities. Many lunch box manufacturers proudly tout this feature: Insulation helps keep items at the temperature you want them, and some insulating lunch boxes can keep food cold for hours. In case your water bottle or food container springs a leak, you’ll be thankful for a lunch box that features water-resistant or leakproof fabric. This way, the mess will be contained inside and won’t spill over to the interior of your car or inside your office desk drawer. Most of these fabrics can also be wiped clean, so your lunch box will be as good as new to carry your lunch the following day. Firstly, the lunchbox is not cast/molded in one seamless piece, rather the outer shell is one piece, and compartmen ... Read more t dividers have been added separately afterwards. These dividers are made from thin flat sheets of metal with little tabs bent at right angles to attach them, they look soldered to the outer shell and to each other. This causes a number of shortcomings: Finally—and perhaps most important to your child—it comes in several prints and colors. You can also mix and match the removable inner trays if you decide to buy a couple. The inner trays are also microwave and freezer safe.
Strictly, “bento” describes a type of Japanese lacquered box, but in the world of lunchboxes, “bento” generally means that the lunchbox will have sections, and often a self-contained carrier with onboard utensils and a lid designed to be carried. Brigitt Earleyis a writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience testing products for editorial inclusion. She tested electric lunch boxes, as well as sending the Bentgo to school with her kids, to find some of the best lunch boxes.
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I persisted using the container for another 2 weeks because I liked the container. It was easy to wipe out and clean and left no oily residue or odours, so it rarely went in my dishwasher. How best to keep a lunchbox and its gear clean will depend entirely on the kind you have. First, read and follow the manufacturer's instructions. Also, it's best to err on the side of caution and hand wash lunch boxes and gear whenever possible. Unless you’re investing in a high-tech lunchbox that has built-in chilling or heating features, the first thing to do to help keep food hot or cold is purely logical: Separate hot from cold. Even if that means keeping two separate lunchboxes, it will make it much easier to maintain the desired temperatures. You can also invest in individually insulated containers. Clean a lunchbox and its gear after every use, and store open to the air until absolutely dry inside. A shut-up food container or lunchbox with moisture inside will certainly lead to the growth of mold.
When you don’t have access to a microwave to warm food, an electric lunch box is a unique alternative—and we love this one for its combination of aesthetic and functionality. The Steambox is a thoughtfully-designed electric lunch box that uses a combination of heat and water to gently reheat food so it tastes almost as good as it did when you first cooked it. The tray had plenty of room for a satisfying meal and, because of the sleek bamboo and white design, the whole thing looks sleek enough to leave out on a countertop or desk—something we recommend, given how heavy the unit is (4.3 pounds in all). You can always take the tray home to wash it and leave the actual heating element at work. Catherine Russell, who updated this roundup, is a writer and editor specializing in food, culture, and home and garden. Grandma’s kitchen was a favorite place for Catherine growing up, and that’s where she first learned to bake, roast, broil, and cook most anything from scratch. Her work has appeared in national publications, such as Bon Appetit, and in film and video. Even dishwasher-safe items can warp under heat, and if something warps, its lid won’t fit properly. Worse, the insulating fluids in some containers can leak out if the seals expand, and then you’ll have a real mess on your hands. If the lunchbox has a fabric exterior or thin lining over its inside insulation, all of that should just be wiped and spot-cleaned as necessary unless the manufacturer suggests machine washing. This lunch box earned our best overall spot because it's a nice, medium size, could work for kids or adults, and comes from a brand trusted and known for its durability and insulation. If you already trust Hydroflask's reusable water bottles to keep your drinks cold (we do), you'll be glad to learn that the brand's lunch boxes boast that same powerful insulation. In fact, Hydroflask’s Large Insulated Lunch Box features two layers of insulation to keep your food perfectly chilled for hours. Plus, this durable design holds up to countless outings like the brand's trademark bottle.Next, the tops of the dividers are not quite as tall as the outer shell, and aren't even the same height across the whole divider, there are little cut-outs at the edges that serve no functional purpose, in fact they make it less functional. The only reason I can think of for these cutouts is that it uses less material per divider, likely allowing them to arrange the cutout pattern to get more divider pieces cut out from less metal. The issues this causes:
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