Customer Reviews

Laptop Lunch System Bento Box - Whimiscal

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

 

 

My 1st grader used this system all last year and is using the very same lunch box this year. It has held up well, looking only slightly worn and I love the minimal waste idea. We rarely use any plastic bags for her lunch and it holds an adequate amount of food, at least for a 5-6 year old. But it needs a serious overhaul in design. As another reviewer wrote, the inner plastic box does not stay shut. And this is a problem because there are no lids on 3 of the 5 inner containers. Food leaks inside and even into the neoprene-type outer case, which seems to be the best made part of the whole unit. All of the small food containers should have lids or the plastic outer case should fit so well that there is no need for a lid. We threw away the water bottle early on because it leaked and use a better water bottle that I freeze every night because there is no cold pack in the box. That is a problem where we live in southern California. It's a great idea, but needs some reworking.

All I can offer is our experience over the course of a year (so far) using our Laptop Lunchbox System several times per week.

- Holds *plenty* of food for my kindergartener. For example: a sandwich (cut into quarters, stood on end in the large unlidded container), sunchips (in the 'lidded' large contaier, but w/o the lid), a small container of veggies (grape tomatoes are a fave), and the other small container of fruit (apple slices, grapes, cantelope, etc). For lunches like these, we don't always pack utensils, so I fill that space with a napkin (cloth) and/or a treat or string cheese stick, etc.

- The bag has space for a drink (though, I agree, I'm not a fan of the included plastic bottle for a child), and it has a mesh pocket in the cover that perfectly fits our long/rectangular clay ice pack. It also has an exterior zip pocket for small/flat extras (like a napkin, if it wasn't tucked inside, or ice cream money, if you were so inclined!). Surprisingly, it doesn't really show much wear (not just in terms of the seams, etc, but in terms of dirt/stains either). It also has a rubbery tag on it, with a space to label it with a name.

- It has held up beautifully. Ours is *always* put into the dishwasher (top rack) and we haven't seen any real wear-n-tear yet. The 'hinge' isn't showing any distress. The box is still easy to open/close (my kindergartener has always done so herself), and it still stays shut completely when closed. We will definitely be using this next year too, and I have no reason to believe we won't be using it well beyond that too.

My ONE gripe:
- I really, really, really wish that there was a lid option for the smaller container(s). I would occasionally like to send a small portion of something 'wet' (like applesauce) and a lid would make that possible. Press N Seal wrap works great to 'seal' it until lunchtime, BUT it isn't RE-sealable which is a problem if it doesn't all get eaten.

Overall, I'm VERY pleased with it (and my kindergartener thinks she has the coolest lunchbox at school!).

I'm loving this bento box system. I feel like a kid opening my box. All excited. So far so good and no leaks (pudding and yogurt were fine) but I wouldn't chance soup. There's other bentos more appropriate for those things... for sandwiches, salads, snacks, fruit, this is great. Love that I'm saving trees with less throw away waste :) Great for portion control too.

My son has been using this lunchbox for a year now. We have not had any of the leaking issues other reviewers have presented. Perhaps they are not putting the containers in the correct spots? The large lidded container should be in the back and the large nonlidded container in the front in order to close the box easily. I love the fact that I can pop the containers into the dishwasher and I'm not hunting around for the right size containers while packing his lunch. It saves time! It is easy to pack, easy to clean and holds up nicely. We have been using the beverage bottle for milk all year without a single drip, so no issues there, either. I do put two ice packs into the mesh section in order to keep things cold. I'm certain he will get at least another year out of this box as it looks brand new. The other bonus is that it fits nicely in his backpack because it is wide and narrow, not deep like other lunchboxes. I don't think you'll be disappointed!

I really love the idea of waste free lunches, but I am so disappointed, especially after how much I spent on a lunchbox! First of all, the water bottle leaks. Ordered a replacement cap. Now that one leaks. As other reviewers have said, the inner compartment does not stay shut and food leaks out, ruining the neoprene case. Furthermore, I cannot fit a WHOLE piece of fruit in this lunchbox. My son likes peaches, plums, apricots, etc., and he likes them whole. Most days of the week, I have to use our old lunchbox so because this one cannot even fit an apricot without squishing it. I can only use this lunchbox on the days that I pack grapes or berries as his fruit since he does not like his fruit cut up. I wish I had known that before I ordered.

At least it's all dishwasher safe - a big plus for me.

I think this lunchbox is a great idea, but, for the price, I found the product disappointing. The water bottle may be BPA-free, but it's flimsy and seems unlikely to hold temperature, even when insulated by the carrying case. The lunchbox is not big enough to replace it with a thermos when needed, to hold milk or soup or whatever. I bought the bento 2.0 box, in which more of the interior containers have lids than the original bento box, but, at almost $50, I have to wonder why ALL the interior containers can't come with lids. The outer canvas carrier is sturdy and attractive but lacks room for an ice pack, limiting the options for lunch ideas.

Lastly, the "user guide" adds nothing to the product. The "lunch ideas" amount largely to mere lists of fruits, vegetables, meats, etc, as if the average person would never think to serve their child strawberries or carrots (ok, maybe they wouldn't, but I tend to think anyone who doesn't know about strawberries and carrots probably isn't going to be buying a $50 Bento system). There are some sandwich ideas that sound cute but with just verbal descriptions it's hard to imagine how to make them. There are only a few pages with recipes. Most of the user guide seems to consist of lectures about the evils of plastic waste and the importance of eating organic food. In fact, I think I might have subconsciously taken off one whole star just for the offputting tone of the user guide.

I searched this product out and bought it after seeing it in the book The Vegan Lunchbox (my kid's not vegan, just liked the idea of packing healthier lunches for her).

Both my daughter & I love it, and it's easy to use. Have used it every day for more than a year and it still looks new. I wash the divider cups in the top rack of the dishwasher, and handwash the main box (it dries immediately if rapped a couple of times on the sink or counter top)

I have only two complaints, but they haven't prevented me from buying another one for myself:

- Only one of the divider cups has a lid (it's one of the large divider cups). If they would only offer a lidded smaller cup too, then I'd be soooo happy!

- It's a little tricky to clean the cavity for the spoon & fork, as it's so narrow. But then that area rarely gets dirty so it's not a big deal.

I love having this lunch box for my girl. She gets good healthy food for lunch every day and I don't go through a zillion ziploc baggies. I love the insulated carrying case. I was worried the food would leak out of the containers at first, but it hasn't yet. The containers are the perfect portion size for little ones.

I purchased this item for our 28 year old daughter. It isn't a good size for an adult, even one on a diet. The compartments are small. I would say that it might be appropriate for kids up to 3rd grade but not enough room for much. Probably only hold 2-4 oz. in each compartment.

Not what I expected.

Although I ordered the pink version of this item, I received the purple version. I contacted the seller to find out how to get a refund, since the box was for a friend who loves pink and hates purple and had arrived too late for an exchange in time for Christmas, but I never heard anything from the seller.