Customer Reviews

Zojirushi SL-JAE14 Mr. Bento Stainless Steel Lunch Jar

5 star:		(254)
4 star:		(75)
3 star:		(31)
2 star:		(12)
1 star:		(15)

 

 

It's a great "lunchbox" if you adapt your menu to it.

First the description
The lunchbox is a Thermos Jar with a non-insulated plastic top. There are four containers that fit into the jar in a specific order.
-The bottom container is a insulated bowl. It has a gasket sealed screw on top, insulated side walls and a small vent for pressure. The most insulative of the bunch it is designed for soup or other liquids
-The next container is the biggest. It has a slide and lock insulated top.
-The third container is notably smaller and has a Tupperware like pop top.
-The fourth container is smaller yet and has the same top.
You stack the containers in the jar and then clip the top on with little side clips. The whole thing then goes in a nice nylon carry bag that also has a pair of chopsticks in a narrow plastic box. There are little pockets on the side for extra sauce packets or condiments (or I-pod video's to watch while your eating lunch).

This unit is optimally designed for the Japanese style lunch. A soup, Rice, entrée and pickled/salted vegetables. Normally you'd put your soup in the bottom container, fill the middle container up with rice. Your entrée would go in the third and the veggies in the fourth. Since the soup and the rice container both have insulated tops they stay warm. The other containers are not insulated and neither is the top. This allows some heat coming off the bottom two containers to escape so that your veggies are at room temperature. Understanding this is important. Its not supposed to keep the entire meal at the same temperature. Its supposed to keep one part hot and the other part at room temperature.

I've found that in real use the soup container stays steaming hot. The stuff in the rice container stays warm (but not hot) the stuff in the top two containers heats up to room temperature, maybe a little bit more.

Naturally you don't have to use it as designed (soup/rice/entrée/veggie) but departures require a little bit adaptation and creativity. You need to balance both amounts and what you want to keep the hottest vs coolest. Also if you have access to a microwave at lunch it kind of makes this not quite as useful since you could just heat your food up there (as opposed to heating it up in the morning before you go). You could use the whole thing as a cooler (everything remains cold/cool till you heat up what you want). That might be a better way to go if your using it for the office.

The size of the room temperature containers is not large enough to handle American sized sandwiches and breads, so if your looking to take that traditional lunch box stuff this isn't the best unit for that.

If your looking to make the most of this unit you might check out some Bento Box cookbooks. They give receipies and menu sets more in line with what this is designed to handle. In particular I enjoyed the book "Bento Boxes" by Naomi Kijima

Bento Boxes: Japanese Meals on the Go

I'll cook something up out of that and thrown in a packet of instant miso soup for a Japanese style lunch.

Pros-
Compact and efficient use of space- It all goes in the tube, no bag full of different containers
Allows for two temperatures in the same container - Allows for flexible combinations
Lots of interesting comments from your co-workers

Cons-
Cleanup is a bit of a pain - Not dishwasher safe. The soup top is a little tricky at times.
Soft plastic will eventually pick up strong smells/Stains
Two temperatures in the same container - Requires a little creativity, doesn't keep everything uniformly hot/cold.

Conclusion-
As long as you understand how it works and adapt it's a great product. Might encourage you to cook a bit more healthy food and eat more vegetables.

The picture doesn't show that each bowl has a lid. The two smaller bowls have snap on tuperware type lids.

The rice bowl has a thick, insulated lid but it's not airtight. Instructions say to use it only for rice as other contents may spill.

The soup bowl has a twist on lid that has a valve on it. However, the instructions say not to microwave the bowls with the lids on, so I'm not sure why the valve is there.

You're not supposed to put the pieces in the dishwasher, nor put any food directly into the outer container.

My lunch jar came with both English and Japanese instructions.

My daughter, a high school senior who agrees with her friends that the school lunches "suck," is sold on this. She wanted to lose a few pounds, which this has helped her do despite the fact that she now eats a higher volume of food during lunch.

How? She, like all her friends, used to skip lunch and leave school famished, scarfing down the first things she could get her hands on - usually high fat, high calorie junk food. This lunch box has eliminated her after-school munchies, keeping her appetite in check all day long. For the first time, she can pack hot (or cold) nutritious lunches at 6:30am, and they are still piping hot (or ice cold) when she pulls it out of her locker at 11:30. Her friends, who good-naturedly mocked her "space capsule" lunch at first, now crowd around her during lunch with their tongues hanging out, jockeying in line for her scraps. One remarked: "Your lunch container is about the same size as my water bottle, but you've got, like, a 4-course gourmet meal in there."

She's lost 10 pounds in the 2 months since she started taking her lunch in the Zojirushi jar, has gained noteriety among peers for having the "best lunches ever," has become more good-natured and less surly (better nutrition), and dances in her seat during 4th period as she waits for the bell to signal lunch period, where she can spread out her containers before her envious yet admiring friends and hold court over her "gourmet surprise" meal, trying to decide what to eat first. By her own admission, she has more energy and better concentration in class and during studies (her grades are up, by the way). She admits it's a pain to have yet one more thing to carry around in addition to her backpack (not that it wouldn't fit, but the backpack is already stuffed tight with books), but swears the payoff makes it worth the minor trouble. As a parent, it tickles me to see this self-described "laziest person on earth" hunkered over the sink at nights, lovingly and painstakingly cleaning out every container and lid (no doubt thinking ahead to the delicious and wholesome treats it will contain tomorrow).

Such a good buy, I bought another Zojirushi model better suited for my 11-year-old daughter. My kids say they will never go back to school cafeteria lunches, and have become much more nutritionally aware and involved in meal preparation. While their friends waste half their lunch period standing in line for tasteless and overprocessed entrees laden with salt, refined sugar and carbs, my kids dine on veggie chili and hot cornbread w/butter, delicious main course salads with homemade dressing, pita sandwiches and hummus, and stir fried teriyaki veggies over whole grain rice. And that's just the bottom 2 containers! The top 2 containers are perfect for fruit, tortilla chips, nuts and/or healthy desserts, all items middle and high schoolers love to eat. I'm thrilled with the product, which is solidly constructed, and which works completely as advertisied, with even better results if you preheat or pre-cool containers for 5-10 mins. We replaced the chopsticks with a plastic cutlery set, which fits nicely upright in the cloth carrier, thanks to the stretch loop on the inside.

NOTE: Like the other reviewer, I too was mildly annoyed at the Japanese-only user documentation, but then called the company at their California office (800-733-6270) and they promptly mailed/faxed English instructions. Don't even get me started on the money this saves by eliminating costly meals out and packaged foods. Excellent, excellent buy that has already paid for itself tenfold.

This lunch jar is the best thing to happen to lunch since the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. In fact, it's even BETTER than PB&J because it will accomodate much healthier food! I was fortunate enough to receive this as a gift, but I would've bought it in a second had I known how quickly it would pay for itself. I brought my lunch to work in this jar today, in fact. On the menu: homemade asparagus/leek soup, tomato-saffron stewed chicken over spaghetti squash, cucumber and bell pepper chopped salad, and some raw almonds. Food like that has takeout and vending machine fare beat hands down. I've saved myself a small fortune in fast food costs since I started taking my lunch in this jar, and I've lost weight because I'm eating better.

I have had no problems with leaking dishes, not even when I have consomme or other really "runny" soup. The dishes are good quality and have stood up well to three months of almost constant use. The only caveat I'd offer is to avoid tomato soup. I tried that once, and it stained the inside of my soup bowl orange. Dishes made with fresh or canned tomatoes, however, do not stain the dishes, so bring on the pasta with marinara sauce without worry.

The carrying bag is very convenient; I just sling it over my shoulder along with my workbag. There's enough room in it to tote along a few healthy snacks, too -- essential for those days when you know you'll be in the office for 12 hrs or longer.

My only complaint is that lettuce-based salads do not hold up well when packed with an otherwise warm lunch. The "rice" bowl has a thick, insulated lid, but it's not enough to keep the heat in the jar from rising and affecting the food in the top two dishes. Raw veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, grape tomatoes, and baby carrots can survive that sort of treatment in better shape, though even they will be rather warmish if you've packed hot soup and a hot entree. The flip side of that, however, is that the jar holds heat brilliantly. My lunch has waited for me for as long as 7 hours before, and even then, the soup was still steaming and my main dish was still piping hot.

I absolutely, unreservedly recommend this product to anyone who is willing to spend the time necessary to prepare delicious, healthy food to take to work or school. Do NOT let the sticker price chase you away; it is absolutely worth every cent.

When I saw the Mr. and Mrs. Bento box, I knew immediately that this was the exact thing that I needed for my daily lunches. I pack everyday, and was using mismatched tupperware containers which would spill in my bag when not sealed properly. I knew it was time to find something better.

The package arrived as a box completely in japanese, much like how the other reviewers have stated. Fortunately through diligent searching on the web, I was able to find instructions without having to contact the company.

The bento box consists of a bag to carry it in, a thermos container, and 4 plastic dishes with lids, which stack on top of one another inside the thermos.

The thermos can hold things cold, or it can keep things hot. The beauty of the bento box, is the largest container has an extra thick lid so that you can carry two items hot, and two items cold on top.

The soup container holds the wettest items. Put your soups, runny things and chilis in here. The lid twists completely shut, with a small plugged opening on top that can release pressure from heat.

The biggest container with the thick insulated lid can hold anything that is not runny. I put a salad with a vinegar dressing on it, and the vinegar ran out a bit because of the lack of a seal. This container is good for beans or anything thick that can't get out. I like to put my salads in here. Also I use it to hold rice.

The next stacked container is big enough to fit in some fruit. I like to cut up strawberries/ grapes/ or stick chips or pretzels inside.

And the smallest container is really great for putting nuts and raisins or a condiment inside.

The pocket of the bento carrying case can fit bread wrapped in foil or saran wrap. Also I use it to carry a napkin.

The mr. bento comes with a set of chopsticks which come in handy if you are a seasoned chopstick user. The chopsticks are nice, and come with grips on them for extra "grabbing" power. And they come in a snap shut case.

I love my Mr. Bento box. I pack my lunch for work everyday. I am a vegetarian, and use a lot of my leftovers for lunch the next day, and the Bento box enables me to carry items easily to and from work. It has changed my eating habits, enabling me to save money from not going out to eat, and also makes eating lunch more fun, and desirable (they say presentation is half the appeal!)

I highly recommend this product!

I bought one of these not too long ago. I thought it was a little expensive,* but I can see that I will get many years of service from it.

The construction of all the components are very sturdy, and the container is very well insulated. The bag has an outside pocket that you can use to store a napkin (or teabags, as I do) and comes with a detachable shoulder strap and an attached short carrying strap. Inside the bag, along with the thermal container, is a utensil box that holds a pair of chopsticks. Everything is quality construction - even the chopsticks, which have a textured surface on the business end of them making it easier for you to pick up food with them. Whoever designed this package gave it a lot of thought.

The bottom two containers are intended for holding rice and soup; the rice container has an insulated cap, allowing you can to store hot & cold items in the same container.

Overall, I'm very satisfied with this purchase and would recommend one of these to anyone who needs a lunchbox.

My only complaints (which are minor, but included here for the sake of completeness): the instructions are in Japanese (as if you needed them), and no western utensils (you can pack your own fork). But outside of that, it's a perfect product.

*Expensive? It paid for itself in 2 weeks - after I bought it, I stopped eating fast food for lunch.

** It's been 2 years since I bought - yet to show any sort of appreciable wear and tear. I love this thing!

*** It's now been about 5 years. Still using it, still in darn good shape.

My son ONLY likes hot food for lunch and at 9 that can be a little hard unless he actually buys his lunch - but he doesn't like the school lunches! The Zojirushi Mr. Bento is great! He usually brings a soup (placed in the soup bowl at the bottom of the jar), a main meal, vegetables and fruit. The bottom two containers stay piping hot for HOURS (if you add boiling water to the two containers for 5 minutes - it can last for a VERY long time. Let's put it this way - I "tested" it (without the hot water) and the soup was PIPING hot a good 4 hours later! The way the containers are arranged - the last two containers can stay at a cooler temperature. He can eat hot food - like soup - AND a salad and fruit. He LOVES it!

Good -
+ Large lunch, small package.
+ Easy to clean.
+ Portion control.
+ Exceptional quality you expect from Zojirushi.
+ Looks cool.
+ Envy of lunchmates for having real food.

Bad -
- Designed to work with specific formula lunch.
- Requires work to make it hot/cold
- No dishwasher (I don't use, but I know others do)
- Expensive for a lunchbox

Comments -

I take my lunch daily to work. Because of the working conditions, I really hate to use the microwave and refuse to even consider the fridge. Of course I was happy to get a new lunchbox that would address these issues.

I have found mixed results keeping food hot (6 hours). The best I have found is to pour boiling water in the outside sleeve, cap, and let sit for 10 minutes. I microwave the food in the bowls (no lids) until hot, then quickly assemble everything. This keeps my food warm...and again I am talking about 6 hours. I have yet to try it for a cold lunch.

The Amazon description says you can use just the sleeve - but that is specifically against the directions - which did come in English. I have not tried it - the inside is not stainless and I do not want to mess it up. I have tried to use the containers for a variety of foods - with mixed results. It is best to use as it was designed with rice, veggie and meat - each in their own little dish. I know the containers are small - but I have yet to be hungry after lunch, and I have a large appetite. One thing I like is this forces me to do a healthier portion control than is normal for me. I use the lid for a bowl and mix in ingredients from the bowls. If you are trying to take a single item (like soup or casserole) this is not going to work for you. I find that I use it several days a week and then take a different lunch bag the other days when I take a different style lunch.

After living with it for several months now, I would buy it again.

I did buy a Boker Snacpac flatware set - it fits perfectly in the chopstick holder loop, and comes in a protected container. First time in years I have had REAL flatware!

I love mine - of course it is going to take some prep work, but the idea for me wasn't "quick and easy" otherwise I would continue going through fast food!

Tips for keeping things hot - I am not a huge fan of soup for lunch, so I don't use the small soup bowl for that. Instead, in the morning when I am putting together my lunch (I don't store my food in the lunchbox overnight) I place boiling water in both insulated bowls. This preheats the larger bowl for my heated food (which is being heated in the microwave) and I seal up the hot water in the smaller bowl. It goes on the bottom - and since heat rises, it helps keep the larger bowl warm too! I then have warm water to rinse off my silverware or fingers after lunch ;) If I don't have to worry about wilting a salad or something else, then I even will preheat the main container that all the bowls go into. If I am concerned about wilting, I might place a paper napkin between the "hot" bowls and the cold bowls. I bet that if you were doing an "all cold" lunch, you could put ice in the top bowl (since cold air sinks), and prep the bowls ahead of time by using ice or ice cold water.

By using this method, my lunch is still at temperatures I find acceptable by noon, when I prep the food around 6:30 AM or 7:00 AM.

I have lived in Japan for almost 4 years now, and they never cease to amaze me with all the small and highly useful items they make here...but on to the lunch jar...

This thing is great. Really. My jaw dropped when my wife came home from the store with it one day...I just wish now that I had looked on Amazon to save $15.

I am lucky that my wife is Chinese and can read most of the directions on it that are in Japanese. However, here are a few recommendations:

- Use the bottom, curved bowl for soups/wet items
- Use the large one above it for meats, salads, rice, or
combinations that don't really run
- Use the next two for fruit cocktails, chips, salsa, nachos,
etc.
- Microwave OPEN, not closed.

It doesn't spill very easily (you can accidentally knock it over with no problem), but I wouldn't recommend leaving it lying on its side on your car seat until lunch or other long periods of time. :)

It is very easy to wash, fits together like a small puzzle, and has little nooks and things where you can put knives, forks, spoons, chopsticks, and napkins or what-have-you. Like the product description says, if you don't need to use the containers inside, you can take them out and use as-is.

I highly recommend getting this, especially if your kids keep complaining about the squished jelly sandwiches and bad apple slices. :)