Customer Reviews

Zojirushi Mini Stainless Thermal Lunch Box, Green

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I have really enjoyed taking this bento set with me to work. It is cute, has enough space and is incredibly well made. The previous reviews really gave this product a hard time. If you are concerned about the size of this bento, there are many sites out there that can tell you what capacity bento is recommended for different age / weight / heights based on official Japanese nutritional guidelines.

Although it feels small at first, if it is used as it should be - no empty spaces, junk foods or fatty foods then it really gives you a good satisfying meal. This set would not work for someone who wants to have a great big salad for lunch - there just wouldn't be enough space. This may not be the right size for you, if not check out the Zojirushi Mr. Bento Stainless-Steel Lined Lunch Jar, Silver it has been the perfect size for my husband, though he wishes the set came with chopsticks instead of a metal spoon. There are also the Zojirushi Ms. Bento Stainless Lunch Jar, Beige and the Zojirushi SL-XB20HG Classic Stainless Lunch Jar, Metallic Gray.

For this model Zojirushi Mini Stainless Thermal Lunch Box, Green there is a :
9.8 oz rice capacity (uncooked) main bowl,
5.6 oz sm. side bowl and a
6.7 oz lg. side bowl.

The next model up, the Metallic Stainless Vacuum Lunch Jar (Lavender) has slightly larger portions at :
12.7 oz rice capacity main bowl,
7.0 oz sm. side bowl and a
8.1 oz lg. side bowl.

I have had great lunches with this set. The chopsticks that come with it are plastic but are good quality with a rougher surface at the bottom to help grip food. My set did not come with English instructions but they were easily downloadable as pdf files from the manufacturers website.

Overall, I am very satisfied.

First I would like to point out a few things about this adorable little set:

Its supposed to be small, that is why it is called "Mini Bento" it is the mini version of Zojirushi's lunch jars. Now, compared to many Japanese bento boxes its not really very small at all, you just pack densely. I am a female high school student and this leaves me full but not bloated every day.

Secondly, Only the main jar is supposed to be insulated, not the okazu/side dish containers. I tend to use these for salads, or desserts and just pack the meat/etc on top of the rice in the main jar (or under the rice in the case of curry). If you press rice down a bit its surprising how much can actually fit and its a lot easier to pick up with chopsticks that way anyhow :3 For example today I had gyu-don (beef bowl) with sides of salad and sliced apple.

Thirdly, English instructions are available from Zojirushi's website. One helpful tip from them is to heat the main metal container (with out the plastic bowl) first with hot water to warm it up, keeping food hotter longer (I never do this but my mother always does with her set).

Overall, I love this lunch set and greatly recommend it and the rest of Zojirushi's products as I have their thermos and small rice cooker also.

This particular lunch tote is designed to carry "hot" rice and 2 sides at room temperature. No soup. That's the way they are designed.

This size is designed for a woman around 5'2" and weighs about 110 lbs.
That's why it's so tiny. (But it is soooo cute and adorable).

For all you gals who are bigger than that size, I recommend the regular Mr. Bento or the Nissan Thermos lunch tote. Both are larger in size.

The Nissan Thermos keeps all 4 containers hot, while the Mr. Bento only keeps hot rice and hot soup (or liquid) and the top 2 containers at room temperature when you are ready to eat.

My 3-year-old daughter started going to a preschool that requires you to bring your own lunch. I was so glad to find this bento set, and it's absolutely perfect for her. First of all, it's very well-made and does a great job keeping the food warm. I follow the instructions to pack her lunch in the morning, and she enjoys it warm at noon. The size is just right for her. I pack her food pretty tightly, and she usually finishes everything. She weighs about 34 pounds. And the bento set is just so cute and adorable. All her teachers and classmates' moms have been asking me where I got this from.

I usually have pasta or rice with meat as her main dish, and I put veggies and fruits or cheese cubes in the other two jars, usually grape tomatoes or sliced english cucumber, berries, apples, etc. This gives her a balanced and healthy diet. I like this set so much that I'll buy the blue version for my son who'll be going to the same preschool in a few months. I plan to use both sets for years to come.

I eyed this bento for over a year but never purchased it due to the cost. Finally this past Christmas I broke down and purchased it, and I've been waiting to write a review to make sure I was being honest and not just hyped up by a new purchase. Nine months have passed and I'm still just as pleased with this bento!

To address those that are daunted by the size of this set, I had seen it in person so I knew what to expect. However if I had been unfamiliar with it I may have been a little concerned about the size and if it could accommodate my lunch. That being said, I fit plenty of food in here. In fact, there have been days when I can't finish everything, and I'm not the "woman around 5'2" and weighs about 110 lbs," in fact I'm a pretty standard size for a mid-westerner. Also there is usually enough room in the top of the bag to put a banana or a snack cup in if I feel like I'll need a pick-me-up somewhere in the day.

As far as the durability of the set, it has held up beautifully. Lids still seal nicely, nothing's taken on the scent or color of any food I've put in it like cheaper products tend to do, and the bag spot-cleans nicely and is in good shape even after repeatedly over-stuffing it. The chopsticks and case that come with the set are also nice quality and have held up well.

Overall, this is a well-made substantial product that I would definitely purchase again.

This is a great little bento, especially for those who are needing portion control. It's neat, compact, and clever. Today I loaded her up with chicken fried rice, leftover turkey breast, edamame in pods and cherries. There's still room in the bag for a few odd items-- not much, I'll admit, but for instance a protein bar or some such thing would work well. If you want to learn about how to use bento for portion control, I'd advise going to the Just Bento website.

Sure it's small. On the other hand, I'm not but need to be smaller. If you are a graduate of some of the lube sheep bentos or the laptop lunchbox bnetos, this is a nice step up. I think. If you're wanting to put sandwiches in it, don't. This is asian through and through.

I bought this after reading all the reviews and was prepared for the small size. Thought either I could use for work or for our 8 year old for school lunch.

I will likely be the only one able to use it, since the "hot" container (which is not insulated - the plastic inner container that sits loosely inside a metal outer container) is likely to spill if not held upright at all times. Hot rice stayed slightly warm after 3 1/2 hours. Good for rice or chirashi sushi - but definitely not for soup, any liquids or anything you want to remain hot.

Small containers are good for small sides or fruit or veggies or??

Bag and included chopsticks are very cute and well made. A bit pricey for the set - but a good option for an adult wanting to take a light lunch.

Just perfect for a girl's lunch. The kids at my daughter's school really liked it. The hot/cold container will not work for soup or juicy food. The lids are hard to get off, may not work for small children. Great for older kids or women.

We got this for our toddler when we went to our first major holiday trip. She is quite picky in a way because she only wants to eat warm food. We stored her pre-warmed toddler meals in the big container and used the canisters for a mid-morning meal and a mid-afternoon meal. She enjoyed eating her food and even finished up with clean plate! Our trip was more enjoyable for quite a number of days because she ate all her food and was very satisfied. We also did not have to worry where we can warm up her food in the middle of our tours. I wish this color come in the bigger sizes, too. I am thinking of getting the Ms. Bento for myself. All in all, this is great!!!

This lunch box is well-made and well-designed. The containers seal food well and don't have any annoying hard-to-clean crevices.
The size is smallish, but most Americans don't realize that they are full before they feel full. If you eat a smaller quantity of food and wait 20 minutes, it gives your system time to send the "That's enough" message.
This lunch box holds enough for my girlfriend to be full but not overstuffed.