Customer Reviews

Zojirushi Mini Stainless Thermal Lunch Box, Metallic Blue

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I bought this for my eleven year old daughter because we are frequently on the road with her sporting activities and I'm always looking for healthier - and cheaper - althernatives to fast food. It's a beautifully designed set with containers just the right size for her. Today we packed chili in one, macaroni & cheese in another and pineapple chunks in the third one. The chili stayed hot for four hours, even out in the cold car. It's pricey for a lunch box but it works.

This lunchbox set is very well designed; the thermal unit is not bulky or heavy at all, yet has great heat retention capacity. The additional (non-thermal) containers allow you to keep two other items in the lunchbox (bag, really), and the entire lunchbox is compact enough to fit into a small backpack. I noticed that one reviewer complained that the capacity of the thermal unit was too small to be useful; you can fill it with 16 ounces of soup or stew, and if you're used to eating more than that for lunch, well . . . .

I got this to encourage myself to eat more veggies, so I aim to fill the side dishes with veggies although occasionally cookies or cheese find their way there. I'm Chinese so the insulated area often has rice and stir fry and I find the quantity to be quite good for me. Sometimes, I sub out one of the side dishes for an apple. I got this over one of the bigger, taller boxes because the profile fits in the bottom of my backpack better.

Pros--
Don't need to hunt down a microwave
Encourages more veggie eating
Place to pack utensils so that they don't get dirty in my backpack
Good size for me
Looks cute

Cons--
Microwaving a side dish with its lid on will deform the lid
The bag looks like it will stain and when it does I'm not sure how I will clean it
Strap has to snap apart to get the containers out.

Amazon had it delivered overnight via Amazon Prime. My wife checked out the heat retention for the main container and it kept soup hot all day.

My daughter took lunch to school Monday in it and completely enjoyed her hot lunch. Since they don't stack above the heated container, the sides were cool. She's been happy since and that make Dad happy.

I searched high and low for an attractive and well-made lunch kit that would allow me to pack a warm school lunch for my kids, ages 5 and 8. This compact Zojirushi bento-style lunch kit does the job. Plus, it makes lunch fun for them. The stainless sleeve keeps the contents of the plastic container warm, and the serving size is perfect for kids ages 4-9. This larger plastic container is microwave safe; that is, it won't melt in the microwave it you choose to heat your food in it. Zojirushi could not tell me whether their plastic was petroleum-based; if so, heating it could leach chemicals into the food. So I microwave food in glass containers and then transfer to the large plastic one that nests in a stainless sleeve. The two smaller containers are perfect for side dishes of fruit, rice, crackers--you name it. The kit comes with a nice set of chopsticks in a plastic case, but I replaced those with kid cutlery that stores in a toothbrush case. The compact cloth bag with drawstring tie and carry handle is big enough to hold the containers, cutlery, a granola bar or cookies, and a juice or milk box. (But the bag isn't big enough to hold a water bottle.) One cool feature my kids don't use: when the containers are empty, they nest inside each other, and the bag collapses to half its original size. Maybe they'll master that trick next year. My kids have been using these lunch kits for warm foods since September and love them. Definitely on the expensive side, but you get what you pay for. I imagine these kits will last for several years.

Pros:
1. Sleek looking
2. Easy to clean
3. Keep food warm
4. Right proposition for lunch

Cons:
1. Smaller than Mr. Bento
2. No soup container

Everyone at work is jealous with my lunch!

I was hesitant to buy this set based on some of the reviews, but I eventually settled on it because I liked the look of it better than the Ms.Bentou and the price was better than the larger sets. I also lack the attention span for preparing more than one or two dishes for a lunch, so the smaller number of containers appealed to me.
Even having read the descritions, I was very surprised at the size of the packed bentou. It /is/ very small. More surprisingly though, it really is just the right amount of food for a meal and desert or meal and a small snack.
I have a physically demanding job with long shifts and the portions packed in this bentou have never failed to get me through my day.
The only thing I could wish for would be a drink container to go with it. ^_^
Also, the packed bentou (full or broken down, it packs smaller when empty) is light, easy to carry and /adorable/. It would be especially efficient packed into a backpack or totebag if you have other things to carry with you to work or school. I wish I'd had one in college.

My daughter is 6 years old and uses this for her school lunch. It is just the right size for a kids meal (with some room to spare). I usually rinse the inside with warm water before putting the food in and 5 hours later the food is still warm. The side bowls are great for a few pieces of fruit and vegetables.
If I could wish for anything extra I wish the bag had an additional pocket to hold a small bottle of milk and blue ice, not a big deal though.

We alternate between the Zojirushi Mini and Foogo by Thermos. Both keep the food warm for the 5 hours needed. I would not store food in the lunch box longer than that, but if this was ever required I would use the Zojirushi as it seems to keep the food warmer longer. The Foogo costs a lot less, but does not come with the extra bowls and the bag. However, I do prefer the lid on the Foogo as it seems less likely to leak - although so far none of them have.

My conclusion: Both are good products and works well for us. I like to alternate and would buy both again, but if I had to choose one I would choose the Foogo for our use. It costs a lot less, but keeps the food warm until lunch time. I feel so confident that it will not leak that I put it into the backpack without protection and use a regular small lunch bag for milk, fruit and snack.

My daughter is in the fourth grade, and I have spent time looking over the years for a thermos that really keeps her food warm. She hates the burgers, hotdogs, etc that the school serves, and loves to pack her own lunches. Since I purchased this item last week my daughter has come home with an empty container every day!! I have made whole grain pasta mac n cheese, mostacholli, and broccoli casserole. She said it is very hot when she opens it 5 hours later!! I put the smaller containers in the fridge and put yogurt with cut up fruit in one, and carrots cut up in the other one. Everything is empty!! To me it was worth every penny to know she gets to eat a meal at lunch that she loves and is good for her. She used to come home with the container almost full with the tradional thermos containers. It looks like cheap material, but it isn't. Once you actually try the product, it delivers!!!

I ordered this for my five year old son so he could take something besides sandwiches to school. So far he has used it twice to keep his chicken nuggets warm, and he likes it. I asked him and he said when he ate them they were very warm. From the time he eats lunch and the time I put them in the container is about 6 hours. He likes using the chopsticks. A good tip is to follow the instructions that come with the lunch box. I put hot water in both the stainless steel and inner container for about 5 mins. Heat up his food and immediately place it in the container and wrap it up. I would never even consider using this for soup. But would use it for rice, nuggets, and noodles. This is a good product and I would recommend it to anyone.