Are you looking for a bowl that has great heat retention performance? Are you tired of constantly eating cold food during your lunch breaks? It's definitely time to invest in an insulated container.
Whether you're on your way to the office or on your job site, it's always best to pack a snack or meal. Apart from the economic advantages, it is also a way to consume healthy and hot meals that you can control. For this purpose, there are thousands of food boxes to store your meals safely. However, not all of these containers share the same efficiency when it comes to keeping your food warm. On the market, the best models for such a mission come down to insulated food bowls.
To choose the best isothermal bowl, you just need to consider some fairly specific criteria: heat capacity, storage capacity, design materials and accessories.
And to help you in this task, this complete guide will present you with a comparison of the 5 best insulated bowls for hot meals. Afterwards, you will be given further details on the above mentioned criteria. But first, let's take a look at how this utensil works.
How does an insulated bowl work?
Basically, the insulated bowl is composed of two inner walls that are soaked with air. Specifically, there is an outer layer of polypropylene and an inner layer of stainless steel.
During the design, the air between the outer and inner layers is emptied, which will create a vacuum. The functioning of the isothermal bowl is based on this vacuum which will prevent the dissipation of thermal energy. In this way, the heat of the meals will be trapped and stored for several hours inside the container. Moreover, the outside of the bowls does not heat up when they are filled with hot products, because the heat is prevented from escaping into the environment.
Top 5 best insulated lunch boxes
The Black Isothermal Lunch Box
This stainless steel food box is the perfect container to store your food and keep it warm. By the way, it is important to mention that its capacity to retain heat is impressive. The various tests performed on the product have concluded that it can keep food hot for up to 12 hours, regardless of the weather conditions. Better yet, this thermal performance can go up to 24 hours if you keep your lunch box in an insulated bag.
At Healthy Lunch, you can afford this luxury because the jar comes with a black pouch that perfectly fits its dimensions. It's also a safe way to keep your meals from leaking. Want to know how such efficiency is possible? The answer comes down to the 6 layers of thermal insulation and protection the product embeds:
- A colored coating layer ;
- A double layer of electrolytic polishing;
- A double layer of stainless steel;
- A vacuum insulation.
The specificities
- Dimensions: 9.5 cm x 14 cm I 10.5 cm x 16 cm
- Storage capacity: 500 ml and 750 ml
- Thermal capacity: Retains heat between 12 and 24 hours
- Material: Durable food grade stainless steel and recyclable plastic.
- Accessories: insulated lunch bag, foldable stainless steel spoon
Strong points
- Easy to clean by hand and in the dishwasher;
- High-end insulated lunch box without harmful products such as BPA or PVC ;
- Available in two sizes for everyone's needs;
- Airtight and leak-proof for mess-free travel;
- Secure delivery by the Healthy Lunch brand.
Weaknesses
- No
The Blue Insulated Lunch Box
You prefer the previous model, but are looking for something a little more voluminous? This black storage box will do the trick. It is available in two sizes: 630 ml and 1 liter. You will have enough capacity to keep not only your breakfast, but also your lunch.
Speaking of heat, keep in mind that the food box has a vacuum insulation reinforced by a triple layer of protection. Thanks to these properties, it can stay warm for 4 to 6 hours in winter. You can also keep the temperature of your rice or soup up to 8 hours if the container remains in an insulated bag. On the market, it is quite rare to find products with such thermal retention capacities.
Specifications
- Dimensions: 11.8 cm x 11 cm I 13.2 cm x 12 cm
- Storage capacity: 630 ml and 1 L
- Thermal capacity: Retains heat between 4h and 8h
- Manufacturing material: Durable food grade stainless steel and recyclable plastic (PP).
Strong points
- A lid with two handles to ensure a tight seal on the stainless steel box;
- Easy cleaning in the dishwasher;
- Food grade certification;
- Does not break or rust;
- A large capacity for an excellent conservation of heat;
- Secure delivery.
Weaknesses
- No free cooler bag offered.
The Grey Electric Lunch Box (Car/Home)
Here's a warming box model you can choose too. While it's not known for its heat retention capabilities, it's a great way to eat hot at any time. Ultimately, the goal with insulated containers remains the same: to eat hot.
Here you have a box that has a main compartment divided into three spaces. This allows you to ensure a better distribution of meals. Moreover, you have a lid for the installation and the storage of your cutlery. By the way, these are provided by the Healthy Lunch store when you order.
The other impressive capability of this heated insulated bowl is its impressive heating time. Obviously, you only need 20 minutes to heat up your dish and eat hot. Two adapters are provided to facilitate such an achievement.
Specifications
- Dimensions: 24 cm x 17 cm x 11.5 cm
- Storage capacity: 1 L
- Power: 45W
- Heat capacity: Reheats food in 20 minutes
- Material: Durable food grade stainless steel without BPA.
Highlights
- Waterproof bowl with a perfectly sealed lid;
- Easy to wash in the dishwasher;
- Product comes with two adapters for in-car and wall outlet use;
- Fast heating time;
- Secure delivery.
Weaknesses
- No
The Golden Soup Box
This is an undeniably cute model, but there's more to it than its looks. Despite its small capacity of 350 ml, it will seduce you with its thermal performance. Technically, the thermos can keep your food warm for at least 10 hours. You will rarely see such an efficient product on the market.
It owes this advantage mainly to its 304 stainless steel design, which remains one of the best materials to contain temperature. The hermeticity and the waterproofness of the hot thermos bowl are also guarantees of its thermal insulation capacity. And to facilitate your user experience, it incorporates a cap for easy consumption of liquid food. This also prevents spilling the contents of the soup can.
Specifications
- Dimensions: 9.5 cm x 15 cm
- Storage capacity: 350 ml
- Heat capacity: Retains heat for 10 minutes
- Manufacturing material: Premium quality 304 stainless steel.
The strong points
- An isothermal thermos bowl delivered with a reusable spoon and a carrying bag;
- Easy maintenance;
- Easy to carry;
- A nice resistance to shocks and heat;
- A thermos food bowl without harmful products like BPA;
- Secure delivery.
Weaknesses
- Small size.
The Green Heated Lunch Box
If you carry food to your various work sites, you will need a fairly durable model. This insulated work site lunch box has the considerable advantages you need for this purpose.
First of all, it is a heated insulated lunch box that can heat up your various meals whether you are in the car or on a job site. You just need to connect it to a power source using a 12v or 220v cable. Thanks to its lightness, you will have no trouble holding it in your hand to enjoy your lunch.
Moreover, the Healthy Lunch brand has thought about the thermal resistance of the hot meal isothermal bowl. Its smooth stainless steel interior also helps keep your food warm. In fact, the double-walled stainless steel is reinforced with insulation that keeps meals warm for hours.
We finish this description with the capacity of this isothermal site bowl. It has two levels that are respectively 400 ml and 800 ml depending on your nutritional needs.
The specificities
- Dimensions: 25.5 cm x 14 cm x 17 cm
- Storage capacity: 400 ml and 800 ml
- Manufacturing material: 304 stainless steel of premium quality to keep warm.
Strong points
- Airtight lid with seals and carrying strap;
- Unbreakable for durability;
- Dishwasher safe to encourage daily reuse;;
- Can be used to reheat leftovers;
- Secure delivery.
Weaknesses
- None.
How to choose an isothermal bowl?
Here are some solutions to help you choose your hot isothermal bowl :
The thermal capacity
The main mission of a stainless steel insulated container is to keep the heat of your food products. To this end, it is important to know the thermal preservation time that the box offers. Do you need a container that can keep food hot for 8 hours? Or would you rather have a 12 hour performance? Here are some questions that should guide your choice.
At Healthy Lunch, you have the best insulated food containers available on the market. Specifically, we are talking about meal boxes that can hold heat between 4 hours and 24 hours.
The storage capacity
The capacity of an isothermal range takes into account its size and the number of compartments it has. Of course, this criterion depends mainly on your food needs. It is obvious that a child will not share the same size lunch box with an adult. In any case, capacities vary between 250 ml and 1l. Even better, you can find an isothermal lunch box compartmentalized in two levels.
Design materials
Choose stainless steel when it comes to choosing your bowl to keep your meal warm. It is the best material without toxic products that you need. Moreover, it keeps the quality of your food without spoiling the taste, unlike a plastic container. In the end, you can tolerate an insulated hot meal container with a polypropylene plastic outer layer.
Accessories
Your hot food bowl can be sold with accessories. This can be a bag, a spoon, a knife or other additional utensils. If your goal is to have a practical product, do not hesitate to bet on this type of model.
FAQ
Which food bowl keeps food warm the longest?
With its layers of insulation and protection, the insulated lunch box is the only food container that keeps food warm for a long time.
How long does food stay warm in an insulated lunch box?
The retention time depends on the number of layers that make up the design of the insulated box. Specifically, you can count between 4 hours and 24 hours.
What is the best insulated lunch box?
The best insulated lunch box is the one that fits your different needs in terms of thermal performance and capacity. You can find the perfect one in the Healthy Lunch catalog.
Is it possible to clean an insulated lunch box in a dishwasher?
Yes, this is possible.