Electric Lunch Box - Analysis and Buying Guide - 2023
There's something satisfying about eating a hot meal at work and running out of leftovers, but if you don't have access to a microwave, you'll end up eating lukewarm soup or cold pasta. A hot lunch box is a great alternative when you can't reheat or just prefer to keep food warm. Just turn it on a bit before you want to eat, and it will heat your food to a toasty temperature.
Heated lunch boxes are... they're not extremely common gadgets, so you may not know much about them. Before you buy, you'll need to consider a wide range of factors, such as the total capacity, how the lunch box is fed, and whether you want there to be compartments to separate your food. Also, you need to consider where you will use it and whether its design and color will suit your preferences.
Read on for everything you need to know about heated lunch boxes. If you're ready to buy, consider one of our recommended models, and soon you'll be savoring a piping hot meal...no need to do a thing on the spot.
Key Considerations
- Type of Energy
Heated lunch boxes run on one of two power sources: a standard outlet or a 12-volt car adapter. Which one is right for you depends on where you eat your lunch. While most models are powered one way or another, some include separate adapters, so you can power them one way or another as needed.
- Heating Time
Check how long any heated lunch box you are considering will take to heat the food. Most are between 15 and 30 minutes, but you can find some outliers that are a little faster or a little slower. You should also remember that these times are estimates and based on the box being completely full, so it's always worth checking the food from time to time, especially if you've only half filled it.
- Ability
Most heated lunch boxes are designed to hold an average amount of lunch for one. However, this might not be enough if you have a big appetite or want to share. The internal capacity is often stated in litres, but you may also be able to find out the internal dimensions.
- Materials
The vast majority of heated lunch boxes have a hard plastic exterior, although a small number can be found with insulated fabric exteriors, which are a bit like soft-sided coolers. Inside, you'll often find a removable metal food tray (usually stainless steel or aluminum), or the interior could have a metal liner or just be made of molded plastic.
Characteristic
- Internal Separation
Some heated lunch boxes have separate compartments to hold food. This is great if you like to keep different foods separate. For example, if you have rice and curry, you might want to keep the two separate and mix them together later. Other heated lunch boxes only have one large internal compartment, which is less versatile.
- Leak Proof Cap
Ideally, your heated lunch box should have a leak-proof lid. If your heated lunch box isn't waterproof enough, you'll need to be careful to carry it upright, or you'll be limited in the types of food you can bring.
- Colour
You can find heated lunch boxes in a variety of colors, though they tend to be fairly plain, without any bold patterns. A large number of heated lunch boxes on the market are available in various colors, so it makes sense to choose one based on its other merits first, and then select from the available colors.
- Cool Touch Exterior
A quality heated lunch box should have a cool exterior so you don't burn yourself on the outside of the box when you finish heating your food.
Tips
Please check the overall dimensions of the hot food box you have chosen. It should be compact enough to be easily portable and fit in your bag or carry-on bag to take to work.
Decide if you need an insulated heated lunch box. Insulation is advisable if you can't get to eat your food as soon as it heats up. A sufficiently insulated model should keep food piping hot for at least an hour after heating.
Choose a heated lunch box that meets relevant safety standards. It should have been tested and inspected by the manufacturer. If not, it may not be safe to use.
Find out how you will know when your food is heated. Check the manual to find out if the unit indicates in any way when it has finished heating. Some heated lunch boxes have a light indicator or beep when they're done heating, but not all do.