Zojirushi Lunch Box are one of the best way of packing lunches. In Japan, they call these lunch containers bento box. Recently in America, it has been gaining popularity. Japanese Bento box are now showing up in Major stores throughout the USA. What the Zojirushi Lunch Box offers that other dont is the double wall vacuum technology. This means that food stay hot longer, important when you don’t have a heating source. This review will take a closer look at the design and overall features. We will see exactly how useful it is and whether you should buy it.

Zojirushi Lunch Box Review Quick Summary

Categories	Zojirushi Lunch Box Review
Performance	Good
Capacity	28-50 oz
Colors	Range of Colors
Temperature Capability	Heat Retention After 6 Hours* 153°F Cold Retention After 6 Hours** 50°F
Warranty	5 Year
Brand Awareness	World Famous
Country of Manufacturer	Thailand
Thoughts	Zojirushi Lunch Box is one of the best Japanese Lunch Box out there. If you do not have an access to a microwave or fridge, the vacuum seal will keep it hot or cold. However, its not perfect. I recommend using a insulated bag to carry things around to keep the temperature longer.
Reviewed Cookware	Zojirushi SL-JAE14SA Mr. Bento Stainless Steel Lunch Jar

Zojirushi History

Zojirushi started in 1918 under the name Ichikawa Brothers Trading Company. It wasnt until 1961, that they adopted the Zojirushi name. While they are now most famous for their rice cooker, they got their start in Vacuum seal bottles. These bottles manages to keep hot things hot and cold things cold. They are known among the Asian community as one of the best manufacturer of goods around. Their Thermos, Rice Cooker and water heater are considered to be one of the best. The price that they command is also quite high.

Zojirushi Lunch Box Design

This section will talk about the different aspect of Zojirushi Lunch Box design. We will take a look at how it works, how it keeps hot and how you should use it.

Vacuum Seal Insulation

Zojirushi Lunch Box uses a vacuum seal insulation to keep things hot or cold. What this means is that the wall of the lunch box actually has two section. Between the section, they remove any air between it causing a vacuum. Since there is no air between the space, thermal energy cannot be transferred readily. For this reason, hot food will stay hot and cold food will stay cold. Zojirushi has also taken another step further by adding a layer of either Aluminum or Copper on the outer inner wall. This layer reflects heat from entering the inner layer, improving this effect. Basically all thermos or double wall insulated products work like this. If you cut open a bottle yeti, it should be very similar.

The problem with Zojirushi Lunch Box is that per their guide, only the bottom portion will stay hot or cold. The top containers are suppose to be at room temperature. This means that the food doesn’t really stay pipping hot. Even though the description shows room temperature, I recommend keeping everything at the same temperature. This makes the effect stronger. Despite this, it is still the best alternative if you do not have a microwave or fridge available. Per their description, this should keep food hot at 160°F for 6 hrs. This number should vary depending on the model you get.

Jar Design

The jars are very simple, they are a simple plastic that is BPA free. There is no double wall or any insulation. While they are microwavable, the lids are not. Only the small soup bowls are leak free. It uses a simple gasket to keep liquid in. The top part has a small rubber niblet to prevent a vacuum seal from happening. I recommend using a separate thermos if you have a large quantity of soup. The center bowls lock but will leak and the top is just a simple lid.

The amount of jars you get and the size of these jars will vary depending on the model.

Non Stick Coating

Depending on the models, some of the exterior will be nonstick. But the majority of the interiors bowls are nonstick. Why nonstick? Believe it or not, the original reason why nonstick was used is to make things easier to clean. Now, we mainly use it for its nonstick ability. Quite interesting that Zojirushi still implemented this design.

Where is it Made?

In the past, all of Zojirushi product is made in Japan. Today, most are either made in Thailand or China. I notice that the vacuum products, including this lunch box are made in Thailand. That is not to say its a inferior product, but something to note. In the end, what really matter is if it works.

Utensils

Different models will come with different utensils. Usually the more Asian models comes with a pair of chopsticks. Those comes neatly attached to the side. However, the more america model comes with a spork. That spork also has a little box to keep it clean.

Zojirushi Lunch Box Thoughts

Overall, if you are in a area where there is no microwave or refridgerator, this is your best alternative. I would say that it is one of the best Japanese lunch box out there. While, it doesn’t keep it perfectly hot, it is still better than nothing. If you really want to maximize its effect, you can get a insulated bag. In the end, the build quality is exactly what you expect a Zojirushi product to be, Fantastic.

I hope you like this Zojirushi Lunch Box Review, If you would like to see more, please visit our Kitchen Gadgets page.