When you don’t have access to a microwave to warm food, an electric lunch box is a unique alternative—and we love this one for its combination of aesthetic and functionality. The Steambox is a thoughtfully-designed electric lunch box that uses a combination of heat and water to gently reheat food so it tastes almost as good as it did when you first cooked it. The Spruce Eats / Brigitt Earley What to Look for in a Lunch Box Water-Resistant and Leakproof Fabrics This lunch box earned our best overall spot because it's a nice, medium size, could work for kids or adults, and comes from a brand trusted and known for its durability and insulation. If you already trust Hydroflask's reusable water bottles to keep your drinks cold (we do), you'll be glad to learn that the brand's lunch boxes boast that same powerful insulation. In fact, Hydroflask’s Large Insulated Lunch Box features two layers of insulation to keep your food perfectly chilled for hours. Plus, this durable design holds up to countless outings like the brand's trademark bottle. Brigitt Earleyis a writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience testing products for editorial inclusion. She tested electric lunch boxes, as well as sending the Bentgo to school with her kids, to find some of the best lunch boxes.

To keep food from spoiling and drinks refreshingly cold, be sure that your lunch box boasts insulating capabilities. Many lunch box manufacturers proudly tout this feature: Insulation helps keep items at the temperature you want them, and some insulating lunch boxes can keep food cold for hours. Even with insulated containers, though, there’s more you can do to boost their efficiency. Fill them with hot (or icy) water first, and then let them sit for a bit before emptying the water and filling them with food. That simple step means that the stored food itself doesn’t have to do the heavy lifting of first heating and cooling its own container. (This works for everyday coffee mugs and insulated beverage containers, too.) Age appropriateness: Ensure that the lunch box is suitable for your child's age, taking into account size and features they can handle independently.

Finally—and perhaps most important to your child—it comes in several prints and colors. You can also mix and match the removable inner trays if you decide to buy a couple. The inner trays are also microwave and freezer safe. Best Pokemon Lunch Boxes Best Spiderman Lunch Boxes Best Hello Kitty Lunch Boxes Best Unicorn Lunch Boxes Best Star Wars Lunch Boxes Best Dinosaur Lunch Boxes Best Harry Potter Lunch Boxes Best Disney Lunch Boxes Best Batman Lunch Boxes Best Spongebob Lunch Boxes Best Marvel Lunch Boxes Best Stitch Lunch Boxes Best Super Mario Lunch Boxes Best Snoopy Lunch Boxes Best Barbie Lunch Boxes Best Jojo Siwa Lunch Boxes Best Panda Lunch Boxes Best Mermaid Lunch Boxes Best My Hero Academia Lunch Boxes Best Cat Lunch Boxes Best Horse Lunch Boxes Best Lightning Mcqueen Lunch Boxes Best Mandalorian Lunch Boxes Best Elsa Lunch Boxes Best Beatles Lunch Boxes Best Aladdin Lunch Boxes Best Captain America Lunch Boxes Best Avengers Lunch Boxes Best Sonic the Hedgehog Lunch Boxes Best Pineapple Lunch Boxes Best Sesame Street Lunch Boxes Best Butterfly Lunch Boxes Best Totoro Lunch Boxes Best LadyBug Lunch Boxes Best Flamingo Lunch Boxes Best Ninja Turtle Lunch Boxes Best Star Trek Lunch Boxes Best Peppa Pig Lunch Boxes Best Dragon Ball Lunch Boxes Best Sonic Lunch Boxes

Unless you’re investing in a high-tech lunchbox that has built-in chilling or heating features, the first thing to do to help keep food hot or cold is purely logical: Separate hot from cold. Even if that means keeping two separate lunchboxes, it will make it much easier to maintain the desired temperatures. You can also invest in individually insulated containers. Food-safe linings help ensure your food stays fresh without being contaminated by lunch box materials. Look for the term “BPA-free" in the product’s description, which means that the lining doesn’t contain the chemical bisphenol-A that’s used to craft many common materials and could possibly seep into food and beverages. FAQs How can you keep food hot or cold in a lunch box? Durability: Choose a lunch box made from sturdy materials that can withstand daily use and occasional drops without getting damaged.Clean a lunchbox and its gear after every use, and store open to the air until absolutely dry inside. A shut-up food container or lunchbox with moisture inside will certainly lead to the growth of mold. The tray had plenty of room for a satisfying meal and, because of the sleek bamboo and white design, the whole thing looks sleek enough to leave out on a countertop or desk—something we recommend, given how heavy the unit is (4.3 pounds in all). You can always take the tray home to wash it and leave the actual heating element at work.