I love this container set but I'm not sure if other people would.
First, it is much smaller than other SS containers on the market and would not fit an adult-size sandwich. The size is perfect for my pre-teen daughter who eats a morning snack at around 10AM before lunch. I pack her PB&J or thin turkey sandwiches with crust cut off so they fit perfectly on the bottom. The top layer gets frut/veggies and the sidekick holds dry chips, pretzels or cookies. I especially love the sidekick container and wish they sold them separately.
The SS material is not heavy-duty but that's fine with me 'cuz I like it light weight. I expected cheaper material because it's 18/0 but it was nice shiny material throughout. In fact, finger prints get all over the shiny surface, but again, I don't mind that. Over time, I'm sure the shine will wear off, but since there's no paint anywhere, the vintage look will add to the charm.
Design-wise, I love the rectangular, modular shape (so hard to find!). There is not an inch of wasted space when I pack lunch in these containers.
Clasps When I first got the set, the clasp on one side was too loose to hold down the top container. I had to use my wrench to curve them down. Even now,I can't interchange left/right when I stack them or else the clasps don't fit right.
These are not the Rolls Royce of SS containers, but I'll get lots of mileage out of these for the money. I got them at really good price here... I see them elsewhere online for almost $30!! There are no bells and whistles, but plain is good for SS containers in my book.
This is a fantastic little lunchbox. I had been looking for something without any plastic which also had multiple compartments, and after looking at some other options I decided to go with this one. I'm glad I did.
The design is impeccable. The lid can be flipped upside down and used as a base for the upper level, leaving no mess on the tabletop. The top level is designed in such a way that, when set in the overturned lid, it doesn't actually touch the inside of the lid, so if either the inside of the lid or the bottom of the upper section is dirty, the other one won't get messy. This isn't hugely important, but it does make the whole process of having multiple compartments very easy to work with. All of the space in this box is highly usable.
The build quality is difficult to describe. On the one hand, my model looks obviously warped when looked at from particular angles, and when pieces are put together, they fit snugly, if not flushly. However, everything does indeed fit together as tightly as needed (it also helps to get away from the expectation of the kind of tight-fitting seal that only plastic lids can create), although I find that the clasps snap a little tighter if I put the top part on one way instead of another. The metal is smartly chosen: a little thinner in the main sections and thicker in the lids, which would otherwise be easier to bend. As it is, the lids are quite sturdy, and the larger pieces don't seem likely to deform any time soon. I was also extremely pleased to note two details: 1) There are no seams where food could get stuck (the corners are just a little rounded on the insides), and 2) there are no sharp edges. The edges, in fact, are just a little thicker than the walls--this adds a bit more stability and prevents any possibility of injury. You will find only stainless steel throughout the entire construction: even the little rollers on the clasps are steel!
As to the size: it ended up being both smaller than I expected and larger than I need; since the entire volume can be filled with (non-liquid) food, it's possible to pack quite a bit. Unless you buy smaller-sized bread, you'd be hard-pressed to cram a sandwich into this thing. However, I have found it's given me a good excuse to get away from the sandwich and explore other horizons. Leftovers are great in this lunchbox--food can simply be spooned into the compartments, and if more divisions are needed, lettuce and kale are wonderful as edible barriers. Of course, the steel construction precludes the use of a microwave, so don't expect a hot lunch.
I have also been delighted to find that this box is very, very easy to clean. The polished surface can be blinding in bright light and does show a lot of fingerprints, but I also think it causes the food not to stick so easily; I have had no difficulty hand-washing this lunchbox even after leaving it open on the counter overnight.
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The only reason I'm keeping this is because it's basically the type of container for which I was looking and it would take too much time=money to go through the return process to make it worth my while.
First off this thing was obviously punched out of a poorly maintained metal press in India as fast as they could pop them out. The lids all flare outward at the edges or are pressed incorrectly to they don't seat properly. There were traces of steel dust through out the item and the "clamps" (I use the word loosely) look like they may last only a few months with consistent use. Even the box it came in didn't fit the unit correctly I mean c'mon, that's like adding insult to injury, why even put it in a box if it's so "Eco-Minded"....
All in all the fit and finish is terrible and in no way is this worth the 20+ dollars I paid for it; $6-$8.00 would be a more appropriate price. My guess is that the main distributer pays pennies to the manufacturer for these things so they are really making a killing. I should have been more cautious, so many fly-by-night companies are making a killing with the so-called "Eco" and "Green" labeled items you never know what you are getting. Caveat emptor...
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I'm a highschool student and I purchased this in hopes that it would take the drear out of my lunch-packing experience. Before this lunchbox, I hated packing my lunch, hated eating it, and hated throwing away the plastic baggies. Now it's like my food tastes better coming out of this dumb little (and it is small and certainly overpriced) box. The little thing's kinda leaky and hard to open/close though, like i put some peanut butter in it this morning and the oil leaked out all the way to the exterior of the entire apparatus... but i dont regret buying it, anything to take care of some of my pervasive first world problems
(edit for fairness)today is the second day ive used it and ive come to the conclusion that it is not too small. its also nice cos the psychological solidity of it keeps me from eating all my lunch before im hungry... and the smallest container does not leak if you put it together righti was in a rush yesterday. still, the fit's a little funnny.
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I got four of these as gifts for my groomsmen at my wedding. When they arrived, two of them were bent and looked pretty shabby. I was kind of embarrassed to give them to my groomsmen, but I didn't have time to send them back for a return. The metal is not very sturdy obviously. They seem like they would be nicer if a higher-quality material was used. They don't seal very well and as I said they bend easily. Probably a better idea to find a bento box of better quality, and a company with better quality control for their product. An item should not be damaged even before it's out of the box!
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I'll admit, I'm somewhat embarrassed to write a review for baby food, since I'm a grown woman with no children... :-)
