Last Updated on March 3, 2021 by TheMealPrepNinja
Electric Lunch Boxes: A Detailed Guide to the Best in The Market
Isn’t technology fantastic? If you ask me. I’d personally go for an electric lunch box over the conventional one any other day. Why? You may ask. I believe I share the sentiments of the significant majority when I say I prefer my food hot. It’s somehow tastier and enjoyable, not to mention the ease of heating it anywhere on the go. A myriad of lunch boxes lines up the shelves, making you spoilt for choice if not confused. The best electric lunch box lines the shelves, and they are right under our noses.
The growing penchant for such electric boxes and the paradigm shift from fast food to home-cooked meals have created a lot of hype. So, how do you get a bang for your buck? We lay it out bare. Indulge.
Best Overall Electric Lunch Box
In a hurry? We strongly propose you go for the FORABEST brand. It’s the best definition of quality in a box. It comes with foldable handles, making it seamlessly fit in with its bag, making storage easy. Not only that, it comes with an instruction manual, a stainless fork, and spoon, making cleaning a breeze, and an insulation bag that keeps your food warm.
You’ll also get the added benefit of a 0.45L, heat-resistant, food-grade removable container. It’s a separate storage compartment, not to mention the 47-inch power cord to power up your baby.
It comes with a 1.5L, 304 movable internal stainless steel tray lines up your box, fillable with water for heating contents which is easily washable and durable.
It has a convenient carry bag, protecting and storing your content, making it aesthetically pleasing, convenient, and giftable.
Did I mention that it’s sides are leak-proof, making it perfect for stews and soups?
Moreover, it’s energy-efficient- no need to incur substantial energy bills while eating what you love.
Having tackled the best overall, let’s look into other selected features that make electric lunch boxes suitable.
Best Budget Electric Lunch Boxes
If You’re looking for the best on a budget brand, COROCT is what to look out for. It’s food-grade pp plastic with strong heat resistance, and a 304 stainless steel container doesn’t break the bank. It further meets the safety standards of your dietary materials.
It comes packed with two powering cords, one for home/ office use ( 110V) and the other for vehicle use (12V). The heating time takes a bit longer, 30-50 minutes when hearing on the go due to the lunchbox’s low wattage (40W). But that’s a good thing since your car will be safer.
It’s 304 stainless steel container is dishwasher safe, durable, and easier to clean. Apart from longer heating periods, another downside is that it comes with a single plastic spoon.
Best Runner’s up Electric Lunch Box
Ever heard of a portable mini oven? Well, the Rottogoon is one such brand. Not only does it warm your food (30-60 min), it also cooks (2+ hrs). One thing you’re sure of is that it’ll save you from the long line of the office microwave while allowing you to enjoy the original, retained flavors of your food.
It comes with an inbuilt automatic temperature control mechanism—no need to worry about overheating your food. Just plug in the cord while you do other things.
Notably, it’s compatible with almost all flat-bottomed containers with sealable lids such as aluminum and metal foil, Tupperware, glass, and plastics.
It’s lightweight and space-friendly, making it convenient for home and office settings, potlucks, and traveling. It comes with a 3-way carry option; grasping it in your hands as a shoulder bag and attaching it to your backpack straps.
However, you should note that it only accommodates flat and heat-resistant containers measuring 6.75L by 9W by 3.5H inches or less. An excellent choice for business travelers, truckers, and off-site crew workers.
Best Electric Lunch Box for Under 30 Dollars
The CrockPot electric lunch box is your best bet for under $30. It comes with a 20-ounce capacity, perfect for dips or portion-sized personal lunches. It comes with an easily removable round stainless steel encapsulated in a plastic casing. It’s quite simple compared to other electric lunch boxes. It’s spill-proof, and the removable container is dishwasher safe.
Benefits of an Electric Lunch Box
You’ve probably felt like you’re losing precious time heading out during lunch breaks. Maybe you missed out on lunch simply because you were swamped with work or didn’t have a minute to spare. Whichever the case, the electric lunch box is a revolutionary game-changer that creates convenience among a string of other benefits such as;
More Food Choices
Lunch breaks are a time to snack on cold lunches, use copious amounts of money eating out, or merely crowding at the office microwave. Being able to heat up your own food creates a world of limitless possibilities. Instead of visiting your regular restaurant or eating your usual turkey sandwich, you could mix up your leftovers, creating variety. Trust me, you’ll always look forward to your lunches.
You can now look forward to those flavorful cold meals that only seemed enjoyable only at home.
Better Experiences
You could always run for the office microwave– but they tend to burn or even dry out your meals. An upside to the electric lunch box is that they are usually sealed, locking in moisture, hence maintaining flavor, nutrients and moisture.
You don’t need to worry about overheating, burning, or eating unevenly warmed food. The boxes come with a heating cycle mechanism that gently heats or even cooks your food to the ideal temperature.
Savings
Why add up extra costs eating out multiple times a week when you have an electric lunch box? A study found that it’s five times cheaper to eat home-cooked meals compared to eating out. Once you acquire an electric lunch box, you’ll notice the savings.
Healthier Food Options Made Easy
Foods stored in electric lunch boxes are safer since the lunch boxes are made up of BPA-free, food-grade plastics and stainless steel. There’s no cross-contamination of food or leaching of harmful plastic chemicals.
Electric lunch boxes also come compartmentalized. This gives one control of their portions and calories they intend to take. One can plan ahead of time on what to eat, ensuring they eat a balanced diet.
Easy and Simple to Use
It’s as easy as plug and eat since you don’t need to pore over instructions. This can be attested by numerous customer reviews. Moreover, they are dishwasher safe or easily cleanable by hand.
Versatile
Not only is it functional in an office setting, but it can also be used for several purposes—camping, trucking, tailgate parties, potlucks, and traveling. By simply plugging it with a car adapter, you could alternatively use it for warming the baby’s bottle, food jar, or wet wipes for on-the-go parents.
Despite the advantages outlined, you may be itching your scalp thinking and asking yourself whether electric lunch boxes are safe.
Are they really safe?
Well, let’s take a triple-pronged approach.
Many of the best electric lunch boxes are made from stainless steel or aluminum and plastics classified as food-grade material (BPA- free). This prevents food cross-contamination and leaching of harmful chemicals into food.
Practically all electric lunch boxes come armed with insulation bags. Despite being aesthetically pleasing and acting as a means of carriage, such bags play an integral role in protecting the lunch box from shocks. They prevent breakages through cushioning from harsh and unexpected impacts.
We can’t ignore the fact that electricity is involved. Most parents shudder at the thought of leaving their young ones with such appliances due to the risk of electric shocks. However, such gadgets are built with everyone’s safety in mind. Alternatively, to ensure children’s safety, such devices should be placed under adult supervision.
Whichever angle you look at it, it’s safe to bet that such electronic gadgets are generally safe.
Electric Lunch Boxes and Meal Prep: What’s The Connection?
When it comes to meal prep, the electric lunch box is a Godsend. Since meal prep involves prepping up meals in advance, you’ll definitely be forced to store them in the fridge/freezer.
An electric lunch box ensures that you enjoy the best of your uncooked meals– only if you plug it in an hour or two before lunchtime. It’s a kinda grab and go policy.
Meal prep further ensures that you attain the daily required macros, and what other better way to do this than using an electric lunch box. Such boxes are compartmentalized, ensuring your portion control is in check. You can allocate each portion based on caloric requirements. Not only that, you tend to be organized and neat.
Portion control, time, and costs are some of the fundamentals that meal prep seeks to address. An electric lunch box is your best bet in aiding you to achieve such.
Final Thoughts
Days associated with taking cold office lunches are long gone. You don’t need to bump heads at the office microwave either, thanks to the electric lunch box. On that note, since there’s a myriad of lunch boxes to choose from based on a combination of factors, we suggest you go for the FORABEST brand to avoid being bummed out.
Just plug and chow!
Other Helpful Resources
Meal Prep Containers: Healthy Eating Redefined
12 Best Airtight Food Containers
Jim Lopez, the founder and editor of The Meal Prep Ninja, shares his journey from a passionate bodybuilder and fitness enthusiast to a certified nutrition coach. Certified by Precision Nutrition, Jim aims to empower others with knowledge on meal prep and nutrition, offering resources for busy individuals to enjoy low-calorie, tasty foods. His blog is a community for sharing healthy eating habits and meal prep recipes
