Our home tester liked the double-wall insulation and its compact size since adults can also use this for hot sides and drinks. But our reviewer focused on one of the most important aspects of a thermos: How long will it keep your food hot? Thermos claims that this keeps food warm for up to five hours, and it fell short in our tests. Mac and cheese only stayed hot for two hours, was still warm enough to eat at four hours, and needed to be microwaved (in a separate container) by hour five. When it came to cold liquids, it did live up to its nine-hour claim, with ice cubes still present after a full workday. Insulated cup: Good flasks also pay attention to the insulation of the detachable cup, if they have one. This is so your drink stays warm while you’re drinking it. Meanwhile, the outside stays cool, so you don’t risk burnt hands. UP TO 6 HOURS COLD: Keep your cold food crisp and fresh for up to 6 hours in 500ml and 5 hours in 300ml. Perfect for sunny days out at the park or on the beach. No need for a separate cool bag, just grab your pot and go! Kids will adore the array of colors and character themes the Funtainer comes in. More importantly, a wide brim makes eating less challenging for little ones getting the hang of using utensils, and the stay-cool exterior won't harm their hands. Best of all, it's lightweight and compact enough for little hands to open and carry in their lunch box.

Using a stainless steel vacuum-sealed design, an inner flask maintains contents at a consistent temperature, since warm or cold air cannot easily penetrate or escape from the flask. The outer material, usually made of hard plastic or steel, allows the thermos to be comfortably held and transported without liquid leaking out. Ergonomically designed with kids in mind, the BPA-free Foogo is a favorite with parents, as its cool-to-the-touch 10-ounce body is the perfect size for a kid's lunch. The base and lid are made of rubber to make the jar easier to grip for smaller hands, too. Other perks include cost efficiency and a tough body resistant to scratches. UP TO 6 HOURS HOT: Hot, comforting food for up to 6 hours in 500ml and 4 hours in 300ml, regardless of the outside temperature. With no need to be near an oven or microwave, enjoy your favourite hot food wherever you are.

The best flasks to buy in 2023

verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ Stainless steel is the preferred material for thermoses. It won’t absorb color or scent from hot food that is stored in it for a long time and cleans easily. An inner flask is surrounded by a partial vacuum that won't conduct heat away from the flask, keeping the contents warm. An outer case, usually also steel, allows you to hold the container without condensation or burning your hand. The outer case may also be treated with a coating or surrounded by plastic.

For the kids’ lunchbox – The Food Flask from IGZOM is a great choice for kids thanks to a wide range of colourful and cheerful designs. It has plenty of volume (540ml) and heat retention capabilities (up to 6 hours hot) to keep food warm all the way to lunchtime and is compact enough to fit into a schoolbag without taking up too much room. Food Flask Buying Guide Designed for the outdoors, Hydro Flask’s powder-coated flasks and containers are designed to stand up to heavy wear and tear. Available in a wide array of colors, they also come with a lifetime warranty. A Thermos King will last years but it’s not officially dishwasher-safe, and you’re not even meant to submerge it in water (if you do, you kill the manufacturer’s 50-year guarantee). Inquisitive users report that it does survive the dishwasher intact, albeit with peeling colour. The lid can be a major functional part of any kind of flask. Just like drinks flask which utilise the lid as a miniature cup/mug, so do food flasks have convertible lids. It might be a pertinent consideration, especially if you’re getting a food flask for camping or hiking trips, to have a flask with a lid that doubles up as a bowl. Some also come with foldable spoons, meaning cutlery becomes one less thing that you have to bring. MaterialsWhatever it is you need from a flask, our buying guide is here to help you make a bit more sense of what you need in terms of the most essential criteria – after reading this, you should be absolutely sure which food flask is right for you. Capacity Best for big meals – SHO’s Ultimate Food Flask is not the biggest flask out there, but it is bigger than most. 2 sizes are available for the Ultimate, both of which are bigger than comparable flasks. The smaller is 600ml, which beats out other similarly sized flasks which are usually around 500ml, and the 800ml compares with others usually around 700ml. So unquestionably, if you’ve got a big appetite (or are carrying food for two) then the Ultimate should be your flask of choice. An honourable mention does go out to Pioneer’s 1000ml food flask, however. It's imperative to strictly adhere to the instructions for use, such as warming the interior with hot water for five to 10 minutes before adding any food that will be eaten later. Our home tester found that when you did, this kept hot food warm for five hours, even if it was opened every hour to test the temperature. It also kept cold beverages cool for seven hours, with ice cubes still visible at the end of the test. The amount of food you can get into your flask should be one of the main considerations you make when looking for the right food flask. Nobody knows your appetite and eating habits better than you do, so take a close look at the volumes of the flasks you’re considering and weigh that up against how much you’d be looking to carry. After all, it defeats the point somewhat if you can only fit half a lunch portion in what you’ve bought, or on the other end of the spectrum, buy one that’s too big and realise you’ve wasted money on flask volume you just won’t fill. Also bear in mind how many people you’re feeding – one large flask might feed two, if you’re going on a trip somewhere and are trying to economise on how much to take with you. Lid