Zojirushi SL-NCE09 Stainless Ms. Bento Steel Vacuum Lunch Jar, 28.5-Ounce

This is a wonderful product and perfectly meets my packed lunch needs. When I recieved the Ms. Bento lunch jar, I was pleased to see it was just as described. The tote is roomy and sturdy. The spork is sturdy and has worked well with every type of food I have packed thus far. The containers seemed very small when I first opened them up, but I've been surprised how much they actually hold. I've used the center and top containers to hold a baked potato (cut into four pieces), a drained can of beans or other veggies, the strands from half of a small cooked spaghetti squash, etc. I would say they both hold approximately 1 cup while the bottom container holds a little more than 1/2 cup. The lids of the top and bottom containers sit on the top and outside of the bowl, so they can be filled to the top. The lid of the center container fits down into the bowl about 1/2 inch and must be turned to lock into place. That slightly decreases the volume it will hold. When I "forced" it over some chili, the lid locked, but the container leaked. Since then I have left room for the lid to lower into the bowl and lock. I have not placed any of the containers in the microwave, although they are microwave safe. Instead, I heat my lunch prior to packing. To keep things warm, I first fill the outer Ms. Bento thermos with hot tap water and let it set a minute or two, then empty and dry it. I then pack my hot food into the Ms. Bento containers, seal it all up, and put it into the tote. When I eat my lunch approx five hours later, the food has always been warm. In fact, several times a small bit of steam rose when I opened the lid of a container. Since other reviewers mentioned staining and odor, I've been consistent in rinsing the containers well before packing them back into the tote after lunch, and washing in warm water with dish soap that evening, letting everything air dry. I have had no problems with staining or odor after one month of regular use. Although the user guide recommend packing all containers with the same temperature of food (choose either all hot items or all cold), I have done some mixing. For example, I packed some sliced tomatoes in the bottom container and warm items in the top two containers. The tomatoes ended up a bit lukewarm, which I didn't mind, but I see why the guide says to pick one temperature and go with it. One final thought....the containers are too small, in my opinion, to comfortably eat directly from them. Soup may be OK (I haven't packed a soup yet), but I've found it more comfortable to transfer the contents of the containers onto a plate or bowl at work rather than eat directly from the containers. All-in-all, a terrific product and one I would buy again.

I bought 2 -one for each of girls, in 8th and 9th grade. I agonized over Mr. Bento, Ms. Bento, and Classic Bento. Finally decided on Ms. Bento because it comes with a carry case large enough to HOLD A DRINK! The issue I had with Mr. and Classic is that the girls would have to fumble around with a separate drink, or get yet another bag to hold the canister and the drink. With Ms. Bento, it's perfectly sized to hold the canister and a bottled water. The size seems shockingly small at first, but then as you get better at packing, it's amazing how much food you can actually fit in the 3 tiers - especially pastas and rice based dishes where you can cram food into every mm of usable space. I just wish the lids were interchangable between the 2 insulated levels - the water resistant bottom cup isn't very big but sometimes you would rather have the larger cup for wet/possibly leaky items. Hot OR cold issue: You can only use as all hot or all cold for the bottom and middle insulated cups. If you read that you can combine hot and cold - what this really means is a top cup that does not need insulation. You definitely cannot put say, cold yogurt on the bottom and hot fried rice in the center. It is also misleading to say hot and cold because the top cup will take on some of the characteristics of whether it's hot or cold that day. So make sure your top cup is compatible with being on the warmer or cooler side. For warmer days, I can put most any fruit and it's ok, and something like chocolate chip cookies, which my girls report is awesome since they are soft and warm like out of the oven. On cold days, then put in crispy and crunchier items, like crispy wafer cookies and fruit they really like to have cold. STAYS hot or cold issue: Does it really work? YES. I can't explain why some people say it won't retain heat. I can tell you what I do: Boil water. Don't use tap water or water you think it hot enough. BOIL it. Do this FIRST. Let it sit in the canister while you do everything else. I let mine sit for at least 15 minutes. Perhaps others' water is not hot enough, or not warmed up long enough so it won't retain heat. Ditto for cold. My girls report very nice and warm by lunch, not scalding, but better than "just warm". I finished my daughter's meal and cauliflower (see more below) and it was still warm after school. Prep: 6:45, canisters done by 7:15. Lunches at 12 noon and 1PM. Finished daughter's lunch leftovers at 5PM. Can this make me eat better? YES. My girls aren't veggie lovers. The first day, I put all stir fried cauliflower in the bottom cup, and they said it was like eating the never ending bowl of cauliflower. The next day, I carefully served 3 types unmixed - corn, peas, and green beans. It wasn't much of each, but with the beautiful presentation, they actually ate all or nearly all of the vegetables - hahaha!!! It is true you find yourself thinking more about the proper allocation between protein, carbs, moderate treat, and fruits/veggies, and shopping this way as well. I just order more bento type stuff like the little containers for soy sauce, dressings, syrup, and cream cheese, plus a few playful picks for decoration. The bag is quite sturdy - it is not flimsy material - a thick material with sturdy straps. The spork is nice, as is the cover. If you're worried about scratching the cups or are a heavy handed jabbing type of eater, just use your own plasticware. I hand wash and hand dry everything, and it hasn't been too arduous. Use plastic wrap to line the cups for stainy items - like spaghetti/chili. Back to Mr. Ms. or Classic? It's really hard to say for others, but Ms. has been just right for the girls both size wise and because they barely have enough time to finish the volume of lunch they already have. It's lunch, not dinner, and as a last resort, you can still fit in a bit more food inside the carry bag.

EDIT: I spoke to some of the teachers at my kid's daycare and they said the food is nice and warm at lunchtime, which I was happy to hear. They also said that they've seen lots of insulated/thermos-type lunch containers, and this one is by far the best at keeping food warm. I am super pleased with the Ms. Bento and how much flexibility it gives me in packing my kid's lunch! I bought this for my kid's lunch because our daycare doesn't have a microwave or crockpot/bain-marie to heat food, even for babies eating baby food/finger foods. I find that the Ms. Bento is a good size for a one-year-old with a healthy appetite who eats finger foods, and I'm sure it'll work well as my kid gets older and wants to eat more. I bought some silicone cupcake liners and use them to divide food in the separate containers. The container that goes at the bottom is the "soup" container, 7 oz, and I can get two cupcake liners in there if I squish them. I put three to five pieces of different kinds of veggies in each liner and pack some more around the liners; there's plenty enough space for baby-cut carrots, broccoli/cauliflower florets, small pieces of potatoes, green beans cut small, etc. The lid screws on and has a rubber ring, so it's watertight. The container that goes in the middle is the "main" container, 10 oz, and I can get two cupcake liners in there. I usually put pasta in one and some kind of meat in the other; I can squeeze in 8-12 spirals of pasta into one cupcake liner and some slices of meatloaf in the other, no problem, and of course the entire container itself can hold a lot more. I think the lid is insulated, but I don't think it's watertight--it's not threaded/screwable; it's a put-on-and-twist-ten-degrees mechanism. The container that goes on top--the "side" container, 11 oz--has a small divider compartment of its own. I put fruit and cold cuts into this container because it's not intended to keep the food inside hot. I usually can get a strawberry or two an some diced cantaloupe or some apple slices in there, plus another cupcake liner with some shredded ham. This container is actually quite big and can fit a lot; I definitely don't use all the capacity for my kid's fruit and ham. It has a lid that pulls off; the lid has a rubber ring around it. It's probably not watertight, but I haven't had any problem with leaks or spills, even though I've put wet stuff (like fruit) in it. I honestly don't know how warm the food is when my kid gets fed at daycare, but I'm pretty sure it's not cold, which is enough for me (and probably for my kid, too). I pack the "warm food" containers--the soup and main containers--the night before and keep them in the fridge. In the morning, I fill the bento container with hot water from the tap and let it sit while I'm preparing breakfast and the food for the top container, probably 5-10 minutes. Then I heat the warm food containers in the microwave for a minute, put the lids on, pour the water out from the bento container and dry it, and assemble the whole thing. There's enough space in the bag that's included for a water bottle in the 12-16 oz range, eating utensils, plus something relatively slim, like a ziploc of crackers or cookies. While I was researching insulated food containers for my kid to take to daycare, I bought the Mr. Bento to check it out, too. Mr. Bento is significantly bigger and heavier and has way more space and an extra container; it was too much for what we needed. This version of Ms. Bento (with three containers--there is also another with just two) has enough containers for what my kid eats, the bag is sturdy, and overall its profile is smaller and easier for carrying around. Everything seems pretty sturdy and well-made; I can see us using this for years.

I absolutely LOVE Zojirushi everything. I have many of their excellent coffee mugs and appliances. I've had a zillion food jars, so was expecting to love this product, which, for the most part, I do. However, after washing the compartments thoroughly, the plastic taste leached into the food, as I had put boiling liquid in for soup. When I ate it 8h later, it DEFINITELY tasted like plastic. I have had Tiger and Ms/Mr Bentos as well. This would absolutely be a superior product IF it did not contain PTFE/PFOEs, which kill birds immediately. Teflon coating will now be outlawed for future production in the US. I'm very disappointed in this, and find the 'BPA-FREE' statement misleading. Yes great it doesn't have that, but it DOES have other toxins. The container itself is great, as is the included tote bag. The container itself has a nice, neutral design and it's the perfect size for me (adult female who eats about 8-12 oz of food/snacks for work lunch), as most other general food containers/insulated totes (though this one isn't insulated) are enormous for the amount of food I need to carry. Again read the description carefully, as only the bottom is for liquid; the upper containers get increasingly less temperature-stable. This definitely doesn't do a great job as a giant covered thermal jar would, but I love that it is streamline. I'm not sure how to get around the product leaching, perhaps use silicone liners? This is ridiculous to have to do in such an otherwise thought-out container. It helps to keep a wet paper towel under the lid to keep everything clean as you open lids, etc. I really hope Z comes out with a non-toxic (research this please) version of this soon, as well as a completely-sealed lunch jar (vs just covered, as much heat is lost through the top, and I like hot food. I will not microwave this coated plastic, especially since after only hot water it leached.) Also, it doesn't come with the chopsticks other sets do; the sporklike metal utensil is convenient with the cover around it, but isn't attached to the jar. If eating Asian soup, I'm not using that spoon in any case, so an area for utensils would help. The tote is much smaller than it appears in the photos, but is just large enough for the jar and a coffee thermos or water bottle. Very convenient- I wasn't expecting to use it, but as it fits perfectly everything I need (again most lunch totes are WAY too big for me), I like it much more than anticipated. I just hope they come out with a non-toxic version ASAP. Will add photos from other gadget.

I got tired of toting a plastic bag full of various-sized plastic containers for my lunch every day, and started doing some research to figure out the best option. I love the premise of a bento lunch - variety and portion control in a slim little package. After checking multiple different websites and reviews for a couple of different bento boxes, I settled on this version and I am so happy I did. When it arrived, I wasn't sure that the Ms. Bento would be able to accommodate my usual lunch (soup and a raw potato to be cooked at work). I guess it doesn't , but I have adapted my lunch to the container with great results! Here's what's inside the canister: - Inside the lid, there is a small bowl with a removable half moon shaped cup that slides neatly inside. You can remove if you need more room, but I use for half veggies (e.g., grape tomatoes) and half fruits (e.g., blueberries). This container isn't temperature controlled, so if you have something that starts out hot or cold, you will have to put it in the fridge or microwave to maintain the temp. - Below the top container is the largest bowl. It probably holds about a cup, maybe a little more. This is ideal for salad or bulkier items (I have used it for a half sandwich, some dumplings, or salad). An alternative is to make a two-level container using silicone baking cups, which I also purchased at the same time. I can fit 4 silicone cups inside the largest container as long as they're not overfull. This is not a temperature controlled container either, but will inevitably be warm or cold based on whatever might be in the bottom container. - The bottom bowl is the smallest and is temperature controlled. It holds approximately 1/2 cup (I'm guessing, don't quote me exactly) and does a remarkable job of keeping warm foods warm and cold foods cold. I usually put rice, stew, soup, etc. in this container. The package also comes with a nice little bag. Inside the bag on the side seam there is an elastic loop that holds the included spork(along with cover). There's room in the elastic for additional silverware, if you really need a knife or something else. Overall, I am really pleased with this lunch box. The quality of the workmanship feels excellent, and I think I will be using my Ms. Bento for a very long time.

I was looking for a lunch kit for my 9 year-old daughter. When I saw this product, with thermal capabilities, I decided to give it a try. For the first month we were all thoroughly impressed. My daughter loved having hot soup, a heated entrée and a salad during her school day lunch - no microwave needed. Plus, this is the first lunch kit where all of the items have made it home every day. Now the complaint. The rubber gasket in the soup container lid pops out every day and takes two fingers, or the dummy end of a butter knife, to re-emplace it. A real pain. I am afraid that it will eventually be lost and render the soup container useless for containing hot soups. Sending the just the soup container back for warranty will be a pain and reduce my daughter the former PB & J lunch routine, so I'll going to write the company and ask that they just send a more cooperative gasket. I will update as to the results.

So my new job doesn't allow the use of glass containers for my lunches, so I was wondering how I would bring my lunch to work and have the food stay warm (my other bentos are not microwave safe and moved to an area that has snowy winters), so I found this as a good lunch box since it's not made of glass AND I can keep soup piping hot in it. I absolutely love the different compartments and by the time my break rolls around, I know I'll have quite a warm lunch. Another good thing is that the inner containers are microwave safe, so if it's not hot enough for my liking, I can heat it back up at work. The bag also allows me enough space to put my 20 oz water bottle in which is great. Unfortunately the metal spork isn't allowed either, so I have no opinion on it, but at least I can bring my wood chopsticks with me. Washing them doesn't take long at all and I implore everyone to follow the directions. The reason food isn't staying warm is that some people are not heat treating the containers before putting their food in. I even heat treat the soup container before putting my hot soup in so it stays warm longer. It can go 6+ hours and still be quite warm! Overall 5/5. Only thing I wish it came with was it's own smaller pair of chopsticks, but its not a problem really.

I love all things Zojirushi. I ordered Mr. Bento first, but it was far too big. I'm a college student who doesn't eat all that much, but I bought this because last semester I was on campus from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. and needed a bento to hold two meals. This holds enough food for one huge meal. For me, it was a perfect size, and I love the bag so much. The bag has extra space, so I would use it to hold the bento plus my blue 12 oz Zojirushi thermos, the included spork, and another set of plastic utensils for my second meal. As for the temperature control, it keeps cold things very well. Hot, not so much. But the containers are microwaveable, so I would microwave them at school. Sometimes I would pack the containers overnight, refrigerate them, and then put them in the big case in the morning, and that worked very well. The bottom container is for liquids, and it has a vented lid. I have used it for soup several times, but it hardly kept the soup hot. Again, I microwaved it before eating (without the lid). The middle one is a taller container. It is not leak-proof, and it has an insulated lid to separate it from the top container. I once put shirazi salad in it (a cucumber and tomato salad with a ton of lemon and olive oil), and the olive oil leaked all over the place by the end of the day just because there was so much liquid. I made it again with less lemon and oil and it didn't leak. So it's definitely not guaranteed to leak; it holds liquids fairly well, but it's not designed to. The top container is not insulated, and it is the widest although perhaps not largest container. It has another little plastic container inside that splits the container in half, but you can take it out to have one large space. Whether or not this container will work for you also depends on the types of food you eat. I eat lots of salad, vegetables, fruits, rice, soups. Even pastas and pasta salads work great in this. Cold foods remained cold very well. I packed my food in the morning, and the salads were still fairly cold at 6 p.m., when I had my dinner. You'll want foods you can pack very tightly, like rice or quinoa salads. The spork is also fine, but it tends to scratch the bottom of the containers. Using plastic utensils, a spoon, or chopsticks would solve that problem. I highly recommend Ms. Bento! And anything Zojirushi.