I sent my daughter to school with curry for lunch in this 10oz (300ml) insulated thermos.
I first fill it with hot water and let it warm for a few minutes. Then, I put rice in one half vertically and curry in the other half so that one side would be rice and one side would be curry when I look from the top, just like when you serve it on a plate. But recently, my daughter has been eating more, and 10 oz is not enough 😂.
So I bought a 16oz (470ml) thermos from Amazon. But it was not much bigger than the original 10oz.
I ordered the next size up, a 24oz (710ml), and compared them. The 24oz is certainly sufficient in terms of volume. But the opening is almost the same size as a 10oz one. So when I try to scoop stuff out with a child’s spoon from the bottom, my hand goes inside the thermos and touches the inside. It seems difficult to eat. Filling it is also challenging as it is too deep to put rice in one half and curry in the other.
So I researched to see if there were others with a broader opening. Then I ordered a Bentgo and a Maxso, both of which are advertised to have excellent heat retention features and are certified to never leak.
Please watch the video ⬇here⬇ for actual size. It shows how a child opens it.
The Bentgo is 2.4 cups (19oz, 570ml), which is the size between the Thermos 16oz and 24oz. It comes in several colors, has an excellent design, and looks easy to eat out of. But when you open it, even an adult has to hold it tightly with his/her arms to open it. When my child tried it, she could not open it without tilting it; the contents would most likely spill out. I also worry that the nice subtle color coating will eventually come off, as with the 10oz Thermos. Still, it looks good for an adult’s curry bento.
Maxso holds a generous 23 oz (680 ml). This round shape is adorable. The side clasp is a little stiff, but it is easy to open and close, and the inside is exactly the shape of a deep bowl, making it very easy to eat out of!
It really doesn’t leak and has good heat retention. I also experimented and found that the heat retention 4.5 hours after filling with hot water is only about 2 degrees lower than the Thermos brand. This temperature difference is not noticeable when you actually taste the food.
Although hand washing is recommended, I put the inside bowl in the dishwasher. However, it is better to put the inside lid upside down with the lid tightened when putting it in the dishwasher. Otherwise, water from the dishwasher might get in through the gap in the inside lid, and mold might grow inside. Just see the video above. ⬆
I highly recommend Maxso because it’s perfect for taking curry with you and is so easy to eat out of! In addition to curry, you can also bring stew, oden, chili in winter, and chilled noodles in summer.