A solid performer in testing, SHO’s food flask kept water chilled for the advertised 20 hours and even managed to keep a portion of ice cream very cold, albeit a little melted, for the same period of time. Similarly, it kept hot food such as pasta piping hot over a period of 10 hours. The flask’s design also proved practical as well as stylish, with neat touches including a handy foldable spork, which stores in its lid, and a rubber carry handle. While the 530ml version is suitable for single portions, those of you looking to share may want to opt for the more roomy 800ml option. 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.

Some flasks are also designed with the intention of maintaining a low temperature for cold food. While not fully refrigerating them, flasks designed for this purpose will usually keep things cold longer than they keep things hot. But, some flasks are not meant for this, so bear that in mind. The size of a thermos largely depends on what you want to use it for. Most thermoses for adults tend to be around 16 ounces, and ones for children are a little smaller. The food will cool down faster if there is excess air in the thermos, so if you want your food to stay hot for several hours, you'll want to use the best size thermos for the amount of food you're putting in it. If you just want the option for a small soup bowl at lunch, you can go with 10 ounces or smaller. If you want to carry a hearty meal in your flask, 16 ounces is likely the better fit. verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ 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. Of course, one of the main reasons to buy a flask is to keep hot food hot. As such, heat retention is another of the most important factors to consider before buying. This heat retention time can vary hugely between around 4 hours, up to 12 hours and potentially even longer than that. This means that you have to factor in how, where and when you intend to use your flask. For single portions, a few hours is probably fine, but on longer expeditions with multiple meals, you’re naturally going to need one that’ll hold onto that heat for longer.

Food Flask 400ml – Khaki

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. 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. Thermos King states this can keep liquids hot for nine hours and cold for up to 14 hours, so we put that claim to the test in a home kitchen. Our reviewer filled all 16 ounces with freshly made mac and cheese and opened the thermos every hour to see if the temperature remained consistent. It wasn't until the ninth hour that the temperature dipped. Additionally, it excelled at keeping water ice-cold, with our tester still observing ice cubes after 14 hours in the thermos. On a budget – The 720°DGREE wunderJar Food Flask makes for surprisingly good value for those not wanting to overspend on a food flask. Even with its environmentally-friendly credentials, which often come with a little extra on the price tag, this particular flask is very reasonably-priced for a flask with a solid amount of volume for single portions and exceptional build quality and style.

It’s 100% leak proof – no matter how hard we tried, we couldn’t get any liquid to escape and the automatic opening trigger means you can drink from it one-handed with ease. Finally, there’s an additional loop handle on top so it can easily be attached to bags or simply carried this way. All in all, this is brilliantly stylish and robustFor 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 Best quality & features – The Thermos Stainless King Food Flask proves why Thermos are the standard when it comes to flasks. The durability and build are second to none, something which is exemplified by Thermos’ 50-year guarantee. Although not the largest flask here, the excellent heat retention times of up to 9 hours (hot) and up to 12 hours (cold) are among the best out there for a good-sized single portion of food. The colour options are a nice bonus, too.

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. Whatever 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 High-quality thermal flasks can keep food and beverages warm for as long as a full 24 hours. More economical brands will typically retain the original temperature of contents for four to six hours. SAFE, QUALITY MATERIALS, BPA FREE: Chilly’s Food Pots are constructed from durable, high-grade 304 stainless steel, for both the inside and outside walls. This preserves the flavour and freshness of your food without any tainting. 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.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. 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. 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. Materials When it came time to clean up, our tester noted that though this is dishwasher safe, you might be better washing it by hand. There was food caught in the lid, gasket, and the container necessitating a scrub-down with a sponge.