Pangaea - Choosing a box

Choosing the right style box
So you've probably figured out what size box you need. If not check out the "Choosing a box - size" page. Now your mission is to figure out what style or type of box would suit you best. There are many choices, and some foods pack better in one box than in another. Many people have several different types of boxes in order to be able to pack a variety of different types of meals. This page will give you an idea of the styles available, and the pros and cons of each one.

Two tier boxes (Happy Balloon, Urara, etc.):
Pros: These often have a tiny space in the lid to hold utensils. The two tiers make it easy to divide up foods that you don’t want to have touch. The two tiers can be nested when you are done eating to save space in your bag on the way home, or for taking with you when you travel. The tiers each have their own lids so food doesn’t get on the bottom of the top tier making a mess! They come in a wide variety of colors, designs, and shapes.
Cons: These are not “tight” (not air-tight or water-tight) and they usually need a band to hold the tiers together in transit. Because they aren’t tight, they work better for dry or moist foods, but not liquidy ones.

Onigiri boxes (Urara, etc.):
Pros: Good for carrying onigiri and a side. Often have two tiers, one for the onigiri and a bottom tier for another small side. There is a lid on the bottom tier to keep other food from touching the onigiri. These still need a band to hold them together in transit. These are a cute shape and they do nest (a bit) for travel home after you eat.
Cons: Not for liquidy things. Your onigiri has to be a pretty specific size to fit in this box. These are designed really to hold onigiri in the triangle shape, making them a little inflexible for other items.

“Tight” boxes (Asvel, Lovely, Lock & Lock) :
Pros: These are a good all-around boxes, safe for standing up on their sides in a bookbag or purse. Often one shallow tier, these work well for kyaraben. Tight boxes are water-tight, so more liquidy foods are safe to carry in these. Some come with a small divider and a small valve to let steam escape while foods cool so that a vacuum doesn’t form making the box hard to open. These boxes often come with colored bases and tops which are clear or mostly clear with a printed design on them. Most of these come in some form of rectangle, although there are some ovals out there as well.
Cons: If you pick a “tight” box without a steam valve, make sure your food id cooled before you close it so a vacuum doesn’t form, which could make the box difficult to open. Cheap versions of these boxes have hinges that fail quickly, so if you are going for one of these, invest in one of the higher-quality brands.

Thermal Jars (Zojirishi, Nissan, etc.):
Pros: Usually a set of inner containers hold the food and stack inside the thermal jar. These are good for liquidy foods, as many have a bowl intended for soup. The thermal design of the jars allow one or more of the inner containers to be kept warm or cold, depending on how you prime the container when packing. Not quite as “cute” as some of the other boxes - good for those people who aren’t into the kawaii side of bento. These come in many different sizes, so you can find one that fits your appetite.
Cons: Not quite as “cute” as some of the other boxes, but many come with carrying bags that have designs or could be decorated.

Thermal sets (Tiger, etc.):
Pros: These often have one jar that stays warm for rice and other containers that stay about room temperature or cool . Most have a carrying bag that is insulated (sort of) to keep food warm or cold. These work well for someone who doesn’t like their food touching.
Cons: It depends on the individual set - liquidy foods are best put into a side container with lid if the set is going to get bounced around. If the set will be kept upright in transit, more liquidy items can be put in the rice jar. Different brands have different kinds of lids on the side containers, so look around for a set that works for you. Not too great for food art, since everything is kept separate.

Sandwich boxes (Sanrio, etc.):
Pros: These have a “mesh” top layer to keep bread from getting soggy. Often they have a bottom layer for other side dishes as well. The top sandwich space can also be used to hold bulkier items like whole pieces of fruit or muffins. Many of these collapse after lunch to make extra space in your bag travelling home.
Cons: If the food items are very crumbly, the little pieces can fall through the holes. This might not be the best box to throw into a bookbag and flip around. These need a band to stay shut.

Tiffins (To-Go Ware, Vivo, Happy Tiffin, etc.):
Pros: Depending on the size, these can hold a lot of food. Many of these are designed well for packing a family picnic. These come in stainless steel and melamine. The stainless steel variety would be great for camping because they could be put directly over a flame to heat up the food inside. Some designs come with a carrying bag to help you tote them around. If you aren’t into shiny stainless steel, the bright colored melamine ones are for you! Though not “tight”, many are large enough to hold additional containers inside for liquidy dips or sauces.
Cons: Not necessarily “tight”. Some are, some aren’t, so investigate your choices carefully! Not all designs come with individual lids on each tier, so if the tiffins get banged around, food from one tier may end up on the bottom of the next. (However, more than 200,000 lunches in tiffins are delivered by the dabbawallas of India everyday, so they must not be that easy to spill!)

Laptop Lunches (Obentec):
Pros: These are an Americanized style of bento. Perfect for people who don’t like any of their food touching. The insulated carriers that are available keep food cold for those who worry about food spoiling. The lids are easy to open for small children. The new version, the 2.0, has lids on all the inner containers, making liquidy food easy to pack. These also have a space inside the main box for a set of utensils, so you can’t forget to bring them with you!
Cons: The original set didn’t have lids on all the containers, making packing liquidy or moist foods more difficult. The set is very rigid with it’s divided up compartments, making kyaraben more difficult. There are also a lot of pieces to wash everyday, although these can go in the top rack of a dishwasher. Although these come in several color combinations, they are more geared towards kids (with the colors available) and not as kawaii as some of the other boxes.