Best Electric Heated Lunch Box for Food Warming & Cooking | 2022 Buyer’s Guide

Hot meals are not just more delicious, but they are also more healthy. The human digestive system is highly sensitive to food temperature, while cold meals are harder to digest and may cause issues like bloating. But for many, it might be challenging to follow healthy eating habits, especially for those who are always on the go or have lunch at their workplace.

An effective solution to this problem is an electric lunch box. Built with a heating element, such a box warms the food you put inside it, so you can enjoy healthy food wherever you are. All you need to do is to plug the box into a socket or a car outlet and let the warming base heat your meal.

Electric Heated Lunch Boxes Compared

A heating lunch box can hold the temperature for quite a long time. With a weight ranging from 1.5 to 3 pounds, they are typically 8 to 11 inches in length. Larger boxes can have 2 or 3 stainless steel compartments so that you can warm different food items separately. And there are multifunctional lunch boxes that not only heat, reheat, and keep your meals warm but also cook. They can reach temperatures of up to 300°F and serve as a mini stove to cook meals such as hot dogs, rice, and sandwiches.

Food warming bag

Electric lunch boxes differ in the number of compartments, capacity, and materials used. As for the latter, there are two types of designs: boxes and bags. The most lightweight option is a lunch bag like the HOTLOGIC Food Warming Tote.

Made with a fabric exterior, it has an aluminum lining interior and a heating platform. The heat-reflective interior both maintains and amplifies heat, keeping your meal warm for up to 12 hours. Unlike electric lunch boxes with ready-to-use containers, warming bags are designed to hold your food container, whether made of plastic, metal, cardboard, or glass.

Electric lunch boxes with stainless steel containers

Boxes like the Crock-PotLunch CrockFood Warmer are heavier but more durable. Generally, they feature a plastic exterior and a stainless steel inner food container.

A removable food-grade container can be safely dishwashed while the outer lid seals tightly, preventing spillages. We would particularly recommend such products for those who need to warm liquid meals like soups. Most electric lunch boxes come with a carrying handle for easy transportation and cord storage.

While smaller heating lunch boxes can hold only one container, but larger ones are more versatile. For example, the TRAVELISIMO Electric Lunch Box 2 in 1 is designed with 2 compartments: a stainless steel tray for food warming and a plastic container for storage. Some options accommodate dividers so that you can warm different food items separately.

For instance, this electric lunch box comes with 3 stainless steel compartments and some utensils. When carrying this box, make sure you hold it horizontally to prevent food items from moving between the compartments.

Multifunctional lunch box stove

Also, multifunctional lunch boxes heat, reheat and keep your meals warm and cooked. These devices can reach temperatures up to 300°F and serve as mini stoves.

You may try the Koolatron 12 Volt Lunch Box Stove that can be used to cook meals such as hot dogs, rice, and sandwiches. Also, it warms pizza slices, soups, and baby bottles in a matter of minutes.

Capacity

Another thing to consider is capacity. Choosing the right capacity depends on your consumption and appetite. The Crock-PotLunch CrockFood Warmer with a 0.6-liter capacity is a tiny pot for small amounts of food. To enjoy a full-fledged lunch, you will need a 1.5-liter food warmer like those by the TRAVELISIMO or HOTLOGIC.