Ever stop and wonder why your lunch box can keep your food hot but can’t heat it up? Seriously — there are virtual reality waterslides and raincloud-seeding drones, but do you still need a microwave or a stove to heat up your food? Not anymore, thanks to Hot Bento.
The new product utilizes proprietary lithium-ion battery tech to build the first lunchbox that actively heats food. User experience looks like a breeze: push a button and your food’s hot in 10-15 minutes. The airplane-ready box is also certified food safe by authorities in the United States, Europe, and Japan.
Parent company International Innovations developed the box in response to the COVID pandemic, prioritizing food safety, portability, and healthy meals. It’s the latest entry in a stable that uses the same battery tech in a first-of-its-kind bottle that boils water. Here’s our first look at Hot Bento.
No More Nuking: Hot Bento’s Mission
Hot Bento’s self-contained ease of use hits like an overdue revelation. Why did we spend so many years blasting our healthy, home-prepped meals with microwaves? I mean, I get it in the ‘80s, but that was back when the only way you could see a flying car was by watching Back to the Future II.
But Hot Bento covers the gap. Meal preppers, or anyone who ever takes a meal with them on the go, will notice its simplicity.
Here’s all you do to make it work: Put your food in it, close the lid, and push the button twice. Check the LED to make sure it’s on, then wait out the timer. 10-15 minutes later, your lunch is a pleasant 159 degrees.
Charging, Airplane Safety, Availability
The cordless lunchbox (the first time I’ve ever used that phrase) fully charges in 2 hours and the brand claims it’ll make it through TSA unscathed.
Some details are still unclear, as Hot Bento doesn’t launch until September. For instance, we don’t know how many uses you can get out of it between charges or whether there’s a power level option.
Either way, it’s bound to be a welcome innovation for meal preppers who are sick of riding gross microwave merry-go-rounds, or especially those who travel anywhere where heating isn’t an option.
Go to Hot Bento’s website to learn more. The introductory MSRP is $90.
