Product: Thermos Stainless King Food Flask
Price: From £17.81
Where to buy it: Amazon
My rating: 9.5 out of 10
Quick Summary: Of all the insulated flasks I used over the years, the Thermos Stainless King Food Flask is by far the best, which I why I’d like to write a little review to put forward on its qualities.
The Thermos Stainless King Food Flask Review
While the most straightforward food to carry on a walk is a sandwich when winter comes there is no worst feeling than biting on a cold sandwich on your mid-hike break; and when you realize that the average temperature in the UK is 9.20 degrees Celsius, that’s a lot of meals on a cold day out. Fortunately, there is an answer that does not include conveying a 36oz (1.02kg) camping stove to heat up your food: the Thermos Stainless King Food Flask. Designed by Thermos, the leader of insulated jars, it is the ideal ally to carry on a hike to get a warm restorative lunch without breaking the bank and your back.
I found out about the Thermos Stainless King Food Flask when I went on the Otford to Oxted hike. We stopped for lunch, all sitting under the trees on the edge of the woods to shield us from the downpour and the breeze. One of my friends removed his insulated food jar from his rucksack and began sipping on his chickpea curry. Chewing on my unflavoured cheddar sandwich I was looking at him, green with envy. I knew at this very moment that I needed to get one.
Features
- Thermos double vacuum insulation technology for greatest temperature retention hot or cold thanks to an airless space in the middle of two walls which forestalls temperature change. As a result, your food or liquids remain hot for 9 hours and cold for 14 hours
- Cool to touch with hot food or liquids and sweat-proof with cold ones, so that you’ll never hurt your fingers
- Stainless steel interior and exterior so you can drop it and it won’t break which means you don’t have to buy another one every so often
- Extra-wide mouth so you can fill, serve and clean it easily
- Insulated stainless steel lid you can use as a bowl so you can share your food and make new friends on your hikes
- Comes with a foldable stainless steel spoon which means you can dig in the flask and reach for your food without spilling it all over and keep your clothes clean
- 5 years guarantee so you get peace of mind
- Dimension: 14.2 cm (5.59″) x 94 cm (37″) (height & diameter) which means it will fit perfectly in your backpack
- Weight: 380 grams which means you won’t break your back carrying it
- Capacity: 470 ml which is a sufficient capacity for a full meal. As a result, you won’t feel hungry for the rest of the walk
Tips & Care
Having used this product on numerous walks, here are a couple of tips I wanted to share with you. First, fill it with boiling water the evening before the hike and leave it overnight. When the morning comes, empty it and place hot food in it. You can choose to either cook your meal in the morning or re-heat some food, but do not put the flask directly in the microwave.
My second advice would be to cook chunky food, as it tends to retain heat better. I would suggest that you make stews, curries or soups with bits of vegetables or meat.
Finally, to clean it, fill the flask with hot water and leave it for a few hours. I would highly recommend that you do not put it in the dishwasher as detergents tend to damage the exterior. The mouth is wide enough for you to have the option to hand wash it, using a sponge or a bottle brush.
Where it can be improved
While the product is a game-changer for your mid-walk lunches, there are a couple of things that could be improved. First, even if the exterior stays cool, the inside lid however can get truly hot. In some cases, I needed to use tissues or pull my sleeves over my hands to be able to unscrew it.
The second issue is even if the flask does a good job at keeping your food warm, as soon as you open it, it gets cold pretty quickly. You would need to eat your meal rapidly to enjoy it warm. No talking, just eating!
The third one is that the insulated stainless steel lid is prone to fingertips and smuggles. Different material such as rubber would be ideal to get a decent hold when twisting it, especially when your hands are wet or sweat-soaked, which is expected when on a hike. It would also look cleaner.
Finally, just a note to say the foldable spoon it comes with is not suitable for left-handed people.
Competition
There is plenty of products similar to the Thermos Stainless King Food Flask that you can find on Amazon. The two main ones are the Thermos FUNtainer Food Flask and also the Thermos Foogo Insulated Stainless Steel Food Jar.
The FUNtainer Food Flask comes in various sizes including 10oz (290ml), which is ideal for kids. Moreover, the FUNtainer comes with animation pictures on it such as Frozen or Paw Patrol to make lunch an enjoyable moment whether at school or on a family day out. I would suggest this product for youngsters, as the design and the size are not suitable for grown-ups.
What is truly fascinating about the Thermos Foogo Flask is that it uses the same technology as the Thermos Stainless King Food Flask, yet does not keep your food warm and cold for as many hours as the latter: only 7 hours for hot liquids and food and 5 hours for cold ones. Additionally, it is only available in 10oz (290ml), which is too little capacity for an adult yet would be reasonable for children. It is designed with a rubber grip lid, which makes it easier to open, particularly for the hands of the little ones.
Final Verdict
This brings the Thermos Stainless King Food Flask review to an end. In conclusion, this product is a must-have as part of your backpack checklist. It delivers on its promise and keeps your food warm for 9 hours so you can appreciate a hearty meal on a chilly day out. In comparison to similar products, it is certainly the most ideal choice for adult hikers. It is more expensive than its rivals however worth the investment not only for its unmatched technology and quality but also for not having to spend on prepacked food every time you go on a walk. This would save you money in the long run.
PS: On the Amazon product description, it says that the Thermos Stainless Steel King Food Flask keeps hot for 7 hours and cold for 9 hours while the sticker on the product when you receive it reads “keeps hot for 9 hours/ keeps cold for 14 hours”. I decided to go with the information provided on the product label as opposed to the one on the Amazon sale page.
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