Thermos, vacuum flask, insulated food jars or whatever you call it, these nifty appliances are really handy to bring hot homemade lunches to work or to keep your soup or coffee piping hot. Here are 10 of the best thermos for soup and hot foods to consider, from small and lightweight food jars to larger, multi-purpose containers.
1. Thermos Stainless King Cranberry 16 Ounce Food Jar
A classic and reliable brand, Thermos has been producing well, thermoses for over a century. The wide opening of this 16 oz stainless steel thermos makes it easy to fill, eat from and clean whether it’s straight from the thermos or the insulated lid that doubles up as a serving bowl. Its thermal insulation technology promises to keep hot foods hot for 7 hours and cold for 9 hours.
Capacity: 16 oz (473 ml)
Dimensions: 5.6 x 3.7 x 5.6 inches
Color: Choice of 5 beautiful colors
Material: Stainless steel interior and exterior
Features:
- Stainless steel folding spoon
- Compact and insulated stainless steel serving bowl
- Cool to the touch with hot liquids, sweat proof with cold
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2. Energify Vacuum Insulated Food Jar 22 oz
If you’re tired of hard to open thermoses, the Energify vacuum insulated food jar may just be what you need. It has an air pressure release button to allow hassle-free opening. The insulated jar eliminates the need to reheat with a microwave, thus offering you a smarter choice for a healthier lifestyle. Moreover, the generous 22 oz capacity lets you hold sufficient food, beverages or soup, which makes it ideal for those who prefer a larger portion.
Capacity: 22 oz (650 ml)
Dimensions: 3.9 x 3.9 x 7.5 inches
Color: Gray
Material: Food grade 304 stainless steel (main body inside & outside) and 100% BPA-FREE
Features:
- Flexible silicone handle for convenient carrying
- Non-slip silicon base offers firm grip on any smooth surface and eliminates risk of scratching the surface
- Air-pressure release button to remove excess air for easy opening
- Wide mouth opening offers ease of filling, eating from and cleaning
- Scratch resistant
- Stainless steel foldable spoon
- Velvet carry bag
- eBook with meal ideas for the food jar
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3. Thermos FOOGO Charcoal/Teal 10 oz Food Jar
Capacity: 10 oz (300 ml)
Dimensions: 8.5 x 6 x 3.5 inches
Material: Stainless Steel and BPA free materials
Color: Available in 7 color combinations
Features:
- Anti-bacteria
- Ergonomically-designed lid with a rubber lid for easy handling
- THERMOS vacuum insulation technology provides maximum temperature retention, warm or cold
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4. Thermos Funtainer Purple 10 Ounce Food Jar
Another popular food flask for small kids is the Thermos Funtainer. It comes in multiple fun designs such as My Little Pony, Disney Cars, Minions, Hello Kitty, Frozen and an array of colors that will appeal to kids of different ages and the young at heart. The small 10 oz Funtainer is just right for kids and they’ll keep contents hot for 5 hours or cold for 7 hours.
Capacity: 10 oz (295 ml)
Dimensions: 4.5 inches (H) x 3.5 inches (W) x 3.5 inches (D)
Material: Stainless Steel and BPA free material
Features:
- Double wall stainless steel construction
- Wide mouth opening makes food jar easy to fill and clean
- Dishwasher safe
- Easy for small hands to open
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5. LunchBots Wide Thermal 16 oz
If eating from narrow and tall thermal jars make lunchtime a little awkward, try the Lunchbots wide thermal. It is specially designed to mimic a bowl shape, making it easy to eat from and convenient to fill. Its triple-insulated thermal technology keep foods hot for 6 hours and cold for 12 hours. Both the outer and interior including the underside of the lid is made of stainless steel so no plastic touches the food. The convenient 2-cup size is ideal for anything from soups, stews to fruit salads and oatmeal.
Capacity: 16 oz. (475 ml)
Dimensions: 4.5 x 4.5 x 4.5 inches
Material: All stainless steel interior
Colors: Available in 5 vibrant shades
Features:
- Dishwasher safe
- Leak-proof design makes it convenient for hectic schedules
- BPA-free
- Fits perfectly in Lunchbots containers and Duplex thermal lunch bag
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6. Zojirushi SL-JAE14RU Mr Bento Stainless Lunch Jar
Capacity: Varies as each container has a different size
Dimensions: 6 x 5.38 x 8.75 in
Material: Stainless Steel (Container) and Polypropylene (Lid), BPA free materials
Color: Available in four colors
Features:
- Durable stainless steel construction with excellent heat retention
- Wide-mouthed lid
- Microwaveable inner bowls
- Easy to wash nonstick coated outer container
- Spork included for convenience
- Zippered bag with strap for easy transport
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7. Zojirushi Stainless Steel Aqua Blue Food Jar
Meet the sleek Zojirushi Stainless Steel Food Jar. Beautiful and functional with excellent vacuum insulation to keep contents hot or cold for hours. For best results, pre-heat or pre-chill the food with hot or ice water for optimal heat retention. The dimpled lid can be removed completely for thorough cleaning. Great for holding hot meals, soups, oatmeal, cold desserts and much more. It is ideal for both adults and children.
Capacity: 25 oz. (0.75 Liter)
Dimensions: 7.25 inches (H) x 4 inches (W) x 4 inches (D)
Material: Stainless Steel and BPA free materials
Color: Comes in 5 gorgeous shades
Features:
- Compact design uses minimal space while maximizing capacity
- Tight-fitted lid with gasket seals lid to minimize leaks and maximize heat retention
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8. MIRA Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Lunch Thermos
Mira may not be as well known as the more established brands, but it does an excellent job of keeping foods hot for up to 5 hours or cold for up to 10 hours thanks to its high quality insulation. Enjoy your hot soups and stews, cold yogurt and more on the go with Mira.
Capacity: 13.5 oz. (400ml)
Dimensions: 3.2 x 3.2 x 5 inches
Material: Stainless Steel and BPA free
Color: Comes in 5 vibrant colors
Features:
- Reusable and eco-friendly
- Easy to fill wide mouth
- Durable double wall wall vacuum insulated construction for superior insulation
- Durable powder coated finish
- Satisfaction guaranteed
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9. Stanley 17 oz Classic Vacuum Bottle
With a rich 100+ year history, Stanley is still going strong. It is an icon of durability and reliability for vacuum bottles. The Classic series is available in 2 colors and a range of sizes. Rugged and built to last, it is ideal for those who enjoy having their meals outdoors while doing their favorite activities. The 17 oz classic bottle is perfect for soup or chili and promises to keep hot foods hot and cold ones cold for 12 hours. All Stanley thermoses come with a lifetime warranty.
Capacity: 17 oz (500 ml)
Material: Rust-free 18/8 stainless steel, BPA-free
Features:
- Leak proof design
- Insulated
- Twist-off lid
- Lifetime warranty
- Replacement parts for Stanley Thermos available here
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10. Stanley Adventure Vacuum Insulated Food Jar
Capacity: 24 oz. (709 ml)
Dimensions: 3.9 x 3.9 x 7.9 inches
Material: 18/8 rust-free stainless Steel and BPA free materials
Features:
- Spork included
- Dry storage in stopper for fixings
- Leak-proof and fully packable
See on Amazon
Conclusion
So there’s a lot of choices when it comes to keeping your soup steaming hot or foods icy cold! I admit it’s quite a tough choice. I personally like the Thermos Stainless King. It is sturdy, beautiful and efficient at what it does. The Stanley Classic Vacuum Bottle also gets my vote simply because I’m a sucker for old-school designs. Both of these brands have an excellent reputation and can be trusted to retain heat for extended periods of time.
To find the best thermos, consider these factors:
- Size
- Insulation
- Features
I hope this article helps you find the most suitable thermos to suit your needs.
If you like vacuum insulated products, check out these articles too:
What is a Thermal Cooker and Why it is a Kitchen Must-Have
What is your favorite thermos? I’d love to hear your opinions in the comments below!
Wow, there are so many nice looking thermals for soup! I am having trouble picking between them haha. Thanks for providing a great platform for all these amazing thermals. I’ll be sure to come here for advice 🙂
I agree! I would get all of them if I had the space to keep them. Haha! Just saying. For me when it comes to choosing a suitable thermos, I would consider the following factors: who I’m buying it for, the size of the thermos and also my budget. 🙂
I need one of these for work – this post is a great resource for me, thanks!
Hello Yvonne I enjoy looking through your recipes. I especially like Mr Bento simply because I’m a rice eater and I like my rice in one container and my soup and main dish in another. Great information. I will note your article for future reference.
I have a friend in the market of getting one I’ll let her know.
Hi Kelyee,
We think alike! I like Mr Bento too as it has individual containers for different foods. You may want to check out Ms Bento too. It is smaller than Mr Bento though (with 3 containers) but if you’re packing small lunches or if you’re a small eater, then this would work well. Thanks for writing in. 🙂
This is exactly what I was looking for! Me and my buddies all work shift work and a go-to thermos means EVERYTHING! I’m gonna pick one of your two favorites. We think alike! Thanks for posting this!
I think I would go with the tried and true – Stanley 17 oz Classic Vacuum Bottle. With a brand like Stanley, it has been around a long time and is very trusted. I like the classic design as well. Thanks for the review! I think I will start packing some hot foods for lunch and using a thermos.
Soup for lunch in the winter time is always a fun thing to have. It really warms you up.
Thanks for the information – I’m a soup lover myself and my daughter is crazy about soup so I know she would also appreciate all of this.
Personally, I think I would go for the Mr Bento Stainless Lunch Jar because you can pack different courses – brilliant! And if my children were still young I would probably consider the Funtainer with all the different colours and designs.
Thanks for providing all of this information on soup thermoses. I have never thought to use one before – but can certainly see the value! I will be checking these out, as I enjoy soup too 🙂
Wow, these definitely aren’t my grandparent’s thermoses! I just remember those tall silver thermoses from when I was young and these are way better looking. I like the one with the vacuum seal where you can release air before trying to open it. I absolutely love hot beverages and I think I might need to get a thermos to bring some along when I’m going places that might not have any. Thanks for the great reviews and post.
This might sound silly, but I’ve never thought of bringing soup to work in a thermos before. I just had it in my head that my thermos was for my tea and that was it! Now you have me thinking of making some nice homemade soup and bringing it to work, without fearing that I’ll have to reheat it. Thanks so much for planting this idea in my head 😉
I need one that will last! I have had thermos after thermos and I cannot get one to last more than 2 winters. I will admit that I am a little rough with care but on a chilly fal morning when those fish are biting I don’t have time to be cautious. I’ve drooped one off of a cliff and is split right open. One I put in the dishwasher and it came back rusty.
Great selections here and I will try one out
Thanks for sharing
Hi Shannon,
I know what you mean. Sometimes we just don’t have the time to be more cautious with our usage due to the situation. You might want to check out Yeti and Stanley thermoses. They’re tough and built to last, great for adventures and outdoors usage. They’re also dishwasher-safe and made of rust-resistant 18/8 stainless steel. Still, I personally prefer to hand-wash my thermoses but that’s just me. Hope you’ll find a thermos that’s right for you! 🙂
Hi Yvonne. As a proud owner of a MIRA, I can attest to its quality. You’ve got some great options on here but I guess i’m a bit biased :). Love the website!
Great and informative article.
I assume one can use not only for soup, right? I like that you listed the BPA free model.
Thanks for sharing.
Yes, you can certainly use it not only for soups but also hot foods, coffee, tea and also cold foods such as salads, iced drinks, ice-cream and more.
These thermoses are exactly what I was looking for. I make homemade bone broth and I store them in mason jars. But it is inconvenient when I want soup at work or to sip on during the day because there may not be a microwave available. Having a reliable thermos would be a huge help and these look very sturdy and reliable. There perfect for bone broth.
Indeed, a reliable thermos would be really useful to bring hot soups to work as not every office has a microwave. I like the idea of bringing broth to work. Thanks for writing in!