For a time the rules of cooking food at the office were easy to understand: If you want your lunch to be hot you need to use a plastic container or a heavy glass one. If you use a metal container you will probably cause a fire in the microwave in the break room. The rules of office physics are pretty clear when it comes to metal and the office microwave. It is just not an idea to use metal.
This was a problem for many of us. We did not want to use plastic. We had to find a way to heat up our leftover food. So we had to settle for the Tritan Plastic Compromise. We were not happy about using Tritan Plastic. We needed something to reheat our leftovers in. The Tritan Plastic Compromise was not ideal. It was the best option we had at the time for reheating our leftovers.
Materials science has changed a lot. Now we have kinds of lunch boxes that are really different from what we used to have. We looked at the three ways to have a hot lunch at work without using plastic. This includes steel lunch boxes and even lunch boxes that can heat up your food by themselves. We are talking about materials science and lunch boxes that are made with technology, like special steel and self-heating electronics and these new lunch boxes are what we will be looking at.
1. The Engineering Marvel: Black+Blum Stainless Steel Box
People on Reddit talk about this box. They call it the “Holy Grail”. They are right when they say that. The Reddit users think this box is really special and important; the “Holy Grail” is what they actually call it.
- The Myth: People think that metal makes sparks fly around in microwaves. This happens because electrons get stuck on points of the metal and then jump off. The metal is like a magnet for these electrons. They build up on the edges of the metal and then suddenly jump, which is what we see as sparks. This is why metal and microwaves do not mix well. When electrons jump from the metal they make sparks. So metal is the problem when it comes to sparks in microwaves.
- The Solution: It is really simple. Black+Blum made a box. This box has corners that are rounded perfectly. It feels really smooth. The Solution works because there are no points on the box. Normally electrons like to gather on points. Because The Solution does not have these points the electrons do not gather and that means the arcing does not happen with The Solution.
- The Verdict: This lunch box is really something. It is made of steel that is safe to use in the microwave. The best part is that it is very light and will not break easily. This lunch box does not have any plastic except for the silicone part that helps to keep the food fresh. You can heat up your food in the office microwave with this stainless steel lunch box without worrying about it. This stainless steel lunch box is a choice because it is microwave safe and you can use it every day.
2. The “No-Microwave” Bypass: Crock-Pot Electric Lunch Box
If the office microwave is really dirty and you do not want to wait in line to use it, then you should stop searching for a container to heat your food in. Instead, you should start searching for an appliance like a toaster oven or something that you can use to heat your food. This way you can avoid using the office microwave altogether. You will not have to wait in line. The office microwave is not the thing you can use to heat your food so start looking for something else, like an appliance.
- The Mechanism: This thing is like a slow cooker. You plug The Mechanism into a wall outlet at your desk 45 minutes before you eat lunch.
- The Advantage: The good thing about this is that it heats up your food in a way and it does it evenly. It is not like a microwave that can make your lasagna all hard and rubbery. This thing warms up your lasagna. It still feels like it is supposed to.
- The Trade-off: The problem with this thing is that it is really big and you need to plug it in. It can leak when you are on your way to work so you usually just leave the part at the office and take the metal part inside back and forth. The heating unit is not something you can easily carry around because it is bulky and needs a plug; the metal insert is what you end up carrying to and from work.
3. The “Cold Storage” Warning: Stanley Classic Useful Box
You can find this thing over social media. The thing looks really rugged. It has a retro style that is incredibly cool. You should not put the thing in the microwave.
- The Reality: The truth is that the Stanley box is made of steel. This steel works like a shield. The Stanley box is like a Faraday cage. If you put the Stanley box in the microwave the waves will bounce off the metal of the Stanley box. This can hurt the microwave. It can damage the magnetron in the microwave. The sharp edges of the Stanley box can also cause sparks to fly. This is not good for the microwave. The Stanley box and the microwave do not mix well.
- Best Use Case: This thing is really good for carrying sandwiches or salads or even boiled eggs. If you are making a ploughman’s lunch with cuts and cheese you should use this box because it is very strong.
Just remember to keep this box from the heat.
- THE ULTIMATE SNACK BOX: It’s the sandwich container you’ve always wanted. The one you’ll never have to worry about getti…
- DISCOVER THE VERSATILITY: We don’t call it the Useful Box for no reason. With 1.25 quarts of space, it’s good for more t…
- LEGENDARY STANLEY QUALITY: Crafted from 18/8 stainless steel, our Useful Box withstands a life of adventure. The durabil…
Final Decision
If you want to use the microwave without worrying and you also want something safe like steel, the Black+Blum is really special. It is a clever thing that solves this problem. The Black+Blum is an idea because it gives you the convenience of the microwave and the safety of steel.
If you like food that tastes good and you have a desk with a plug, the Crock-Pot Electric Heater is better than any meal you can make in a microwave. The Crock-Pot Electric Heater is great for people who want to eat food at their desk. The Crock-Pot Electric Heater makes the food taste really good.
Just remember: Not all steel is created equal. Check the bottom of the box before you press “Start.”
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