UMAMI Bento Box - Review 2023

A Zen-like Lunch Box

This UMAMI bento lunch box comes with a four-piece cutlery set, sauce pot, two dividers, and two meal containers plus the top compartment for cutlery. The cutlery, chopsticks and top lid is made from bamboo while the plastic body of the box contains recycled materials from used bottles.

It differs from other Japanese lunch box sets because it uses a silicone seal to close the lids.

There is also a valve to allow air and gas to escape but prevent any from entering. This helps keep the food fresh in this bento sushi set.

To close a compartment of the UMAMI All-in-One Bento Box for Adults/Children, slightly put the silicone while pushing the lid down. To open it, slightly pull the silicone seal followed by the cover. Note that the sauce pots only go in the lower container.

In other words, our experience with this proves how intentional the set is. Along with other features, our experience did a good job convincing us of its value.

This UMAMI lunch box is microwave-friendly. However, it can only be used for reheating already cooked food, not raw ingredients. It can go in the microwave at a maximum of 210 F for up to three minutes. We didn’t test whether or not this could be exceeded. We don’t see why anyone would want to. But meatballs in a tomato sauce were sufficiently heated while the Umami survived just fine.

You can put the containers in the microwave with or without a lid on top.

This lunch box is also dishwasher safe. You have the option of washing it by hand or putting it in the dishwasher. All bamboo articles should be washed by hand though.

The UMAMI All-in-One Bento Box for Adults/Children has top lids made of real bamboo. The sauce pot has a screw-cap lid to prevent spills. Meanwhile, the wooden cutlery set includes a spoon, fork, knife, and pair of chopsticks.

Design

In terms of visual appeal, this bento box is a winner. It is sleek and stylish. Even though it comes with a cutlery set and sauce jar, it doesn’t look bulky.

This lunch box also looks sturdy. It doesn’t look or feel like it will break the moment you drop it.

The cutlery set is a welcome bonus. Although each piece is made of wood, it doesn’t feel brittle. These utensils also feel pleasant to the touch. More importantly, the UMAMI All-in-One Bento Box for Adults/Children has storage space for them. But all wooden pieces, including the top lid, should be hand-washed.

Another good thing about this lunch box is the container’s stackability. You can stack the containers together and easily bring them to the office or school.

Functionality

The main issue with this Japanese lunch box is the lids. UMAMI claims it is 100% leakproof, but take that guarantee with a grain of salt.

The UMAMI All-in-One Bento Box for Adults/Children closure mechanism is quite faulty. The silicone band used to seal or keep the lids closed falls off quickly, especially when being washed. Since it is too soft and flimsy, it also can’t hold the covers together. The lids themselves are also pretty loose.

Considering that you can’t trust this lunch box to be 100% leakproof, you might feel uneasy packing liquids with a very thin consistency. Otherwise, you risk the containers leaking everything in your pack. Thick soups might make it through without leaking, but you need to be extremely careful.

While this Japanese lunch box is of a relatively good size, it’s not the best option for packing sandwiches. It’s tricky putting an entire sandwich in one compartment, even if you cut it in half. You might end up putting half a sandwich in each compartment, beating the purpose of a bento box.

Nonetheless, the UMAMI All-in-One Bento Box for Adults/Children is best for those watching their diets and controlling their portions. You can definitely pack multiple food items with different nutritional values. You’d be able to maximize the dividers, although they sometimes don’t stay in place.

Maintenance

Maintaining this UMAMI bento lunch box is pretty easy. Washing the whole set by hand takes about five minutes.

Alternatively, you can simply put this set–minus the wooden top and cutlery–in the dishwasher and let the machine do its work. Its dishwasher-safe feature makes it ideal for everyday use. Unlike the popular Bentgo Classic Lunch Box, this one does well in the dishwasher.

Conclusion

The UMAMI All-in-One Bento Box for Adults/Children is pretty decent for adults and kids. Its size is relatively good, and you can prepare your meal portions accordingly. With inspiration from the Japanese approach to preparing food, the Umami plays into aesthetics of design worthy of high praise.

Note that this lunch box isn’t 100% leakproof. If you don’t pack liquids often, you won’t have a problem with them. Otherwise, look for other lunch box sets that can safeguard your soups and sauces. The Thermos Stainless King Food Jar is an excellent option.

One of the best things about this Japanese bento box is that it is dishwasher-safe. If you use your lunch box daily, you will appreciate being able to put it in the dishwasher without worry.