Soup flasks aren’t the most expensive items in the world but they naturally have a range of prices according to the quality. It’s a good idea to set a budget and shop within that for anything you buy but remember that it’s often better to buy something a little more expensive that’s going to last and perform well. Design Whatever it is you need from a flask, our buying guide is here to help you make a bit more sense of what you need in terms of the most essential criteria – after reading this, you should be absolutely sure which food flask is right for you. Capacity The Thermos flask has a wide opening so it’s really easy to fill and empty without landing yourself in a mess. There’s an included spoon so you won’t need to take any additional accessories which is great for outdoor pursuits as you’ll want to travel as light as possible. You don’t need to spend a fortune on a soup flask and while this one isn’t a whole lot cheaper than the others on this list, there is a difference in price. But this doesn’t mean that you have to compromise on quality and performance; the Flintronic food flask does a great job at keeping your food warm. Next, think about how long you would need to keep your food warm for. Look for ones that will retain heat for at least six hours.

In testing, we found that the contents of the jar had cooled significantly by the end of the 6 hours. It was still warm to the touch, but you would probably want to reheat it depending on what you’re storing. This one comes with a feature that the Thermos could do with; it has air vents at the top that allow you to release air before opening. This will prevent any difficulty opening the flask which could result in the contents exploding. It’s a nice little addition and not something you see on all flasks. However, there have been some reports of these flasks exploding upon opening if the food inside is left to cool down. That’s why we would recommend these only for shorter periods of time, like when you need to get from morning to lunch time before eating the food inside. This isn’t something that has happened often but it’s worth noting. It has a 400ml capacity, which is perfect for one person - although if you’re particularly hungry you’ll need some extra sides. For drinks flasks, you’ll need an elongated brush that can reach the bottom, whereas for food flasks, which are shorter and have wider openings, it’s generally possible to wash it as you would a mug.However, the silky smooth stainless steel finish made tightening and loosening the lid much harder. On the plus side, this made cleaning it super easy - handy as it can’t go in the dishwasher. We're extremely confident in our products quality & our aftercare service. Our Lifetime Guarantee which applies to every SHO product is a true representation of this faith.

These flasks are designed to prevent any temperature drops influenced from outside factors. So, even if you’re trekking through a snowy wilderness, the tough material and vacuum insulation will ensure that your food stays nice and toasty. We also had to wrap the spoon to make sure it stayed clean before use as it’s on the outside of the flask rather than the inside. For any stains or bad odours, simply add a couple of teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda to the flask and then top up with hot water. This food flask is made from stainless steel which has a range of benefits. For starters, it’s really lightweight so it won’t weigh you down, but it’s also incredibly durable. On top of this, stainless steel is very resistant to rust so you won’t need to worry about the life of your flask. The lid can be a major functional part of any kind of flask. Just like drinks flask which utilise the lid as a miniature cup/mug, so do food flasks have convertible lids. It might be a pertinent consideration, especially if you’re getting a food flask for camping or hiking trips, to have a flask with a lid that doubles up as a bowl. Some also come with foldable spoons, meaning cutlery becomes one less thing that you have to bring. MaterialsPlus, the tapered top of the flask means it’s much easier to drink out of - but of course, you can use the foldable spoon as well. How does a vacuum flask work? The amount of food you can get into your flask should be one of the main considerations you make when looking for the right food flask. Nobody knows your appetite and eating habits better than you do, so take a close look at the volumes of the flasks you’re considering and weigh that up against how much you’d be looking to carry. After all, it defeats the point somewhat if you can only fit half a lunch portion in what you’ve bought, or on the other end of the spectrum, buy one that’s too big and realise you’ve wasted money on flask volume you just won’t fill. Also bear in mind how many people you’re feeding – one large flask might feed two, if you’re going on a trip somewhere and are trying to economise on how much to take with you. Lid

One of the most important things to think about when buying a soup flask is how heavy it is. If you’re going to be carrying the flask around with you, the last thing you want is something that’s going to weigh you down. If the flask is already pretty chunky, just think how that weight is going to increase when you fill it. The vacuum flask also has a screw-top lid with a seal that helps to stop heat from escaping from the opening. But with all that heat on the inside, you don’t need to worry about having to carry around something that’s got the potential to burn you from the outside. These soup flasks are designed to stay cool to the touch on their exterior so they’re super safe to use as well. Moreover, if you have to keep the flask in a bag with other things, there’s no worry about heat damage.

Best for simplicity: Hydro Flask insulated food jar

Food flasks vary in price depending on how big they are and how long they will keep your food warm. For the kids’ lunchbox – The Food Flask from IGZOM is a great choice for kids thanks to a wide range of colourful and cheerful designs. It has plenty of volume (540ml) and heat retention capabilities (up to 6 hours hot) to keep food warm all the way to lunchtime and is compact enough to fit into a schoolbag without taking up too much room. Food Flask Buying Guide If you’re buying a soup flask then it’s because you want to be able to keep your soup hot and tasty until you’re ready to eat it. However, some flasks have inferior insulation while others will keep the soup hot all day long. Think about this and compare it to your needs; nobody wants to get to lunch time to find that their food is tepid at best. Is The Flask Leakproof? Imagine putting a soup flask filled to the brim in your bag alongside your phone, notebooks and laptop only to reopen the bag to find the flask has leaked and your other items are ruined. That’s why it’s crucial to find a soup flask that has decent leak proofing and seals tightly. Does The Exterior Get Hot? One of the most interesting things about the soup flask is that it’s actually a great way to keep your food fresher for longer. Since the flask is sealed with a vacuum, it’s incredibly difficult for germs and bacteria to get inside. No oxygen can get in which can speed up the process of spoiling and everything stays fresh and ready to eat.

Finally, think about how easy it is to clean. Some flasks are dishwasher safe but it’s almost always better to wash it by hand. For this reason, a flask with a wider opening is generally better.Of course, there is a limit to this and eventually the soup will get cooler but some of the best soup flasks can keep the soup warm for up to 24 hours! Now that’s impressive. And you might think that this means just keeping the soup lukewarm but we’re talking still hot, so much so that you have to blow it before you can eat it. INSULATED food flasks are perfect for hiking trips where you don’t have anywhere to heat up your meals but they can also be great for the office or school. You could be forgiven for thinking that all soup flasks are the same. After all, they’re designed to do the same job, aren’t they? This is true to an extent but as with anything, there are various features and differences between products which might make one soup flask slightly better for your needs than the next. Here are our top tips on choosing a soup flask. Is It Lightweight? Our fantastic customers are the most important part of our business and we guarantee we'll be there for you during your journey with us.