David Lintern takes a first look at the SIGG Gemstone Food Jar, a thermos flask purpose made for hot and cold meals.
The SIGG Gemstone Food Jar is a double walled flask designed to keep food hot or cold on the go. It’s built with high quality Stainless Steel, and with a 0.75l capacity, there’s ample room for a mountain of pre-made food, ready to be enjoyed during the day.
TGO’s verdict
We can see it being brilliant for winter day trips especially. Available in silver or black, it’s well built, solid but not too heavy for the hills at 477g and should last years with care.- no leaks
- fairly indestructible
- multipurpose
- efficient heat retention
- none
| Quick Specs |
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| Price: £33.99 / €39.95 (buy now from SIGG) Material: Stainless steel Insulation: Yes Volume: 0.75L / 25oz Weight: 477.0g Dimensions: 18.4cm (height) x 9.8cm (length) x 9.8cm (diameter) sigg.com |
It’s a complete kit that includes a robust plastic cup as a screw on outer lid, and a stainless-steel spork that folds away into the lid of the main flask. This lid has a silicone seal to ensure no leaks, regardless of how the flask ends up stored in your pack. The included utensil is long enough to reach the bottom of the flask, for use with stews, pasta or salad. The wide mouth of the flask is perfect for accessing food that can’t be poured, while the cup is useful for soups or hot drinks, allowing them to cool a little while keeping the remainder hot (or cold!) in the flask itself.
We’ve had a Food Jar on test for only a few days so far and it’s already proving it’s worth. A packet soup stayed hot for 7 hours and warm for a couple more. A vege’ shepherd’s pie was enjoyed the following day for lunch, and was still warm after 7 hours. When full, the efficiencies improve still further, and as with all flasks it’s best to prewarm (or cool) the insides with hot (or cold) water before you add your meal.
We also deliberately stored the soup (half full) on its side, but the flask refused to leak. The stainless steel is 90% recycled and seems fairly indestructible, the folding spork is similarly well made with firm hinges that don’t collapse when you try to eat, and both polypropylene lids screw on smoothly. It’s not recommended for dishwashers but the wide mouth and smooth sides make it easy to hand wash and less likely to trap food residues.
It’s a stout 16cm high and 7.5cm wide, a good size for slipping down the side of a pack. The ribbed sides, non-slick powdered finish and excellent thermal efficiency mean it stays cool to the touch and is very manageable with one hand.
If you cook your own meals at home – anything from pasta with a sauce from a jar, to ‘from scratch’ salads, stews and casseroles – we think the Gemstone Food Jar is a great way of using up leftovers, as well as reinvigorating your lunch routine with healthier and more cost-effective alternatives to yet another supermarket meal deal (we’ve all been there). It’s the very definition of multipurpose – as handy in the backpack for the mountains as it is leaving in the car for a hot drink when you return, packing the kids off for a school trip or your other half for a double shift.
We can see it being brilliant for winter day trips especially. Available in silver or black, it’s well built, solid but not too heavy for the hills at 477g and should last years with care.
