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(More customer reviews)This thermos did its job though I was somewhat annoyed because it could have easily been better. This review is based on one month of direct experience. I will discuss why I bought it, the good points then the bad.
I wanted to escape the increasing price at my workplace cafeteria, have more control over what I eat, avoid Chinese-made products if possible and set a good example caring for the environment. I wanted to take food (not coffee) so I needed a wide mouth that could accommodate a spoon. I wanted a large capacity because I'm a big eater and also envisioned bringing hot/cold drink treats for the whole family when we go hiking. Excellent insulation was an important criterion, just in case I needed it.
There were scant reviews on this particular product but the reviews for the Thermos brand were generally better than the Stanley brand. Many reviews of Stanley thermos mentioned how incredible they used to be but indicated prevailing reliability problem since "Made in China" appeared on their products. I considered other products that had higher insulation ratings, but there were none with better insulation rating and was a large capacity wide-mouth.
This Singapore-made Thermos appeared well made. The weld was quite clean and smooth compared to the welds in the Stanley brand. The plastic appeared to be of excellent quality.
The top was closed by a stopper with a pouring spout. A plastic bowl covers it loosely. Then the outer plastic/metal screw-top holds the bowl in place. None of the lids require heavy tightening to close. The stopper is very air tight and capable of containing surprising high pressure. Once, the pressure was so high that when I opened it, the puff of escaping air dislodged the silicone rubber o-ring. (The o-ring was easily to re-install.)
Because the stopper did not require heavy tightening, I was afraid the seal was not good and may spill the contents. This has not happened and I don't think it will.
When I put in boiling hot soup, the soup is plenty hot 6 hours later, with or without preheating the thermos. I took hot pasta once, and it was just warm after 6 hours (without preheating). (Soup has higher heat content, so it took more heat loss to lower the temperature. And the more food you put in the thermos, the slower the temperature will drop.) The claimed 12-hour rating clearly did not apply to pasta in the thermos.
The most severe test for the insulation was when I put boiling hot soup in at 9:30 pm. At 7am, it was plenty hot when I took a third out for breakfast. At 3pm, when I had the rest for lunch, the soup was hot enough to enjoy but no hotter. Based on this single experience, I would that the 12-hour heat rating was valid for soup in the thermos.
Now, the things I did not like.
Although the walls were very well insulated, the top was not. The stopper had no insulation. I would have like to see a layer of vacuum in the stopper. Instead, the stopper had a nice pouring spout, which I never use because it doesn't work for soup. When closed, I noticed that the top of the thermos was surprisingly warm to the touch, indicating that virtually all heat loss came through the top. I would have happily paid more for a better insulated stopper, so I my pasta would stay hot longer than 6 hours.
There are 2 little holes in the bottom (perhaps for screws attaching the plastic base to the steel body). These holes took in water (probably when I washed the thermos) and leaked it a messy puddle on my desk the next day. If the holes were wider and shallower, this would not have happened.
Thermos suggested using the outer lid as a bowl. The problem with this that this lid is not tight fitting, so residual food in the bowl could leak out.
Some may point out that I would get better performance if I preheated the thermos with hot water. I find doing that to be annoying. Using up the energy to heat water when you don't really intend to use it seems wrong to me. It's also a bad way to deal with our severe water shortage. Most of all, I want to set a good example for my kids.
I think this product is very good overall and am very happy with it. I would have paid more for an insulating stopper. In the month I've had it, it has almost paid for itself, I think.
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Thermos Nissan 48-Ounce Wide Mouth Stainless-Steel BottleThe 48-ounce bottle with wide mouth is great for transporting soups for lunch at school or work, as well as for picnics. Made with an unbreakable, dent-resistant 18/8 stainless-steel interior and exterior, the bottle will withstand the demands of everyday use. It also has a clear coating that reduces fingerprints, so it continues to look great over time. The bottle's Thermax vacuum insulation virtually eliminates temperature change by creating an airless vacuum space between two stainless-steel walls. The result is an insulation layer you can depend on to keep food and beverages hotter, colder, fresher, longer. The easy pouring lid opens with a push button and locks closed for leak-proof travel. Plus, a retractable handle provides a steady grip for pouring and a detachable shoulder strap makes for easy carrying.
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