To help you choose the best lunch box with divider or bento box, we have tried out plenty of top products, testing them for room, making sure they have plenty of partitions that can hold a wide variety of ingredients, and build quality, favoring models that are both dishwasher and microwave safe. We also liked items that are eco-friendly, made without the use of BPA materials, and those that lock securely, so your food items will remain safe. This are some of the best kitchen products that you can invest in.
The best product we tried was easily the Lock & Lock Special 3 Lunch Box with Divider, which boasts an airtight and leak-proof locking system, with a silicone lid that helps food items last longer, and three separate and large compartments that can easily hold sandwiches and other ingredients. We also liked that the item was manufactured without the use of BPA materials and that it can be placed in both the dishwasher and the microwave. Keep reading to learn more about the Lock & Lock Special 3 Lunch Box with Divider and the other products on this list.
Top 6 Best Lunch Boxes with Dividers
#1 Lock & Lock Special 3 Lunch Box
Award: Top Pick
WHY WE LIKE IT: Great for adults or children, with an airtight container, complete with a silicone lid, that helps keep foods fresher for longer and a design that is dishwasher and microwave safe.
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- Dishwasher safe
- Microwave and freezer safe
- Airtight container keeps food fresh for longer
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- 50 ounces of room is fine, but there are bigger items on list
- Dividers are not removable
- Only 9 inches tall, so not great for salads
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The Lock & Lock Special 3 Lunch Box with Divider is a high quality product with a fantastic lid and locking system, both of which help to keep food fresh for a long time, with a design that is also waterproof and leak-proof. The lunch box is also microwavable, and can be placed in a dishwasher or the freezer, all of which are extremely useful. We also liked that this item was manufactured without the use of BPA materials, making it somewhat eco-friendly.
Though this lunch box is large enough to suit most adult-sized meals, at 50 ounces it is still less roomy than some other items on this list. Additionally, the partitions cannot be adjusted or removed, so you may have some trouble placing some items. It will fit nicely into the best weekender bag, which is nice.
#2 Bentgo Salad BPA-Free Lunch Box with Divider
Award: Honorable Mention
WHY WE LIKE IT: Multi-use design that contains a large 54 ounce salad bowl and a smaller lunch box with 4 dividers, allowing users to store wet and dry items separately, with availability in 6 colors and coming with a 2 year warranty.
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- Best for wet & dry
- Removable 54 oz salad bowl
- 2 year warranty
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- Dishwasher safe, but only top rack
- Some restrictions on microwave use
- Locking mechanism not as sturdy as top pick
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This Bentgo Salad BPA-Free Lunch Box with Divider is an extremely versatile item, as it contains both a 54 ounce salad bowl and a smaller lunch box with four dividers and a sauce ring, which can hold an additional 20 ounces of ingredients. This large lunch box can fit in the Bentgo Insulated Lunch Bag (bought separately), and this cooler bag comes with a shoulder strap and is big enough to secure ice packs, and conveniently keeps your food cold or warm on the go. The Bentgo Lunch Box ships with a nice two year warranty and is available in six different color options, which can suit the aesthetics of home or office users. We also liked that it was manufactured without any BPA materials, a feature in line with our top pick. You can even place the best oyster knife inside if you will be eating some sea food later on.
Though this item is dishwasher safe, it should only be placed in the top rack, which could be an issue for some consumers. Also, only the big salad bowl can be placed in the microwave and the manufacturer recommends it to be microwaved for no longer than three minutes. This one will also fit easily into the best bags.
#3 LunchBots Protein Packer Lunch Box
Award: Lightest
WHY WE LIKE IT: Extremely light form factor, clocking in under 8 ounces, while still being made entirely of gorgeous stainless steel and featuring a virtually indestructible design.
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- Best stainless steel
- Dishwasher safe
- Dishwasher safe
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- Dividers are on small side
- Not for microwaves
- Can leak if not careful
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This LunchBots Protein Packer Lunch Box with Divider is an extremely light and compact product, clocking in at just eight ounces, that is made entirely from stainless steel, with no plastic components whatsoever. This item is dishwasher safe, with no restrictions, and highly durable, thanks to the stainless steel construction. To that end, we found that it is nearly indestructible, passing several drop tests with flying colors, easily making this the best stainless steel lunch box on this list.
Though the stainless steel is durable and aesthetically pleasing, it should not be placed in the microwave, for obvious reasons. Also, the lid secures tightly but we found that it could leak if placed on its side or if handled incorrectly. So unfortunately this would not be good to pack in the best messenger bags for men.
#4 PackIt Mod Lunch Box
Award: Best Modular
WHY WE LIKE IT: Completely modular design that allows you to place partitions anywhere you want, allowing for great versatility when it comes to food storage, with availability in 4 gorgeous colors and a leak-resistant design.
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- Leak-resistant design
- Freezer safe and microwavable
- Available in 4 cool colors
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- Can be placed in dishwasher, but only on top rack
- Max capacity of 37 oz, lower than top picks
- Only 3 inches tall
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This PackIt Mod Lunch Box with Divider boasts a completely modular design, coming with three leak-resistant partitions that can be slid anywhere in the product, allowing for an array of customization options. The product is fully microwavable, with no restrictions, and can be placed in the freezer for long-term food storage. We also liked that the base is both free from BPA materials and shatter-resistant, and that it comes in four different colours.
Though this item is dishwasher safe, it should only be placed on the top rack, so approach with caution. Additionally, this lunch box has a maximum capacity of 37 ounces, which is less than the 50+ ounces of space found with our top picks. Speaking of food, be prepared with the best disaster food kits.
#5 SnapLock by Progressive Lunch Cube Lunch Box with Divider
Award: Best Budget
WHY WE LIKE IT: Budget-friendly product that offers many features in line with higher priced competitors, including an easy-to-open lid and a design that is microwavable, dishwasher safe and freezer safe.
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- Easy to open & lock in place
- BPA free
- Microwavable and dishwasher safe
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- 48 ounce capacity is decent, but there are larger picks on list
- Dividers are not leak-proof from one another
- Dividers cannot be moved or adjusted
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The SnapLock by Progressive Lunch Cube is an extremely budget-friendly product, while still offering several high end features, including an eco-friendly design that is free from BPA materials and a fantastic lid that is both easy-to-open and easy-to-close and lock. We also liked that this product is fully microwavable, with no restrictions, and dishwasher safe, in addition to being freezer safe.
Though the 48 ounce maximum capacity is decent, and should suit most adults, it is slightly smaller than the capacities found with our top picks. Also, the dividers cannot be moved or adjusted, though the company does offer versions without any dividers whatsoever.
See Also: Be sure to take a look at the best granite mortar and pestle.
#6 The Parentdiary Eco Lunch Box with Divider
We’re sorry, this product is temporarily out of stock
Award: Most Options
WHY WE LIKE IT: Japanese bento box design that can be purchased in multiple colors and partition options, with a high quality silicone-based lid and a design that is safe for microwaves, freezers and dishwasher.
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- Best bento box
- High quality food-grade silicone lid
- Dishwasher, microwave and freezer safe
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- Can leak if carried on side
- Only 2.25 inches tall
- Dividers could be a bit taller
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The Parentdiary Eco Lunch Box with Divider is the best Japanese bento box design on this list, with availability in several colors and partition options, suiting the needs of most consumers. It is extremely eco-friendly, made primarily from food-grade silicone, and is safe to be placed in the dishwasher and freezer, in addition to being microwavable. We also liked the high quality silicone lid, which opens and closes with ease.
Though we loved the style options on offer, we found that the dividers could stand to be a bit taller, as liquid-based food items could leak from one partition to the next. Also, this is a fairly short item, at just 2.25 inches tall, which could impact what ingredients can be stored.
How We Decided
To help narrow down to the above list, we made sure that each and every product we tried was non-toxic and eco-friendly, to varying degrees, made without the use of BPA materials and often manufactured with food-grade silicone. We also liked items that featured a tight-fitting lid that reduced accidental leakage and was easy to lock into place, as well as to open when necessary.
We preferred items that were microwavable, often with no restrictions as to how long it can be safely be placed in the microwave, and those that were dishwasher safe, though many manufacturers recommend that these products only be placed in the top rack, so as to avoid the kind of heat that can cause damage. We also liked lunch boxes that could be placed in the freezer, for long term food storage.
As far as size goes, we wanted to make sure that there was plenty of room in these products for a wide variety of ingredients and food items, with some items on our list featuring room enough for large salads, sandwiches, and other adult-friendly recipes. We also liked products with large partitions, for a large lunch and meal prep and also to diversify ingredients, and those that came with some kind of modular design, for the purposes of customization.
Lunch Box with Divider Buying Guide
The Most Important Features to Consider
- Microwaves and Dishwashers
All of the products we chose are microwavable and dishwasher safe, with varying degrees of caution that need to be taken. Some items, like our top pick, can be microwaved for as long as you want while others have a strict limit on the amount of time they can be placed in the microwave, usually around three minutes. Additionally, some of the above lunch boxes are only rated to be placed in the top rack of the dishwasher, due to the extreme heat and friction present in the bottom chamber. Make sure to read the directions before using either a microwave or a dishwasher. - Size and Partitions
Obviously, for an adult lunch box, you are going to want to make sure the product you choose features enough room for the recipes and ingredients you tend to prefer. To be sure, look at the height of the lunch box, making sure it can hold an entire egg or a large chicken breast, for instance, and also look at the number of partitions on offer. Take a note on the size of these partitions and whether or not they are adjustable in any capacity. - Leak-proof and Shatter-proof Designs
Many of the above items feature silicon-based lids that attach securely, helping to reduce accidental leakage. Some products feature similar functionality with the partitions and dividers on offer, making sure that wet ingredients will not leak into dry ingredients, and vice versa. Additionally, some products go one step further, featuring designs that are nearly shatter-proof, usually made from food-grade silicone or some type of rubber or plastic materials. Additionally, none of the above picks use BPA materials in their manufacture.
