Bentgo Kids' Lunch Box Review

We purchased the Bentgo Kids' Lunch Box so our reviewer could put it to the test with her kids. Keep reading for our full product review.

Packing the perfect lunch for your child can be daunting—unless, of course, you have a container like the Bentgo Kids' Lunch Box. This product has five leakproof cubbies, so if your little one wants raisins, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, cucumber slices, popcorn, and a few gummy bears, it can all fit inside easily. To see if this lunch box lived up to its many rave reviews online, my family and I tested it ourselves; my 5-year-old son took it to school every day for a week. We then evaluated its various features, from its material to its design and value. Read on for our thoughts.

Design: Lots of helpful features

This bento-style lunch box has a bit of a cartoon-like vibe—and we mean that in a positive way. It comes in three vibrant colors: blue, purple, and green (which we tested). Its compartment tray is also removable, which allows you to mix and match the three colors according to your child’s favorite combinations. Bentgo also has a line of kids’ bento-style lunch boxes in several neon colors as well as prints (including camouflage, mermaid scales, pink dots, space rockets, sharks, and unicorns).

Inside, its tray has five compartments of varying sizes: one that’s large enough for a small sandwich, three mid-size compartments that are perfect for snacks like cheese puffs or sliced strawberries, and one small round compartment in the center that works best for sauces or dips. Once the lunch box is closed (via two snaps on the front), a rubberized seal prevents any leaking—both between compartments and out of the box itself. We particularly loved that nothing leaked out into our son’s backpack the entire week he used it. Plus, for added protection, the lunch box has rubber edges in case your child drops it in the lunchroom or on the playground. 

One thing to note is that these extra design features do make the lunch box thicker and heavier than a plain plastic model. Still, the lunch box’s 1.4-pound weight isn’t unmanageable.  

Material: Solid and safe

This lunch box and its compartment tray are made from durable plastic that’s free of BPA, vinyl, lead, and polyvinyl chloride plastic (PVC). Translation: you can rest assured that nothing will be leaching into your little one’s food. 

Additionally, both parts of this product are freezer safe and its compartment tray is microwave safe, though the manufacturer recommends not to microwave it for longer than three minutes at a time. (The outer shell is not microwave-safe.)

After several weeks of use, we noticed that the lunch box’s outside shell lost its shine a bit and started showing scratches and light marks. It felt durable and didn’t incur any real damage, though.

Cleaning: Convenient and easy

This lunch box is very simple to clean, largely because its compartment tray is removable and dishwasher safe (the manufacturer recommends using it on the top shelf). In terms of its outer shell, Bentgo recommends hand-washing with soap and warm water and letting it air dry; this gentler cleaning method will help preserve the leakproof seal.

We thought that the outer shell was easy to wash by hand since there are no tiny crevices in which food can get stuck. With a few swipes of a sponge, its smooth surface sparkled once more.

Price: Worth the higher price tag

This lunch box has an MSRP of $39.99, though it’s likely you’ll be able to find it for less than $30 at online retailers like Amazon and Target. Although there are still cheaper options out there, we think it’s a worthwhile purchase because it’s durable and designed well. Plus, Bentgo offers a two-year warranty which increases its value.

It’s also worth noting that Bentgo donates a portion of its proceeds to Feed the Children, a non-profit working to end child hunger. According to the brand’s website, it has donated more than $150,000 to the organization since 2017.

Competition: Still a standout

Yumbox Original Leakproof Bento Lunch Box: These $30 bento boxes by Yumbox, which we also tested, are lighter than Bentgo’s containers. They’re also leakproof, and the six compartments in each one are adorned with cute illustrations and food group labels. The downside? They show wear and tear more easily.

Uptrust Bento Lunch Container: This lunch box from Uptrust has three compartments as well as a built-in fork and spoon. It’s made with organic wheat straw fiber. These containers also run between $12 and $16, which is much less than the Bentgo boxes—a great thing if you’re on a budget or need to buy several at once.

Kishno Bento Lunch Box: Kids and adults can get behind this two-part bento box, whether it’s for lunchtime, a picnic, or snacks in the park. A silicone seal keeps the boxes leakproof and double-paned walls ensure that food is insulated. The set also has a spork compartment, so you don’t have to worry about packing utensils. And, at around $26, the price is comparable to the Bentgo, but the spork compartment adds convenience.

Need some help finding what you’re looking for? Read our list of the best bento boxes for kids.