I've been using my Bentgo for a few days and, generally, it's great... nicely sized, cleans up easily, and works well in the microwave. The product's one weakness is that the containers are not leakprook (as noted in the product description). This prevents you from using it for things like soup, stews, fruits in liquid, etc. Fix this flaw and it would be perfect.
One other note, this is a new company and their website is still going through growing pains. There are a number of broken links and other issues. That said, their customer service does respond to emails pretty quickly.
I love my Bentgo! I was getting tired of using ziplock bags (too much waste) as well as glass containers (too clunky) and mismatched plastic containers (well okay. I realize that's just fine and functional, but I wanted something *sleek*, you know?). Hunting for Bento boxes online, I decided to go for the Bentgo as my first Bento to see if the Bento lifestyle worked for me.
The price point is phenomenal for the size and quality. Go ahead and do a Google search for Bento box providers and you'll see what I mean. I found that, for about this price, you could get big Bento boxes that weren't microwave or dishwasher safe, or you could get teeny Bento boxes made out of durable, food-safe plastics. Now you see why I picked the Bentgo a decent sized Bento that is microwave, dishwasher, fridge, and freezer safe, as well as BPA-free for under $15! Wow!
Now for the Bentgo's performance. I LOVE this thing. I know some have mentioned they would like the size to be a little larger, but I have no qualms here. I normally put a leftover meal (i.e. chicken and rice something or other, pasta with a thick sauce, etc) in the lower compartment, with cold fruit and veggies in the top divided portion. I have also been able to pack a sandwich in the lower compartment if I cut it diagonally and situate the pieces so that they fit. I haven't had any situations where I wish I could pack more food in the Bentgo or anything like that. That's considering my usual lunchtime appetite, so YMMV. I'm not normally one to take salads for lunch, so I can't speak to how it works for salads, and that's where I have seen most people have issues with the Bentgo.
As far as the Bentgo's watertightness goes, I have not had any issues here, either so far. For thicker sauces, such as a thicker dressing (ranch, thousand island, etc) and some pasta sauces that aren't particularly viscous such as spaghetti sauce or thicker Alfredo's and pestos should not present any problems at all, really. As long as you're not replacing your football with your Bentgo or tossing it gleefully into the air as you walk, these sauces shouldn't come loose. I wouldn't recommend packing any oil and vinegar or broth-based soups in this thing, as they recommend against it, and I can see why. The silicone barrier seals well enough, but not completely, and the same goes for the upper lid. I have packed saucy dishes and ranch dressing in my Bentgo and have had no problems at all as long as I keep it upright.
The strap also works well and fulfills its duties admirably: it appears to be strong, durable, and does it's job keeping the two compartments fitted together well.
My only nit-picky item would be that the silicone barrier does stain, but it washes clean completely with just the stain left behind. This is purely cosmetic, and not anything I am concerned with at all, but it's worth mentioning. A simple bleach followed with a boil may take care of this issue, but I haven't tried that yet. Also, the utensils do pop out occasionally, but not always (for me). If they do pop out, I have found they do still keep the utensils in place during transit, they just aren't stuck in there.
The Bentgo delivered on everything I was looking for in a Bento: size, ease, and durable plasticity. I am now happily enjoying the Bento lifestyle, thanks to the Bentgo!
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I got these on sale, but still feel I may have overpaid.
1st: The utensils are neat, but don't fit very well in the slots and therefor don't stay secure in my experience. Plus, the fork tines are fairly wide, so I actually don't even bother to use any of them.
2nd: The band (by design) fits tightly. This is good, however it's a bit tricky to get on the set.
3rd: I've been using one for about a week. I washed it in the dishwasher initially and have hand washed each day since. The top box now has warped a bit around the center divider and the lid does not like to stay on at this point. I can get it on and as long as I put the band over it immediately, it still works. So even though they're dishwasher and microwave safe, the top box will warp.
If you are still interested in this product, my advice is to use the separated section for cold foods and hand wash that.
tl;dr utensils are crappy and the separated section will warp with heat.
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I use this every single day and I love it! Just adds some convenience to my hectic lifestyle. Would definitely buy again......and again......and again....
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Convenient! Small enough not to be a hassle to carry but big enough to store food plus it looks cute! Has utensils inside and even came with a coupon for me to get another strap for free in case I lose the original :)
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This knife works fine and has a nice case to store it away in. But I think there is a better knife out there some where. To turn it on one needs to push a soft button in,with your thumb, on the top of the knife. So when you use this knife for an extended time then ones thumb gets awfully sore pushing that button in.
