Thermos Foogo Stainless Steel Food Jar Review

We purchased the Thermos Foogo Stainless Steel Food Jar so our reviewer could put it to the test with their family. Keep reading for our full product review.

Is your child sick of the sandwich you pack for lunch every day? If so, consider buying an inexpensive food thermos which can keep foods—like fruit, soup, or spaghetti and meatballs—hot or cold for up to 9 hours. These insulated containers maintain the temperature of their contents with durable stainless steel walls and vacuum insulation. They’re usually compact and fitted with tight, twist-on lids which prevent leakage when tossed in a backpack or purse. To see if the Thermos Foogo Stainless Steel Food Jar was up to speed with others on the market, we picked up the blue and orange version and took it to work with us. Read on for our full assessment of the thermos’ design, material, heating capacity, and more.

Design: Works for kids and adults 

Just as Kleenex is synonymous with facial tissues, Thermos is the most well-known insulated container brand. Some of Thermos’ options are intended just for kids while others are made for adults, but the Foogo Stainless Steel Food Jar falls somewhere in the middle. 

The 7.8 x 5.9 x 8.5-inch container is available in a handful of colors—purple and pink, charcoal and teal, blue and orange—that speak to users of all ages. And while the 10-ounce capacity offers enough space for an entire kid’s meal, it’s also a great size for snacks and sides. Additionally, the wide mouth makes it easy to fill, eat from, and clean. 

One feature that comes in handy—particularly for kids—is the soft, ergonomic rubber lid which is easy to grip even with wet or sticky hands. The thermos also has a rubber anti-slip bottom, so your child can keep it stationary while twisting off the top. While the durable stainless steel is double-walled and condensation-free, the one negative we did find is that it easily shows grease marks and fingerprints. 

Material: Feels quite sturdy 

The body of the Foogo Food Jar is made from double-walled stainless steel while the grippy bottom and lid are made with BPA-free plastic. The gasket in the lid ensures a tight fit and we didn’t experience any leakage even when we filled and shook the container. After a few days in our purse, the thermos stayed dent- and ding-free, so you won’t have to worry about damage if it’s tossed around in a toddler’s backpack or lunchbox. 

Heating Capacity: Comes close to what it promises 

Thermos’ Foogo Stainless Steel Food Jar claims to keep food warm for 5 hours or cold for 9 hours. In our testing, though, it didn’t quite deliver. To test the container’s insulation claims, we filled it with piping hot macaroni and cheese. We then checked in on the macaroni every hour to see how warm it was and whether the container appeared to be maintaining its temperature. 

In our tests, the macaroni and cheese stayed hot for roughly 2 hours. By 4 hours, it was warm enough to eat without microwaving (FYI—the thermos isn’t microwavable, so you’ll have to take out the food to reheat it separately), but it wasn’t as hot as we assumed it’d be. At our last check in, about 5 hours later, we found that the temperature was now steadily decreasing. Four hours isn’t too shabby if you’re packing a lunch at 8 a.m. and eating by 12 p.m., but if you're a mid-afternoon snacker, it might not cut it. All in all, the Foogo fell just short of its promise to keep our food hot for 5 hours. 

If you’re planning to use the Foogo for cold food or beverages, though, we have good news: the thermos lives up to its 9-hour promise. We filled the thermos with ice water and the ice hardly melted during our entire testing period. The only downside of using the container for liquids is that it only holds 10 ounces. If you’re planning to carry a breakfast smoothie or iced coffee, you’d be better served by an insulated travel mug. 

Care: Dishwasher-safe, but best to hand wash 

According to the Care and Use guide available on Thermos’ website, the Foogo Food Jar is top-rack dishwasher-safe, but you’re better off washing it by hand. This is because food scraps and liquid can get stuck between the lid, gasket, and thermos itself. Whichever way you choose to wash it, just make sure you separate the components and avoid harsh detergents and abrasive cleaning accessories like steel wool. To ensure an easy clean, you should also wash it within 24 hours of use; if you leave food or liquid in the thermos for multiple days, you risk mold forming on the gasket and lid stopper. 

Price: In line with other Thermos products

The Foogo Stainless Steel Food Jar has an MSRP of $17.99 which is on par with the brand’s other offerings. There are more expensive models available with more features, but for a small, basic thermos, the price is on par with the competition. 

Competition: Thermos is king 

Thermos Stainless King Food Jar: If 10 ounces just isn’t large enough for your needs, check out Thermos’ 16-ounce Stainless King Food Jar. The $25 container features the same double-walled stainless steel construction but it offers a whole lot more capacity and a full-size stainless steel spoon. 

Thermos FUNtainer Stainless Steel Food Jar: Thermos’ FUNtainer is fairly similar to the Foogo. Both products have a 10-ounce capacity and ergonomic rubber grips which make it easy to twist the top on and off. While the FUNtainer is a few dollars cheaper, Thermos says it can only keep food cold for 7 hours, as opposed to Foogo’s 9 hours. If that’s not a big deal, though, you may want to consider the FUNtainer—especially if you have little ones. The thermos is available in a variety of colors and themes from Minions 2 and Paw Patrol to Frozen and The Secret Life of Pets.