
The Rover comes with two round lidded containers that nestle inside the compartments, one large and one small, and more sizes and options are available for purchase. Its simple steel construction also makes it ultra-easy to clean, as you can throw the whole thing into the dishwasher. Yet in the same breath, they extol its durability: The Rover lasts years and shows wear less readily than any of our other lunch box picks. Many people who have bought the PlanetBox Rover Stainless Steel Lunchbox immediately concede that it cost more than they had ever expected to pay for a lunch box. (It’s covered by a two-year warranty.) If you’re looking for something that will last you longer, we’d lean toward the stainless steel Bentgo Kids box, though that version is more expensive. Our testing has shown that it typically lasts a school year or two, but it’s unlikely to hold up for many years. (Ideally, the external box should be washed by hand.) This plastic bento does have durability issues, however, as the latches and hinges are especially susceptible to breaking.

And the removable, dishwasher-safe inner tray makes for easy cleanup. The Bentgo Fresh has fewer parts for kids (and adults) to contend with than other bento lunch boxes, which means fewer lost pieces. And it’s compact enough that it doesn’t crowd a backpack but still comfortably holds plenty of food for an elementary-age kid (including a whole sandwich, which some other bentos can’t hold).


For one thing, it has a versatile layout: It comes with an optional divider that allows you to customize the compartments. The streamlined Bentgo Fresh Lunch Box is our favorite plastic bento for kids for a few reasons. Bento-style lunch boxes have convenient compartments within a rigid case to keep foods separate, protected, and nicely organized.
