TRAVELISIMO Electric Lunch Box review: a hot lunch without a microwave
A 100-watt heated lunch box with a roomy 1.5-liter steel container and cables for the wall socket, the car and the truck. I plugged it in before lunch and ate hot leftovers at my desk and on the road. It's slow, though, and you need to stir.
In this review
Yes, if you eat lunch at work or in a vehicle and don't have a microwave handy. The TRAVELISIMO Electric Lunch Box gave me properly hot rice, pasta, stews and leftovers, the 1.5-liter container holds a generous meal, and the wall and vehicle cables make it work almost anywhere. Its biggest limitation is time: plan on 30 to 45 minutes, and give the food a stir halfway.
TRAVELISIMO Electric Lunch Box at a glance
TRAVELISIMO Electric Lunch Box pros and cons
- Generous 1.5-liter capacity
- Works with wall outlets and 12V or 24V vehicle sockets
- Removable stainless-steel food container
- Handles a wide range of leftovers and homemade meals
- Food stays moist with the lid closed
- Straightforward plug-in operation
- Extra plastic compartment for sides
- Much slower than a microwave
- Needs a power source, there's no battery
- Dense food heats unevenly if you don't stir
- Cables, clips and plastic housing need careful handling
- The indicator light doesn't tell you the food is hot enough
Who should buy the TRAVELISIMO Electric Lunch Box?
- Office workers without a microwave, or tired of the microwave line
- Truck drivers, delivery drivers and field workers who eat in the cab
- Anyone who brings homemade leftovers to work
- People who plan lunch ahead and can plug in 45 minutes early
- Road trips, campsites with power and long days on site
- Anyone who needs lunch hot the moment the break starts
- People with no outlet or vehicle socket nearby
- Anyone who wants a cordless, battery-powered box
- Big frozen blocks of food you want hot fast
Our picks at a glance
EAST OAK Cordless Electric Lunch Box
Battery-powered, with a 1.3-liter container and scheduled heating, so lunch can be hot without a cable in sight.
LISHZEN Electric Lunch Box
A 2.8-liter, two-layer box that keeps the main dish and the sides apart.
Drafin Electric Heated Lunch Box
A cordless 100-watt box with a 6.3-cup container and a 20,000 mAh battery.
TRAVELISIMO Electric Lunch Box
A 100-watt, 1.5-liter warmer with cables for 110V outlets and 12V or 24V vehicle sockets.
Crock-Pot 20oz Portable Electric Food Warmer
A compact plug-in warmer for one small portion, with a dishwasher-safe inner container.
Prices change often. Click through to see the current price on Amazon.
First impressions of the TRAVELISIMO lunch box
For years, my workday lunch options were a cold sandwich or a long wait at a shared microwave.
Neither felt like a real meal.
The TRAVELISIMO Electric Lunch Box promises a third option: bring last night's dinner, plug it in before your break and eat it hot.
No microwave, no queue and no takeout bill.
Out of the box, it felt lighter than I expected.
It weighs about 2 pounds, or roughly 907 grams, which is easy to carry in a work bag or leave on a truck seat.
The shape is a chunky rounded rectangle with two big side clips and a carry handle folded flat over the lid.
Open it up and you find a stainless-steel tray sitting on the heating base, with a small plastic side container on top.
My first thought was that this is a simple product.
There's no app, no timer and no menu, just a cable, a light and a lid.
After a few weeks of lunches, that simplicity turned out to be one of the things I liked most.
The TRAVELISIMO fits on a desk next to your coffee, and it doesn't take more room than a laptop charger.
What the TRAVELISIMO Electric Lunch Box actually is
An electric lunch box is basically a small hot plate with a lid.
A heating element in the base warms a metal food tray, and the closed lid traps the heat and steam so the food warms through slowly.
The TRAVELISIMO is rated at 100 watts.
That's a lot less than a microwave, which is why it takes half an hour instead of two minutes.
It's also why it can run from a car or truck socket, which a microwave never could.
The main selling point is the 3-in-1 power setup.
One cable goes into a regular 110-volt wall outlet, and a second cable fits a 12-volt car socket or a 24-volt truck socket.
The food tray holds 1.5 liters, and it's made of stainless steel rather than plastic.
TRAVELISIMO is a small US brand, and this model is one of the best-selling electric lunch boxes on Amazon, with well over 25,000 ratings.
That track record is part of why I wanted to test it properly, rather than just trust the star rating.
Design and what’s in the box
The version I tested is the Dark Green colorway, with a dark body and green clips and handle.
It also comes in other colors, including all-green, dark blue, neon blue, gray and black.
There's a front power light with the TRAVELISIMO logo above it, and the cable plugs into the side.
The two side clips lock the lid down firmly, and the carry handle folds up when you want to grab it on the way out.
Inside the box I found:
- The heating base with lid
- A removable 1.5-liter stainless-steel food tray
- A small plastic side container with its own lid
- A cable for 110-volt wall outlets
- A cable for 12-volt and 24-volt vehicle sockets
- A fork and spoon
- An insulated carry bag
There's also a cheaper version without the bag, if you already have a lunch bag that fits.
Setup is almost nonexistent.
I washed the steel tray, put food in it, clipped the lid shut and plugged it in.
The light came on, and that was that.
The side clips lock the lid down tight, so the box travels without spills.
TRAVELISIMO heating performance: how long does it take?
This is the part that matters most, so I'll be clear.
In my testing, the TRAVELISIMO heated a typical refrigerated meal in around 30 to 45 minutes.
TRAVELISIMO advertises 20 to 30 minutes, and some of its own charts say 20 to 40.
Smaller portions got close to that, but a full container of fridge-cold food took me longer.
What changes the heating time
Three things made the biggest difference for me.
The first is portion size.
A modest portion spread thinly across the tray heated much faster than a full, heaped container.
The second is the starting temperature.
Food straight out of the fridge takes noticeably longer than food that's been sitting in a lunch bag all morning.
The third is the power source.
Results varied a little between the wall cable and the vehicle cable, so I'd allow some extra time in the car.
It heats from the bottom
Because the element sits under the tray, the food heats from the bottom up.
The layer touching the steel gets hot first, while the top and the center lag behind.
Stirring midway made a real difference.
When I opened the lid around the halfway point and gave the food a quick stir, the heat spread out far more evenly and the meal finished sooner.
It's a small habit, but it's the single best tip I can give for this lunch box.
How I fit it into my day
The trick is to stop thinking of it like a microwave.
I plugged it in about 45 minutes before I wanted to eat, went back to work, and by my break lunch was hot and waiting.
Once that became routine, the slow heating mostly stopped bothering me.
It only bothered me on days when my break came early or I forgot to plug it in.
That's why I scored heating 8.0 rather than higher: it gets the job done, but it asks you to plan.
Plug it in before your break and keep working; lunch is ready when you are.
Food quality: does it taste reheated?
This is where the TRAVELISIMO surprised me the most.
Slow heating with the lid closed is gentler than a microwave.
Rice, pasta, stews and leftovers kept good moisture, and nothing came out rubbery or dried out at the edges.
The steam stays inside, so the food basically warms in its own moisture.
Rice and pasta
Rice dishes were some of the best results in my test.
They came out soft and evenly warm, as long as I broke up the clumps when I stirred.
Pasta in sauce did well too, because the sauce helps spread the heat.
Stews, curries and saucy leftovers
Anything with a bit of liquid is where this lunch box shines.
Stews and curries heated through nicely and tasted close to freshly made.
Dry and dense food
Dry food is the one category that needs a little help.
Adding a few drops of water before closing the lid made a clear difference, and TRAVELISIMO itself recommends a splash of water too.
Dense meals, like a thick pasta bake, can heat unevenly if you don't stir.
The bottom can be hot while the middle is still lukewarm.
Cutting dense food into smaller pieces and spreading it out evenly helped a lot.
Overall, I scored food quality 9.0, which is one of the highest marks I gave it.
Saucy meals like spaghetti and meatballs come out hot and moist, with no dried-out edges.
Using it at the office, in the car and in a truck
The 3-in-1 power options are what make the TRAVELISIMO so versatile.
It's also why we name it the best electric lunch box for drivers in our electric lunch box guide.
At the office
At my desk, I used the wall cable.
The box sits quietly next to the keyboard with no fan noise, and the only sign it's working is the light and, eventually, the smell of lunch.
That's worth knowing if you share a desk area: strong-smelling leftovers will announce themselves.
In the car
In the car, I plugged the vehicle cable into the 12-volt socket.
It works the same way, just give it a little extra time.
My advice is to only heat while the engine is running, so you don't drain the car battery during a long lunch break.
I also kept the box on a flat, stable spot where it couldn't slide around.
In a truck
The same vehicle cable handles 24-volt sockets, which is what many trucks use.
That's a big deal for professional drivers, because plenty of cheaper lunch boxes only support 12 volts.
Plug it in half an hour or so before you stop, and a hot meal is waiting when you pull over.
Portability got a 9.0 from me.
At about 2 pounds with two cables, it's easy to move between the house, the vehicle and the workplace.
The vehicle cable turns a center console into a lunch spot.
It supports 24-volt truck sockets too, which many cheaper lunch boxes don't.
Capacity: how much food fits?
The 1.5-liter steel tray holds a generous individual lunch.
A full portion of rice with curry, or a big serving of pasta, fit comfortably with room to stir.
For most people, that's more than one meal's worth of space.
The extra plastic compartment is useful too.
I used it for sides and sauces that I didn't want heated, like salad, fruit or yogurt.
Keep that plastic container out of the heated tray during heating, though; it's there to keep things separate, not to go on the hot plate.
One handy detail is that you can prep the steel tray the night before.
I filled it in the evening, kept it in the fridge with the lid on top and clipped it back into the base in the morning.
My one note is not to overfill it.
A heaped tray takes longer to heat and is harder to stir, so I found a level, even layer works best.
I scored capacity 9.0.
The 1.5-liter tray holds a full plate of pasta with room left to stir.
Cleaning the TRAVELISIMO lunch box
Cleaning is easy, mostly because the food never touches the electrical part.
The stainless-steel tray lifts out, and I washed it in the sink like any other dish.
TRAVELISIMO says it's dishwasher safe, which is a nice extra on busy days.
Saucy food can bake onto the bottom if you heat it for too long without stirring, so I found a quick soak helps.
The heating base is a different story.
It must stay dry, so never put it under the tap or in the dishwasher.
I just wiped it with a damp cloth when a drip landed on it.
Always unplug it and let it cool before you clean anything, and follow the care instructions that come with your exact model.
I scored cleaning 8.0.
It's easy, but you do need to be careful with the base and the lid seal.
Build quality: the weakest point
Build quality is where the TRAVELISIMO lost the most points, with a 7.0.
The metal food tray is practical and solid.
The rest of the box is plastic, and it feels like it.
The plastic housing, the cable connections and the lid clips all deserve careful handling.
The clips are firm, but I wouldn't want to force them or snap them shut carelessly a thousand times.
The power connector is the part I'd keep an eye on.
Push the plug in fully, pull it out by the plug rather than the cable, and check the connector regularly for signs of wear or scorching.
If it ever looks damaged, stop using it.
The good news is that TRAVELISIMO lists a two-year warranty on Amazon, which takes some of the risk out of it.
None of this stopped it from working during my test.
But it's a budget lunch box, and it's built like one.
Food safety tips for electric lunch boxes
One thing I want to stress is what the indicator light actually tells you.
It shows that the unit is powered on, not that your food has reached a safe temperature.
For leftovers, that difference matters.
During my test, I checked the center of each meal with a food thermometer.
Leftovers should reach 165°F, or 74°C, all the way through.
A cheap instant-read thermometer is worth keeping in your bag, at least until you learn how long your usual meals take.
There's no timer and no automatic shut-off, so don't leave food heating unattended for long stretches.
Once it's hot, unplug it and eat.
A few more habits I'd recommend:
- Keep food chilled until you're ready to heat it.
- Stir midway and check the center, not the edges.
- Don't heat it inside the insulated carry bag.
- Let the box cool down before you pack it away.
- Only use the vehicle cable while the engine is running.
Is the TRAVELISIMO Electric Lunch Box worth the money?
At around $40 on Amazon for the version with the carry bag, the TRAVELISIMO is good value.
The version without the bag usually costs less.
It's particularly useful for workers and drivers who don't have access to a microwave.
If it replaces a couple of takeout lunches a week, it pays for itself very quickly.
It's less convenient if you need lunch ready the moment your break starts.
In that case, a microwave, or a cordless box with scheduled heating, will suit you better.
Compared with cordless models, which often cost two to three times as much, the TRAVELISIMO is a simple, affordable choice.
You give up battery power, but you gain 24-volt truck support and a lower price.
I scored value 9.0.
Prices move, so check the current price on Amazon before you buy.
TRAVELISIMO Electric Lunch Box specifications
From the Amazon listing and my own testing.
TRAVELISIMO vs EAST OAK vs LISHZEN vs Crock-Pot
Here's how the TRAVELISIMO stacks up against the other electric lunch boxes in our guide. It's the one to get if you need wall and truck power at a low price.
| TRAVELISIMO | EAST OAK | LISHZEN | Crock-Pot 20oz | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power | 110V, 12V, 24V | Battery (cordless) | Plug-in | Wall plug |
| Capacity | 1.5 L | 1.3 L | 2.8 L, two layers | 20 oz |
| Scheduled heating | No | Yes | No | No |
| Our score | 8.6 | 9.2 | 9.0 | 8.4 |
| Best for | Drivers, offices | No outlet nearby | Big appetites | Soup |
Best TRAVELISIMO Electric Lunch Box alternatives
If the slow heating or the cable puts you off, there are a few good alternatives.
The EAST OAK Cordless Electric Lunch Box is our overall pick.
It runs on a battery and can heat on a schedule, so lunch is hot without a cable, but it costs a lot more.
If you eat big portions, the LISHZEN Electric Lunch Box has a 2.8-liter, two-layer design that keeps mains and sides apart.
For cordless heating with a larger container, the Drafin Electric Heated Lunch Box pairs a 100-watt heater with a 20,000 mAh battery.
And if you mostly eat soup, the Crock-Pot 20oz Portable Food Warmer is a compact, single-portion option.
How I tested and scored the TRAVELISIMO Electric Lunch Box
I used the TRAVELISIMO Electric Lunch Box the way it's meant to be used: heating refrigerated homemade meals and leftovers for lunch, at a desk on wall power and in a vehicle on the 12-volt cable.
I heated rice, pasta, stews and other leftovers, timed how long they took, stirred midway and checked the center of each meal with a food thermometer.
I scored it on eight criteria, each out of 10.
- Heating performance (8.0): how quickly and evenly it heated a typical refrigerated meal.
- Food quality (9.0): moisture, texture and how evenly the food was heated.
- Capacity (9.0): how much food fits, and how useful the extra compartment is.
- Portability (9.0): weight, size and the wall and vehicle power options.
- Ease of use (9.0): setup, operation and how clear the indicator is.
- Cleaning (8.0): how easy the tray and the base are to keep clean.
- Build quality (7.0): the housing, cable connections and lid clips.
- Value (9.0): what you get for the price compared with rivals.
The overall score of 8.6 is an editorial rating. I also checked TRAVELISIMO's published specifications and compared them with the other lunch boxes in our guide. BrasQ editor-in-chief Ryan Mitchell reviewed the facts and figures before publication.
TRAVELISIMO Electric Lunch Box FAQ
Is the TRAVELISIMO Electric Lunch Box worth it?
Yes, if you eat lunch at work or in a vehicle without a microwave. It scored 8.6 out of 10 in our hands-on review: it heats food well, holds a generous 1.5 liters and runs on wall, car and truck power. If you need lunch hot in minutes, a microwave is still faster.
How long does the TRAVELISIMO lunch box take to heat food?
In my testing, a typical refrigerated meal took around 30 to 45 minutes, depending on portion size, starting temperature and power source. TRAVELISIMO advertises 20 to 30 minutes, which is realistic for smaller or less cold portions.
Does it work in a car and a truck?
Yes. It comes with a wall cable for 110-volt outlets and a vehicle cable that works with 12-volt car sockets and 24-volt truck sockets.
How much food does it hold?
The removable stainless-steel tray holds 1.5 liters, which is enough for a generous individual lunch. There's also a small plastic side container for food you don't want heated.
Should I add water before heating?
For dry foods, yes. A few drops of water help keep food moist. Saucy meals, stews and pasta in sauce usually don't need any.
Do I need to stir the food?
It helps a lot. The lunch box heats from the bottom, so stirring midway spreads the heat evenly and stops dense meals from staying cold in the middle.
Is the TRAVELISIMO lunch box dishwasher safe?
The stainless-steel food tray is dishwasher safe. The heating base must stay dry, so wipe it with a damp cloth instead.
Does the light mean my food is ready?
No. The indicator light only shows that the unit has power. Check the center of the meal with a food thermometer and make sure leftovers reach 165°F (74°C).
Does it have a battery or a timer?
No. The TRAVELISIMO needs a power source, and there's no timer or automatic shut-off, so don't leave it heating unattended for long periods.
- Hands-on testing of the TRAVELISIMO Electric Lunch Box (1.5 L, Dark Green) by Thomas Walker
- Amazon product listing for the TRAVELISIMO Electric Lunch Box (ASIN B0BZ3NCPB7), October 2026
- USDA food safety guidance on reheating leftovers to 165°F
- Manufacturer specifications for the EAST OAK, LISHZEN, Drafin and Crock-Pot lunch boxes
- Review published.
