PlanetBox Explorer Leakproof Lunch Box Set
A leakproof steel box that seals with a bare stainless lid and a drop-in silicone ring - no plastic lid frame anywhere in the seal.
The verdict: Silicone only
Everything structural is 304 stainless: the outer box, the removable inner tray, the lid, and both latches. The seal is a single silicone gasket ring that drops into the underside of the steel lid, and it is the only non-steel part in the box. That distinction matters more than it sounds. The usual way to make a steel bento leakproof is a plastic lid frame carrying a silicone ring, which puts a molded plastic face directly over the food; here the lid is bare stainless and the silicone does nothing but sit in its channel. The gasket lifts out for cleaning and is sold as a replacement part, so the one elastomer in the system is the one part you can renew.
What it's made of
| Part | Material | Food contact |
|---|---|---|
| outer box 304 stainless; holds food directly when the inner tray is lifted out | Stainless Steel 304 / 18-8 | Yes primary |
| removable inner tray lifts out and is the only part of the set rated microwave safe | Stainless Steel 304 / 18-8 | Yes primary |
| lid bare stainless on both faces; no plastic frame or liner | Stainless Steel 304 / 18-8 | Yes primary |
| lid gasket LFGB silicone ring seated in a channel on the lid underside; removable and sold as a spare | Silicone | Yes seal |
| latches two steel over-center latches, one on each long side | Stainless Steel 304 / 18-8 | No |
PlanetBox's adult-sized box and the first in the line built to actually hold soup. It is a deep single-cavity steel box with a shallow steel tray nested inside, so you get a two-level pack rather than fixed compartments - lift the tray out for one big cavity, leave it in for a split. Two over-center latches pull the lid down onto the gasket. It takes Rover Dippers and Pods if you want more subdivision, and the lid face is magnetic for the decorative magnet sets. At 4.79 cups it is a full adult lunch, not a kid portion.
Pros
- The removable inner tray is microwave safe, which almost no steel box can claim
- Genuinely leakproof, so soup and dressings travel without a separate jar
- Gasket lifts out for cleaning and can be replaced rather than binning the box
- Two-level packing is more flexible than fixed compartments
Cons
- Heavy at 1.2 lb empty, before food
- Only the inner tray is microwave safe - the box and lid are not
- Over-center latches take a firm hand; young kids will struggle
- The gasket is a wear part and will need replacing eventually
Notes
- Do not run it through the dishwasher with decorative magnets attached.
- The replacement gasket and replacement inner tray are both sold separately, which is what makes this a long-lived box rather than a disposable one.
- Sold in a range of printed magnet designs; the box itself is identical across them.
Common questions
Does the PlanetBox Explorer Leakproof Lunch Box Set have plastic in it?
No petroleum plastic touches your food. On the PlanetBox Explorer Leakproof Lunch Box Set, the lid gasket is silicone, and the rest of the food path is stainless steel.
What is the PlanetBox Explorer Leakproof Lunch Box Set made of?
Part by part, the PlanetBox Explorer Leakproof Lunch Box Set is: outer box — stainless steel; removable inner tray — stainless steel; lid — stainless steel; lid gasket — silicone; latches — stainless steel.
Does the PlanetBox Explorer Leakproof Lunch Box Set have silicone in it?
Yes — the lid gasket is silicone on the PlanetBox Explorer Leakproof Lunch Box Set. It is a seal rather than a surface your food sits against, which is stainless steel.
Is the PlanetBox Explorer Leakproof Lunch Box Set BPA-free?
No plastic touches your food on the PlanetBox Explorer Leakproof Lunch Box Set — the food path is stainless steel and silicone — so BPA, which comes from polycarbonate and epoxy plastics, is not in play here.
Where is the PlanetBox Explorer Leakproof Lunch Box Set made?
The PlanetBox Explorer Leakproof Lunch Box Set is made in China.
Categories: Lunch Boxes
Sources
Every material claim above is backed by these. This is the scattered info we centralized.
- manufacturer https://www.planetbox.com/products/explorer-leakproof-lunch-box-set spec line reads - Material: 304 stainless steel and LFGB silicone; care note confirms only the removable tray is microwave safe
- manufacturer https://www.planetbox.com/products/explorer-lunch-box-lid-gasket replacement lid gasket sold as its own part, confirming the silicone ring is a discrete removable component rather than bonded into a lid frame
- manufacturer https://www.planetbox.com/products/explorer-lunch-box-tray replacement inner tray listing confirms the tray is a separate stainless piece
Spot a mistake or something out of date? Let us know — corrections are how this stays accurate.