topic Re: Lock & Lock in Kitchen

Lock & Lock

EatWell — Wed, 16 May 2018 15:31:49 GMT

I have a small kitchen without much storage.

Thinking of purchasing Lock & Lock for storage needs.

Would use to store, freeze, and microwave.

What would you recommend as a complete kitchen set?

Do they leak?

Do they keep pesky kitchen bugs and ants out of my cereal, flour, and grains?

How many Lock & Lock containers do you own?

What color do you recommend?

How do you store yours?

Thanks.

Re: Lock & Lock

TX-starlight — Thu, 17 May 2018 16:31:30 GMT

@EatWell

*I have never had a leakage problem.

*Yes they keep out any bugs/ants.

*I own more L&L than I need. I can't even count them. I have the cereal keepers, pitchers, egg container, many small square containers, a few large containers (various sizes). Probably the only thing I do not have is lots of bowls. I have many times not listed here.

*Color would depend on you kitchen & favorites. (mine is RED).

*I store mine in the cabinet. I keep all my flour/sugar in L&L & in the fridge.

*I keep a few item in freezer in L&L. I do not like to use mine in the microwave.

I also have a small kitchen, or I would probably have more,lol. I no longer use any sort of cheap containers.

Re: Lock & Lock

EatWell — Wed, 16 May 2018 16:41:27 GMT

@TX-starlight

Thank you!

Re: Lock & Lock

froggy — Wed, 16 May 2018 16:44:51 GMT

I have enough L & L to open my own store. I prefer to buy squares and rectangles because they fit better in the fridge and cupboards. I have some very large sizes for dry pantry goods - flour, sugar, rice, cereal,etc.

Even though I have a lot of storage space I recently changed over to the sets that "nest" to save room for all my extra pieces. This is particulary good if you tend to use a lot of the same size - they stack more neatly.

I use them in the freezer but the main disadvantage to that is that if you drop one right out of the freezer it will most likely crack or break.

Re: Lock & Lock

Eileen in Virginia — Wed, 16 May 2018 16:51:13 GMT

We have a small kitchen,too and I use Lock and Lock for most of my storage. I really don’t know how much I own, but I can’t fit it all in my kitchen and have kept less frequently used items downstairs. I’ve frozen food in it and reheated it in the microwave. Insects don’t get into them. They don’t leak, either. Most of mine are clear, but I know some folks like to buy different colors to color-code them or to give as gifts. Here are some kitchen staples I wouldn’t be without: tall cereal containers, covered cereal bowls, bread holder (can also be used to store celery or other long veggies in the fridge), canister set, covered egg container, nesting mixing bowls, smaller rectangular nesting containers. I really like their covered appetizer caddy, covered pie carrier and other baking-related items. We put them in the dishwasher and find that it’s best to let them air dry before putting them away. We usually just nest them (with or without the lids). We nest the cereal bowls and small rectangular containers, storing the lids in ziplock bags. We nest some of the large, flat rectangular containers with their lids under them and keep them in the cabinets by the sink (these are great for storing stuff under the lunch meat drawer in our small fridge). The only problem we’ve had is with some of the clips breaking off some of our older (10+ years old) lids. If this happens, I just use that one for something that doesn’t need to be sealed. I’m sure others will give you more suggestions. QVC offers a wide variety of configurations at decent prices.

Re: Lock & Lock

EatWell — Wed, 16 May 2018 17:52:22 GMT

@Eileen in Virginia

@froggy

@TX-starlight

Thank you all.

I have put together a shopping list based on the Look & Lock you own,

If I heat up foods in the microwave like curry, red spaghetti sauce, or chili will those permanently stain the containers or lids?

And after reheating in the microwave and washing,, does Lock & Lock containers and lids retain the smelll of what I had cooked.?

Re: Lock & Lock

OKPrincess — Wed, 16 May 2018 18:07:13 GMT

I am a Lock n Lock addict. I have all shapes, sizes, and colors. I also have some I haven’t used yet but will someday. If they would stop making them I would stop buying!!🙀🙀

Re: Lock & Lock

chickenbutt — Wed, 16 May 2018 18:10:28 GMT

@EatWell wrote:

Thank you all.

I have put together a shopping list based on the Look & Lock you own,

If I heat up foods in the microwave like curry, red spaghetti sauce, or chili will those permanently stain the containers or lids?

And after reheating in the microwave and washing,, does Lock & Lock containers and lids retain the smelll of what I had cooked.?

If you use them to heat up stuff like that, yup, you will get stainage. They kind of pass over this, in lieu of just telling people they are microwave safe. Sure, they are - as that type of plastic will be - but you'll end up with staining, peeling, etc just like with the old Tupperware.

Don't get me wrong - I love L&L and have hundreds of pieces. It's in use in a huge way in my kitchen and a couple other rooms. It's a great product at great prices.

But I don't put mine i the microwave EVER and if I'm going to store some tomato-based type of food I make sure that it is completely cooled before putting it in there. In doing that, I've been using them for some 15 years without a single staining issue. HTH

Re: Lock & Lock

qualitygal — Wed, 16 May 2018 18:52:09 GMT

I've got a bunch of kinds too, but I use them. I don't use them in the microwave. Rarely in the freezer. But plenty in cupboards and the refrigerator. I really like the bowls. A lot of those sets. But I do stack them. I try not to watch the shows. LOL

Re: Lock & Lock

RedTop — Wed, 16 May 2018 21:52:29 GMT

@EatWell,

My advice is to keep Lock & Lock out of the microwave, if you want the bowls to continue looking nice.

Lock & Lock is sturdy enough to take the heat of a microwave, but heating will leave visible “scars” on the interior of the bowl. Starting with the first time, you will easily see where the plastic has blistered and etched from the heat, and this gets worse every time food is heated in that bowl.

Re: Lock & Lock

Daysdee — Thu, 17 May 2018 00:27:51 GMT

I have (too) many sets. I stared when clear was the only option. Later I got a round set in pink and a set with turquoiose lids. Now I only buy the different shades of purple/plum -- any close to purple. I love them. I also do not use them in the microwave and not too often in the freezer. I use them for flour, sugar, powdered sugar, veggies in the fridge either uncooked or cooked, dry dog food, etc. I do like the nestables, but have others. I keep excess items in a plastic bin (covered) in the garage. My kitchen is small. They do not leak and keep items fresher longer. Also, keep pasta, rice, etc. in them.

Re: Lock & Lock

EatWell — Thu, 17 May 2018 00:36:23 GMT

@RedTop wrote:
@EatWell,
My advice is to keep Lock & Lock out of the microwave, if you want the bowls to continue looking nice.

Lock & Lock is sturdy enough to take the heat of a microwave, but heating will leave visible “scars” on the interior of the bowl. Starting with the first time, you will easily see where the plastic has blistered and etched from the heat, and this gets worse every time food is heated in that bowl.

@RedTop

Thank you for your advice.

Do the containers or tops melt and deform after using in a microwave?

They will then leak, correct?

Re: Lock & Lock

EatWell — Thu, 17 May 2018 00:35:28 GMT

@Daysdee wrote:
I have (too) many sets. I stared when clear was the only option. Later I got a round set in pink and a set with turquoiose lids. Now I only buy the different shades of purple/plum -- any close to purple. I love them. I also do not use them in the microwave and not too often in the freezer. I use them for flour, sugar, powdered sugar, veggies in the fridge either uncooked or cooked, dry dog food, etc. I do like the nestables, but have others. I keep excess items in a plastic bin (covered) in the garage. My kitchen is small. They do not leak and keep items fresher longer. Also, keep pasta, rice, etc. in them.

@Daysdee

THANK YOU!

Re: Lock & Lock

froggy — Thu, 17 May 2018 00:40:54 GMT

@EatWell

Well, if you do use them in the microwave you would not leave the top on, ar least not sealed. If I do use them in the microwave I might just lay the lid loosely across the top. As others have said I prefer not to use them for this purpose since the inner surface get rough and or stained with any kind of red sauce. Nevertheless I have not found that my lids get warped or the seal losing it's effectiveness.

There is a set of handled bowls that have lids with a steam vent that can be opened. These are fine for the MW. I use them to heat frozen or canned veggies or soup.

Re: Lock & Lock

Mominohio — Thu, 17 May 2018 00:52:42 GMT

I love my Lock and Lock, and I probably have hundreds of pieces in total.

I will say, the bowls leak. Every one I've ever had, if really put to the test, will leak. The square and rectangles I don't have that problem with.

My suggestion would be to really consider what you want them for.

I love the cereal keepers (probably have 20 of those alone). I use them for cold cereal, hot cereals, dry pasta, rice, flour, sugar, instant mashed potatoes, dry noodles, and even sleeves of crackers or granola bars taken out of the boxes.

I have come to the place where I prefer to buy sets that all nest inside each other, with their lids on, when I'm not buying specialty larger pieces like the 9x13s, the cereal keepers, the egg containers, the pitchers etc.

They definitely do keep bugs out, they do keep food much fresher, much longer.

If you get into having them, you will find yourself taking almost everything you buy out of the grocery store packing, and putting it in Lock and Lock. You can see what you have, organize the cupboards, and keep things fresher longer.

I never use mine in the microwave. I don't like the results of pitting and staining that happens when heating in them, but many people do heat in them, and they are supposed to be chemical free and safe to do so.

@EatWell

Re: Lock & Lock

Eileen in Virginia — Thu, 17 May 2018 01:39:24 GMT

@EatWell wrote:
@Eileen in Virginia
@froggy
@TX-starlight

Thank you all.

I have put together a shopping list based on the Look & Lock you own,

If I heat up foods in the microwave like curry, red spaghetti sauce, or chili will those permanently stain the containers or lids?

And after reheating in the microwave and washing,, does Lock & Lock containers and lids retain the smelll of what I had cooked.?

When you put them in the microwave, just put the lid on top of the piece upside down and you won’t have a problem. They do get stained if you microwave tomato sauce in them, but they don’t retain the smell. Some of ours have gotten pockmarked from use in the microwave and others haven’t. I don’t worry about the pockmarks because the pieces still work fine.

Re: Lock & Lock

RedTop — Thu, 17 May 2018 01:47:37 GMT

@EatWell,

I think you would have to heat a Lock & Lock bowl for a very extended time in the microwave to experience actual melting. A quick 2-3 minutes is usually all it takes to heat soup or something, so there is no actual melting, but again the heat blisters and etches the inner plastic which is permanent damage.

My adult daughters ruined several cereal size bowls days after I received them, based solely on the fact they are well advertised as microwaveable. Once damaged, those bowls are the only ones they continue to use in the microwave. To my knowledge, none of our lids have ever been microwaved.

Re: Lock & Lock

Free2be — Thu, 17 May 2018 01:54:03 GMT

Today I sorted out the too-many containers, mostly Lock n Lock, some Snap Wear, Rubbermaid and the glass-like containers similar to Lock n Lock. It's too easy to have "too much" of this product.

Buy the least amount you think you'll need for refrigerator or freezer storage, unless you're going to revamp all of your dry goods into bug-proof containers -- then consider a storage brand that gives you better visual clarity for what is in the containers such as Oxo GoodGrips. Forget about putting lids into the microwave and also, forget about microwaving anything in Lock n Lock. If you must, use the glass-ware type containers in the microwave because they won't stain or hold oders or transfer what is in the Lock n Lock into stoneware or somethig that will tolerate the heat.

Re: Lock & Lock

brcala — Thu, 17 May 2018 03:08:42 GMT

I also have too many but love them all. I get a different color Everytime. It keeps everything fresh longer. When I open cookies, chips, crackers, cereal, I put it in L&L to keep it longer. Recently I put left over salad and it kept for a few days. Love it.

Re: Lock & Lock

qualitygal — Thu, 17 May 2018 09:52:37 GMT

Oh and the largest wide ones, great for flour, sugar, etc., but I love to pour the dry dog food in and keep it there. I put the scoop in the holder too.