Solo To Go, Microwaveable Deep Dish Plates & Lids: Just Not For Me.
Written: Apr 20 '07
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Strong plates, stackable, snap top, grips on plates
Cons: Environmentally friendly?
The Bottom Line: I am not really pro to an item like this that you only use once. Stick with plastic containers, unless you are giving leftovers to someone.
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| HJS33's Full Review: Solo To Go Microwaveable Deep Dish Plates and Lids |
Solo Cup Company
Highland Park, IL 60035
www.solocup.com
Background
We have a two person household, so we generally did not cook in bulk, that is until recently. Our quest to eat at home more, and perhaps even eat healthier, would only be possible if we made larger meals and saved the leftovers to eat during the week.
So, when I was given the opportunity to try Solo To Go Microwaveable Deep Dish Plates and Lids, I jumped at it. It sounded like a great way to handle all the leftovers. Then we could just come home, grab a plate of leftovers from the fridge, microwave it and it is ready to eat. I like the convenience of it all, but I do not really like the price, and I do not mean the cost, but I will get to that in a moment.
The Company and The Product
Solo To Go Microwaveable Deep Dish Plates and Lids are a new product by Solo Cup Company and is available at most food outlet stores starting in the Spring of 2007, which I guess is now, even though it is difficult to tell from the weather lately.
When you buy a package, you will get five plates and five lids, and it will cost you somewhere between $2.39 and $2.59 a package. The plates are black and oval shaped with gripable sides, which makes it easier to hold the plate, especially after it has been in the microwave and the contents are hot. There is a clear lid that snaps on the plate, so it is leak-resistant, and you can easily store them and stack them.
Features, Warnings/Directions
Here are some of the Features:
• Microwave Safe
• Leak Resistant
• Easy to Transport
• Stackable Design & Clear Lid (for viewing the contents inside)
• Disposable
• Handgrip Design
Here are some of the Warnings/Directions:
• Loosen Lid to Vent Before Microwaving
• Use Caution when Contents are Hot
• Do not Use in the Oven, on Stove Top, or Under Broilers
• Recommended Food Be Heated No Longer than 4 Minutes Total
• Let Plates Stand for 1 Minute in the Microwave Before Removing
• Not Recommended in Freezer. Not Dishwasher Safe
My Thoughts
When I first got the product, my husband cooked up some of his amazing curry shrimp. He made extra, and we used the plates and lids to store the leftovers and put them in the fridge. Now, the curry shrimp can be quite messy, especially if the top to the container is not on tight, but that was not a problem. The plates held a lot of the leftovers and were quite sturdy, making it easy to transport a good amount of food anywhere I needed to go. The lids snapped on tight and kept the food inside (leak-resistant). I had no problems transporting from the microwave to the table, or anywhere else, as the lid stayed securely on, the plate remained strong and the gripable sides were fantastic. So, the product delivers its promise, but . . . well, there is always a but.
The product allows you to heat, eat and store leftovers and meals without the messy clean up, and they are disposable. Yes, it delivers all that, but a specific “feature” makes me a little nervous. They say that the product is microwave safe, but I have some concern over this, especially since instructions on the product’s packaging specifically says not to heat in the microwave for more than 4 minutes. I assume if you heat the plate for more than 4 minutes it will start to melt, but then it leaves me wondering what is happening to the plate during the first 4 minutes. Does the product start to melt during the first 4 minutes? Are there some sort of chemicals going in my food? It is hard not to think about these questions when you look at the shape of the container after you have microwaved food in it and the shape is not quite the same as when it went into the microwave. I know I will probably not know the answers to these questions without viewing the data from their product testing, but it is something to think about.
Another issue I have, and I have this same issue with basic paper plates and paper cups, is that I cannot help but think that this is just really wasteful. I have no problem with the use of paper plates and cups at a large party, barbeque, etc., but I would never buy them at my house and just use them in place of a regular plate. I’d just use my own plates and wash them and/or use plastic containers to store the food. I guess in the back of my mind I thought that perhaps they could be reused. If you just washed them in the sink, you might be able to get one more use out of them, but it just does not seem worth the effort.
Overall
For me, I would not get enough use out of them to justify buying them/the price. I do think that they would be quite useful if you were planning a large dinner party or some other function (Thanksgiving perhaps?!) where you will have a lot of people over and they will want to take home leftovers. You could purchase a bunch of these plates and give them the leftovers in these plates instead of your plastic containers. Then you do not have to worry about never getting the plates back!
Thank you to SSC Grossman who sent me this product for free in exchange for my honest review.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
HJS33
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Location: West Bloomfield, MI
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