If you pack lunch to work, then using the microwave is probably a regular part of your lunch routine. It works well enough. Problem is, other people who pack lunch probably use the same microwave, too, so there’s usually some wait time involved before you can actually start eating. If you want to skip the line at the microwave, maybe you can reheat your food using the Steasy Plug-In instead.
At first glance, it looks like any insulated lunchbox. Sure, it’s a bit bigger than usual, but people will just think you like packing a heavy lunch. Inside, however, it hides a steamer system that allows you to steam your food a few minutes before lunch time, sparing you from the queue at the microwave station.
The Steasy Plug-In is billed as a “self-heating steam lunchbox,” which does seem like a suitable name for it. It actually consists of three parts: the main food tray, the lid, and the steamer base. The food tray is made from metal, so it should be plenty easy to clean even for those times you pack your favorite greasy grub, all while coming with a capacity of 400 grams, which should let you fit in a good quantity of food.
To steam your meal, simply take off the lid and remove the tray from the base, which will reveal the steaming system. From there, you just pour water into the base, put the tray and lid back on, and plug it in. A power button on the base lets you activate the pre-programmed settings on the steamer (gentle steaming for 30 minutes), although there’s also a companion app that lets you set the timer manually (if you want to go faster or slower), with the system automatically adjusting temperature based on that. A light indicator right on top of the power button lets you know when it’s running.
The Steasy Plug-In has a lid that completely seals everything in, so there’s no smell, no steam, and no leaks the whole time your food is steaming inside. Of course, there’s going to be a heck of a lot of steam once you take off the lid, so make sure to keep it away from folks unless they enjoy bathing in an uncomfortable mist of steam. Since the food never touches the base at any time, you should be able to simply wipe it down for cleaning, with only the tray and the lid likely requiring proper dishwashing. The whole thing, by the way, measures 9.2 x 6.9 x 3.2 inches (width x depth x thickness), all while weighing 2.2 pounds when completely empty.
Why go through all the trouble when you can just microwave? According to the outfit, steaming your food gently allows it to better preserve nutrients, all while heating everything evenly both inside and out. Since your food is cooking in steam, it also won’t leave food dry, allowing food to reheat fresher, more tender, and more flavorful compared to the microwave.
A Kickstarter campaign is currently running for the Steasy Plug-In. You can reserve a unit for pledges starting at $124.
