LocknLock Eco Food Storage Containers review: ideal for sustainable snacking

Price on writing: £6 for a set of three | Buy now from Amazon

Whether you are planning to take food or snacks outside the home or want something to store leftovers in your fridge freezer, a plastic container is the obvious storage choice, but not all lunch boxes are sustainable. In fact, many budget products are made from thin and flimsy plastic that can inevitably end up in landfill after a relatively short life span.

If you’re looking for a more sustainable Tupperware choice, LocknLock has a range of eco-friendly containers that might just fit the bill. Made using offcuts, surplus stock and overruns from the production of their traditional LocknLock containers, these 100% BPA-free, food-grade waste plastic containers are each completely unique in colour. And thanks to their impressive lifetime guarantee, you can fully expect to be reusing them for many years to come.

With over 700 five-star reviews on Amazon, the LocknLock Eco Food Storage Containers are praised for their durability and airtight, leakproof lids, but will the non-transparent design prove to be a challenge? Mumsnet writer Lucy put them through their paces to find out. 

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Our verdict

• Design: 3.5/5

• Quality of seal: 5/5

• Versatility: 3.5/5

• Ease of cleaning: 4/5

• Ease of storing: 4/5

• Value for money: 4/5

If you’re looking for a sustainable way to store food outside the home, this set of three durable LocknLock Eco Containers makes an excellent choice. Crafted from 100% food-grade waste plastic, these robust and hard-wearing containers come with a lifetime guarantee, and it’s clear that they’re built to last.

I loved the clip-down airtight lid, which successfully kept my food fresh with zero leakage. Due to the nature of the reclaimed plastic, however, the unique colours are allocated at random, so there’s no guarantee of getting your colour of choice. The design is also less transparent than other storage containers I tested, so it can be more difficult to see the contents if you have all three stacked in your fridge or freezer. They're relatively small too, making them better suited to snacks and small portions rather than full meals and leftovers. 

LocknLock Eco Food Storage Containers: design and style

The LocknLock Eco Food Storage Containers are available in a range of sizes so you can easily find a set that matches your needs. I tested a set of three mixed containers, which included two measuring 350ml and one slightly larger size measuring 470ml. Their relatively compact design makes them well suited to housing small portions of fruit and snacks when travelling outside the home. 

Unlike some other plastic Tupperware containers, the LocknLock Eco set is sustainably made using salvaged food-grade plastic waste, converted into pellets to create unique containers in a range of colours.

Colours are allocated at random and I was sent green and brown, which if I’m honest, wouldn’t have been my first choice if I was able to pick. While the colour scheme fitted well with the eco nature of the product, I would have preferred some of the brighter shades available including pink, blue and purple. Unlike the original LocknLock Six-Piece Container Set I also tested, the eco containers are less transparent, and in the darker shade it was hard to see what I had stashed inside. 

That said, the containers are clearly built to last, made from high-quality, durable plastic that feels sturdy and solid. Like the other LocknLock containers, they come with an airtight and leakproof clip-on lid which secures all four sides of the container. I wasn’t surprised to learn that they have a lifetime guarantee, as they can certainly be dropped and knocked around without getting damaged, misshapen or warped. 

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Leak test: how well did the LocknLock Eco Food Container's seal perform? 

LocknLock claim their Eco Food Containers are 100% airtight and leakproof, and they certainly didn’t disappoint. 

The lid clips down on each side, creating a very secure fit and seal that lets nothing in and nothing out, even when turned upside down and shaken quite vigorously. 

As such, I felt confident throwing it into my rucksack during the commute to work, reassured that my mid-morning snack wouldn’t end up rolling around in the bottom of my bag. 

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What were the LocknLock Eco Food Storage Containers like to store?

The LocknLock containers were easy to store, with the potential to stack the three containers on top of each other. With a relatively small footprint, they don’t take up valuable storage space in your kitchen cupboards. 

As the lid for the larger container was a different colour to the smaller ones, I found it really easy to identify which lid fitted each container when packing them away from the dishwasher. 

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How easy were the LocknLock Eco Food Storage Containers to clean?

They were really easy to clean, either washing by hand or popping in the top shelf of my slimline dishwasher. Due to their robust build, I didn’t notice any negative effects from the dishwasher and any fruit residue such as strawberry stains washed away easily without leaving any remnants or staining behind. 

While I haven’t stored tomato-based food inside these containers due to their smaller size, many reviewers claim that the darker shades are less susceptible to staining - which is a benefit of the non-transparent design. 

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Price: are the LocknLock Eco Food Storage Containers worth it?

At the time of writing, the pack of three mixed LocknLock Eco Food Storage Containers retails at just £6. Despite their small size, I feel is good value for money, especially when you consider their sustainable nature, the lifetime guarantee and the quality of the airtight, leakproof seal. The only hesitation I have on their overall value for money is the random colour selection, as there’s no guarantee you’ll like the colour choices that arrive. 

How we tested

I tested the LocknLock Eco Food Storage Containers over a fortnight, using them regularly both inside and outside the home.

Due to their small size, they were used to store small portions of fruit and snacks to keep my energy levels up during trips to the office, as well as for popping in my daughter’s school bag as part of her packed lunch.

During testing, I carefully reviewed each container's overall quality and durability, as well as the effectiveness of the airtight, leakproof lid. 

• Tested over a fortnight inside the home and on the go 

• Conducted a leak test, shaking liquid vigorously in the containers to assess the leakproof claims

• Washed regularly both by hand and in the dishwasher, assessing any signs of stains

• Cross-compared with other Tupperware products I've tested, including other items from the LocknLock range

About the author

Lucy Cotterill is a mum of two and a Content Writer at Mumsnet, specialising in baby/child and lifestyle product reviews and round-ups. Having written reviews on her own blog Real Mum Reviews since 2012, Lucy loves to research and explore the pros and cons of products, scrutinising expert opinions and consumer feedback to help people make confident purchases.  

In addition to writing various Mumsnet kitchen roundups such as the best integrated dishwashers and the most stylish kettle and toaster sets, Lucy has been on a food storage mission this year. She’s been actively testing and reviewing 10 different food storage containers both inside and outside the home to help find the best options for Mumsnet users, including Tupperware ideal for doubling up as a lunch box.

Originally from a HR background with a degree in Business Studies, Lucy developed a real passion for blogging and writing when her children were young, going on to write for several online publications including US parenting site Pregistry and the Evening Standard. When she’s not manically tapping the keys of her laptop, Lucy loves nothing more than to cosy up with her Kindle and enjoy the latest thriller, head for a swim at the local gym or compete in Nintendo Switch rallies with her daughters aged six and 10.

About Mumsnet Reviews

All Mumsnet product reviews are written by real people after extensive research and testing. We work hard to provide honest and independent advice you can trust. Sometimes, we earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. However, we never allow this to influence our coverage.

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