Sistema Brilliance Leakproof Food Storage Container review: "a firm favourite in this house"

Pricing on writing: £17 for two | Buy now from Amazon

If you’re trying to save money on lunches when working in the office, a high-quality, leakproof lunch box should be high up on your wishlist. Preparing packed lunches at home using the best Tupperware may involve a bit of forward planning, but it can help save a fortune on overpriced shop-bought sandwiches in the long run. 

Sistema is a trusted brand amongst Mumsnetters thanks to its wide range of storage containers and reusable bottles that are practical for storing food, both inside the home and whilst on the go. But will the Sistema Brilliance range live up to both its name and its leakproof reputation, and are the containers really resistant to odours and stains? Read on to see the full verdict from Lucy - Mumsnet writer and mum of two. 

Kitting out your kitchen? Don’t miss our guides to the best dishwasher and fridge freezers, as recommended by Mumsnetters.

Our verdict

• Design: 5/5 

• Quality of seal: 5/5 

• Versatility: 5/5 

• Ease of cleaning: 4.5/5

• Ease of storing: 4/5 

• Value for money: 4/5 

Despite the premium price tag, the durable and transparent Sistema Brilliance Food Storage Containers made a great addition to my packed lunches. My favourite feature was the high-quality leakproof lid, which kept my leftovers fresh and successfully prevented spills when carrying food outside the home.

The Tritan plastic design lived up to the brand's stain-resistant claim, even when storing tomato-based sauces and pasta. And thanks to the clever vent in the clips, I was even able to reheat my lunch in the microwave with the lid in place and no unsightly food splatters in sight. 

Sistema Brilliance Leakproof Food Storage Containers: design and style

My first impressions of the Sistema Brilliance containers was very positive. So clear they almost look like glass, these high-quality containers are actually made from transparent plastic, which feels robust, durable and built to stand the test of time. 

I tested the set of two 920ml containers, which I found were the ideal size for a packed lunch when heading to the office or for reheating leftover pasta I’d stored in the fridge the night before. With a modular, stackable design, they were also a convenient option for storing fruit and vegetables in the fridge, helping minimise air exposure to keep them fresher for longer. 

Unlike the LocknLock set and Joseph Joseph Nest Lock I also tested, each Sistema Brilliance container has a lid with just two clips to secure it, making it easier to use for children or those with restricted hand mobility. The lid sits flush over the edges of the entire base, with a thick black rubber seal that keeps the container airtight and prevents leaks. 

However, the cleverest feature of these containers is the vents in the clips - allowing you to microwave the entire container with the lid still in place. By simply keeping the clips raised, air and steam can be safely expelled through small holes during reheating without splattering pasta sauce all over your microwave’s interior. This was a big plus point for my family. 

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Leak test: how well does the Sistema Brilliance's seal perform? 

The lids on the Sistema Brilliance containers were faultless, with the two clips, lipped design and significant rubber seal inside creating a really impressive airtight and leakproof design, even with liquid contents inside. 

As such, I felt very confident using them as a lunch box for my daughter and even for carrying portions of casserole to and from the office in my bag - something which I would not have been prepared to risk with other containers such as the Lakeland Stack-a-Boxes.  

As a final test, I filled the Sistema Brilliance Food Storage Container with water and shook it quite vigorously. It didn’t spill a drop, so it certainly lives up to its name. 

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What were the Sistema Brilliance containers like to store?

The Sistema Brilliance Food Storage Containers have a modular design, which meant they stacked neatly inside my fridge, freezer and kitchen cupboard. 

That said, both containers in the set are the same size, so they didn’t nest or slot into each other in the same way as the Joseph Joseph Nest Lock did for simple storage. 

Due to their unique two-clip design, the likelihood of mixing up lids with other containers is slim, so I was always able to lay my hands on the lids quickly when I needed one. 

Related: The best American fridge freezer, tried and tested

How easy were the Sistema Brilliance containers to clean?

They were very easy to clean, with just a little extra effort needed on the lid to remove any remnants of sauce that gathered around the seal or the underside of the clips.

The containers are also dishwasher safe (on the top shelf) and came out of my slimline dishwasher with absolutely no warping or visible damage.

Best of all, Sistema claims the Tritan plastic material of these containers makes them far less susceptible to stains and unwelcome odours. Despite storing some pasta-based dishes with tomato sauces, I didn’t experience any stains or discolouration during the trial period. After cleaning, I also found the containers weren’t tainted by food smells or even the lemon scent from my dishwasher tablets. 

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Price: are the Sistema Brilliance Leakproof Food Storage Containers worth it?

At the time of writing, the Sistema Brilliance Leakproof Food Storage Containers will set you back a fairly substantial £17 for a set of two, making them quite expensive on a cost-per-item basis. 

While they’re clearly not the cheapest food storage container you can buy, their high-quality, stain-proof design, impressive leakproof seal, and the ability to reheat your lunches in the microwave without making a mess (as pictured above) made them a firm favourite in this house. 

How we tested

I used the Sistema Brilliance Leakproof Food Storage Containers inside and outside my home over two weeks, storing leftovers in my fridge to take to the office, or preparing packed lunches, including salads, fruit and pasta. 

During testing, I carefully assessed the Sistema Brilliance set for its quality and durability. I evaluated whether the lids lived up to their leakproof claim and were able to keep the contents airtight. I then considered how easy the containers were to clean.

• Tested across a fortnight

• Performed a 'water shake test' to assess the leakproof seal

• Used to store and transport a range of different foods

• Washed both by hand and in the dishwasher and tested its stain-resistant claim 

• Cross-compared with other kitchen storage containers I've tested for Mumsnet

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 product reviews on her own blog Real Mum Reviews since 2012, Lucy loves to research and explore the pros and cons of products, scrutinising expert guidance and consumer feedback to help people make confident purchases.  

Lucy has been working in the office more regularly over recent months, so knows only too well how easy it can be to waste money on morning coffees or shop-bought sandwiches. In an effort to be more food-shopping savvy, she’s attempting to prepare more packed lunches at home, so has enjoyed testing ten of the best food storage containers to see which ones performed the best. 

As well as reviewing products for Mumsnet, she’s also written several kitchen round-ups for the site, including the best budget dishwasher, the most energy-efficient dishwasher, and the sturdiest kettles for hard water areas. 

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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