Campbell's Microwavable Chili/Soup Bowls: Did the designers even try it?
By Eddie. Tuesday, 1. November 2005, 16:30:34
I had one of these Campbell's chili bowls for lunch the other day. Very good idea- you toss one of these in your Ogio bag for a quick and easy lunch. Just add microwave...
Sounds good- but when I actually went to open this thing up, it had the "pull top" tab on it- the kind you see on a soda can. This consists of a pull up on the tab to break the seal, and a peel back to remove the lid.
The problem arises when you break the seal, chili begins to flow/seep over the top of the lid. It is designed such that the tin* breaks open near the pull tab, presumably to break the seal. This allows the product to spill over the top, presenting a problem as you begin the peel back process, because just like with tuna and other removable lids, once you get to the end, there is that little "flick" that takes place as you break the lid off. I grit my teeth and wrap a napkin around the "splash zone" as I pull the tin off. Not to mention that I'm eating lunch... which means I'm at work... which means I'm in clothes that don't work well with splatters all over them ("why.. is that a new tie?")
I imagine I should hold the chili so that the tab is angled up allowing any air in there to be right underneath the pull tab as I break the seal to prevent it seeping over top of the lid. But it seems a better idea is to keep the tab from allowing the seep. Find a way to get rid of the break in the tin. Bad design there. Now I always have to keep extra caution AND extra napkins when I have this for lunch.
*tin, aluminum, whatever it is... not really important
Sounds good- but when I actually went to open this thing up, it had the "pull top" tab on it- the kind you see on a soda can. This consists of a pull up on the tab to break the seal, and a peel back to remove the lid.
The problem arises when you break the seal, chili begins to flow/seep over the top of the lid. It is designed such that the tin* breaks open near the pull tab, presumably to break the seal. This allows the product to spill over the top, presenting a problem as you begin the peel back process, because just like with tuna and other removable lids, once you get to the end, there is that little "flick" that takes place as you break the lid off. I grit my teeth and wrap a napkin around the "splash zone" as I pull the tin off. Not to mention that I'm eating lunch... which means I'm at work... which means I'm in clothes that don't work well with splatters all over them ("why.. is that a new tie?")
I imagine I should hold the chili so that the tab is angled up allowing any air in there to be right underneath the pull tab as I break the seal to prevent it seeping over top of the lid. But it seems a better idea is to keep the tab from allowing the seep. Find a way to get rid of the break in the tin. Bad design there. Now I always have to keep extra caution AND extra napkins when I have this for lunch.
*tin, aluminum, whatever it is... not really important
WIDGETIZE