Outdoors

Hot Logic Mini heats food like a portable microwave

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The Hot Logic Mini is a portable cooking device designed to deliver moist, steaming meals with little effort
The Mini heats up your food in approximately 60 to 120 minutes and then keeps it at a "pathogenic safe temperature" until you pull it out and eat it
To use the Mini, you simply place a container of food inside, zip it up and plug it in
The Hot Logic Mini is a portable cooking device designed to deliver moist, steaming meals with little effort
The Mini is useful for heating lunch at work or other indoor locations where you don't have access to a kitchen
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About the size of a lunch box, the new Hot Logic Mini is billed as a "personal portable oven." The handy gadget is claimed to cook and heat food without drying it out, delivering a tasty meal with little effort.

Essentially a hot plate inside an insulated hot bag, the Mini transports easily thanks to its small, handled design. The top zips open to reveal an interior insulated with an aluminum lining, designed to retain heat from the built-in heating element.

To use the Mini, you simply place a container of food inside, zip it up and plug it in. Unlike a microwave, it works with a variety of containers, including metal, cardboard, plastic and glass. It heats up your food in approximately 60 to 120 minutes and then keeps it at a "pathogenic safe temperature" until you pull it out and eat it. According to Hot Logic, the system's gradual heating process cooks the food perfectly without burning it or drying it out.

The Mini is useful for heating lunch at work or other indoor locations where you don't have access to a kitchen

"It's like a slow cooker with a brain," says Jake Wisner, Sales Manager for Hot Logic. "There's no programming required, no dials or buttons. Just plug it in and go about your business."

Hot Logic's website and press materials talk about "heating" food, but they don't say anything about "cooking" it, as you could in an actual slow cooker. To clarify, we sent an email inquiry about whether you could cook a stir-fry-style dish starting with raw vegetables and raw chicken.

"The Mini is designed to automatically heat/cook meals and then hold the meal at a pathogenic safe temperature until removed," responds Don Wisner, president of Hot Logic's parent company Haven Innovation. "Yes you can put some chicken stir fry in the Mini in the morning, plug it in, go about your business, and at lunch enjoy a hot delicious meal."

"In addition, all Hot Logic products are energy efficient and generally use less energy to bring a meal to serving temperature than the energy required using a microwave."

The system has theoretical potential outdoors – for heating food up on a picnic or camping trip, for instance – but it doesn't have a battery and requires a 120-volt outlet. So, you'll either have to be near a location with power or bring a portable power supply. Still, Hot Logic appears to believe in the Mini's potential as an outdoor tool because it will be showing it at the Outdoor Retailer sports trade show next month.

Unless Hot Logic adds a battery, options like the Trekmates heating system and other flameless ration heaters are more versatile for outdoor use, but the Hot Logic Mini could have appeal for campers that use a portable power supply. The Mini is also useful for heating lunch at work or other indoor locations where you don't have access to a kitchen.

The Hot Logic Mini launched in May and is available now for US$49.97.

Source: Hot Logic

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8 comments
Slowburn
Not microwave like at all. but it might turn out really good hard cooked eggs.
Purple-Stater
Sooo........ contrary to the headline, it's nothing like a portable microwave.
Still, this does look about perfect for me. I work night shift and don't have easy access to a microwave.
Rocko
As an outdoor enthusiast, I find myself away from conventional appliances. So when I saw this article, the hot logic mini resonated well with me. Therefore, I did some research and it appears the "mini" can do and is so much more than how it was explained in this article. I found this YouTube channel (www.youtube/myhotlogic.com) to be very helpful, which after watching I purchased one!
happycamper
My husband and I have one of these, and we love using it for camping (which we do a lot). We have a camper, so the power access isn't an issue for us, but we did pick up a car charger port (just at our usual grocery store), and we LOVE using it for long road trips! Cuts back on how much time we spend at restaurants, and I really love planning out fresh meals, which we just bring along in our cooler and can pop the container in the Hot Logic before we want to eat.
Also, Purple-Slater is somewhat right - it's not really like a microwave (much better in my opinion, for many reasons!) in that it's more like a timerless "slow cooker".
Definitely worth checking out if you camp or road trip regularly.
Kitchen-Diva
I recently bought one of these so I could eat healthier when I'm on the road. My job requires me to be on the road a lot, and cold sandwiches get old so this is really perfect for me.
It didn't come with a car charger, but I found one at my auto parts store.
BigGoofyGuy
I agree it could have an appeal for campers since some camping sites have electrical outlets.
I think it would be great for office workers who eat at their desk (like pictured) and want a warm meal.
I think it is also good for travelers who don't want to pay for room service for a hot meal.
I think it has a lot of potential.
Michael Logue
I would like to see a larger version for pot-luck heating. It's always a problem trying to figure out a way to warm up a dish for an office party if you have a large casserole or something that won't fit in a microwave.
Betty Willis
Just bought one of these. Haven't used it yet but bought it for when we go to the casinos and spend a nite or 2 so we can reheat left overs. I have been looking for something like this for a long time. . thank u HotLogic Maybe you'll make one a little larger.