Do you use Lock & Lock or similar containers at home to store your foodstuffs and other items, or convert to using them to guarantee the freshness and taste of your food – only to find out that they still did deteriorate one way or another (although at a slower pace)? Are you the type who, like me, loves to keep food for a long time then regrets it because they’ve gone stale or bland?

Especially in an infernally hot tropical climate like where I live, these containers are effective in being airtight and leakproof. Unfortunately, 1) the heat here still subjects the container’s contents to some form of deterioration unless refrigerated or frozen; and 2) there is still air trapped inside the container. We can’t do anything about #1 except, as said, refrigerate or freeze, but we can do something about #2. In fact, it has already been done through a Kickstarter campaign and has won several awards already last year. Fellow domestic deities, meet EVAK.

EVAK/Prepara (click to visit)

EVAK takes the innovation done by Lock & Lock to a whole new level. Like Lock & Lock, it is leakproof and airtight. However, it goes beyond that: it actually removes the air that is trapped inside with your food, guaranteeing a much longer time of freshness. It does so with a twin-valve system that forces air out as you push the lid down, and lets you pull it up easily with no friction. This way, your food is essentially stored in a vacuum, thereby ensuring its freshness and taste.

The jar itself is made of glass, and not just any glass – it’s made from borosilicate glass, known for Pyrex usage. The bottom of the handle – the part that touches the food – is made from our old friend, stainless steel. The handle itself is also made of a quality plastic, and comes with a quality silicon gasket. Oh, and did I mention that said plastic is BPA-free? EVAK’s creators were certainly thinking about sustainability and safety when conceptualizing this product.

They advertise EVAK as suitable for coffee, tea, dried fruits, granola, herbs, and the like. Based on how we use containers at home, I’d see it used for oatmeal, popcorn kernels, coffee, tea, herbs, and chocolate candies like M&Ms. 😉

EVAK comes in gloss or matte black or gloss white (for the handle), and in two sizes, described below:

Medium – enough for 1/2 lb of coffee

• Milliliters (mL): 709
• Cups: 3
• Quarts (qt.): 0.75
• Ounces (oz.).: 24

Large – enough for 1 lb of coffee

• Milliliters (mL): 1,360 (1.36 L)
• Cups: 5.75
• Quarts (qt.): 1.4
• Ounces (oz.).: 46

As an extra-thoughtful gesture by them, they even offer replacement glass jars should you unintentionally break yours – although as I said, they’re made of Pyrex glass, which is notoriously durable even for careless cooks (like me). But it’s thoughtful and convenient nonetheless, as I hate it whenever I end up with useless parts of things whose glass parts broke.

I choose EVAK containers because of their quality that ensures safety, the concept that keeps food fresh and tasty, and the sustainability of their materials. It’s a CSR choice for a CSR lifestyle.

EVAK is available on Prepara.com: gloss white or gloss black (US$24.99 for medium, US$29.99 for large), matte black (US$29.99 for medium, US$34.99 for large), and replacement jars (US$6.99 for medium, US$9.00 for large).