When we need to cover a bowl for storage or transport, we usually reach for plastic wrap. Silicone food covers (often called "silicone lids" or "reusable lids") are heat-resistant, dishwasher-safe, reusable alternatives. They come in two styles: stretch covers made of flexible silicone that expand to wrap over and around the rims of the bowls, and flat covers that rest on top of the bowls' rims and create a tight seal via suction. We wondered which were best, so we put together a lineup of three sets of stretch covers and three sets of flat covers. Five were sold as sets; we assembled the final set by purchasing matching small, medium, and large lids that were sold singly. All told, the covers in our lineup were priced from about $9 to about $34 per set. We used the covers to seal metal, glass, ceramic, wood, and plastic bowls of various sizes. We tested the tightness of the covers’ seals by shaking and overturning the covered bowls that we’d filled first with grapes and then with water. To further gauge performance, we used the lids to cover bowls of fruit salad that we then stored in the refrigerator for three days. We also used the lids to cover and heat bowls of water in the microwave, deliberately smeared them with condiments to see if they stained, and both washed and stretched them repeatedly. We were looking for a set of covers that could form a strong seal on all types of bowls, keep food fresh, resist stains and odors, and hold up to use over time.
Leave a comment and join the conversation!