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Thermos Icon 16 oz vs 24 oz Food Jar: Which Size to Buy?

Illustration of two plain stainless steel food jars of different heights on a wooden table, one open with steaming stew

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Short answer: Get the 16 oz Icon Food Jar ($29.99 at Thermos) for a normal one-person lunch. It is 6.0 inches tall and weighs 0.75 lb. Get the 24 oz ($32.99) for big appetites or long days. It holds 50% more, and Thermos rates it up to 14 hours hot versus 10. Both are rated up to 24 hours cold and come with a stow-away spoon.

How we compare: every spec in this article comes from official manufacturer specifications and product pages (starting with Thermos’s official 16 oz Icon Food Jar page and 24 oz page), all listed under Sources below. We don’t run hands-on tests, and if a spec isn’t published, we say so. Last updated: October 2026.

Check price: Thermos Icon 16 oz Food Jar
Check price: Thermos Icon 24 oz Food Jar

I live in Japan, where a soup jar is a normal part of a packed lunch. Thermos US sells its Icon Food Jar in two adult sizes for $3 apart, so the real question is how much food you want to carry.

I haven’t tested these side by side. Everything below comes from the manufacturers’ official product pages, linked at the end. If a spec isn’t published, I say so instead of guessing.

Quick Comparison Table

Spec Thermos Icon 16 oz Food Jar Thermos Icon 24 oz Food Jar
Capacity 16 oz (475 mL) 24 oz (710 mL)
Height 6.0 in 7.3 in
Width x depth 3.9 x 3.9 in 3.9 x 3.9 in
Weight 0.75 lb 1.0 lb
Hot rating Up to 10 hours Up to 14 hours
Cold rating Up to 24 hours Up to 24 hours
Stopper Dura-Guard pressure relief stopper Dura-Guard pressure relief stopper
Spoon Full-size stainless Stow-Away spoon Full-size stainless Stow-Away spoon
Base Griptec non-slip base Griptec non-slip base
Steel 18/8 BPA-free stainless 18/8 BPA-free stainless
Dishwasher Top rack only Top rack only
Thermos list price $29.99 $32.99
Example item number IS3002GT4 (Granite) IS3012GT4 (Granite)
Origin China China

All figures are from Thermos’s US product pages, checked October 2026. Thermos lists the dimensions as plain numbers on US pages; they are inches. List prices are Thermos.com prices, not Amazon prices. Item numbers change with color.

Key differences at a glance

  • Capacity: The 24 oz jar holds 8 oz more than the 16 oz, or 50% more food.
  • Hot rating: Thermos rates the 24 oz up to 14 hours hot and the 16 oz up to 10, and both up to 24 hours cold.
  • Size: The 24 oz is 1.3 inches taller (7.3 vs 6.0 in) and 0.25 lb heavier, with the same 3.9-inch footprint.
  • Price: Thermos lists the 16 oz at $29.99 and the 24 oz at $32.99.
  • What stays the same: Both have the Dura-Guard pressure relief stopper, a full-size stainless spoon that stores in the stopper, a Griptec non-slip base, 18/8 stainless steel and top-rack dishwasher cleaning.

The 4 Differences That Matter

1. How much food

16 fl oz is two US cups, about one large bowl of soup or chili. 24 fl oz is three cups, enough for a big serving of stew, pasta or oatmeal with toppings. If you usually eat a sandwich on the side, the 16 oz is the natural lunch size.

2. How long it stays hot

Thermos rates the 24 oz for up to 14 hours hot and the 16 oz for up to 10. Thermos doesn’t explain the gap, but a larger amount of hot food holds more heat, and Thermos Japan’s own soup jars show the same pattern (see below). In general, a jar keeps food hottest when it is preheated and filled close to the top, so pick the size you will actually fill. For cold food, both are rated up to 24 hours.

3. Bag fit

Both are 3.9 inches wide, so the difference is height: 6.0 inches versus 7.3. The 16 oz is easier to stand upright in a small lunch bag. The 24 oz needs a taller bag or a side pocket.

4. Weight and price

Empty, the 24 oz weighs 1.0 lb versus 0.75 lb, and it costs $3 more at Thermos. That is a small premium for 50% more capacity and four more rated hours of heat.

What’s the same

Both are double-wall vacuum-insulated 18/8 BPA-free stainless jars with a wide mouth, a Dura-Guard pressure relief stopper, a full-size stainless Stow-Away spoon that clips into the stopper, a Griptec non-slip base and a sweat-proof exterior. Thermos lists both as dishwasher safe, top rack only, and recommends preheating with boiling water before filling.

Who Should Buy Which?

Choose the Icon 16 oz Food Jar if you:

  • Pack one normal lunch portion
  • Want the shorter, lighter jar
  • Eat within about 10 hours of packing

Choose the Icon 24 oz Food Jar if you:

  • Eat big portions or share
  • Need food hot for longer days
  • Have a taller lunch bag

The View from Japan

In Japan these are called soup jars (スープジャー). Thermos Japan’s newest series, the JEF-300, JEF-400 and JEF-500 launched in August 2025, comes in 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 L. Thermos Japan rates them at 55 °C, 60 °C and 62 °C or higher after 6 hours, starting from 95 °C water in a 20 °C room. The bigger jar keeps food warmer, the same pattern as the Icon’s 10 versus 14 hours.

The largest JEF-500 holds 0.5 L, about 17 oz, which is close to the 16 oz Icon. At 710 mL, the 24 oz Icon is larger than any jar in that series. Thermos Japan also makes every JEF part dishwasher safe, with the gasket built into the inner lid, while Thermos US lists the Icon as top rack only. Japanese ratings give a temperature after 6 hours, while Thermos US gives the number of hours, so the two can’t be compared directly.

Japanese reviewers of the JED-500, a recent 500 mL Thermos Japan soup jar, wrote on Amazon Japan that rice porridge made at 6 a.m. was still piping hot at lunch and that cold udon stayed cold. Netorabo Research summarized these reviews in September 2026. Reviewers also said the wide mouth makes it easy to eat from and to wash by hand, and that the tight seal made them comfortable carrying soup. (Third-party reviews, not our own testing.)

Comparing the 16 oz with Zojirushi? See Thermos Icon 16 oz vs Zojirushi SW-EAE50.

Thermos Icon 16 oz vs 24 oz Food Jar: Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the Thermos Icon 24 oz food jar keep food hot?

Thermos rates the 24 oz Icon Food Jar for up to 14 hours hot and up to 24 hours cold. The 16 oz is rated up to 10 hours hot and 24 hours cold.

How much food does the 16 oz Icon hold?

16 fl oz (475 mL), or two US cups, about one large bowl of soup.

Do both sizes come with a spoon?

Yes. Thermos lists a full-size stainless Stow-Away spoon that fits in the stopper on both sizes.

Are Icon food jars dishwasher safe?

Thermos lists both sizes as dishwasher safe, top rack only.

Are Icon food jars part of the Stainless King recall?

No. The April 30, 2026 recall covers Stainless King food jars SK3000 (16 oz) and SK3020 (24 oz) made before July 2023 without a pressure-relief stopper, plus Sportsman SK3010 bottles. Icon food jars are not on the recall list.

Should I preheat an Icon food jar?

Yes. Thermos recommends preheating with boiling water before filling for best results.

Check current listings

Prices and colors change often, so check the current listing before buying.

Check price: Thermos Icon 16 oz Food Jar
Check price: Thermos Icon 24 oz Food Jar

Sources

Specs checked October 2026. Prices and availability change, so check the current listing before buying.

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