Perfect for dry goods storage: finally bought a Freshlock
I finally bought a Freshlock. I grabbed the 500 ml size at random. I pulled out the paper insert, so it looks plain now.
As airtight as people said
If you search fridge/pantry organization, this container always shows up. I even saw it in a decluttering book—probably “子どもがいてもできるシンプルな暮らし”, the one where the author is a refill monster.
Before buying, I checked 100-yen options. Their seals were loose—silicone gaskets were stiff or warped, fine for temporary storage only.
Jam-jar styles existed too, but the lid gets in the way when open—and I could just reuse empty jam jars.
Freshlock lids snap shut, don’t get in the way when open, and the silicone ring seals firmly with no odor leak. Nice.
The lid stops at a handy angle
I only knew “it’s a strong airtight container,” but the lid stops around 90°. Push a bit more and it opens to ~120°, but daily use rarely needs that. It locks at the stop, so it won’t flop closed if tilted.
The silicone band even has the maker name, Takeya Chemical, on top.
Big sizes look like umeshu jars
Maybe it’s the material or color, but the big sizes remind me of umeshu (plum wine) jars, complete with a handle. But is alcohol OK? The maker page says:
Usable for most foods, acidic or alkaline.
Still, for liquor I’d pass—these are meant for dry goods. Also looks like a candy-shop jar.
Cheap gasket replacements from the maker
The insert explains it. Each gasket is ¥80. If you want one, mail ¥160 in stamps (¥80 for the gasket + ¥80 return postage).
Handy if a gasket discolors or smells and you want to repurpose the jar. Include:
- Address
- Name
- Phone number
- Product name (Freshlock 300, 500, etc.)
The insert is slightly dated—the product name says “Freshlock A Green.” Current names are “Square 300 ml,” “Round 1.0 L,” etc., so pay attention. “A” puzzled me for a moment.
The URL on the insert was old too: http://www.proo.co.jp redirects to the new site:
New site → http://cp.takeyajp.com/
Current Freshlock lineup
Right now there are eight: six square, two round. Squares store better; rounds might disappear eventually.
Gasket colors differ: square = green, round = red.
I wondered who uses 4 L. Home bakers who burn through flour apparently do; I only needed a cute 500 ml for seasonings.
Amazon has most sizes, but not listed in order:
Amazon.co.jp: フレッシュロック
Scrolling the product list, I even found a Freshlock rice canister—not on the insert. Guess that sheet was old!
Freshlock uses saturated polyester resin—resistant to acids/alkalis—so the rice canister tops ¥1,000. It’s for rice; the material is overkill. Amazon shows a cheaper bottle-style rice bin right next to it:
Free shipping in the ¥400 range. Looks like a tea bottle; photos show it upright or on its side in a fridge drink rack. Narrow mouth, fridge-storable—keeps bugs away.
Speaking of bottle-style dry containers, IKEA has this:
http://www.ikea.com/jp/ja/catalog/products/70134020/
Also tea-bottle-like; their photos show cereal, pasta, and inexplicably bagged ramen. Where do you store the soup packet? Stylish, but it bugs me.
It used to be called “Snapware”
It once had a white lid and the name “Snapware.” You can still buy it on Takeya’s site, but it’s “while supplies last” and few options remain:
TAKEYA Snapware online shop
As of writing, only two round types are left. I recall an Amazon review saying Snapware was originally an overseas brand; Takeya held the Japan license and manufactured it. After the license ended they tweaked the design/name and relaunched as Freshlock.
Let’s peek at original Snapware
Curious what existed then? Type “snapware” and this pops up:
Shop World Kitchen
Only round jars—iced-tea or umeshu-style. Snapware also covers all sorts of containers: lots of regular plastic tubs, glass containers—you name it.
Browsing “Tabletop” shows Corelle plates. Corelle = the tough glass plates that supposedly star in Yamazaki Spring Bread Festival giveaways. You see them in supermarkets. Japan versions even have floral patterns that moms might love.
Snapware is sold by World Kitchen (USA)
World Kitchen LLC holds the license and sells it. Their brands include Corelle and CorningWare—basically “leave kitchenware to us.” About 3,000 employees—pretty big.
Wikipedia’s “Domestic, International Markets” section had this tidbit:
World Kitchen products are often sold to affluent Asians via upscale retailers. In China they sell at Mitsukoshi, Parkson, and Sogo outlets.
Even in China, Mitsukoshi and Sogo appear. I just want to research kitchen gear and end up in international business rabbit holes—fun but tiring. Someday I’ll dig into Corning, Parkson, etc.
You can buy Snapware at Costco
Apparently. Type “snapware” into Google and “Costco” autocompletes. I don’t have a nearby Costco, but it sounds plausible.
So what did I put in mine?
Ground coffee! I bought a big bag and needed to portion it out—hence buying the Freshlock.
My wife uses a glass container by Chabatree, but it actually leaks aroma. The whole fridge smells like coffee. Nice smell, but does the flavor escape too? Slightly worrying.
We noticed because the fridge turned coffee-scented right after she added new grounds. My beans were almost gone, so it was easy to pinpoint.
Freshlock doesn’t leak smell, it’s light, and you can see inside—win.
Except…
Remember how I “grabbed a size at random”? That backfired: it won’t stand upright in the fridge. I’ve been working on fridge organization; half-baked side storage is annoying.
Out of spite I just ordered the 300 ml size.
