Although we’ve featured Hokan previously, something we were yet to do was actually to get our hands on a set of their bowls. This changed last week when a Hokan Bowls-branded cardboard box arrived, bringing some extra practicality and an always-welcome dose of feel-good into the home.
Hokan Bowls is the brainchild of British designer Alistair Donald, who, whilst cooking for his sons, started thinking about ways in which they could live more efficiently and less wastefully. He looked at the stacks of bowls, plates and plastic storage containers surrounding him and, as any good designer would do, started thinking about ways he could simplify things.
It wasn’t long before he had his “Eureka Moment”, which resulted in a design for a stackable set of stoneware products known as the Hokan Bowls.
Although the bowls visually conjure up images of Eastern Asia, and the name Hokan is the Japanese word for “storage” or “safekeeping”, they are, in fact, produced in Portugal by the stoneware and ceramics company Grestel Cerâmicos.
Grestel boasts a fine reputation in the field of fine stoneware. What marks them out, and in keeping with Hokan’s sustainability ethos, is that when production misfires occur, rather than dump imperfect products into landfills, they utilise a technique that turns the products back into clay so that they can be used to make more Hokan Bowls. Things like this add to the Hokan ‘feel-good’ factor.
The Allure of the Hokan Bowls
There are many reasons to like the Hokan Bowls, such as their looks, being BPA-free, and the many ways you can use them. Their clever design means you can eat from them, cook and store foods in them, use them to enhance the look of the kitchen, and even use their lids as side plates.
The bowls are made using a centuries-old, tried-and-tested method. The stoneware is fired to 1100 to 1200 degrees centigrade in deep-colour glazes, which makes it hardwearing and considerably safer to use with foods when compared to other materials, such as rightfully maligned plastic containers.
Another benefit of the firing technique combined with the most robust clays is that they will be equally at home in the refrigerator, oven, microwave, kitchen worktop or dining table.
The Hokan Bowls are available in three sizes: small, medium, and large, and in an attractive range of colours: Green Jade, Blue Reactive, Sea Green, Pitch Black, Lemon Yellow, Cobalt Blue, and Antique White, which is the colour we chose for their review feature.
As seen in the photographs, the bowls have an interlocking, stackable design, and when placed on top of each other, they seem solid and firm. Although the bowls come in three sizes, the depth of the bowl, not its width, denotes its size, which means that one lid will fit all three.
The lids and the bowl have the Hokan logo prominently embossed on them. Thanks to their design, the lids, which can be purchased separately from the bowls, work well as side plates. The wide and deep handle allows them to sit higher than a traditional flat plate, which adds extra charm at meal times.
When I look carefully at the glazed surfaces, it’s clear that the factory has rigorous quality control processes, as I couldn’t see any imperfections.
Practicality and simplicity are among the bowl’s many selling points. Maintaining them is very straightforward: You can pop the bowls and lids into a dishwasher without worry, as the high-fired glaze of molten glass will protect them. Also, they can be taken directly from the freezer/fridge and put into the oven without a problem.
Overall, I am super-impressed by the Hokan Bowls, and after reading the many customer reviews, I can see why people talk of them in glowing terms. Having a set does make you feel good, which is born from being a product that doesn’t negatively impact the planet or one’s health. Plus, they don’t come with an astronomical price tag, are designed to last, and can be used in multiple ways.
The best way to conclude this review is by saying, “Hats off to Alistair Donald for creating something attractive and useful.”
Hokan Bowls – Where and How?
Some Features of the Hokan Bowls:
- Plastic Free
- Sustainably Made
- Dishwasher Safe
- Freezer Safe
- Oven and Microwave Safe
The Hokan Bowls come in three sizes: small, medium, and large. They can be purchased individually or in a set of three at https://hokanbowls.com/.
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