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This is something so very clever. JounLoin sent me a set of six cotton bowl cozies to try, and now a bowl doesn’t go in my microwave without one.
The idea is simple. The bowl sits in the cozy, you warm it up, and you lift it out by the corners instead of grabbing the hot bowl.
Quick Verdict
- Buy it if: your soup gets eaten on the couch or at a desk, not at the stove
- Skip it if: your bowls are wide and shallow, like pasta bowls
- My favorite feature: a hot bowl suddenly feels safe to walk around with
- Would I buy again? Yes
Why Use a Bowl Cozy Instead of a Dish Towel?
A towel slides around and you end up pinning it in place with both palms. The cozy is shaped to the bowl. It wraps up and around the sides, so the bowl sits in its own little nest and your fingers only touch fabric.
Each one has two layers of cotton batting stitched inside, and the four pointed corners give you something to pinch when you lift it.
JounLoin Cotton Microwavable Bowl Cozy Set of 6
Six reversible cotton cozies, each a different print, that wrap around a bowl so you can grab it hot from the microwave by the corners.
JounLoin Bowl Cozy Set Details
- In the set: 6 cozies, each in a different vintage-style print
- Material: 100% cotton fabric and cotton thread
- Insulation: 2 layers of Wrap-N-Zap microwave-safe cotton batting
- Shape: octagonal with 4 corner tabs for gripping
- Fits: most standard soup and cereal bowls
- Reversible: yes, either side can face out
- Care: hand wash or machine wash on a low to medium cycle
- Microwave use: for reheating food, not long cook times
Who Needs a Bowl Cozy?
Anyone who warms up leftovers and eats away from the kitchen. If your leftovers come out of the fridge in reused deli tubs like the GUSTO deli containers I wash and reuse, this is the step between reheating it and eating it.
Carrying My First Bowl of Soup Upstairs
I set a bowl in the cozy on the counter and poured hot soup in from the pot. I splashed myself doing it, which is exactly why these exist. The bowl got hot fast.
Then I picked it up and carried it upstairs. My hands were fine the whole way. Now every time I make soup, the bowl sits in a cozy from start to finish.
Other Ways I Use the Cozies
- It’s nicer to hold, hot or not: I like holding a bowl in one even when nothing in it is hot. The padding just makes it more comfortable.
- It works on an ice cream pint: slip the pint in and your fingers don’t freeze while you eat.
- It folds small: they fold up flat and still fit in my kitchen drawer, which is a mess.
What I Liked About the Set
- The stitching is sturdy, and they’re thick enough to block the heat without being bulky
- Six different prints in blues, teal and pink, so they don’t look like a matched set from a store
- My husband asked what the heck they were, then said, “How is that not your favorite thing on the planet?” He knows me well.
Before You Order the JounLoin Cozies
- They’re made for a regular soup or cereal bowl, so a wide pasta bowl may not fit, and a big serving bowl like the Oria glass salad bowl I tried is way past what they wrap
- They’re cloth, so any soup that slops over the rim means a trip through the wash
Bowl Cozy Questions I Looked Up
Can I microwave the bowl cozy by itself to warm it up?
No. Only heat it with a bowl of food inside. The cotton batting isn’t flame-proof, and running it empty or for too long can scorch it.
How long can a bowl heat in the cozy?
Keep it to reheating, not cooking. Pellon, the company that makes the Wrap-N-Zap batting inside, suggests 1-minute intervals and 8 minutes max. Stay near the microwave while it runs.
Can I use it in a convection microwave?
No. Don’t use the cotton batting in a combination convection and microwave oven. Stick to a regular microwave.
Does it work as a pot holder?
Yes. Lay it flat and it doubles as a hot pad or a grip for a hot serving dish.
Other Bowl and Plate Holders to Compare
| Holder | What you get | Size note |
|---|---|---|
| JounLoin set | Six reversible cotton cozies | Standard soup and cereal bowls |
| LIBERHAUS 2-Pack | Two padded microfiber squares | Bowls up to 6.5 in, plates up to 7.1 in |
| Sheff holders | Four polyester squares with microfiber fill | 7-inch squares |
| Jokari holder | A structured plate cradle | Dinner plates |
- LIBERHAUS Microwave Bowl Cozy 2-Pack: two padded microfiber squares instead of six cotton ones. Each has a sewn loop for hanging, and they fit bowls up to 6.5 inches and small plates up to 7.1 inches.
- Sheff Microwave Bowl Cozy Holders: a set of four 7-inch square holders made of polyester with a thick microfiber fill, in solid colors.
- Jokari Microwave Plate Holder: a structured cradle shaped for a dinner plate, for when your leftovers are on a plate instead of in a bowl.
Would I Get Another JounLoin Set?
Yes. For any bowl too hot to pick up bare-handed, these are the easiest fix I’ve found. They’d also make a great gift for a lot of people on my list.
Where To Buy
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