Simpsons Lunchbox

One of the latest items are the Simpsons lunchboxes.  There have been two so far, with a third on the way.  This is the second one, showing the family in the car.

You can find these at stores like Media Play or Suncoast, and also online at many places.  There is even an online store called, of all things, www.lunchboxshop.com.  I picked mine up at Media Play, but be warned - these aren't cheap at $24.95.  They come with a 'metal drink container' (I'm assuming thermos is a copyrighted name, like Xerox or Kleenex), and are absolutely perfect for storing all those extra Simpson action figure accessories.

Lithography - ****
These lunchboxes are all metal, and the tin lithography is fantastic.  Unlike most metal items these days, the paint is definitely on there well, and none of the ones I saw on the shelf had scratches or dents.  The colors are bright and sharp, with a nice shine to the surface.  The heads of the family are even embossed!

Quality - ****
Not only is the paint work nice, the metal is fairly thick and sturdy.  As I said, no easy dents here.  The thermos is also metal, with the same graphic as the box.  It's unusual any more to get a thermos with this type of lunchbox since they are intended for the collector market, and of course this is what drives the price up somewhat. 

Value - **1/2
Most of the newer metal lunchboxes - and there are quite a few of them these days, with Futurama, BTVS, and classic shows all getting the treatment - run around $12-$15.  At $25, these boxes are certainly not as good a value, although the metal thermos certainly is a large part of the extra cost.

 Overall - ***1/2
The graphics and quality of these lunchboxes is fantastic, and if they had been even five bucks cheaper, I wouldn't have had to think twice.  But at $25, I had to stand in the store and ponder it for awhile, set it down and pick it up a couple times, and do a little soul searching.  I did come home with it - the beauty won me over - but I doubt I'll be picking up the other two.