If you have been forced once too often to eat cold food, you will duly appreciate what self-heating can mean to the world of packaged, ready meals. HotCans is a revolutionary invention that shines a ray of light on this great human need called hot meals. And quite literally too. All you do is place the can on its lid, pop a hole in the jacket using the included key, and wait exactly for 12 minutes while your meal is getting steamed up.

Let it suffice to know that the heating happens via a totally safe exothermic reaction - though that's a detail you would be least concerned about when you are stuck in the middle of nowhere with stubborn camping gear to handle. The canned food within has a shelf life of three years and is calorifically and nutritionally balanced. Though the three available choices rule out a king's gourmet (Beef Casserole, Sausage and Beans, and Vegetable Chili), the idea of self-heating is so absolutely radical that canned food might never be the same (read: cold and boring) again.

Hear ye all, here's hot food at $8.

Via DVICE.