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Kittigate

Besides metal what other kinds of material should not be placed into a microwave oven?

I heat stuff in a heavy porcelain bowl and the bowl always gets hotter than the contents. Is porcelain a no-no?

Posted - August 31, 2020
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Responses


  • 53509

     

      (Comma after the word “metal”.)

      August 31, 2020 10:38 PM MDT
    1

  • 16792
    Whole eggs. They explode, and cleaning is a nightmare.
      September 1, 2020 12:11 AM MDT
    4

  • 13395
    Good thing I never tried that. I been cooking them in veg oil in a dish in the microwave but I learned that the yolk must be broken first or it will explode. 
      September 1, 2020 8:08 AM MDT
    2

  • I recently discovered that nuking green beans without having them in water will lead to them bursting into flames within about 5 seconds. 
      September 1, 2020 7:09 AM MDT
    3

  • 13395
    Interesting. 
      September 1, 2020 8:02 AM MDT
    2

  • 44619
    Cool.
      September 1, 2020 9:28 AM MDT
    2

  • 34283
    They say styrofoam heated in the microwave will give you cancer and releases something in the atmosphere that destroys the ozone layer.
      September 1, 2020 8:29 AM MDT
    3

  • 13395
    Styrofoam is very flammable too so in a microwave it might catch fire. Dunno why anyone would put styrofoam in a microwave oven. 
      September 1, 2020 9:09 AM MDT
    2

  • 34283
    To reheat food on a styrofoam plate.  It does not catch fire in the microwave. It will melt.  
      September 1, 2020 11:34 AM MDT
    2

  • 44619
    A cat.
      September 1, 2020 9:28 AM MDT
    3

  • 13395
    Awful!
      September 1, 2020 10:03 AM MDT
    2

  • 7280
    I found this on Quora: 

    Earthenware---such as porcelain---can absorb water after its been fired.  

    The microscope cavities holding the water doesn’t allow heat and steam to disperse easily or quickly---Not only is a burn to an unwary hand possible, but mugs and other ceramic dishes of high porosity have been known to explode.

    https://www.quora.com/Why-do-ceramic-dishes-get-hot-in-a-microwave#:~:text=Porcelain%20usually%20absorbs%200%25%20%2D%201,the%20water%20in%20a%20cylinder.

    (And of course, the hot food can in turn heat up the plate---I make oatmeal in the microwave and that boiling water definitely makes the bowl too hot to handle, so I use not pads to remove it when done.)

    And another comment on Quora:

    Actually the main cause of handmade ceramic dishes getting hot in the microwave is iron content. The water that is absorbed is minimal and if the piece is glazed should be non existent as the glaze is basically a layer of glass. Stoneware is the type that typically has iron content as do some glazes, especially red colors. The amount of heat is proportionate to the iron content. As advised above it is better to not use these dishes in the microwave if they get hot, mainly because they damage your microwave oven. This post was edited by tom jackson at September 1, 2020 12:02 PM MDT
      September 1, 2020 11:43 AM MDT
    1

  • 13395
    Interesting -thanks.
      September 1, 2020 12:02 PM MDT
    1

  • 85
    Flies are pretty interesting 
      September 1, 2020 1:24 PM MDT
    1

  • 85
    Remember the true story in the early days of the microwave? A woman bathed her little poodle and dried it off in the microwave totally oblivious to the danger. I think it died. This post was edited by strange1 at September 2, 2020 12:02 AM MDT
      September 1, 2020 1:28 PM MDT
    1

  • 13395
    Was a news item some time ago a couple found a poor little kitten outside all wet and cold from the rain so they took it in and set the microwave for one and half minutes.
    Innocently dumb but they meant well.
    No mention how kitten fared but probably did not survive.  

      September 2, 2020 12:10 AM MDT
    1

  • 53509

     

      Certain microwave technology cooks from the inside out*, so . . .


    *Of course, this doesn’t explain why after cooking a burrito, a Hot Pocket, or a chalupa in a microwave oven, they’re molten lava on the two ends and arctic tundra in the center.
    ~

      September 2, 2020 5:52 AM MDT
    1

  • 85
    Panasonic inverter magnetron, superb technology.
      September 2, 2020 6:40 AM MDT
    0

  • 85
    Oh no!, rescued and killed ????
      September 2, 2020 6:38 AM MDT
    0

  • 13395
    Yep.
      September 2, 2020 6:41 AM MDT
    0

  • 182
    Lead and Beryllium
      September 1, 2020 3:02 PM MDT
    1

  • 16792
    Both of those are metals, fyi.
      September 1, 2020 4:47 PM MDT
    2

  • 182
    No, I'm just asking.

      September 2, 2020 9:33 AM MDT
    0

  • 17596
    Cats should never be placed in a microwave.
      September 1, 2020 11:24 PM MDT
    2