Your kitchen has a new, very convenient microwave oven. Do you have any good microwave dishes? You have already carefully read the instructions to the new device and you know: for use in microwave is not suitable any dish or saucepan. What kind of dishes can be safely put in a microwave oven?

Which dishes are not suitable for microwave oven

Cooking utensils of the following types are not suitable for use in a microwave oven:

• Metal: copper, brass, steel, cast-iron enamel. Microwaves do not pass through the metal, the products can not heat up; It is also possible the appearance of spark discharges, which are dangerous for a microwave oven.
• Porcelain and glass, if there is a picture on its surface. Basically, this applies to the drawing, painted with gold paint. Even if the decorative strip or ornament is already largely erased, when used in the oven, these residues can spark. But metal particles can be contained in matte paint, which does not look gilding at all. Therefore, it is better to put utensils in the microwave without drawing at all.
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• Crystal. As a part of crystal there is lead, silver and there can be other metals. In addition, the cut surface of crystal dishes is not uniform in thickness. All this can lead to the transformation of a crystal glass or dish into a handful of fragments right inside the microwave.
• Disposable tableware made of waxed cardboard or plastic.
• Plastic, not resistant to high temperatures.
• Pottery handmade, not covered with icing on all sides.
• High aluminum molds for reheating or baking in a conventional oven.

However, put in the microwave for a few minutes to warm up food packed in an aluminum container with low sides, you can, but only if certain conditions are met. It is necessary to open the container and install it in such a way that its edges are located at least 2 cm from the walls of the furnace. And yet it is better to shift food into glassware for more safety.

You can not also put inside the microwave products that are tightly closed with a film or lid. In the film there must be openings to allow the output of the pair. Otherwise, you will feel like the hero of the film-shooter - an explosion in the microwave will not keep you waiting.

When using glassware is not recommended to use thin-walled containers. We also need to carefully inspect the dishes - are there any defects in the walls and the bottom: air bubbles, cracks, chips? All defects of this kind can cause the glass to suddenly crack. Glass can be shattered into fragments both inside the microwave and at the moment when you remove it. Both options are dangerous.

You can not also use porcelain and earthenware, on which there are cracks and chips. Do not forget: thick faience and porcelain quite strongly absorb the microwaves and heat up. Do not try to get the preheated dish without potholders, if it is in thick-walled ceramics.

Recommended Options

The best cookware for a microwave oven is glass, made of tempered refractory or heat-resistant glass. Refractory glassware can also be used in a conventional oven. The walls of such plates and saucepans are thick and strong, they practically do not heat up under the action of microwaves, since they do not absorb them.

To begin with, one pot is sufficient, with a capacity of 2 liters. Its lid can be used as a plate if you do not need high sides. You can use ordinary glass cups with thick walls, salad bowls, plates if they do not have defects.

It is allowed to put in the microwave oven utensils made of porcelain and faience, if its surface is not decorated with drawings. Also suitable is a ceramic dish completely covered with glaze.

And what about plastic? You need to be very careful here. Not every plastic is suitable for use in a microwave oven. Be sure to check that there is a special marking on the container bottom: an icon with a schematic image of the microwave oven. The plastic must withstand heating to 130-140 ° C.

It is absolutely unacceptable to put plastic in a microwave oven, on which such a sign is absent. And it's not even that a plastic container can simply deform or melt during cooking. When heated poor-quality plastic begins to decompose with the formation of harmful substances that enter the atmosphere and dissolve in the food that is in the dishes.

Do not buy cheap plastic of unknown production. Even if it has a sign that allows the use of the product for cooking in the microwave, It is not at all a fact that the plastic meets the safety requirements and the marking corresponds reality. Trust can only be proven, well-known brands, bought in a store, capable of presenting quality certificates.

Especially often there is a low-quality cookware for a microwave oven made in China. In the country of the industrious people, a huge amount of goods is produced almost in a shed. It is clear that the plastic is also used there, the one that is cheaper.

For use in the microwave oven, polyamide and polypropylene plastic are allowed. Absolutely no good polystyrene and PVC (PVC), with caution should be treated with polyethylene.

A few more points about polymers in the microwave:

• If your microwave oven has a grill function, then it is better not to use plastic.
• If you want not just to warm up, but to prepare a dish, then plastic is not suitable for making dishes using sugar and fat. These components are easily heated to temperatures at which the plastic starts to deform and melt (it is a question of sugar crystals).

It is possible to heat small amounts of food without special dishes or pots. A roll or hot dog can be wrapped in parchment paper or a linen napkin. You can also use special porous bags, available for use in a microwave oven.

Premises in the microwave oven should be avoided. A thin polyethylene film will simply melt away from a temperature increase, and a thick one can begin to spread the unpleasant odor that will spoil your products.

To obtain an appetizing golden crust on products you can buy special dishes from glass ceramics. Its bottom is covered with a layer of special composition, which heats up strongly under the influence of microwaves. Pre-storage should be held in the microwave without food, so that the bottom is heated. Then gently lay pieces of meat or vegetables on a heated bottom. After browning, the dishes can be closed with a lid and bring the products covered with appetizing crust to readiness.

Take note: spark microwave: what to do?