Do you warm plates in the microwave?

We do sometimes if there's not enough room in the bottom of the oven. Never put any water in with the plates or serving dishes and they've all survived. We always warm plates for meals.

I’ve got those microwave rubber mats that Nankate and others mentioned, bought years ago from Lakeland and forgotten about in a drawer! I dug them out again recently, when the energy prices went sky high. Before that, I was merrily turning the oven on for 10 minutes or so if it wasn’t already on to warm them, then saw on the smart meter monitor how much power that was using.
But if I put anything to warm in the microwave, the plate is cold enough to lift it out without an oven glove. I don’t warm plates in the microwave because the instructions say not to, but do they actually get warm enough (assuming you like your plates warm) if you do?

Yes I do every time, if they oven is not on, cannot abide cold plates, the food gets cold far too quickly.

We always warm plates, either by using the plates in the microwave to heat up food on them, putting them in the oven just before the food is ready if we are roasting or using boiling water from the hot tap. What we never do is heat them in the 2 fitted, dedicated plate warmers we have! We use them for storage.

I rarely warm plates. If it's only me I put the plate in a little hot water to warm it.

I used to warm plates that way for years until I needed a new microwave. First time I put just a plate in to warm the microwave flashed and banged and that was the end of it and I had to go and buy another one. The plates now go in my top oven to warm up.

I have a plug in plate warmer. Sits on top of the microwave and can take 4 plates (you can get bigger ones). just put the plates in, switch on and within a short time you have lovely warm plates. Doesn't use too much electric either which is good. Similar to this but mine is smaller as don't need to heat so many plates. Daewoo SDA1763 200W Warmer 12 Warms 70°C

Nah! They say that because some idiots will heat plates and dishes to the point of explosion, or grab them out without a kitchen cloth (burny!) Put a bit of water on each one if you like A microwave is made for heating tuff, any stuff. Do you think it knows the difference between a plate and a potato? there you go!

Just be careful of the gilded borders on some china = a big no no for a microwave.

I warm plates in the microwave and wonder if the latest advice is because people have either been putting plates in that are not suitable ( my dinner service is from the 80s and microwaves weren't available then) or some plates have a gold or silver trim or edge or part of the pattern, and if you put those in the microwave it will "arc" and possibly blow up !
My sister puts hot water into her washing up bowl and puts the plates in there while the veg is cooking - the plates when dried and ready for serving up are warm enough and less chance of burning your fingers, which might be another reason for not putting plates in a microwave!

Spice101 that’s what I do too, although if the oven is on, I’ll pop the plates in there instead. My sister was horrified that I warmed plates in the microwave, but my B-i-L was impressed that his food was served on hot plates.

I do warm plates in the microwave,but i put a mug of water on top of them.

NanKate

I bought from Lakeland a pack of 3 special rubber mats that I put between the plates and heat on high for 1 minute. All sorted.

I bought a set if those years ago and promptly cracked several plates! I might try the cup of water though.

I put a wet sheet of kitchen roll on each plate, do no more than two at a time (usually just the one for me). Place on full for about one minute but keep checking every 15 secs or so due to different m/w powers.

I've been heating my plates dry in the microwave for 24 years, without any damage to either plates or the microwave.

That 24-year-old microwave has just broken this very week, but that was due to DHs clumsiness (he broke the door-catch off), not dry plates.

I always warm my plates in my microwave as I don't like cold plates 1 minute for 2 plates is enough to take the chill off. After reading this I got my instruction book out to see what it said and behold, my microwave has a setting for heating plates. Never knew that!

Yes I do with no problems so far. And trying to persuade my 92 year old dad to do the same, as his way - pouring boiling water from the kettle onto plates and bowls - is an accident waiting to happen!

You live and learn! I’ve now ordered the silicone heating pads for the microwave, ingenious, all the power I’m saving of late, from the air fryer to the microwave and the slow cooker. I barely use my conventional oven anymore.

Do you think it knows the difference between a plate and a potato?

No it doesn't. But the way it works is to heat up water molecules in the food by bouncing electrons off the inside of the metal walls. Plates don't contain water molecules (unless they are damp). So it won't 'cook' a plate like it does a potato.

My microwave has a "Plate Warm" setting.

Like NanKate I have the 'Lakeland' mats. I heat them between the plates for one minute, and while dinner is finishing, heat spreads across the base of the plate, but the rim stays cool. They work well, and when the GC were small I could also use them as non slip mats for their plates, and they kept the food warm for slow eaters. I couldn't put hot food on cold plates - early training from my Mother who would serve a meal on a plate so hot that it could probably have produced blisters.

Never used for warming crockery. Always understood there should be moisture inside, something to do with the radiation zapping about.

I will have eaten my dinner already by the time everyone's plate is the right temperature!

AreWeThereYet I was about to post the reason why plates should only be heated in the microwave if there is a mug of water in there with them, but then I saw your post at 14:27:33

I think the reason that some people may succeed and some blow up their microwaves/break their plates may depend on what the plates are glazed with. Some glazes contain heavy metal impurities that absorb the microwaves, causing the plates to get very hot and possibly causing them to bounce and spark in the same way that foil would do. Has nothing to do with how expensive the dishes are, by the way. Lots of stoneware, porcelain etc will just heat up by absorbing heat from anything cooked on the.