Microwave - do you put a spoon in a cup?

SueDonim

No spoons were involved but my Dh once put a slice of Christmas pudding into the microwave on forty minutes instead of forty seconds. I twigged what was going on after a few minutes and yelled at him to stop the microwave but he then opened the door and the kitchen was engulfed in smoke! ? It tooks days and days to dissipate. ??

Didn't someone burn his house down doing that?

Chestnut you could take your bowl to The Repair Shop!

This eggshell porcelain set has a teapot and a smaller pot for hot water. I'm sure my mother used them sometimes and only one cup is cracked.
I've never dared to use it.

JaneJudge ?

I thoughtlessly put a plate with gold painted decoration on the edges in the microwave, the display of sparks was quite impressive.
Didnt do that again, nor any other metal objects.

How about stirring the liquid BEFORE putting it into the microwave, so that it is already swirling round the container before it heats up? Then the bubbles won't build up under the liquid and erupt, as they have been moved around as they form, and the liquid is less likely to boild over. This works well with thicker substances than water too, like custard, porridge gravy etc.

Of course, you could always heat it for ten seconds less than the recommended time, so that it doesn't quite reach boiling point.

Alegrias1

Quick pop quiz...

Has anybody here ever experienced any problems heating water in a microwave?

If the answer is no, just keep doing what you're doing.

I don’t think I have ever heated up water in my microwave although I am aware that many Americans do this to make a cup of tea as electric kettles are not common.

I do find custard can boil over but I just keep an eye on it!

Absolutely no metal in my microwave

For microwave stirring of sauces or scrambled egg, I use one of these. I don't know whether they stop things boiling over. I would be very reluctant to use a metal spoon.

I have a very new microwave and I would like to keep it so I would never put a spoon inside it. I have lived in this house for a few years and I would prefer to keep it fire-free also.

If in doubt, do not.

Old one, NO,
New one, yes…

those instructions were clearly written by someone who hates microwaves more than people, though people are obviously a close second

No I wouldnt put metal in the microwave but ive had milk boil over in it but not water.

No not if it’s metal
I ve blown a microwave up with a flipping jacket potato

No, to my mind spoons and microwaves should never meet!
I heat up gravy sometimes and I cover the jug with the smallest piece of clingfilm and perforate with tip of a knife before it goes in the microwave.
This won’t appeal to grans who are trying to go plastic free. ?

I boil a mug of lemon water for 10 mins to clean microwave, never used a spoon, and it’s never boiled over. I have a Samsung combination oven, so can use metal in some programmes.

I have boiled water in a microwave in a pyrex jug and a plastic one. Never boiled over. I would never put metal into a microwave. I brought a new Samsung one 18 months ago . The hand book warns against anything metal in the microwave it was in large bold letters. Had my old one over 20+ years never put metal in that either. Never wanted my microwave to explode.

a vegetable dish is not intended to have boiling water poured into it.
a teapot is. that's the difference.
the manufacturers would not have sold many if the teapot was not fit for purpose.

From the Lakeland link :

The best way to stay safe is to carefully read the manufacturer’s manual supplied with your microwave.

It's true!
I was very safe while carefully reading the manual.

No spoons were involved but my Dh once put a slice of Christmas pudding into the microwave on forty minutes instead of forty seconds. I twigged what was going on after a few minutes and yelled at him to stop the microwave but he then opened the door and the kitchen was engulfed in smoke! ? It tooks days and days to dissipate. ??

Calistemon

This reminded me of a tip my mother gave me years ago - if pouring hot tea into eggshell porcelain, put a metal spoon into the cup otherwise the cup could crack. It dissipates the heat.

Needless to say, I have never served afternoon tea in the delicate porcelain I inherited.

My mother cracked her 'Old Country Roses' vegetable dish pouring boiling water in it. It stayed in one piece and I still have it but only use it for pot pourri. You can still hear the china moving (grinding noise) when you pick it up after 30 years! Weirdly, though I have the same tea set and have regularly poured boiling water into the teapot with no problems. Maybe the teapot is made of sterner stuff?

Me neither.

Calistemon

Hetty58

According to this, a spoon is fine but not a fork:

blog.lakeland.co.uk/metal-in-the-microwave/

Who knew!

I didn't think it would harm the spoon but I did think it could damage the magnetron. That's what we were always told.

That article talks about a build up of electromagnetic energy. That doesn't happen. It's charge that builds up. Then it discharges causing sparks. A fork is bad because charge builds up preferentially on e.g., points.

I suppose you could take a chance with a spoon. I won't be trying it out. ?

Hetty58

According to this, a spoon is fine but not a fork:

blog.lakeland.co.uk/metal-in-the-microwave/

Who knew!

I didn't think it would harm the spoon but I did think it could damage the magnetron. That's what we were always told.

Chewbacca

I didnthe same as Callistemon, lovely bone China bowl with a gold trim. BOOM! End of bowl.

oh dear!

I heard it and stopped it straight away so no harm done.

However, I've reheated gravy in a jug in the microwave, stirred it and it bubbles up alarmingly.
But then, I'm the person who blistered her fingers frying an egg .....

I didnthe same as Callistemon, lovely bone China bowl with a gold trim. BOOM! End of bowl.