Gransnet forums

House and home

A very random query.

(46 Posts)
annsixty Tue 26-Sept-23 10:52:18

At the weekend I bought a new microwave, a very basic one as it is used for melting/ reheating etc.
I don’t need an all singing/ dancing one.
I got the instruction book out last night and was very surprised to read that the glass plate/ turntable was only to be washed in warm water and never in the dishwasher.
I have used a microwave many years and have always put this in the dishwasher with no adverse effect.
Did you know this , do you do it and do you know why this should be?

Missiseff Thu 28-Sept-23 13:04:27

Never thought about putting mine in the dishwasher tbh. Wipe it down every time I use it & wash it by hand every weekend

M0nica Thu 28-Sept-23 13:40:19

It has always depended on the size of the plate. Big ones too big for the dishwasher get washed by hand, my current small one goes in the dishwasher.

Lets look at the situation objectively. What is a microwave plate made of? It is made of glass, and usually quite sturdy. it isn't made of any special glass.

Secondly can glass products go in a dishwasher? The answer is yes. For the past 40 years I have been putting glass plates, bowls, jugs and glasses in my dishwasher without any harm. I would not put stemmed or delicate or painted glass in the dishwasher for fear of breakage.

I thik this instruction is like the instrctions you get on some clothes made of washable cotton saying 'dry clean only'

MadeInYorkshire Thu 28-Sept-23 13:56:36

Yes always goes in the dishwasher - the only time I have lost a microwave plate - and I have lost 2 this way, is when the ruddy thing exploded in the microwave!

Valels Thu 28-Sept-23 14:40:19

Just a thought, is it something to do with the way dishwasher tablets seem to 'scratch' glassware? As far as I'm aware you shouldn't use a damaged turntable in the microwave as it could explode and these 'scratches' could count as damage. I don't put wine glasses in the dishwasher because of this.
This is just a thought, I'm probably way off the mark here but it makes sense in my head!
PS I always put my turntable in the dishwasher, i like living dangerously!

Bijou Thu 28-Sept-23 15:38:03

I have a dishwasher. She comes every morning to do the previous days dishes. I have never had a mechanical one.

Frangipan Thu 28-Sept-23 16:38:19

I've never owned a dishwasher so always was mine by hand.
Its a funny thing but although I'm not the worlds best housekeeper I do like cleaning the microwave for some reason haha, it's a lot easier than cleaning the cooker 😄

GrammarGrandma Thu 28-Sept-23 16:56:47

I have never put the microwave plate in the dishwasher!

lemsip Thu 28-Sept-23 17:40:06

Bijou

I have a dishwasher. She comes every morning to do the previous days dishes. I have never had a mechanical one.

ha ha ha!

oodles Thu 28-Sept-23 18:00:34

I put mine in the dishwasher when it needs it. I don't mind if the glass turns cloudy, but it hasn't
I'm a single person household, but made ro for a smaller one when my kitchen got redone. I don't run it every day, but it's great when I have visitors or if I'm not well. When I was unwell after being in hospital it was a lifesaver, I couldn't have stood to wash them by hand. Yes I did have help but I didn't need help with the washing up

Mallin Fri 29-Sept-23 01:55:46

Worried about bending over to lift things out of the oven, I bought a combination microwave which does everything except apologise for using electricity. Like all microwaves I’ve had, except for the original one many many years ago, the glass turntable won’t fit into my dishwasher which is used once a week and is approx 25yrs old.

nanna8 Fri 29-Sept-23 05:58:18

I’ve had a dishwasher since the early 1970s. I used to have a manual one but he wasn’t reliable and didn’t do a very good job !

M0nica Fri 29-Sept-23 18:47:37

I have never known dishwasher tablets scratch glass. Most of my glassware, serving bowls as well as indvidual portion bowls have been going in and out of a dishwasher for nearly 40 years without any ill effects.

Ali08 Wed 25-Oct-23 07:52:31

Theexwife

I have always put them in the dishwasher, it only takes one complaint for companies to change policies so maybe someone’s broke in a dishwasher once.

Bit off subject but I have had a dress for about 5 years which I wash 40% in the washing machine, recently looked at the label to see what the fabric was and saw it was dry clean only.

My wedding dress was dry clean only, but washed up perfectly well in the washing machine!

Juliet27 Wed 25-Oct-23 07:58:20

nanna8

I’ve had a dishwasher since the early 1970s. I used to have a manual one but he wasn’t reliable and didn’t do a very good job !

🤣

Elegran Wed 25-Oct-23 08:29:49

There are various additives in different types of glass; some of them react to dishwasher tablets and go cloudy, others don't. Some dishwasher tablets have something in them that affects glass, too. My bog-standard glass tumblers from Ikea were fine in my usuald tablets, but when those ran out and I used some old Fairy ones from the back of the cupboard under the sink, the tumblers came out clouded, and have not lost that patina.

Marydoll Wed 25-Oct-23 08:51:00

This might seem a really stupid statement.

I have had a combination microwave oven for years, but have never used the grill function for the following reasons:

I am embarrassed to admit, that I have no idea how to use it and am afraid to do so. I've looked at You Tube to no avail.

* Doesn't the turntable glass crack in the heat?
* What do you cook the food in?
* If you close the door, doesn't it overheat and explode.

Elegran Wed 25-Oct-23 13:30:11

Do you still have the manual, Marydoll? That will tell you how to use the grill. If that has vanished, there will be a copy somewhere on the internet.

The glass turntable will be OK. It is designed to survive the temperature that the grill reaches,

It won't explode if you close the door. It too is designed for the job. If you don't close the door, it won't heat up at all.

You grill things in whatever was supplied by the manufacturer, or in any metal pan that will sit on top of the thingy to lift the food up nearer to the grill element that was included when you bought the microwave. That is a round perforated metal tray on legs, with a circular metal ring fixed partway down the legs to brace them. If you ever had one, you probably flung it out when you weren't using the grill, as it is a pain in the proverbial to store.

The grill is also a pain in the B* as it inevitably spits grease all over the lining of the microwave and has to be cleaned too B often. As you may suspect, I used to have a combination microwave/grill/convection oven, but when it died I replaced it with a normal microwave. It had too many functions and parts that went wrong.

Marydoll Wed 25-Oct-23 13:54:02

Thanks Elegran. I stil have the metal grid and did trawl the internet for a manual. It is all singing and dancing, but I only use it to heat and defrost. I can't resist a gadget!

JackyB Thu 26-Oct-23 08:45:56

I use my microwave grill a lot. There is a grid but it only comes up to about 4" below the grill. If I'm making more than two slices of toast. I don't bother to get the toaster out but arrange the slices on the glass tray (mine is rectangular and doesn't rotate). I have to raise the tray nearer the grill by means of balancing it on a cake tin to get the toast nearer to the grill. It hadn't even occurred to me that the glass wouldn't be suitable for this - after all, it was provided with the microwave so must stand the heat.

The grill sign on my microwave is a zigzag line. If I start it, the time is limited to 10 minutes, but you can set it by hand to any time.

The combination function is for gratins. It cooks the content while grilling the cheese on top, otherwise the cheese would just get chewy and not go brown. On my present microwave I can combine the grill with 180 or 360 watts, so the cooking time is a little longer.

annodomini Thu 26-Oct-23 10:02:24

I've never used the microwave for toasting, as I've always used a toaster. I have a new microwave which I'm still learning about -mostly by trial and error. There's a metal plate that goes on top of the glass one when using the grill. I made use of it to thaw and crisp some croissants which had been in the freezer. It worked, after a fashion. I may have to look at the instructions.