Cookware Guide
To cook food in the microwave oven, the microwaves must be able to penetrate the food, without being reflected or absorbed by the dish used.
Care must therefore be taken when choosing the cookware. If the cookware is marked
The following table lists various types of cookware and indicates whether and how they should be used in a microwave oven.
Cookware | Microwave- | Comments |
| Safe |
|
|
|
|
Aluminium foil | ✓ ✗ | Can be used in small quantities to |
|
| protect areas against overcooking. |
|
| Arcing can occur if the foil is too close |
|
| to the oven wall or if too much foil is |
|
| used. |
|
|
|
Browning plate | ✓ | Do not preheat for more than eight |
|
| minutes. |
|
|
|
China and earthenware | ✓ | Porcelain, pottery, glazed earthenware |
|
| and bone china are usually suitable, |
|
| unless decorated with a metal trim. |
|
|
|
Disposable polyester | ✓ | Some frozen foods are packaged in |
cardboard dishes |
| these dishes. |
|
|
|
|
|
Metal |
| ✗ |
|
• | Dishes | May cause arcing or fire. | |
• | Freezer bag twist | ✗ |
|
| ties |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Paper |
|
|
|
• | Plates, cups, | ✓ | For short cooking times and warming. |
| napkins and |
| Also to absorb excess moisture. |
| Kitchen paper |
|
|
• | Recycled paper | ✗ | May cause arcing. |
|
|
|
|
Plastic |
| ✓ |
|
• | Containers | Particularly if | |
|
|
| thermoplastic. Some other plastics |
|
|
| may warp or discolour at high |
|
|
| temperatures. Do not use Melamine |
|
|
| plastic. |
• | Cling film | ✓ | Can be used to retain moisture. |
|
|
| Should not touch the food. Take care |
|
|
| when removing the film as hot steam |
• | Freezer bags |
| will escape. |
✓ ✗ | Only if boilable or | ||
|
|
| not be airtight. Prick with a fork, if |
|
|
| necessary. |
|
|
| |
Wax or | ✓ | Can be used to retain moisture and | |
|
|
| prevent spattering. |
GB
• | Polystyrene cups | ✓ |
| containers |
|
• | Paper bags or | ✗ |
| newspaper |
|
•Recycled paper or ✗ metal trims Glassware
Can be used to warm food. Overheating may cause the polystyrene to melt.
May catch fire.
May cause arcing.
✓ : Recommended
✓✗: Use Caution
✗: Unsafe
Glassware | ✓ |
| |
• | Can be used, unless decorated with a | ||
| ware |
| metal trim. |
• | Fine glassware | ✓ | Can be used to warm foods or liquids. |
|
|
| Delicate glass may break or crack if |
• | Glass jars |
| heated suddenly. |
✓ | Must remove the lid. Suitable for | ||
warming only.
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