When handled correctly, it is entirely safe to use the metal in a microwave oven. Traditional wisdom comes from the fact that if handled improperly, metal can warp and cause problems. While it does require some attention, and certainly shouldn’t be tried at random, there’s no reason everyone shouldn’t be able to use metal in a microwave oven.
Microwave ovens work by using a device called a magnetron that emits microwave radiation – electromagnetic waves – at a frequency of about 2.45 GHz, which means they vibrate nearly two and a half billion times per second. When these waves come into contact with the metal, they excite its electrons, which then start moving rapidly, bouncing the microwaves off them. For this reason we can say that metal reflects microwaves.
Many other substances, especially water and fats, do not reflect microwaves. Instead, they absorb energy, which in turn heats up what absorbed it, which is how food gets cooked.
When you put metal in a microwave, and that metal is long and pointy, it essentially acts like an antenna for the microwave energy to bounce off of it. This can create arcs of energy, which can cause sparks that tend to scare people. The sparks can also arc to the edge of the microwave if they are close enough and can even cause the temperature inside the magnetron to rise, shortening the life of the microwave. Because of the danger to machine life and the fear such arcs cause in consumers, most manufacturers advise people not to use metal in one.
These little arcs are actually almost never a cause for alarm. A microwave oven is closed during operation, and a small arc of this magnitude is little different from a static discharge when your finger touches a piece of metal if you’ve walked on carpet. Only a certain metal in a microwave oven, especially thin metal stripping that is often used as a decoration on some porcelain or glassware, is cause for alarm. This metal can actually get hot enough to catch fire, or at least damage the object it’s on.
In fact, one of the biggest dangers people face when putting metal in a microwave oven is that they choose some sort of metal that has plastic attached to it. Many metal pots and pans have plastic handles made of phenolic, which can explode when placed in the microwave. There are, however, pots and pans made specifically for microwave use that are made out of metal. These are usually labeled microwave safe and can be used for a wide range of cooking.
While not for everyone, cooking with metal in a microwave can actually yield results that are closer to traditional convection cooking than any other form of microwave cooking. If the proper materials are used and care is taken, cooking with metal can result in brown crusts and perfectly evenly heated food.
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