13 Common Microwave Mistakes You Need To Stop Making

Microwaves are all about ease and convenience—you could cook dinner on the stove or in the oven, or you could take a piping hot meal out of the microwave in a fraction of the time and effort. There are more ways it can help you cook than you might realize, making it one of the most powerful tools you can have in the kitchen. But it's also one of the most misunderstood.

Since microwaves are meant to take a lot of the thinking out of cooking, many people haven't considered how they can use theirs the most effectively. That can lead to common mistakes we often think of as the downsides to microwaved food: rubbery textures, dry meat, or a plate that's scalding hot around the edges and still frozen in the center. But these imperfections can be easily avoided by really understanding how your microwave works and by giving your food a little more time and attention. Knowing about these mishaps can also extend the life of your appliance before it needs to be replaced, while keeping you safe from microwave-cooking disasters (and you won't have to clean up a surprise food explosion).

You wouldn't cook everything on your stovetop on the highest heat, right? That's essentially what's happening when you push the 30 seconds express button on the microwave, blasting whatever food is inside with all the power the microwave can muster. Some foods can handle it well, but others will come out much better on a gentler setting. Microwaves default to the highest power (100%), so look for the power level button to adjust the intensity: A power level of 5 means the microwave is actually cooking the food 50% of the time, continuously turning on and off to let residual heat do some of the work.

Lower power levels and a few extra minutes can often result in better texture and more even cooking. If you want to melt butter or chocolate, stick to a medium-low power level like 3 or 4. For fluffier grains like rice, farro, and quinoa, don't go above a medium level of 5 or 6 so they have time to gently steam. The same applies to milk and dairy-based foods, which can easily curdle or burn above medium power. When should you use full power? When you're heating liquids or watery soups, and when you're microwaving vegetables to get them tender quickly.

Speaking of power levels, they can come in handy if you're defrosting meat in the microwave. It's best to let frozen meat thaw in the refrigerator where it has time to regain moisture, but if you forgot to take out the chicken before rushing to work, the microwave is a safe, fast alternative when used correctly.

Frozen meat will need about 8 to 10 minutes per pound to defrost in the microwave. If your microwave has a defrost button, it will heat on low power; otherwise set the power level to 2 or 3. Transfer the meat to a microwave-safe container and make sure to rotate or flip every few minutes so it defrosts evenly. If you're working with chunks or pieces of meat, break them apart as they thaw. Even after moving the meat around, it's possible for some spots to get hotter than others and begin cooking, which is why you should fully cook the meat immediately after taking it out of the microwave. Letting it sit on the counter can allow dangerous bacteria to grow in the warm spots, and you don't need that in your diet.

A lot of foods are prone to cooking unevenly in the microwave because every microwave has hot and cold spots. Without getting too science-y, this is because the electromagnetic waves that cook the food are actual waves with high and low points that have more or less energy. They hit your food at different points in the wave cycle, creating more intense heat in some places while the next inch over stays cold. Many microwaves have a rotating tray to counteract these uneven waves, but it doesn't always eliminate the hot and cold spots completely.

To figure out where they are, try the marshmallow trick. Place marshmallows on a microwaveable plate in an even layer and microwave on low power for about one minute, or until they start to puff up. Whichever ones puffed up first are in a hot spot. Use this knowledge to your advantage if you're microwaving something small so it can soak up those waves!

For larger plates of food, don't just set it and forget it. Setting the timer on the microwave and walking away until it's done will often result in uneven cooking. That's because of those hot spots, but also because the electromagnetic waves can only penetrate food around 1 to 1½ inches deep. Foods thicker than that need time for the heat on the surface to spread to the middle, but agitation can help speed things up.

Take the time to move your food, stirring or flipping pieces halfway through the cooking time. When heating something in a bowl like pasta, grains, or a stir-fry, you can also create a hole in the center to increase the surface area and allow the waves to penetrate the middle of your food. Or if you're microwaving a few different things on a plate, place the larger pieces around the edge where they'll get more intense heat.

The best way to make sure you've zapped away harmful bacteria in the microwave is to take your food's temperature. The USDA says reheated leftovers should reach at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit internally. If you're cooking raw meat in the microwave, beef, pork, and lamb should reach at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit, or 160 degrees if ground. All poultry should reach at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

When to use a food thermometer matters, too. Do you know why microwave meals always say to let the food rest for a few minutes before eating? Food continues to cook after removing it from the microwave as the heat is still conducting and making its way to the center. It can continue to get much hotter while it's sitting on the kitchen counter, so wait a few minutes before checking with a food thermometer (and so you don't burn your mouth on food that's still cooking).

Microwaves cook food by agitating water molecules to generate heat, which is why moisture tends to evaporate faster in the microwave than other cooking methods. To avoid dry and rubbery meals, just add water! Most foods that were originally boiled in water, steamed, or have a naturally high water content will benefit from a little water added to the microwave.

There's a few different ways to do this. Give reheated rice, pasta, vegetables, and cooked meat a sprinkle of water over top so they'll come out more tender. A damp paper towel also comes in handy when placed over a bowl of food or wrapped around bread and tortillas. Another common trick is to place a small glass of water in the microwave alongside your food to generate enough steam to keep the food moist. Using any of these methods, that leftover pizza will taste almost like a fresh slice.

Before you put a glass of water in the microwave, make sure to follow a few rules to avoid an explosive mistake. Water in the microwave can become superheated, meaning its temperature goes above its boiling point at 212 degrees Fahrenheit. The water will look still until something is added to it — like a spoon, instant coffee, or a tea bag — or in rarer cases, when it is removed from the microwave. The motion will cause the water to vigorously boil over or even explode, putting you at risk of unpleasant burns.

Superheating is more likely to occur if you use a very clean or smooth cup, which lacks tiny bubbles of air that help water boil when it reaches its boiling point. You can prevent superheating by using a container with some scratches on it, or by placing a microwavable object in the glass like a chopstick or a wooden coffee stirrer. You can also stir the water occasionally while it heats, and let the glass rest for a minute before removing it from the microwave.

Save yourself the trouble of cleaning out the microwave by preventing a mess in the first place. The more liquid your food is, like soups and tomato sauces, the more likely it will splatter all over the inside of your microwave. A paper towel placed over the food can block those splashes, as well as microwave-safe plastic wrap—just make sure there's at least an inch of space between the plastic and the hot food, as it can melt on contact. Wax paper and parchment paper are also good alternatives.

If you want to cut down on waste and save your paper towels for other tasks, invest in a microwave splash guard instead. This often under-utilized kitchen tool is essentially a lid placed over the entire plate or bowl of food. They come in different sizes and materials, can be collapsible for easy storage, and are simpler to clean than having to reach your arm into the boxy microwave.

Even after taking precautions, creating a mess in the kitchen is inevitable. The inside of your microwave is likely to build up grime at some point, which you want to avoid as the warm environment is a breeding ground for bacteria. A dirty microwave also won't work as well: Food residue will absorb some of the energy that's meant for your meal, or it can build up on the microwave's vents that help remove excessive heat and moisture.

You don't have to tackle a microwave mess with harsh chemicals and abrasive scrubbers, though. They can damage the inside of the microwave, and strong chemicals like bleach and ammonia don't need to be anywhere near where your food is cooking. A cloth and warm water is enough to wipe away light residue, and you can add dish soap for heavier stains. When you have really tough stains and lingering odors, combine either baking soda or lemon juice with a cup of water. Microwave until it boils, then leave it inside until it cools so the steam can do the work for you. Any food residue should be soft enough to wipe away easily.

It's not always obvious what everyday materials can and can't go into a microwave. Putting plastic under the intense heat of the microwave may not sound like a great idea, but some plastics are designed to withstand that intensity without warping or melting. A microwave-safe label on plastic containers will let you know if it's the right kind, otherwise the typical plastics that are microwaveable are polypropylene (plastic #5) and high-density polyethylene (plastic #2).

The same goes for styrofoam—make sure your take-out container has a symbol of a microwave with wavy lines on it, meaning this styrofoam is FDA-approved for the microwave. The styrofoam trays that raw meat is packaged with probably won't have it, which is why meat should be moved to a different container. If you don't want to worry about looking for labels, you can't go wrong with glass, ceramic, and plain paper plates.

A splatter is one thing, but some innocuous foods can detonate in the microwave if they get hot enough. Again, microwaves cook your food by heating up water molecules, which creates steam. If the ingredient has a firm outer skin, the steam generating inside is sealed in with nowhere to escape, until it builds pressure and explodes. Foods that are known for exploding include eggs, potatoes, grapes, apples, hot dogs and other sausages, citrus fruits like lemons and oranges, eggplant, and squash.

You can simply avoid these foods if you don't want a huge mess or a broken microwave on your hands. But the microwave often comes in handy for heating or softening things like whole potatoes, eggplant, and sausage — and there's a simple trick to making them microwave-safe. Take a fork and poke holes all over the skin before microwaving. That way, you'll create escape hatches for the steam inside, and you're only a few minutes away from making a perfect baked potato in the microwave.

Chile peppers can be a microwave hazard for a whole other reason: capsaicin. It's the natural chemical compound that gives hot peppers the spicy kick we all know and (some of us) love. It's also a natural irritant that activates our pain receptors, which is why it's used in deterrents like pepper spray.

If you don't want to feel like you got pepper sprayed by your microwave, don't put chile peppers inside. The heat will release capsaicin into the air that wafts into your face when you open the microwave door, creating a burning sensation in the eyes and throat. The intensity depends on how many peppers you're heating and for how long, but you might as well avoid stinging eyes whenever you can. Stick to cooking peppers on the stovetop, where you'll be much safer from the capsaicin with the help of a strong fan and some distance from the frying pan.

Why exactly is a fork in the microwave so dangerous? When the microwaves hit the metal and react, it can cause sparks known as arcing, which can damage your microwave or cause a fire if they touch something flammable. Aluminum foil, metal twist ties, and even plates with a metallic trim or paint are best left out of the microwave to avoid this reaction.

Many people don't know that some foods can cause arcing, too. Carrots, bell peppers, kale, onion, green beans, and even hot dogs can send sparks flying in the microwave. But how can a carrot be as metallic as a fork? These vegetables tend to have higher amounts of minerals, possibly from the soil they were grown in. Those minerals are all the energetic waves need to bounce and set off a spark. When it comes to hot dogs, the salts and additives can create a similar effect. If you want to cook these foods in the microwave and see sparks, just turn off the microwave immediately. It won't get damaged from arcing if you catch it quickly, and the food is still safe to eat too — just find a different cooking method this time.