How to Boil Water in the Microwave

Need to boil water to make a drink or dish? Microwaves are very convenient for boiling small amounts of water without having to use a stove or electric kettle. However, boiling water in the microwave also has its difficulties. For example, although this is rare, there is still a risk that the water will be overheated, suddenly overflowing and possibly causing burns. Although the risk is not high, ^{[1] X Source of Research} , but you should take precautions to stay safe when boiling water.

Preparation time: 1 minute
Cooking time: 1-3 minutes
Total time: 2-4 minutes

Table of Contents

Choose microwave-safe containers

The first step to safely heating water in the microwave is to use an appropriate container. The following clear information sheet will help you determine the right container for this. ^{[2] X Research Source}

*Materials graded according to microwave safety factors*
Material	Is it safe or not?	Note
Glass	Have
Ceramics	Have
Paper plate	Have
Stencils/wax paper	Have
Most metals (including foil and silver tableware)	Are not	Metal heating in the microwave will cause sparks that can damage the microwave and even cause a fire. ^{[3] X Research Sources}
Brown paper bag	Are not	May ignite or release toxic gases in the microwave. ^{[4] X Research Sources}
Sealed/sealed object	Are not	May explode due to hot steam.
Disposable design containers (yogurt cups, margarine cups, etc.)	Are not	May flow, burn or emit toxic gases.
Plastic (food wrap, Tupperware-esque containers, etc.)	Usually no	Toxic chemicals in plastic can leach into food. However, plastic containers with the FDA certification mark “microwave safe” can be used.
Styrofoam box	Usually no	See plastic material section; some styrofoam boxes marked “microwave safe” can be used.

Boil water safely

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Pour water into a microwave-safe cup or bowl. Boiling water in the microwave is very easy. First, pour water into the microwave-safe container listed in the table above.

Remember not to cover the container. Hot steam may cause an explosion.

Place in the water a clean and microwave-safe object. After pouring water into the cup, place a non-metallic object such as a wooden spoon, wooden chopsticks, or ice cream stick into the water. This helps prevent a dangerous phenomenon called “overheating” by allowing the water to bubble.

Overheating occurs when water in a microwave oven is heated beyond its boiling point and fails to bubble due to the absence of a center of vaporization (the rough spots needed for bubbles to form). As soon as the water is stirred or has a center of vaporization, the water that is overheated will produce steam very quickly, causing a small explosion in the boiling water. ^{[5] X Research Sources}
If there is no suitable object to put in the water, you can use a container that has a scratch or chip on the inside. These spots act as the center of vaporization to help the water bubble.

Put water in the microwave. Heat the water in short bursts (no more than 1.5 minutes at a time), stirring occasionally until the water evaporates. Even if you have followed the steps above, the bubbles may not emerge as clearly as when boiling water on the stove. The most accurate way to tell if water is boiling is to measure it with a thermometer. At sea level, water boils at 100°C. The higher you go, the lower the temperature will be.

If you’re using a container that retains heat well (like glass or porcelain), you need to be careful when taking out the water and stirring it. Use a hand towel or cloth to prevent burns when handling.

To disinfect water, keep boiling. If you want pure water, microwave it long enough to kill the microorganisms. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends boiling water for at least 1 minute or 3 minutes if you are at an altitude above 2,000 meters. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

Avoid the harmful effects of overheating (Other tips)

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Do not boil the water for too long in batches. After reading the tips above, you may be worried about an accident caused by the water being too hot. Don’t worry! You have many ways to stay safe. Perhaps the most important thing you can do to avoid the risk of water overheating is to not boil the water for too long in batches. The water won’t get too hot if it doesn’t boil over the boiling point.

The exact time to limit each heating session may vary depending on the power of the microwave oven. To be on the safe side, try limiting the cooking time to 1 minute first. Based on the temperature of the water after boiling the first batch, you can adjust the next batch accordingly.

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Avoid using containers that are too smooth. Also for the same reason why it is a good idea to put a non-metallic object in the water or use a scratched container, you should avoid using too smooth containers to boil the water, such as new glasses and porcelain bowls; Many other materials can also be so smooth that they cause problems.

Instead, you should use a container that is older and more worn or has visible scratches on the bottom; These spots will create the center of vaporization for bubbles to form.

Carefully tap the edge of the container after cooking is complete. When you think the water has been heated long enough, check if the water is too hot by tapping the side of the container before removing it from the microwave. It is best to use a long tool to protect the hand.

If the water is really hot, knocking on the container can cause the water to suddenly “explode” on the surface. This phenomenon can cause water to overflow inside the oven, but you still won’t get burned because you haven’t taken out the water.

Stir with a long object while the water is still in the microwave. Still not sure if the water is getting too hot? Use a long stick to stir well. When you stir the water or put an object in the water, you create the center of vaporization for the bubbles to form; If the water is really hot, it will quickly “explode” or boil. If not, congratulations! The water has been safely boiled.

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Remember to keep the heated water away from your face until you are sure it is safe. Probably needless to say, you must not put your face near the water as there is even the slightest risk of overheating. Most hot water injuries occur when people take the water out of the microwave and look in it; The sudden explosion of superheated water can cause severe burns to the face and, in the worst cases, permanent vision damage.

Warning

Cups of water with nothing inside (such as chopsticks) have a high risk of overheating because the bubbles have nowhere to gather. Putting an object in water is a small but really important step.
Do not heat a covered container of water in the microwave. The steam that expands in the container can break the container and make a terrible mess!

Steps

Choose microwave-safe containers

Boil water safely

Avoid the harmful effects of overheating (Other tips)

Warning

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