Can You Microwave Glass? (What You Need to Know…)

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can you microwave glass

Quick Answer: Yes, but you need to make sure that the glass is microwave-safe first.

Not sure how to tell? The good news is that there are some simple ways of figuring out whether your glass cookware is made of microwavable glass, which we’ll share below.

But first, let’s learn a little more about glass…

What Is Glass?

Glass is the result of sand being melted at incredibly high temperatures, then cooled quickly.It’s mostly considered a human-made thing, but glass happens in nature, too.

Thoughglassis a solid, it’s no ordinary solid.Plastics are also amorphous solids.

From a chemistry perspective, glass doesn’t contain the same organizational patterns of molecules and atoms that cause a solid to maintain its rigid shape. 

That being said, if you knock on a windowpane, you won’t be noticing anything but a solid substance against your knuckles.

Don’t worry—the leftovers you store in glass Tupperware aren’t in danger of leaking out.

Read Also: Best Glass Jar Blenders to Buy

Different Types of Glass Cookware

Glass is a popular material to cook in, as evidenced by the many different types of cookware made in glass.

Pie plates that you bake pies in and glass casserole dishes are probably some of the examples you’re most familiar with.You may be less familiar with glass frying pans, pots andglassware.

It’s easy to think of glass as a super fragile substance, but for cooking and baking, it’s quite a hardy substance. 

Here are some of the advantages of cooking with glass:

  • Easy to keep clean due to its nonporous surface
  • Cooks food evenly on the stove top
  • Nonreactive with food
  • (Frequently) microwavable

If your trusty microwave is a big part of your cooking routine, check out Best Microwave Toaster Oven Combo

How Do You Know If Glass Is Microwave Safe or Not?

You can’t really tell whether glass is microwave-safe just by looking at it.

Some suggesttesting your glassware out in the microwave first

  • Put the glass cookware in the microwave along with a second container of water.
  • Microwave on high heat for a minute or two.

If the glass feels hot to the touch when you take it out, it’s not safe to microwave it.

But if you’re going to try this method, we would suggest exercising caution.

The best way to tell if your glassware is safe for the microwave is to flip it over and look for a label that verifies that it’s OK for microwave use.

A word of caution: Never microwave glassware with metal anywhere on it.

Labels on Glass to Be Aware Of

If you search on the bottom of a glass dish or cup, you may find “microwave safe” there.

Unfortunately, not all manufacturers include one of these labels. To be really sure, stick with buying glass cookware stamped with the seal of approval on the bottom.

Bonus Safety Tips

Here are some general tips that will help you cook safely with glass:

  • Don’t pour water or any other liquid into a glass dish that just came out of the oven, or it could crack.
  • Place hot glass cookware on a pad made for hot cookware.
  • Don’t expose hot glassware to sudden temperature changes.

Further Reading: Can You Microwave Paper Plates?