Don’t ruin your new mug by putting it in the oven – learn how to tell if it’s oven safe before you do.
While mugs are a pretty trendy food container, most people still fancy micro-oven baking. The temptation posed by a single serving of dessert is something that few people can resist. If you are trying to achieve something similar, of course, you are going to need a handy and straightforward recipe. Still, you equally need a proper coffee mug that you can use safely in microwave ovens.
More types of mugs will suit ovens than you imagine, while there are stoneware mugs and other mugs made from materials designated to be safe for oven use by the manufacturers themselves.
FATE OF MOST MUGS IF PLACED INSIDE MICROWAVE OVENS
Keep in mind that if you place mugs made from the following materials, they will in all likelihood crack inside the oven or when they are down outside. Such constituent materials include:
- Earthenware
- Standard Porcelain
- China mugs
For mugs that the manufacturers claim to be suitable for microwave ovens, this is an excellent way to determine if it’s safe to put the cup in the oven. For other types of cups that aren’t clear about this, use the following method to figure out if they’re right:
SAFETY OF COFFEE MUGS
The typical coffee mug that you can safely use in microwave ovens mentions and advertises that particular feature. It is, in fact, often its USP. You can indeed determine whether it will be alright to use an old mug with no special mention of such features. You need to check the mug’s constituent material. Additionally, it is recommended that you check the mug’s features as mentioned by its manufacturer, either on its packaging or on its website.
THE CONSTITUENT MUG MATERIAL IS THE DETERMINING FACTOR
Mugs are pottery-based containers. And pottery consists of clay components and the temperature used to fire and mold the dishes or containers. Dishes prepared at a relatively high temperature will exhibit more excellent resistance to heal and better suitability for oven use. People failing to identify mug materials should refrain from using them inside microwave ovens.
STONEWARE
If you are looking for the safest oven-safe coffee mugs to use with your microwave oven, then your best bet is undoubtedly stoneware utensils, including cups. Their high heat resistance levels make them perfect for the task. In terms of appearance, most mugs belonging to the stoneware group are opaque and thick. The surface texture of such cups is usually rough or possesses a shiny glaze.
PORCELAIN
Before we make generalizations about porcelain’s suitability for use in microwave ovens, it is essential to note that some porcelain items are indeed oven-safe. The ones that are typically designated and advertised to be so. To determine if your porcelain mug is fit for oven use, examine the mug’s thinness and whether it is vulnerable to thermal shock. In terms of appearance, porcelain dishes are usually single-colored and may or may not have glazing.
EARTHENWARE
Look wise, earthenware and stoneware don’t differ from one another that much. Functionally, however, especially in oven use, the pottery is not safe to be used in microwave ovens. Chipping is a common drawback that earthen wares display and pottery mugs are painted too. As a result, with the prolonged use of earthenware mugs, chipping is likely to occur. This, in turn, will reveal the white clay is hiding behind the paint in the different parts of the cup, usually the cup bottom.
BONE CHINA
Bone china mugs are exceptionally delicate, and you should make it a point NEVER to place them inside microwave ovens. Such bone china mugs have thin and dainty characteristics. Most cups made from this material Behr paint and intricately inlaid designs.
METAL
Mugs purely made of metal like camping mugs are usually oven safe. Before you do so, ensure that the cup is devoid of elements made from plastic. Keep in mind that if your metal mug comes with a non-stick finish, heat tolerance is not likely going to be one of its great virtues.
PLASTIC
If you put a plastic mug in your microwave oven, it will, in all probability, leave you with a mess or, worse, a fire hazard. Cups that come with grips or handles made of the material will have similar results.
It is indeed true that, as a general rule of thumb, glass mugs are not fit for oven use. Note that there are specialized glass mugs designed to withstand the tremendous heat generated by a microwave oven. Here again, it would be wise to go with the recommendations of the manufacturer.
DECORATED TEXTURE
If your mug features decorative texture, then putting it into a microwave oven is a strict no. Such decorations get added only after the firing process ends and is prone to break or crack on heat exposure.
To sum things up, if you are keen to try out recipes in your oven by using mugs, stoneware mugs are the best bet for you. Stoneware dishes stand out for their durability, density, and the fact that they are very useful when it comes to microwave ovens. I hope this article guides you through the mug materials you can and can’t use with microwave ovens. Now you are a cleverer cooking chef!!!
