The microwave is a genius invention, often breathing life – and heat – into otherwise dull and stale leftovers.
However, according to Which? not all foods are meant for the electronic heating device, as some could leave it grotesquely filthy, or worse, completely ruin it or make it catch fire.
The British consumer watchdog has revealed five foods that could wreak havoc on your microwave, and they range from messy tomato sauce to dry kale and surprisingly, hard boiled eggs.
In addition, the consumer brand has shared alternative ways for cooking and heating your favourite cooking staples, which they ensure will prolong the life of your microwave and save you the strenuous job of cleaning it up after every use.
Aside to this, there are many foods that are perfectly safe to warm in a microwave, however, doing so might mess up their taste or texture.
Here, FEMAIL reveals the five foods that you should never heat in a microwave, according to Which?
Tomato-based sauce
As tasty as it is messy, it’s no surprise that the red cooking staple is a big no-no when it comes to the microwave.
Which? explained that items like chopped tomatoes or pasta sauce are often too thick to warm in a microwave, and need room to allow steam to properly escape.
British consumer watchdog Which? has revealed five foods that could wreak havoc on your microwave (stock image)
If you’ve tried it before, you may recall loud ‘pop’ or ‘bang’ sounds that leave you wondering if your microwave is on the verge of bursting.
The reason for this is bubbles build up, causing ‘explosive pops’ that are guaranteed to leave a mess behind for you to clean, explained the consumer brand.
‘The trapped steam could also cause air pockets to develop in your sauce that don’t burst until you remove it from the microwave, risking spattered clothes or even scalding’ it added.
Alternatively, Which? suggests reheating tomato-type sauces in a saucepan on medium heat, along with a dash of water if it has thickened up after cooling.
The same advice goes if you must warm it in the microwave – make sure to add a drop of water to thin it out, and keep it covered.
‘Try using short bursts of half power instead. A simple vented food cover will help to prevent splatters’.
Dry greens
The healthy food is a quick way to to get essential nutrients and vitamins into your diet, but its cooking method requires more than a speedy stint in the microwave.
The best way to cook leafy greens is by applying moisture, and warming dry vegetables in a microwave could cause a spark and possibly start a fire, explained Which?
Heating dry vegetables like kale in a microwave could cause a spark and possibly start a fire, explained Which? (stock image)
Loss of taste to your fresh and healthy greens aside, the brand warns warming it in the electronic device could permanently damage your microwave.
If a microwave is your only resort, then first wash the vegetables under running water.
Then place them in a microwave-friendly container and cover it with cling film or an airtight lid to ensure they are ‘gently’ steam cooked.
However Which? states the best way to cook them is by steaming, boiling, stir-frying or sautéeing them.
Hard boiled eggs
Warming hard-boiled eggs in the microwave can be a danger to both the device and yourself.
A hard-boiled egg reheated in the microwave can explode so violently it damages your hearing, researchers have found.
The discovery was made after scientists were asked to serve as expert witnesses for a case involving damage allegedly caused by a hard-boiled egg.
A shelled hard-boiled egg had been reheated in a microwave and apparently exploded in a restaurant customer’s mouth, causing burns and possibly hearing damage.
Warming hard-boiled eggs in the microwave can be a danger to both the device and yourself, and it’s advisable to eat them cold instead of reheating them (Stock image)
The case was settled out of court but in the meantime 100 eggs were boiled in a microwave to see what damage they could do.
Experts found the explosion can be as loud as listening to a jet plane from 100 feet (30m) away – and it seems superheated water is to blame.
If your hard-boiled eggs have gone cold, you might have to just eat them that way suggests Which?
Raw eggs in their shell
We’ve all been there – you’re running late for work, university or an event, and the idea of quickly popping a raw egg in the microwave hits you like a lightbulb.
However, this is a terrible idea according to Which? as steam trapped inside the egg is unable to escape the shell and can cause the egg to explode.
Aside to the danger implications, it can leave an eggy mess strewn across your microwave – and you’re potentially left with both an unevenly cooked breakfast and a mess to clean up.
For tamer ways to boil your eggs, you’ll need only a saucepan, water and a hob, the good old-fashioned way.
Sometimes if the egg is cracked it can create a mess during boiling. To avoid this, ensure the egg is at room temperature before cooking.
According to Which? boiling for four to five minutes leaves a runny texture, while six to seven makes them soft boiled, and hard boiled eggs require around 10 minutes to cook.
Chilli pepper
While the spiciest types of peppers cause a tasty explosion in your mouth, warming them in a microwave presents a different type of risk.
Chilli peppers contain large amounts of capsaicin – a colourless odorless chemical most heavily concentrated around the tissue of a pepper that gives you that mouth on fire feeling.
Heating chilli peppers in a microwave will cause the substance to escape into the air and potentially cause a stinging sensation in the eyes.
It goes without saying to make sure you wash your hands when handling chilli to avoid it irritating your skin, mouth or eyes, says Which?
Instead of the microwave, try other heating methods such as roasting, grilling, pan-frying or even adding chilli peppers to your dish raw.