You must have heard people saying that you should not put metal inside the microwave. Still, when you are in a hurry and want to reheat the leftovers quickly in an aluminum bowl, one question tends to come – Can I Microwave Aluminum Bowl?
No, you can not microwave an aluminum bowl, because it can damage your microwave and there is also a risk of fire. Besides this, you will also notice the arcing and sparking inside the microwave that can possibly reduce the overall life span of your microwave
Yet even after knowing this if you still try to do this then remember as long as the bowl is not touching the microwave edges and there is no sparking inside a microwave, you should be fine. But I would suggest avoiding such an experiment.
Though it would not cause any harm, in general, to use an aluminum bowl inside the microwave, it is still recommended to use a microwave-safe bowl rather than an aluminum bowl for reheating purposes.
Microwave rays can not penetrate the aluminum bowl, so they bounce back, and sometimes when the aluminum surface is not smooth, you can see some little sparks inside the microwave.
Quick Note: There is a potential risk of fire hazard inside the microwave via sparking. If you are reheating some oily food that is more prone to caught fire with a small spark and you are not monitoring the aluminum bowl while microwaving, it can damage the whole appliance or even worse.
Guide on how to safely microwave food in Aluminum Bowl:
I would say don’t do it, there are high chances of arcing and fire alongside complete damage to the microwave.
The Aluminum Bowl itself does not allow the microwave to pass through. Therefore if you want to reheat food in an aluminum bowl, you should not cover the bowl from the top as the microwaves will heat the food only from the open area on top.
Another important thing is that you should always keep examining the bowl to see it does not touch the edge because if it does, then there will be sparks inside the microwave. Little sparks will not cause any harm, but it is still advisable to check and see everything is going well.
If you follow these guidelines, you should be completely fine using an aluminum bowl inside a microwave. If you have a smooth and clean bowl without any bumps, there will be fewer or no sparks.
Also Read: Is it safe to use a microwave if the inside is peeling?
What would happen if you Microwave Aluminum Bowl
In most circumstances, nothing will happen, and you will be able to use it without any problems. Still, sometimes you can see some sparks inside the microwave, which is completely normal and will not cause any damage to both the appliance and the food.
People often think that using an aluminum bowl in the microwave will damage the whole interior, and yes, it happens, but it is very rare.
As long as you are cautious and know what you are doing, it is completely Okay! to use an aluminum bowl.
What’s the worst that could happen!
You can’t microwave an aluminum bowl in itself; it will get too hot, and you could burn your hand while grabbing it, or else it will spark and may cause fire damaged.
Why do I see sparks while microwave aluminum bowl
That goes without saying that aluminum bowls come under the category of metals that are not meant to go in the microwave. You are most likely to see a spark if you put an empty aluminum bowl inside the microwave.
Nevertheless, if there is food in it, then the food will absorb the microwaves, and chances of aluminum bowl sparking are scarce.
So why does it actually happen!
When microwaves reach the bowl surface, the waves could not penetrate through it; thus, they bounce back, creating a spark.
Some sparks in the microwave are unavoidable inside the microwave while using an aluminum bowl. Still, these sparks won’t cause any harm in most scenarios and are very common to happen.
Related Article: Is it Okay to things on top of Microwave
Will Microwaving Aluminum Bowl damage the microwave
The short answer is no; generally, Microwaving Aluminum Bowl won’t damage the microwave. However, it does cause minor problems like sparking inside the microwave, which is absolutely normal and fine. Though frequent sparks can cause damage to the microwave in long run.
Furthermore, it’s not encouraged to use an aluminum bowl for reheating purposes in the microwave as at the end of the day, it is a type of metal but still, if you wish to use it, be a little bit more cautious and careful while doing so just to be on the safer side.
Related Post: Is it safe to use a burnt Microwave
Conclusion
In this post, I’ve talked about whether or not you can microwave an Aluminum bowl, what possibly could happen if you do so! And how you can put the aluminum bowl inside the microwave safe to reheat leftovers.
The best bet is to use other microwave-friendly containers.
Now, I guess you know exactly how you can avoid any mishappening when microwaving the aluminum bowl. But don’t forget I still recommend avoiding doing such an experiment and using a microwave-safe bowl.