If you have been experimenting with the various features of a microwave, you may wonder what microwave oven cooking accessories are out there. The best microwaves, after all, tend to integrate with a wide range of accessories to suit nearly any cooking style. Keep reading to learn more.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- There are many useful and fun microwave oven accessories out there to suit many different styles of cooking.
- You can try a dedicated popcorn popper, a bacon crisper, a steam cooker, a microwave pasta cooker, or even a rice cooker.
- Other accessories include microwave plate covers, potato bags, and dedicated crispers, for fries and pizza.
What Microwave Cooking Accessories Exist?
There are so many nifty cooking accessories out there for a standard microwave oven, no matter the size, in case you are wondering just how big is a 1.6 cubic feet microwave.
Microwave Plate Covers
Many people rely on paper towels to cover their food as it rotates and cooks inside of a microwave. However, paper towels can easily be blown off-course, or become soaked in food. Microwave plate covers are purpose-built lids that are microwave-safe and designed to easily rest over plates and, in some cases, bowls and other containers. Using one of these covers will keep your microwave cleaner for longer, so you won’t have to learn how to clean microwave filters.
Pasta and Rice Cookers
You can actually cook both pasta and rice in a microwave so long as you use the correct accessory. These cooking tools are typically microwave-safe containers that have a lid and opening for pasta or rice. Just pop in your starch, water, and follow the heating instructions that come with the cooker.
Steam Cookers
Microwaves are extremely handy when it comes to steam cooking raw vegetables, frozen food, proteins, and more. These are microwave-safe containers that offer separate partitions for water and ingredients. They work similarly to the aforementioned pasta and rice cookers.
Microwave Crisper
One of the downsides of cooking in a microwave is that this kitchen appliance can make some food items soggy. Ramp up the crisp factor of your favorite recipes by using a dedicated microwave crisper accessory. These can be essential for fries, tots, pizza, and, of course, bacon.
Popcorn Popper
Sure, you can use pre-bagged microwave popcorn, but real cinema aficionados like to use loose corn kernels for their movie nights. A microwave popcorn popper makes this a reality. Simply dump in the kernels, set the timer, and soon you’ll be enjoying freshly popped popcorn.
Potato Bag
This simple accessory allows you to safely and reliably cook whole potatoes inside your microwave. Just pop the potatoes in the bag, set the timer, and you are all set.
Insider Tip
Use a microwave plate cover to help keep the interior of your oven clean, even with frequent use.
F.A.Q.S
How does cooking equipment heat food?
A convection oven or even convection microwave uses heated circulated air, while standard countertop microwaves use radio waves to heat food. Grills and grill microwaves use traditional heating methods.
Which containers are microwave safe?
Many types of containers are microwave safe. Check with your microwave manufacturer for more information.
Can plastic utensils be used in a microwave?
There are many benefits to microwave cooking, but placing utensils inside is not one of them. While there does exist cookware for microwaves, there are not many microwave-safe utensils.
STAT: Revenue in the Microwave Ovens segment amounts to US$9,746m in 2021. The market is expected to grow annually by 1.32%. (source)
