How to Boil Water in the Microwave

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Distilled Water
• Microwaves Or Double-boiler

1. Determine the amount of boiling water needed for your task.

2. Measure amount, then pour water into a microwave-safe container.

3. Place the container in microwave oven.

4. Set microwave on High.

5. Heat water until boiling; generally 4 minutes for 1 cup; 6 minutes for 2 cups; 10 minutes for 4 cups.

6. If container is hot to the touch, use pot holders to remove from oven.

Tips & Warnings

• In general, boiling water in the microwave should be reserved for projects requiring four cups of water or less.
• When boiling water for tea, simply fill cup with water, put in microwave for 3 minutes, add tea bag and steep as usual.
• If you are not sure what a microwave-safe container is, consult the manual that came with your microwave. Generally, it is safe to use glass.
• Be careful when boiling water - use pot holders to carry the hot container and don't leave boiling water unattended.

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on 8/21/2009 Recently I was advised that due to some problems with the local water supply, it was best to boil all drinking water for awhile. I found out the hard way that one should allow the water to cool prior to actually drinking it. Yowza.

on 11/22/2005 My sister boiled water in a microwave safe plastic cup. When she opened the microwave door, the glass turntable literally exploded, sending shards in her face. Glass was found 15 feet away from the microwave.

on 11/22/2005 The microwave can be a dangerous way to heat water, due to superheating. This happens when the water heats up too fast to boil properly. The water looks cool, but as soon as you remove it from the microwave, it "explodes." This can cause severe burns.

on 11/22/2005 When boiling water in a microwave, place a wooden stick or a similar non-smooth, non-metallic object in the container. Water, when microwaved, can sometimes become superheated -- that is, it's actually above 212 degrees Fahrenheit. This is caused by a lack of bubbles forming (as opposed to the tremendous number of bubbles when boiling on a stove). If superheated water is removed from a microwave, it can spontaneously begin to boil out of the container, which can result in severe burns to the hands and face. The addition of a wooden stick (or similar object) helps to keep enough bubbles forming to prevent the water from becoming superheated.