Bamboo is a very reliable and sturdy raw material. Products made from bamboo are much more sustainable than products made from both plastic and paper. These days many people are trying to use more Eco-Friendly products.
This is due to people being more conscious about the ever-rising plastic waste, which ultimately is ruining the environment, especially the ocean. Plastic waste is also making the lives of other living things much more harmful.
As a result, many people are looking into alternatives, and bamboo is one of the good ones. The benefits of using bamboo products instead of melamine or another form of utensils are far superior.
Can bamboo go in the microwave?
Bamboo and other wooden materials have moisture inside of them, microwaving will dry out the bamboo product. Furthermore, it will shorten the lifespan of the bamboo and ruin it. The bamboo will become more fragile when microwaved. So, it is not recommended to put bamboo in the microwave.
On average a person uses the microwave for about 15-30 minutes every day. These days everyone’s trying to use Eco-Friendly products.
Bamboo products are Eco-Friendly and it is almost certain that we will try to put them in the microwave. We took the liberty to make a table of different bamboo products we could be using as alternatives.
Keep in mind that some of the bamboo products that we list as Microwave safe are not safe to use right away. You need to take some precautions before taking those products and putting them inside in the microwave.
For example, the Bamboo Skewers need to be soaked in water for at least 10 minutes before putting them in the Microwave. Else they will catch on fire.
Then there are the Bamboo paper towels; these towels need to be spread flat and evenly. If the paper towel is crumbled up or not evenly spread, it is likely to catch on fire.
While the “catch on fire” thing might sound scary to some people, it is completely safe if we simply take the cautionary steps that come with each individual product. With that out of the way, let’s continue with the table.
Can these Bamboo products go in the microwave?
| Bamboo Products | Microwave Safe or Not |
|---|---|
| Bamboo plates & dishes | Not microwave safe |
| Bamboo bowls | Not microwave safe |
| Bamboo dinnerware | Not microwave safe |
| Bamboo coffee cups | Not microwave safe |
| Bamboo steamers | Microwave safe |
| Bamboo containers | Not microwave safe |
| Bamboo skewers | Microwave safe |
| Bamboo lunch boxes | Microwave safe |
| Bamboo travel mugs | Not microwave safe |
| Bamboo sticks | Microwave safe |
| Bamboo fiber | Not microwave safe |
| Bamboo paper towels | Microwave safe |
| Bamboo melamine | Not microwave safe |
| Bamboo batting | Microwave safe |
Why can’t you microwave bamboo? What happens if you do?
Bamboo products are exquisitely durable and one of the best plates for food service. Easy to wash and doesn’t even retain the smell or taste of the last food served on it.
It’s almost a no-brainer when it comes to using bamboo products instead of other materials for food service.
People naturally would think that such durability also carries on to the microwaving of bamboo too. However, it may be sad to say that bamboo products are not safe for microwaves.
Many bamboo products are seemingly fine when they’re microwaved. But usually, most of them tend to be ruined once microwaved. Thus, manufacturers advise against microwaving bamboo.
Let’s gloss over two of the main reasons why you shouldn’t microwave bamboo below.
Warping:
Most of the bamboo or wooden utensils are bounded strips with press glue. The heat from the microwave will make the moisture start steaming and expand.
This will create steam that is barely visible to the eye. Nonetheless, it will soon warp the plate as well as loosen the strips bound with glue. Ultimately ruining the utensil altogether.
Withering:
It’s not safe to start the microwave just empty. That’s because a microwave makes things hot by heating the water molecules residing in the particular element.
Regarding that fact, bamboo has moisture inside. Due to how low the amount of moisture is present the microwave quickly dries out the bamboo utensils.
Shortening the lifespan of the product is one thing, this also ruins the products. Because they soon crumble apart due to the dryness.
Are pampered chef bamboo bowls and other products microwave safe?
Pampered Chef is one of the renowned brands out there for kitchen utensils. However, that’s the only good thing about that brand name. They have a high product price but very low product quality.
Having one of the worse consumer ratings of only 2.25 from 12 reviews, clearly indicates that they have the most dissatisfied customers.
They even discontinued making the “Bamboobowls” at this point due to how poorly they were made. Therefore, no, these products are only dishwasher safe and not microwave safe.
Are there microwave-safe bamboo products?
There are most certainly a lot of brands out there that make bamboo products that are microwave-safe. These are usually made from the outermost layer of the bamboo, that’s commonly known as the sheath.
The sheath usually falls off naturally. After the sheaths are collected, they clean it, boil it, laminate it, press it, and finally bond it. The process is completely eco-friendly and devoid of the use of toxins or chemicals.
Companies like EcoMatters make bamboo products that are microwave friendly. Then there are the brand CiboWares who also make high-quality premium bamboo utensils that are very durable and microwave-safe.
CiboWares are so good at what they do that the bamboo products they make do not just microwave safe but they’re also oven as well as refrigerator safe. This makes their product perfect for the foodservice business.
Is bamboo safe for hot food?
Bamboo plates are not just for the looks, they are very sturdy and reliable. These plates can hold literally all types of food and not break apart or snap.
On the plus side, they don’t have toxins or harmful chemicals that usually come from melamine when heated or when hot food is served on them. Thus, it’s safe to say that bamboo utensils are completely safe with hot food.
Are bamboo cutting boards heat resistant? Can you put it in the oven?
There’s this saying among the kitchen fanatics that if you put the wooden board in the oven, it might help disinfect the board. It doesn’t end there though; they also think it helps protect food against contaminating pathogens.
Turns out these claims are actually true and the fact that the bamboo cutting board is a form of the wooden board they are highly heat resistant, up to 400 degrees. This is rather a very cheap way of effective bacteria genocide.
So yes, next time put your bamboo or any other wood cutting board inside the oven and turn up the heat to burn away the bacteria and disinfect it.
How to care for bamboo products?
They might be very strong and durable, long-lasting, and much more durable than plastic ones as well as their wooden counterparts. However, these utensils still need to be properly taken care of if you want them last a long time.
Otherwise soon in time, they will start to deteriorate, just like any other kitchen utensil that’s left without care. People tend to sometimes just leave the bamboo products soaked in water and leave unchecked for hours on end.
We advise you to not do this, as this will open the natural fibers and start splitting. We will guide you with two different helpful tips that’ll keep your favorite bamboo product in top shape for years to come.
Hand Wash:
Use warm water and soap to clean out the stains. Scrub out any leftovers that might be stuck. Use towel dry or use a hand dryer around the edges.
It’s that simple, this is because these utensils are very low maintenance after all. Remember to do this daily and make sure not to use something hard while scrubbing as it might tarnish the smooth surface.
Oiling:
In order to keep the bamboo products looking like they were bought yesterday, you can get some coconut oil or food-grade mineral oil and apply it on a clean cloth.
Then finally rub over all your bamboo products and leave them overnight to soak in the oil into the material itself. Later on, in the morning wipe away any extra remaining oils.
Keep repeating this process until there’s no trace of any oils left. Don’t use olive oil or canola oil as those will go rancid.
Final thoughts
Bamboo is lightweight, sturdy, and long-lasting and best of all it’s Eco-Friendly. However, we should not be microwaving them as it’s not safe and it will ruin the product itself. We should rather heat the food in a microwave-safe container first and then serve it on bamboo plates. or utensils.