Is it safe to microwave borosilicate glassware
Mar 12, 2025
In today's fast-paced era, microwaves, with their rapid and efficient heating characteristics, have become an indispensable part of countless home kitchens. Meanwhile, borosilicate glassware, including borosilicate glass mugs and borosilicate teapots produced by high borosilicate glass teapot manufacturers, has won the favor of consumers due to its excellent chemical stability and remarkable heat resistance. However, when these high quality borosilicate glass products meet the modern kitchen magic - the microwave, a commonly - concerned question emerges: Is it safe and reliable to heat borosilicate glassware, such as high borosilicate glass cups and high borosilicate teapots, in a microwave? Today, let's explore this topic in detail.
Firstly, it is important to understand the properties of borosilicate glass. Borosilicate glass is a type of glass that contains boron oxide (B₂O₃) and silicon dioxide (SiO₂) as its main components. Its unique chemical composition gives it many excellent properties. Compared to ordinary glass, borosilicate glass has a lower coefficient of thermal expansion. This means that it expands and contracts less when the temperature changes drastically. For example, if ordinary glass is suddenly placed in a high-temperature microwave oven from a low-temperature environment, the large amount of thermal expansion and contraction can create large stresses inside the glass, causing it to break. Borosilicate glass, with its low coefficient of expansion, can better withstand drastic temperature changes, greatly reducing the risk of breakage due to temperature changes during microwave heating.
Secondly, borosilicate glass has good microwave penetration. The principle of a microwave oven is to use microwaves to interact with water molecules in food, causing the water molecules to vibrate and generate heat, thereby heating the food. In this process, the container must allow the microwaves to penetrate easily and reach the inside of the food. Borosilicate glass does just that. It does not reflect microwaves like metal, which can cause microwave oven malfunctions or even hazards. When microwaves are directed at borosilicate glassware, most of the microwaves can penetrate the glass and act on the water molecules in the food, providing efficient heating without damaging the glass itself.
Borosilicate glass also has excellent chemical stability. When food is heated in a microwave oven, some acidic or alkaline substances may be produced. If ordinary glass is in contact with these substances for a long time, chemical reactions may occur, causing the glass surface to corrode, reducing its service life and even releasing harmful substances. Borosilicate glass is resistant to most common chemicals. Even when food containing various ingredients is heated in a microwave oven, it can remain stable and will not react chemically with the food, thus ensuring food safety.
However, it should be noted that not all utensils marked "borosilicate glass" are suitable for use in microwave ovens. Some borosilicate glassware may have other substances added during the production process, or its structural design may have special features, which may affect its safety in microwave ovens. Therefore, when choosing borosilicate glassware for microwave heating, be sure to read the product instructions carefully. Regular products usually clearly indicate whether they can be used for microwave heating. If the product description does not mention that it can be used in a microwave oven, or clearly states that it is not applicable, then even if it is made of borosilicate glass, it should not be heated in a microwave oven.
In summary, it is safe to heat borosilicate glassware in a microwave oven if you choose the right borosilicate glassware and follow the correct usage method. With its low expansion coefficient, good microwave penetration and chemical stability, it can work stably in a microwave oven and provide convenience for our daily life. However, during use, be sure to carefully confirm the applicability of the product to ensure that the heating process is safe.