How to boil water? Microwave ok?

[Alex]

Seems like a silly question, but are there any negative issues with
using a microwave to boil water before using it to make coffee in a
French Press? As long as you get it between 195 and 205 degrees, does
it make a difference?

Thanks for the input.

Alex
***@cox<RemoveToReply-$%#@@Spammers>.net

[Ken Fox]

Post by Alex
Seems like a silly question, but are there any negative issues with
using a microwave to boil water before using it to make coffee in a
French Press? As long as you get it between 195 and 205 degrees, does
it make a difference?
Thanks for the input.
Alex

buy a teakettle, even a cheap $10 one at Walmart.

Boiling water in a microwave can be dangerous. There are websites that
explain this. If the water gets superheated it can seem to be at less than
the boiling point, but one small move will result in the container boiling
over and onto your hands, causing potentially serious burns.

Plus, there is no reason to use a microwave for this mundane task which is
better done by a very cheap teakettle.

ken

[Yiqin]

I agree, i zapped some water in the micowave for 1 min about 18 mos ago
and when i opened the door and touched the cup it blew up like a bomb,
luckily i was not burned. I read a suggestion to place a wooded stirrer in
the cup when heating water in a microwave and have not had the problem
again.
Will

Yeah I agree with you. wodden stirrer or plastic stirrer all can do.

Yiqin

[Jim Lane]

Post by Yiqin

I agree, i zapped some water in the micowave for 1 min about 18 mos ago
and when i opened the door and touched the cup it blew up like a bomb,
luckily i was not burned. I read a suggestion to place a wooded stirrer in
the cup when heating water in a microwave and have not had the problem
again.
Will

Yeah I agree with you. wodden stirrer or plastic stirrer all can do.
Yiqin

I've been using a Pyrex 16-oz measuring cup with 12-oz water in it and
nuking this combo. In five years of doing this, never had one problem. I
watch for the first sign of bubbles, let it rotate once more fully and
pour the water.

I can taste wooden stirrers that are left in water, coffee or tea for
too long and the boiling time in most nukes is more than enough time for
the taste to get out.


jim

[Moebius Velcro]

Post by Jim Lane
I've been using a Pyrex 16-oz measuring cup with 12-oz water in it and
nuking this combo. In five years of doing this, never had one problem. I
watch for the first sign of bubbles, let it rotate once more fully and
pour the water.

Letting it rotate might have something to do with it. If you don't have
a turntable in your microwave, which I don't, then I'd expect there be
more danger of a quiescent superheating effect.

;B

[unknown]

Post by Ken Fox
Boiling water in a microwave can be dangerous. There are websites that
explain this.

That would be my cue.

http://www.tafkac.org/ulz/microwave.html

"Synopsis: You can be injured when water heated in a microwave suddenly
boils.
Is it true?: Yes. Liquids heated in a microwave may unexpectedly boil."

More at the link.

Lara

[D. Ross]

| Is it true?: Yes. Liquids heated in a microwave may unexpectedly boil."

And bread put in a toaster might unexpectedly turn crisp and brown.
Science? Magic? You be the judge...

- David R.

--
http://www.demitasse.net

[Moebius Velcro]

Post by D. Ross
And bread put in a toaster might unexpectedly turn crisp and brown.
Science? Magic? You be the judge...

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
(I think that was Arthur C. Clarke)

[Jack Denver]

Gee, folks have gotten wimpy around here. Yes, if you heat water in the
microwave for a long time without disturbing it, it can superheat and boil
over when you jostle the cup to remove it. BUT, if you learn how long it
takes to boil water in your microwave and heat it only to the sub-boiling
temperature you need for FP, it won't be a problem.

Boiling water in the microwave may not be the best solution, but often in
offices ,etc. its the only heating appliance and one should not hesitate to
use it with a little common sense. Aside from the minimal safety issue, the
quality of the resulting hot water is the same as hot water produced in a
kettle.

Post by Ken Fox

Post by Alex
Seems like a silly question, but are there any negative issues with
using a microwave to boil water before using it to make coffee in a
French Press? As long as you get it between 195 and 205 degrees, does
it make a difference?
Thanks for the input.
Alex

buy a teakettle, even a cheap $10 one at Walmart.
Boiling water in a microwave can be dangerous. There are websites that
explain this. If the water gets superheated it can seem to be at less than
the boiling point, but one small move will result in the container boiling
over and onto your hands, causing potentially serious burns.
Plus, there is no reason to use a microwave for this mundane task which is
better done by a very cheap teakettle.
ken

[Ken Mary]

Post by Jack Denver
Gee, folks have gotten wimpy around here. Yes, if you heat water in the
microwave for a long time without disturbing it, it can superheat and boil
over when you jostle the cup to remove it. BUT, if you learn how long it
takes to boil water in your microwave and heat it only to the sub-boiling
temperature you need for FP, it won't be a problem.

Wimpy, I agree. I am not saying that superheating cannot occur, since
some people have done it. But I have been heating and boiling water in
microwaves for nearly 30 years. I have had *ZERO* superheating events
in normal use with *no* precautions like a stir stick or chips. When
this matter came up a few years ago, I tried to superheat water in a
microwave. I was finally marginally successful by boiling for several
minutes then shutting off the power for a few minutes then reheating
without touching the cup. After this, insertion of a spoon caused a
vigorous boiling for a few seconds, but never explosively. The real
danger is adding a granular solid like coffee to water in this
condition, when a fine foam can be created which may quickly overflow
the cup. I think there is a video that shows this effect, search
google.

Superheating more commonly (and quite easily) can occur in laboratory
settings where clean glass and pure water are used. It is s.o.p. to use
boiling chips which are nothing more than a porous ceramic.

[Ken Fox]

Hey Jack,

A small plastic plug in water heater, like Bodum makes, sets you back maybe
$20 if you don't get it on sale. Maybe there is the odd cubicle or office
where an employee would be forbidden or unable to use such a thing, but most
would be able to. If I needed to boil water in an office, and the only
thing available in the office for boiling water was the microwave, I'd get
one of those plug in thingies and leave it at work.

best,

ken

Post by Jack Denver
Gee, folks have gotten wimpy around here. Yes, if you heat water in the
microwave for a long time without disturbing it, it can superheat and boil
over when you jostle the cup to remove it. BUT, if you learn how long it
takes to boil water in your microwave and heat it only to the sub-boiling
temperature you need for FP, it won't be a problem.
Boiling water in the microwave may not be the best solution, but often in
offices ,etc. its the only heating appliance and one should not hesitate to
use it with a little common sense. Aside from the minimal safety issue, the
quality of the resulting hot water is the same as hot water produced in a
kettle.

Post by Ken Fox

Post by Alex
Seems like a silly question, but are there any negative issues with
using a microwave to boil water before using it to make coffee in a
French Press? As long as you get it between 195 and 205 degrees, does
it make a difference?
Thanks for the input.
Alex

buy a teakettle, even a cheap $10 one at Walmart.
Boiling water in a microwave can be dangerous. There are websites that
explain this. If the water gets superheated it can seem to be at less

than

Post by Ken Fox
the boiling point, but one small move will result in the container boiling
over and onto your hands, causing potentially serious burns.
Plus, there is no reason to use a microwave for this mundane task which is
better done by a very cheap teakettle.
ken

[unknown]

I agree, i zapped some water in the micowave for 1 min about 18 mos ago
and when i opened the door and touched the cup it blew up like a bomb,
luckily i was not burned. I read a suggestion to place a wooded stirrer in
the cup when heating water in a microwave and have not had the problem
again.

I do it in my microwave which has a turntable. The jostling of the
turning seems to eliminate the explosion problem, but still, be
careful!

from Randy and Silvia and Rocky
http://www.quiknet.com/~frcn/Coffee/Coffee.html
reply to: frcn at cncnet dot com

[Neal Scott]

I have experienced two "explosive water" events. The first time I was
heating water for tea - I forgot about my hot water and returned maybe 1/2
hour later. I re-heated the water. I took the ceramic cup out of the
microwave and the still water suddenly exploded out of the mug, spraying the
ceiling, walls, floor and my arm. Fortunately, I did'nt have the mug near
my face!
It happened again recently - once again, I re-heated water that I had
forgotten - I opened the microwave and half of the water exploded out of the
mug, spattering inside the microwave. The water was plain, impure, tap
water. The mug was a standard ceramic mug - not lab equipment.
It does happen and I can only describe the way the water noisily blows out
of the mug as an explosion. It is an alarming and potentially dangerous
experiense!

Neal

Post by unknown

I agree, i zapped some water in the micowave for 1 min about 18 mos ago
and when i opened the door and touched the cup it blew up like a bomb,
luckily i was not burned. I read a suggestion to place a wooded stirrer in
the cup when heating water in a microwave and have not had the problem
again.

I do it in my microwave which has a turntable. The jostling of the
turning seems to eliminate the explosion problem, but still, be
careful!
from Randy and Silvia and Rocky
http://www.quiknet.com/~frcn/Coffee/Coffee.html
reply to: frcn at cncnet dot com

[Dan Fraser]

Post by Neal Scott
I have experienced two "explosive water" events. The first time I was
heating water for tea - I forgot about my hot water and returned maybe 1/2

I've had this happen too. It's not common, but it's not strange either.
You just have to be a bit careful. Give the cup a bit of a knock before you
remove it... if it's gonna go, it'll go as soon as it gets moved. A
microwave with a turntable makes it way less likely to happen.

[Ken Williams]

Brewhawk:

O.K. I'll bite, what would be more efficient than the microwaven?

Ken W


"Brewhawk" <***@nospam.net> wrote in message news:***@4ax.com...
: On 30 Jul 2003 21:33:32 -0700, ***@nathcomm.com (Alex) wrote:
:
: >Seems like a silly question, but are there any negative issues
with
: >using a microwave to boil water before using it to make coffee in
a
: >French Press? As long as you get it between 195 and 205 degrees,
does
: >it make a difference?
: >
: >Thanks for the input.
: >
: >Alex
: >***@cox<RemoveToReply-$%#@@Spammers>.net
:
: You are getting a lot of reply's, most addressing "dangers" of
heating
: water in a microwave. Don't get me wrong... water heated in a nuke
: can perform some unexpected eruptions, but with some care and a
: modicum of caution, the risk is calculated.
:
: All that aside, and more to your question.. water heated to 205°
in
: a microwave is indistinguisable from water heated to 205° by any
: other method. Your french press just doesn't care how the water
got
: hot.
:
: The only comment I will make is that the microwave is probably not
the
: most efficient method of heating water available to you.
:
: Brewhawk®
: Lat: 38.554817 Long: -121.748495

[Alex]

Thank you all for the input. In our office, we are fortunate to have
a filtered water dispenser with the hot side hooked up. I checked it
with an instant read thermometer, and it's right at 200 degrees which
seems to work perfectly in our french press. But some other office
friends of mine don't have the hot tap and were looking for
suggestions.

Regards.

Alex