People often get confused about using a metal rack inside a microwave. The metal rack that you get with a new microwave can be used safely to cook several food items at once. You can use the metal rack for better defrosting and cooking as it tends to heat your food item from all angles.
Following is the guide to help you know whether the metal rack, like any other metal object, causes your microwave oven to sparkle and how you can ensure safe use of the rack.
Why does my microwave have a metal rack? Your microwave has a metal rack as the metal rack perched above the turning plate at the microwave’s base helps double the microwave’s capacity. It provides plenty of cooking options, defrosting and convection cooking.
How can you use a metal rack that comes with your microwave?
When it comes to using a metal rack with your microwave, you need to know certain important considerations that you should keep in mind. Following are the ways to use metal racks in your microwave safely.
Ensure That The Metal Rack Has Been Properly Installed
It is crucial that your metal rack has been properly installed with the help of plastic hooks to avoid issues such as sparkling inside the microwave. You must ensure that your metal rack is not coming in contact with either the back or the sides of your microwave.
If you place the rack wrongly and it comes into direct contact with all the metallic sides of your microwave, it may result in sparks or other problems. However, you need not worry as the metal rack has been designed to ensure sliding right into the plastic hooks.
Remove Your Metal Rack If You Are Not Using Them
Your microwave comes with a metal rack placed inside it; however, you should not store the rack in the microwave as per some experts. In short, words if you are not utilizing your metal rack actively, remove it completely from your microwave and then store it on a cabinet and shelf.
Don’t Forget To Rotate Your Food
The metal rack is different from a spinning tray located at the microwave’s bottom since it is fixed. Therefore if you reheat or cook a food item inside the microwave, turn your food or rotate it through cooking. If you miss the step, your food will not be cooked fully.
Don’t Use Any Browning Dish
As per GE appliances, one must not use a browning dish on the metal rack of the microwave as it can severely damage the metal rack. Microwave metal racks have specific designs, so they may give rise to other problems if it gets damaged.
Don’t Try Popping Popcorn
Most people having Frigidaire microwaves should not try popping popcorn, especially when installed on the metal rack. One problem that arises while popping popcorn is when the bag of popcorn starts expanding and results in pushing and making a metal rack go off its hooks. This will give rise to serious problems like potentially sparkling.
Don’t Run Your Microwave Without Keeping The Food
When there’s a metal rack in your microwave, you must not run the microwave as there’s no food item inside. It’s also a good habit to ensure not to run your microwave oven when it is fully empty and is especially more true when it contains a metal rack inside it.
Always Utilize Microwave-Friendly Dishes
There’s a great significance in using only microwave-friendly dishes. This is because if you are using a metal rack, it doesn’t exempt you from following the safety precautions of your normal microwave. It is recommended to use microwave-safe plastic and microwave-friendly ceramic to avoid metal rack sparkling.
How Can A Microwave Contain A Metal Rack?
The metal rack which comes with your microwave is designed specifically to avoid the sparkling situation. You can notice a spark in your microwave when the metal rack comes directly in contact with the internal metal surface. The elevated microwave rack avoids coming in contact with the metal sliding of the microwave. Microwave racks also avoid the edges that can result in sparkling.
What To Do If My Metal Rack Starts Sparking In The Microwave?
If you see a microwave metal rack sparkling, then it’s quite likely that there’s a problem with how it’s been mounted. On seeing the sparkling, you must stop your microwave immediately. The next step is to check whether the rack has been installed improperly and is in contact with microwave walls. Ensure that the microwave is designed for specific racks that come along with it.
Therefore using another kind of metal rack will increase your issues. You should avoid using any other kind of metal rack apart from the original form of metal rack that comes with your microwave. This is because the original metal rack is installed rightly, and if still there’s a sparkling, then perhaps it’s a mechanical problem.
Can The Metal Rack Be Left In The Microwave?
The metal rack should be removed if the rack isn’t in use actively. It must not be stored inside the microwave. If you are using the bottom spinning tray in the microwave, remove the metal rack as it may prolong your cooking time.
What Does A Metal Rack Do For Your Microwave?
Metal racks come in different microwave types, from a range microwave to a countertop microwave. This metal used in racks is designed with purpose-built features to match the interior metal of the microwave. It is fixed through plastic or rubber so that the metal doesn’t touch the microwave. This avoids the risk of burning, sparkling, and warping. Therefore, the metal racks are safe and provide several functionalities.
Two-Level Possibility Of Cooking
You can find it difficult to cook more than one item with most microwave ovens. However, this is possible with the help of metal racks as you get two-level to place your ingredients and cook.
Defrosting
The metal rack helps you in the process of defrosting. When you place frozen food on the bottom part of your microwave, electromagnetic waves won’t be coming in from the below ingredient; however, if you put the frozen item on a metal rack, the waves can hit it from all the sides. This allows quick defrosting.
Convection Cooking
A metal rack is handy when your microwave consists of convection cooking abilities and lets heated air come in from all directions.