Boiling Water In Glassware In A Microwave

[Newfie]

Quite a while ago, I bought 4 of the Assam at Target. Love using them for hot liquids that you want to sip and enjoy for a long time without it going cold, Americanos, black tea, etc.

Last night before bed I was making a Chai and didn't want to boil the kettle so I just filled the glass with hot tap water and put it in the nuker for a minute. Water didn't boil (WTF, water heater must have gone out, check it after)!! So I turned it on for another 30 seconds. ~ 20 seconds into that, KA-FRIGGIN'-BOOM (and I mean kaboom, sounded like a shotgun in the kitchen).

The water literally exploded and vapourized. The "explosion" actually blew the microwave door open when I was standing 2 ft in front of it, and facing it, watching for the water to boil. I heard my wife yell from the basement "What was that?? JAMIE............. YOU OK??" While I heard her, I was too shocked to respond and was basically waiting for the pain and blood of being blasted with glass shards.

My face and t-shirt was wet with water, the turntable plate in the appliance was off to one side off the carriage and the glass was still standing, intact, with mabe a teaspoon of water left in it.

So, when my heart slowed to a relative crawl of ~ 80 BPM (still 30 higher than normal) I got up, boiled the kettle and made my tea, in the same glass, after careful inspection of course.

EDIT:

To remove brand of glassware from title, incorrect assumption that was the issue.

 

[KeyserSoze]

Damn! Glad you're OK bro. Til this day I'm always careful of what I put in the microwave. I always ask the woman 'is this ok to put into the microwave?' ..that way I can just blame her.

 

[JHolmes763]

Glad you're okay, man.

>Here< is an article on "superheating"... sounds like you had a case of that.

---John Holmes...

 

[Wild]

Ever hear of super heated water?

 

[jlada]

Unless he was using very high quality distilled or DI water and the glass was very clean, I have no idea how the water superheated.

Edit: But I agree, the water superheated and then apparently a bubble found a nucleation site somewhere on the glass .

 

[fivebyfifty]

If you do want to boil water in a glass like that just put a chopstick in it. The chopstick will break the surface tention alowing the water to boil. edit:Not the proper way to discribe it but best i could do

 

[switters]

I didn't think you were supposed to microwave double walled containers. I have the same glasses and love them for my pretend espressos that I make.

 

[Bsneed51]

Now it makes sense why Alton Brown always puts a chopstick in his water when boiling it in the microwave.

 

[JayDee]

OMG...i almost fell out of my chair reading this. I am glad you are ok, but goodness that is some funny stuff.

thanks for the chuckle

 

[xRanger]

Glad your ok Brother.

 

[TugBoat]

I've heard of that happening, but haven't heard of any first hand experience until now.

Glad to hear your ok though.

 

[Newfie]

I posted this incident on 3 different forums and all on sites, I've had responses that it IS NOT in any way related to the brand of glassware as in the Topic Title, but can happen to any clean & smooth glassware.

I incorrectly assumed that because I have done this exact thing before, so many times, with so many different containers, that it must be the brand

For that reason, I edited the title of the original post to read like:

"Boiling Water In Glassware In A Microwave - **PERSONAL SAFETY ALERT**"

Thank you, and I apologize if my reference to the "Brand" causes any issues. As noted above, it was an incorrect assumption on my part.

Unless he was using very high quality distilled or DI water and the glass was very clean, I have no idea how the water superheated.

Edit: But I agree, the water superheated and then apparently a bubble found a nucleation site somewhere on the glass .

No, didn't use distilled water, and yes the glass was very clean (you have to know The Bride). :love:

I didn't think you were supposed to microwave double walled containers. I have the same glasses and love them for my pretend espressos that I make.

The site says they're microwave safe, sssssoooooooooooo.

Also, you own these glasses, soyou'll know how smooth and nearly perfect the surface is. And that incident gave me a whole new appreciation for how strong they are. Amazing for how fragile they feel.

OMG...i almost fell out of my chair reading this. I am glad you are ok, but goodness that is some funny stuff.

thanks for the chuckle

Welcome!!

I'm used to getting laughed at. Any Canuck will look at my handle and understand!!! :thumbs:

 

[gtadroptop]

Glad to hear you're okay. Did the microwave survive? Having the door blow open on one of those usually means it's time to go shopping for a new one, plus new underwear.