Microwave Covers
 

Was thinking about this microwave cover we use when we cook food in the microwave and wanted to know if it makes cooking times any more efficient.

http://www.clearpointdirect.ca/prodi...000000main.jpg

Any idea if these help keep the heat on the food, making the microwave more efficient?

I thought these covers were more for the purpose of keeping your sauces from splattering in the microwave, less work to keep the microwave clean. I know from experience that the spaghetti and meatballs from a can likes to make a mess of my microwave. I usually cover my bowl with a paper towel.

Usually food doesn't take too long to microwave so it shouldn't lose too much heat in the process. Microwave ovens penetrate the food you are cooking, in a sense cooking them internally. This is a little different to covering a pot of boiling water on low heat to keep the heat in and to prevent raising the humidity of your house because usually we don't boil things in the microwave.

It might help if you are trying to steam vegetables in the microwave because it will keep some of that moisture in a smaller space but I don't usually steam my vegetables in the microwave so I don't know. I'd probably do that by covering them with a moist paper towel or something.

If you are warming up stuff with cheese or other gooey substance in it, yes the product helps. When the food hits the boiling point, that cover keeps the steam from escaping. This helps to warm the cheese so it actually melts before it boils. I use one like that, or a paper plate, when microwaving burritos or chimichangas. after about half the time has expired, I throw some cheese in and cover the container. No time later, voila! Melted cheesy gnosh.

I cover up vegetables when cooking with the microwave and know for a fact it speeds things up and makes it tastier by steaming and by cutting down on time in the microwave.
I will defrost a frozen vegetable stir fry mix or mixed vegetables in a bowl later add 1/4 cup of water cover with a large saucer and cook in the microwave for 3-4 minutes depending on the desired result, it is acceptable but mostly easy and fast.

I sometimes nuke potatoes by sticking them with a fork and cooking them on high for 4-5 minutes. I am going to try cooking a potato in a smallish covered bowl and see how it effects cook time and quality.
It might be few days before this test as I just oven roasted 10 potatoes with the roast..

Yeah, I use covers, too.

I usually use a glass bowl over what I'm microwaving.

It makes sense that it keeps the heat and steam in to make your food hotter, moister, quicker.

-AC

I also cover up food when warming in the microwave. I never really thought much about the efficiency part of it, more about the cleaning aspect. I like the efficiency boost it provides though!