A video has gone viral after a social media star revealed the “right way” to use a microwave – but an Aussie expert has disagreed with her “hack”.
US TikTok sensation Isabella Avila, who boasts 15.5 million followers, claims the best way to reheat your food is by putting the bowl or container on the edge of the microwave plate.
“You know when you reheat food and some parts of it are hot enough to burn your mouth and a part of it is still frozen?’ she said in the TikTok video.
“Well that happens because you shouldn’t actually have your food in the middle of the plate, it should be on the edge so it can actually rotate around and cook evenly.”
TikTok star Isabella Avila, who has 15.5 million followers, shared a microwave ‘hack’ on the ‘right way’ to heat food. Picture: TikTok/onlyjayus
Many were left stunned by Isabella’s method – so much so, her video has been viewed more than 6.6 million times with some claiming they have “used a microwave wrong” their entire life.
“Clearly I have been using my microwave wrong this whole time,” one user responded.
“Wish I had known that 10 years ago,” another person wrote.
TikTok has now become flooded with videos of others trying the method.
But as it continues to go viral, an Aussie expert said the way your food heats in a microwave depends on the model.
She said the bowl, or container of food, shouldn’t be placed in the middle. Picture: TikTok/onlyjayus
She said it should be put on the edge of the turntable to ‘cook evenly’. Picture: TikTok/onlyjayus
“Getting the best results for cooking and heating food in a microwave with a turntable, doesn’t necessarily rely on where the food is placed, despite what was demonstrated in the video,” Colin Jones, category expert at Appliances Online, told news.com.au
He explained microwaves with turntables will have hot and cold spots and the idea of the turntable is to provide an even cooking, “by moving the food around within the microwave, to provide an even heat distribution”.
Many have since tried the ‘hack’ but an expert claims the best results don’t necessarily rely on where the food is placed. Picture: TikTok/tanyahomeinspo
A TikTok user demonstrating the ‘hack’. Picture: TikTok/tanyahomeinspo
“Food placement on the turntable will not impact the heating, as there will be hot and cold spots no matter whether you place the food on the side, or in the middle,” Mr Jones said.
“This is why when you are reheating or cooking recipes, your instructions will advise you when to remove the food to stir, turn and rotate your foods, to provide the best results.”
He said some microwaves have a turntable and stirrer fan system, which provides more even cooking from front to back.
“Some models have a flat base, with no turntable and use a stirrer system, which provides a large cooking surface and even heating.”
Mr Jones said the best results are achieved when you follow instructions to remove the food to stir and turn your foods.