It’s quite possible that no appliance tops the microwave when it comes to modern kitchen convenience. When a single machine can conquer tasks like baking a potato and making quick and easy hollandaise sauce, what’s not to love? Sure, you’re better off reheating pizza in the air fryer, but a microwave still works for most things in a pinch–or does it?
While it’s likely that the now-ubiquitous appliance will never become a secondary kitchen need, you’re definitely better off doing some tasks by hand, not by microwave–even if it claims it can get the job done. Any microwave-savvy consumer should know how to appropriately use those preset buttons, but it would appear that some presets are better left completely ignored, particularly if you don’t want your kitchen to go up in smoke.
Never Use This Preset Microwave Function
Meredith
If the “popcorn” button is practically illegible from being used so much, it makes sense that you might want to start utilizing your microwave’s other features, too. Go ahead and do so, but stay away from one function entirely: melting chocolate.
Don’t get us wrong–it’s certainly possible to melt chocolate in the microwave, but using the preset button to do so isn’t your best course of action, according to Editorial News Director Devon O’Brian, who tried to do so with disastrous results.
She said: “The butter melt button on my microwave is so good that when I noticed there was a melt option for chocolate, I was stoked! Until my pantry started filling with smoke…”
Microwave presets often fall short because they rely on generic, model-specific programming—like alternating power levels—that doesn’t account for the type or amount of food you’re reheating. That can lead to inconsistent (and sometimes smoky) results.
Rather than relying on a preset to do the heavy lifting for you, use our tried-and-true method to melt chocolate in your microwave instead. You’ll want to put your chocolate in a microwave-safe glass container (like a Pyrex liquid measuring cup), and microwave it in bursts of 10–15 seconds, stirring in between.
Still not getting your desired results? Make sure you’re using the right kind of chocolate (with at least 32 percent cocoa butter), and never let your chocolate come into contact with water, or it’ll just seize up.
The bottom line is: It’s really not hard to melt chocolate in your microwave, but you’ll need to be the master of ceremonies here! Even the most beloved kitchen appliance can’t do everything on its own, and when it comes to melting chocolate, that’s a task best left to Homo sapiens.
