This Simple Hack Doubles the Space Inside Your Microwave—and It Doesn't Cost a Penny
Mind, blown.
Often, the most painstaking issues in the kitchen are small, seemingly silly problems that we’re forced to work around because there’s no solution.
Exhibit a: not being able to fit two bowls into your microwave at the same time. No matter how much you rejigger and rearrange them.
Sure, there are far bigger fish to fry in the grand scheme of frustrating kitchen complications (here’s looking at you, mountain of food storage containers we’re not sure we’ll never have a chance to organize), but if given the option, we’d gladly accept a solution for our small-space #microwaveproblems.
RELATED: Genius Ways to Hack Your Microwave
Reddit just gave us the simplest hack for doubling the interior capacity of a microwave when heating two bowls at once. Seriously, it’s so easy you’ll wonder why you never tried it before (I certainly did). Just slide one bowl into your microwave, then place a microwave-safe coffee mug in next to it, upside-down. The second bowl gets stacked on top of your mug—and voila, it fits. The mug essentially acts as a “shelf” for your second bowl, allowing it to occupy the interior space above the first bowl. No more bowls crashing into each other; no more having to wait minute after minute to be able to heat up that second bowl of oatmeal when you’re trying to rush your kids out the door in the morning. Best of all, no more first serving of soup getting cold while the second finishes heating up.
A couple quick tips to keep in mind before you try this trick. First, the size of the mug—and of course, the bowls—really matters. The base of your mug has to match and mesh with the base of your bowl in order for them to both fit and balance. Be absolutely sure that the bowl is sitting securely on top of the mug before you zap them. As mentioned, you should be certain that each product going into the microwave is microwave-safe before you heat them. Another alternative: if your microwave is old, consider investing in a newer model. Modern microwaves (we love those from Panasonic) are better designed to optimize the interior capacity without taking over your countertop. This trick will work wonders for you in the meantime.
And there you have it! Painstaking problem, solved. Tupperware mountain, we’re coming for you next.
