# What's wrong with using a microwave to make tea? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 11, 2024, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-using-a-microwave-to-make-tea/1011513 "2024-12-11T20:02:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2024, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-using-a-microwave-to-make-tea/1011513/141 "2024-12-14T15:42:47Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Are skulls microwave-safe? Watch out for metal, e.g. fillings, cranium plates, lodged bullets, etc. Trust me. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2024, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-using-a-microwave-to-make-tea/1011513/142 "2024-12-14T16:19:59Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > > [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > > > The only Conanesque way to drink tea is out of the skull of a defeated enemy. > > Are skulls microwave-safe? This is why you should never start any blood feuds until after junior high. You don’t want to defeat any enemies who still have braces. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2024, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-using-a-microwave-to-make-tea/1011513/143 "2024-12-14T16:24:01Z")
Most of my recipes are for baking. Although… I guess i have recipes for soup. And of course, soups can totally be modified any which way and don’t need recipes. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2024, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-using-a-microwave-to-make-tea/1011513/144 "2024-12-14T16:27:22Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > I have a couple of questions about boiling water: > > If you ask a Brit how to make proper tea, they’ll probably tell you to bring the water in the kettle to a rolling boil, which means vaporized water is bubbling up and out. If you don’t do this, the tea won’t be as good as it could. > > The Boy Scout manual, which I read many, many years ago, recommended transferring the boiled water from container to container in order to “oxygenate” it and thereby restore the original taste. > > Do either of these contain a grain of truth? A science teacher once told me that if the water is at 100 degrees C, it’s perfectly fine for making tea (or coffee) no matter what you do. Water which has been boiled loses the air which is usually naturally mixed in. Most people feel that aerated water tastes better than flat water. I’m speculating that the idea that tea should be made from boiling water started a couple of hundred years ago when most water sources were pretty suspect. Back then all water should have been boiled before it was drank. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2024, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-using-a-microwave-to-make-tea/1011513/145 "2024-12-14T17:51:43Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > It shan’t be much longer, we just have to clear up the Pope/Catholic and Bear/Shit/Woods mysteries first. Tree Falling/Sound and One Hand Clapping always get screwed over in the annual reprioritization meeting. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2024, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-using-a-microwave-to-make-tea/1011513/146 "2024-12-14T18:06:22Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I’m not really sorry to see it go But then… why do you hate the French and the Greeks? No to spelling reform… ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2024, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-using-a-microwave-to-make-tea/1011513/147 "2024-12-14T18:16:00Z")
I think if I was really opposed to spelling reform, I’d be insisting we go back to the good ole dayes wenn ye spelld wyrds as ye saw fitt. The spelling we currently have is already reformed. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2024, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-using-a-microwave-to-make-tea/1011513/148 "2024-12-14T18:23:35Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > > [@CalMeacham](#): > > > > Are skulls microwave-safe? > > Watch out for metal, e.g. fillings, cranium plates, lodged bullets, etc. Trust me. And spear tips and arrow heads are right out. Also check for cracks that might leak. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2024, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-using-a-microwave-to-make-tea/1011513/149 "2024-12-14T23:29:59Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Butter doesn’t come in sticks here and the markings on the wrapper are in 25 or 50 gramme portions One tablespoon of butter equals 14 grams. A 25 gram portion should be close enough to two tablespoons. ---
**Author:** ![Alpine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpine/32/17813_2.png) [@Alpine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpine)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-using-a-microwave-to-make-tea/1011513/150 "2024-12-15T15:23:11Z")
Since we got an induction cooktop, we’ve gone back to a kettle (enameled cast iron). It boils very quickly. Then the filtered water gets poured over a large basket of loose leaf English Breakfast in a mug. I should probably warm the mug first. After steeping, I then ruin it with agave nectar and a little homemade cashew milk. I stopped using half-and-half to cut down on dairy and now it tastes funny to me. I love the ritual. I recently bought some samples of decaf black tea (all my tea comes from [uptontea.com](https://www.uptontea.com)) and they’re actually pretty good. So I’ve added late afternoon tea. We usually travel with a small electric kettle (and bagged tea), but maybe I’ll try the microwave next time! ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-using-a-microwave-to-make-tea/1011513/151 "2024-12-15T16:07:21Z")
I had some decaf oolong yesterday that wasn’t terrible. Based on the habits of the household i was in, it was probably from Upton. Maybe i should try their decaf teas. ---
**Author:** ![Alpine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpine/32/17813_2.png) [@Alpine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpine)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-using-a-microwave-to-make-tea/1011513/152 "2024-12-15T17:38:53Z")
The sampler has Ceylon, Irish Breakfast, Darjeeling and Assam. I would say the Assam has the strongest flavor, but I do use milk. I liked them all. Ordered more of the Ceylon and Irish Breakfast because they were the least expensive. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-with-using-a-microwave-to-make-tea/1011513.md?page=7)