I mean...you shouldn't be drinking distilled water anyway. I mean you aren't going to actually become mineral deficient since we get most of those from our food (mmm salt), but it's costly to produce and already necessary for other practical purposes (like steam cleaners, irons, humidifiers, etc...).
This can happen to tap water and often has to do with the vessel you're heating it in. If the water vessel is too perfectly smooth (often glass) no nucleation sites will form which means the water can't form bubbles in which to boil.
Adding any microwave safe imperfection like a wooden dowel will usually prevent that from happening.
I believe distilled might be higher risk to do this because of the mineral impurities it doesn't have.
The most common way to avoid is just to use an old imperfect ceramic mug and avoid lab grade glass or really perfectly machine made cups. The jankier and more handmade the cup the safer it'll be.
It's especially dangerous because when you take the superheated water out with your fleshy hands it'll often disturb the water causing a flash boil over which can burn the shit out of the person.
Check your mug to see if it has thin dark streaks or cracks inside or outside it. If it does, that means that the coating has cracked and let water in. This is bad for two reasons, 1, you probably have a lot of bacteria growing inside your mug, and 2, that water gets super hot super easily and turns into steam meaning your mug can explode at any time.
I mean, one mug's worth of water takes like 30 seconds in a kettle. Plus, depending on your water at least you're not staining your mugs with lime. Much easier to clean a kettle, since you can just heat up the water/vinegar mix.
The average microwave is like 1000W and microwaves rarely go above 1700W. Kettles start at like 1500 but also go way higher. I mean technically you could have a setup where your Microwave is faster, but usually it shouldn't.
In the US, the typical max is 1500-1800w if you don't want to risk tripping a breaker. My kitchen doesn't have 20amp plugs (which can accommodate higher wattage). Microwaves are faster at a lower wattage for a smaller volume of water because it doesn't have to heat up an element, just the molecules in the water.
I remember a similar conversation about this a while back between a yank and a Brit. Apparently they have some high voltage kettles over there that are pretty quick.
Yup. Their standard outlets are 220-240v, which is twice the 120v standard in the US. Only special plugs for stoves or air conditioners go that high here (albeit at different amperage). Means they can run a 3000w kettle that would fry our circuits.
Tea bag. Water. In mug. Microwave for 2.5 minutes. Take it out. Add whatever. Tea achieved.
The only downside to it is I've found it produces very strong steeped teas, but I'm normally doing it in the morning where I want a sturdy breakfast tea anyway so it's perfect.
I don't understand how it could actually be different than making it in a pot, other than it feels wrong.
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u/CrimsonFox99 9h ago
You can also use it to heat water for tea, but that makes people big mad.