The question I often get asked is, “Is it safe to microwave Yeti cups?” If you own a Yeti cup then this post is for you.
I reached out to a Yeti representative to find out the whole truth about this.
The answer is no. Yeti drinkware, including cups, mugs, jugs, bottles, and tumblers among others aren’t microwave-safe.
Let’s go deep into all you need to know about microwaving Yeti cups.
What Is A Yeti Cup?
We all want to take our drinks at the temperatures we desire. Yeti cups focus on doing this.
These cups are insulated and designed to maintain your drink’s temperatures.
A Yeti cup is made up of double–wall stainless steel that is high in chromium and low in oxygen.
Those two properties ensure your cup doesn’t rust or retain odors.
Its lid is either made of rubber or BPA-free plastic.
Only the lid is dishwasher safe. The rest of it should be hand-washed to conserve the finish.
Can You Microwave A Yeti Cup?
The answer to this is a NO. It’s totally unsafe.
Having learned that a Yeti cup is constructed with stainless steel, it’s not safe to microwave it.
Microwaving any type of metal is risky because of the science behind it.
A microwave uses radio waves to heat beverages or food placed in it.
Unlike other materials such as glass, metals don’t allow heat to pass through. They reflect the waves from the microwave instead.
This creates a dangerous situation if sparks are formed, leading to a fire.
Your beverage won’t heat properly because metal will absorb heat. Yeti cups are designed only to maintain your beverage temperature.
What Happens When You Microwave A Yeti?
If you microwave Yeti cups leads to sparks and eventually fire inside your microwave.
The heating process is normally ineffective since the beverage won’t heat up well. Yeti stainless steel blocks the energy output of the microwave.
This offers protection to whatever is inside from receiving heat energy.
If the waves can’t penetrate through, then the drink won’t heat.
Particularly, it’s not all worth the effort as you’ll end up with disappointing results.
Read also: Can you microwave red solo cups?
Will A Yeti Cup Catch Up Fire In The Microwave?
Microwaves use waves to heat contents put inside them.
Due to its thick metal walls, a Yeti cup reflects most of these radio waves. The process will take longer than expected.
Additionally, keeping it in the microwave for too long increases the chances of fire.
Reasons Why You Cannot Microwave Yeti Cups
- Yeti cups don’t absorb microwaves.
Being made of stainless steel, your cup won’t absorb the microwaves that cause heating.
Your content will therefore take a longer time to heat up to your desired temperature.
- They are not microwave-safe
Yeti cups are not microwavable because they’re made of stainless steel.
The metallic walls reflect waves rather than absorb them. This causes sparking.
During microwaving, they overheat, resulting in a fire that can damage your microwave.
- The cup can get too hot, causing severe burns.
Stainless molecules contain electrons that are attracted by the microwave. This results in your cup heating up too fast.
The cook may sustain burns while withdrawing the yeti cup from the microwave.
- There is a risk of arcing.
Arcing usually occurs as electricity jumps between conductive points. Stainless steel is a good conductor of electricity remember
As a result, the electric current jumps between two points of your cup and parts of the microwave.
An explosion may occur due to this
- Your cup may get damaged in the process.
Yeti cups contain a plastic lead that contains a metallic part. The lead is not microwave-safe, so it melts when exposed to heat.
The microwave also damages the lid’s magnetic component, which is important for insulating your drink.
What To Do Instead Of Microwaving A Yeti Cup
The truth is, that microwaving Yeti cups is largely unnecessary.
These products are mainly designed to keep beverages cold or hot for a long period.
These cups are insulated to retain your beverage temperatures for up to 6 hours.
If your beverage cools before removing it, transfer it to a microwave-safe container to reheat.
After heating is complete, return it to your cup
This way, both your cup and microwave will be safe from fire hazards.
Additionally, this saves time as Yeti cup takes much time to heat the content
How Long Does A Yeti Cup Keep Beverages Hot?
A Yeti cup will keep your drink hot for 4 to 6 hours.
Because stainless steel can withstand high temperatures, you can pour your drink into the cup even when it’s still boiling.
Placing lead on top helps your beverage stay hot for longer.
If you note your Yeti cup is cooling faster, that means the insulating part is faulty.
What Are The Risks Of Placing A Yeti Cup In The Microwave?
There are risks associated with microwaving a Yeti cup.
Understanding these risks helps you avoid them.
- Sparks and flames
Stainless steel never works well in an electricity-charged microwave.
There are chances that your Yeti cup will cause sparks which can turn to flames, inside your microwave.
This is a lousy occurrence as it destroys both the cup and your microwave, which is in total a loss.
Microwaving your Yeti cup may sometimes fail to cause sparks, but that doesn’t mean you take the risk.
- Hot To Touch
During microwaving, stainless steel absorbs heat energy. This could make the outside of your cup overheat.
It could be too hot to grab your Yeti when it’s time to take it from the microwave.
The chances of causing burns to your hands are also high.
We all don’t want this to happen to us!
- Lukewarm liquid
Stainless steel prevents heat from passing through to your beverage.
It absorbs much heat, making liquid inside not to heat up properly.
There is no need to risk flames at the expense of getting a lukewarm liquid at the end.
Valuable Tips For Using Your Yeti Cup
If you want your Yeti cup to maintain good condition, follow the following tips;
- Avoid heating or freezing the cup.
Freezing or heating drinks using Yeti cups can destroy them.
Metals expand when exposed to heat and vice versa.
Exposing your cup to hot or freezing temperatures interferes with its structure. In turn, this affects the cup’s ability to keep your beverage as you want.
- Keep your cup as clean and dry as possible.
Yeti cups create a dark, warm, and humid environment that favors bacterial growth.
These bacteria can cause severe illnesses.
Again, if not kept dry, your cup will obtain an unpleasant smell.
It’s advisable to clean your cup properly when not in use.
- Avoid using it for storing carbonated drinks.
Putting carbonated drinks in your Yeti cup will cause pressure build-up after some time.
This pressure makes it difficult to take off the lid. And when the lid is removed it may get destroyed.
Better Alternatives For Yeti Cups
- Ozark trail tumbler
- Klean canteen growler
- Glacier point
- RTIC tumbler
- MEDWAY tumbler
- Travel mug for Tesla
The Bottom Line
Yeti cups are designed to keep your drinks either cold, but not for reheating.
Microwaving is neither effective nor safe. You risk causing damage to both your cup and microwave.