My mom has one, a chef friend have one. They are talented, no-nonsense cooks. Did I need a microwave splatter cover too? Do you?
What are microwave splatter covers? They're dome-shaped BPA-free plastic covers designed to shield your microwave’s interior from the bits that may spit from food as it heats up. My mom and chef friend reflexively put it atop their dishes when using the microwave to not only avoid messy cleanups of the nuker’s walls. What I noticed was that their reheated food came out consistently good. Mine’s always hit and miss because I cover the dish with parchment or a silicone lid. The splatter covers have steam vents so I tried to vent my parchment and silicone lid when microwaving, but that wasn’t efficient. Sometimes the parchment flutters open. The silicone lid sometimes moves to shut tight on a bowl.
Curious me caved in and ordered a splatter cover from Amazon.
Could a microwave splatter cover help you cook better?
My answer is reluctantly, surprisingly, "Yes". The domed plastic cover gives you a consistent edge on moving the steam generated in cooking certain food so that it’s not so much of a crapshoot when you operate the microwave. (Know this: I’m not an expert microwave cook. I’m looking for something easy that will give me a leg up in cooking my food.)
After using the cover for a spell, I landed on a sorta life-changing recipe for 15-minute smoky eggplant with scallion-chili oil. It's made entirely in the microwave. With little mess. In my recipe development, mo matter what size or type of eggplant I cooked, the eggplant turned out well with the cover. I didn't get that consistency without using one.
Wondering about the design of others, I bought another splatter cover from Amazon. Then another. In total, I tried three (3) microwave splatter covers. Here's my microwave splatter cover report and recommendation for your consideration.
Hover Cover
These covers are cumbersome to store but this design by Hover Cover has magnets on top. It will stick to the microwave ceiling when not in use. Handy in theory. The magnet worked in my Panasonic microwave oven, not the LG one. The edges are raised so there is more venting than others.
Pros: Stays out of the way. Feels more solid than the others.
Cons: Too much venting. Magnetism iffy.
Cost: $24 at Amazon
Collapsible Cover
The one I purchased was made by Tovolo. I got the medium size and the price was very affordable. The venting on top is moderate, compared to the Hover Cover's. With little effort, the cover collapses to about 1 ½ inches flat. I like this one. It works and can stay out of the way. I hope it's made to be pressed on repeatedly for years to come.
Pros: Collapsible, for storage. Less expensive. Decent build.
Cons: Should dry before you put it away.
Price: $8 to 14, depending on size on Amazon.
Controllable Cover
Of the three covers, this felt the flimsiest. However, it has two vent holes that you can open or close, depending on the how much moist heat you want for your dish. This could be good for say, steamed bao? It does not come in different sizes but is roomy. The shape makes it easy to clean.
Pros: Venting control. Roomy. Easy to clean.
Cons: Feels a bit flimsy. Can't stow it away easily.
Price: $14 at Amazon
Bottom line
These microwave splatter covers each have their functionality differences. If I had to own only one of them, I'd pick the collapsible cover for moderate venting and flat storage, or the controllable one if space wan't an issue. Do you have experiences with microwave splatter covers? What make and size do you use?
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