Can You Microwave Plastic Plates? What's Safe and What Isn't
Short answer: only if the plate is marked microwave safe. Most disposable plastic party plates are not, and they can warp, soften or melt in a microwave. Reheat food in a glass or ceramic dish, then serve it on the plastic plate.
How to tell if a plastic plate is microwave safe
Turn the plate over and look for two things.
- The microwave-safe symbol. Three wavy lines, sometimes inside a box or above a dish outline. If it is there, the manufacturer has tested the plate for microwave use.
- The recycling number. The number inside the triangle tells you the type of plastic. Number 5 (polypropylene, PP) is the one most often rated for the microwave. Numbers 1 (PET) and 6 (polystyrene, PS) are not.
No symbol and no number means the plate has not been tested for reheating. Treat it as a serving plate only.
| Recycling number | Plastic | Microwave? | Where you see it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Polypropylene (PP) | Usually yes, if labeled | Heavy-duty reusable plates, food containers |
| 6 | Polystyrene (PS) | No | Most disposable party plates, clear dessert plates |
| 1 | PET | No | Clear plastic plates and lids, drink bottles |
| 7 | Other or mixed | Only if labeled | Some elegant china-look plates |
What happens if you microwave a plastic plate that is not rated for it
Thin disposable plates are rigid at room temperature but soften quickly with heat. In the microwave, the food gets hot before the plate does, and fatty or sugary foods such as pizza, barbecue or frosting get much hotter than water. The plate under them can bend, pucker or develop a soft spot that leaks. In the worst case the plastic melts into the food.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reviews plastics that are sold as microwave safe. A plate without that label has not been through that review for reheating, which is reason enough to keep it out of the microwave.
The party workaround
At a party you rarely need to microwave the plate itself. Reheat food in a glass, ceramic or microwave-safe container, then transfer it to the plastic plates you are serving on. For leftovers, send guests home in a microwave-safe to-go container rather than on a plate.
If a guest does need to reheat a plated meal, a second plate works: slide the food onto a ceramic plate, heat, and slide it back.
Are Factory Direct Party plastic plates microwave safe?
Our solid color, clear and elegant plastic plates are made for serving, not reheating, and we do not recommend microwaving them. Where a manufacturer marks a specific plate as microwave safe, the product page says so. If the page does not mention it, assume the plate is for serving only. Our plastic dinner plates will hold a hot meal straight from the oven or grill without any trouble; it is the microwave's uneven heating that causes the problem.
Quick answers
Can you microwave clear plastic plates?
Almost never. Clear disposable plates are usually PET or polystyrene, which are not rated for the microwave. Use them for cold food, dessert and appetizers.
Can plastic plates go in the dishwasher?
Rigid, heavier plates often survive the top rack on a normal cycle, which is how many hosts get a second or third use out of them. Thin plates can warp from the drying heat, so hand washing is safer.
Can you put plastic plates in the oven, toaster oven or air fryer?
No. Those run far hotter than a microwave and will melt any plastic plate.
Are paper plates microwave safe?
Plain, uncoated white paper plates generally are, for short reheating. Printed or glossy-coated paper plates may have a plastic layer, so check the package. See our paper plates if you need a plate that can take a quick reheat.
Which disposable plate is best for hot food?
For serving hot food, a 10 inch heavy-duty plastic dinner plate. It will not soak through, bend or transfer heat to your hand the way a thin paper plate does. For reheating, a labeled microwave-safe container, then plate.
Ready to set the table? Browse all plastic plates in 7, 9 and 10 inch sizes and more than 20 colors, or our elegant plastic plates for weddings and formal dinners.