Different materials react differently under microwaves and ovens. Every dish drawer is filled with plates made from other materials like glass, ceramic, plastic, melamine, and wood. It's important to know which material will sustain the heat from an oven and which one will not.

You will not only destroy your delicious food and the dish but also damage your oven, which can be an extra repair cost to pay on the weekend. Therefore, knowing which plates are safe to use in the oven is crucial.

Can You Put a Plate in the Oven? How to Tell if a Plate Is Oven-Safe

There are quite a few materials that you can use without worrying about anything, but you need to know some of the factors that play an essential role in determining whether the plate is oven safe or not.

Factors That Determine Whether a Plate Can Be Put in the Oven

Material

If you're wondering, 'are dinner plates oven safe?', you might have to change your search query because the material of a plate matters a lot!

Most plates are made of either glass or ceramic, and both perform well under high temperatures. Metal and cast-iron plates are also oven-safe plates, but you must check for the label that says "oven-safe" before putting them straight into the oven.

Putting a wood, plastic, or paper plate in oven can be one of the worst things you can do to your oven. For glass plates, you need to be careful about the thermal shock.

Thermal Shock

Thermal shock causes tension in a material when exposed to sudden temperature change. For example, suppose you have a glass plate at room temperature and put it straight into the oven that's already preheated at 350 degrees. You'll see nothing but shattered glass in the oven.

Thermal shock can be experienced with metal plates, but it requires a very high-temperature shift to go through a thermal shock.

Microwave-safe vs Oven-safe

Being microwave-safe and oven-safe are two totally different things. Unfortunately, most people confuse it, and you must know the difference. Microwaves produce waves that vibrate the food molecules so fast that they produce heat, eventually making the food hot. Contrarily, the oven produces direct heat from coals or electric grills, which makes the 'paper plate in the oven' a complete disaster.

Both perform different functions; hence, they must be dealt with differently.

Type of Plates That Are Safe to Put in the Oven

1. Metal Plates

Metal plates are not quite common, but these are a great option if you're looking for oven-safe plates. Whether it's made up of copper, brass, aluminum, alloy, or stainless steel, it's the safest option to go with until or unless it's not very thin.

It must have some rigidness to its structure so that it doesn't get warped when exposed to high temperatures.

2. Ceramic Plates

Ceramic plates not only look beautiful, but they're sturdy and withstand the oven heat pretty well. In addition, their composition is usually clay which is dried in heat during its formation so heating a ceramic plate isn't an issue at all.

However, you need to ensure that the paint or color of your ceramic plates is safe enough to be exposed to high temperatures. Otherwise, it will chip off the surface.

3. Cast-Iron Plates

It's pretty hard to see cast-iron plates in the kitchen because people don't usually use them because of their weight. Despite their usability, cast-iron plates are on the list of best oven-safe plates. The paint on cast-iron plates easily peel-off, so avoid using cast-iron plates with paintings or colors on them.

4. Glass Plates

There are two significant types of glass plates; Pyrex and Corelle. Pyrex can withstand thermal shocks, and you can easily use it to heat the leftover pizza slices from the fridge by putting them straight into the oven.

Corelle, however, has some limitations. For example, you shouldn't expose a Corelle plate to a temperature over 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

5. Palm Leaf Plates

The plates made of palm leaves are completely safe to put in the oven. These eco-friendly plates can be used in the microwave high up to 2 minutes. And can be used to cook food in the oven safe up to 350 degrees for up to 45 minutes.

Type of Plates That Are Not Safe to Put in the Oven

1. Plastic Plates

Plastic plates might be safe for microwaves, but for the oven, not a chance! Plastic plates can not bear the heat and will start to melt, creating a mess you'd have to clean afterward. Also, it's gross, so avoid using a plastic plate in the oven. It's not going to do any good to your food.

2. Wood Plates

Wood plates will act more like fuel to the jungle fire. Heating wood plates can cause severe damage and even set your oven on fire. You might find fancy eco-friendly plates, but you shouldn't use them in your oven. It's simply a big NO!

3. Styrofoam Plates

Styrofoam melts very quickly when it's exposed to high temperatures. So using a styrofoam plate in an oven to heat the food will not be a good idea; not for your oven but for your food.

4. Paper Plates

A paper plate in a toaster oven or a regular one will catch fire faster than wood. It's common sense, but most people need to know about this. A paper plate in a convection oven is much more flammable than a regular wooden plate.

How to Tell if a Plate Is Oven-Safe

Every plate that's oven safe has a label at the bottom that says everything about it. Of course, the stovetop, microwave, broiler, and oven information is mainly mentioned. But if you see no label on it, you must find its type of material. Only then can you decide whether to use it in the oven.

How to Use a Plate in the Oven

If you're sure that your plate is oven-safe, it is highly recommended to preheat your oven along with the plate so that it gradually absorbs the heat. Otherwise, the thermal shock will shatter your plates into pieces. Also, use proper oven gloves to keep yourself safe from the heat.

Should You Use a Plate in the Oven?

You should definitely use a plate in the oven, but only if it's oven safe. You can quickly check whether your plate is oven safe or not through our guide.

Where to Buy Elegant & Fancy Disposable Dinner Party Plates in Bulk?

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