Cooking in your microwave is so convenient, but it can also be a bit messy. Fortunately, there is a solution. Microwave covers are so simple to use, and a good one can target the heat, trap in steam, and increase the speed that your food cooks.

This article looks at some of the best microwave covers to determine which ones deserve our attention and money, ultimately making the Tovolo Vented Cover our HowToHome pick for its features like steam vents and collapsible construction, as well as its ease of storage.

1Tovolo Vented Cover

Fits plates up to 10.5 inches
Perforated lid allows steam to be released
Collapsible for versatility and easy storage
Can be used when flat or expanded
Dishwasher safe

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2Nordic Ware Cover

11-inch diameter fits most plates and platters
BPA free material
Top-rack dishwasher safe
Keeps food warm even after cooking
Clear plastic makes it easy to see the food inside

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3Elegant Live 5-Set of Covers

Comes in a set of 5 different sizes
Made from BPA free silicone
Dishwasher safe
Can be used on pans, on the cooktop and in the oven too
Creates an air and watertight seal

Tovolo Vented Cover

This Tovolo model is a collapsible microwave plate cover and can be used either as expanded or flat depending on the dish you are covering. It collapses easily for storage in your cupboard, which is great if you have a compact kitchen with limited space. It has vents for the steam to escape and covers a 10.5-inch plate easily, so more substantial dinner portions should be fine. They also come in three bright colors as well.
We chose this product as our HowToHome pick because it performs all of the crucial functions of a microwave plate cover; it handles standard size dinner plates, expands to 3.5 inches to cater for taller dishes, has steam vents to stop the food inside from going soggy, has a handle, and it collapses to a one-inch thin disc for easy storage.
None of the other products featured do all those things.
The material is BPA-free, and it is dishwasher safe too, and if you flip it upside down, it can even double as a colander.
On the downside, because the plastic has to be durable, some have complained that it can be an art to get it to expand and collapse correctly, with many stating that it sits lopsided. Also, because this cover has folds, getting into every crevice to get it clean in the dishwasher can be a challenge, which means you might end up handwashing it instead.
That said, there are many elements to commend this cover, not least its adaptability, versatility, storability, and the price is pretty good as well.

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Pros

Versatile
BPA-free material
Double up as a colander
Collapses to 1-inch thick

Cons

Tricky to expand and collapse
May sit lopsided
Awkward to get clean in the dishwasher

Nordic Ware Cover

This Nordic Ware clear plastic cover makes viewing the food in the microwave easy. It is durable, has one large vent in the top rather than many smaller holes, and even keeps the food warm after cooking. And when you are finished, you can place this cover in the top rack of your dishwasher to get clean.
With an 11-inch diameter, it will accommodate large plates, bowls, and platters, and because it’s BPA free, it won’t contaminate the flavor of the food.
This Nordic Ware model falls into the classic design category, meaning that they haven’t tried to be clever and overthink it, and instead have focused on a plate cover that is excellent value for money, and simple to use, which is why we made this our budget pick.
With every cost-saving there is a downside, and this cover is no exception, so don’t expect it to be easy to store away. It also lacks a handle, which means that you have to poke your finger through the hole at the top to remove it, which is going to expose you to hot steam. Plus, the hole in the top is quite large, so some people have complained that food still splatters on the inside of their microwave.
Aside from the gripes, for the money, durability, and ease of use, this plate cover is worthy of your attention.

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Pros

Robust
Simple to use
Clear plastic enables you to see the food
Classic design

Cons

Food splatters through the vent hole
No handles
Hard to store away

Elegant Live 5-Set of Covers

This brightly colored set of five different sized microwave covers is convenient and practical. And because they’re made from high-heat, BPA-free silicone, they can be used on pans as lids, and even in the conventional oven as long as the temperature doesn’t exceed 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
They can also withstand temperatures of minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit too. When the lids come into contact with a plate or dish, they create airtight seals, so spillages should be rare. And because they are so versatile, you should have every dish and bowl size covered.
And because they do create an airtight seal on the plate, you can dispense with using aluminum foil or cling-film to keep your leftovers fresh in the fridge; these covers will do that task admirably. And when you want to clean them, simply place them in the dishwasher
On the downside, unlike the Nordic Ware Cover, these aren’t rigid so may sag in the middle of the dish. Also, when they come into contact with your food, some people report that they leave an aftertaste on your meal. Plus, because the seal is strongest on smooth surfaces like glass and ceramics, you will still get leakages if you have plates that have a rough surface.
That said, for versatility and the fact that you can even use them as plate covers in the refrigerator, these are a great buy. Also, like our HowToHome pick, the Tovolo Vented Cover, they are easy to store away.

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Pros

BPA high-heat silicone
Creates water and airtight seal
Can be used in a regular oven and on the cooktop
Easy to store away

Cons

May sag in the middle
Leaves an odor on the food
The seal isn’t always secure, especially on non-smooth surfaces

Comparison Chart

	Tovolo Vented Cover	Nordic Ware Cover	Elegant Live 5-Set of Covers
Maximum size	10.5 inches	11 inches	12 inches
Collapsible	✓	X	X
Ease of storage	＊＊＊＊＊	＊	＊＊＊
Vents	✓	✓	X
Dimensions	2 x 2.1 x 3	11 x 12.2 x	12 x 12 x 1.2
Handles	✓	X	✓
Dishwasher safe	✓	✓	✓

Buyer’s Guide:

Microwave Cover

Why Buy a Microwave Plate Cover?

Microwave plate covers perform dual roles; they protect the inside of your microwave oven, stopping food splatters and staining while you heat your meal, and the second function is to aid the actual cooking process by concentrating the heat inside the cover. It means that your food cooks more evenly, and once out of the microwave, stays warmer for longer if left covered.

Another advantage of using a plate cover is that it prevents your food from drying out, as the cover traps in more moisture. So, if you are cooking fish or vegetables, then a plate cover is going to increase the retained moisture and improve the flavor.

Things to Consider when Looking for a Microwave Plate Cover

Handles – Microwave plate covers absorb a lot of heat, so are hot to touch when they come out of the oven. If you want to avoid burns and scalding, then look for a microwave plate cover with handles, like our HowToHome pick, the Tovolo Vented Cover.

Often you get what you pay for, so remember that if you opt for the budget pick, the Nordic Ware Cover, you may have to wait until the food has cooled slightly before poking your finger through the vent hole to lift it off.

Vents – Having the ability to release steam from under the cover is not essential, but it does help if you want to avoid soggy food. Also, sometimes the meal you are cooking needs a pressure release, and vents help you to prevent mini eruptions that could splatter the inside of your microwave. The Tovolo is the standout plate cover if you are looking for vents.

While the HowToHome pick and the budget pick has a vent hole, the Elegant Live 5-Set of Covers does not, which means that you will need to keep an eye on the microwave and occasionally lift the cover to release some steam.

Size – The average plate size in the USA is roughly 10 to 12 inches, so all of our product picks have been chosen to cater for this size range. Obviously, not all plates and dishes are the same, so having the ability to adjust sizes is also a handy thing. The Elegant Live 5-Set of Covers caters for plates as small as 5 inches up to large dinner plates measuring 12 inches.

While our HowToHome pick can’t adjust in diameter, it is the only cover on the list to adjust in height, meaning that it can handle larger meals and taller dishes.

Ease of Storage – This is where our HowToHome pick, the Tovolo Vented Cover comes into its own, because it can expand and collapse, meaning that when you come to store it away, it reduces to a one-inch thick disc. The Elegant set of covers is also easier to store, although there are five in the collection, so keeping them together is going to be a challenge.

Unfortunately, the budget pick, the Nordic Ware Cover is not going to be easy to store away. We suppose that the simple design and bulky nature of this cover are the reasons why it is so cheap to buy.

FAQ

Will the microwave plate cover fit my microwave?
The simple answer to this is to decide what size microwave you have or want. The average microwave measures 28 to 30 inches in width, 15 to 18 inches in depth, and 16 to 18 inches in height. Also, you should make sure that the turntable is large enough to accommodate your plate and cover – the average turntable on Amazon measures between 10 and 14 inches.
Does the microwave cover leave any aftertaste on my food?
Some silicone products can leave a strange aftertaste, but typically, if the food does not come into contact with the plate cover, then you shouldn’t get any chemical contamination. It is worth noting that microwave plate covers are FDA approved, and made from food-grade and BPA-free silicone and plastic.
Is my microwave plate cover dishwasher safe?
Check with the manufacturer in the first instance to see if it is dishwasher proof. We have chosen three products that are dishwasher safe, so cleaning up should be a breeze. That said, be careful because even though they state they are dishwasher safe, some products, like the Nordic Ware Cover, are only top-rack dishwasher safe.

Final Thoughts

We’ve established that microwave plate covers are useful to have, especially if you want to preserve the condition of the inside of the microwave oven, but when it comes to choosing the best one, we opted for the Tovolo Vented Cover as our HowToHome pick. It is the most versatile, the easiest store away, and has an ingenious collapsible construction that means you can cater for taller dishes and bigger portions on the plate.

For those with a keen eye on the pennies, you could do a lot worse than our budget pick, the Tovolo Vented Cover. Okay, so it’s big, bulky and hard to store, but it does have a capacity to cater for 11-inch plates, and it is straightforward to use.

For something different, try our versatile size pick, the Elegant Live 5-Set of Covers. They offer options that mean you can cover plates from 5 inches up to 12 inches and they can be used as plate covers when you want to store your leftovers in the refrigerator.

Whichever design or model you choose, remember that microwave plate covers are a great choice if you want to keep the inside of your oven pristine.