When people talk about the Rubbermaid brand, they think of Rubbermaid gloves. So if one were to ask out-of-the-blue, “So is Rubbermaid Brilliance microwave-safe or not?” they tend to picture rubber dishwashing gloves and how microwaveable (or microwaveable) those are.
As far as rubber gloves or rubber materials are concerned, the answer is no. Don’t microwave rubber gloves. However, Rubbermaid Brilliance is actually a brand of BPA-free plastic containers. Those are absolutely microwaveable! More on this below.
Is Rubbermaid Brilliance Microwave-Safe?
Are Rubbermaid Brilliance Food Containers microwave-safe? Yes. Absolutely yes, with a few caveats here and there in regards to plastic microwaveability (or microwavability). It won’t melt inside the microwave but if you drop it, it could break.
Rubbermaid Brilliance Food Containers are 100% airtight and leak-proof products with vented lids for easy microwave use. Furthermore, they’re safe for conventional oven use as well since they can deal with up to 450°F temperature.
The lids are airtight yet vented. Although that sounds like a contradiction, Rubbermaid Brilliance basically claims that the lids hold on tightly to ensure leak-free containment while having small vents that serve as pressure releases when reheating said dishes.
Tight as a Pressure Cooker with Pressure Release
So it’s not vacuum sealed, just as tight as a pressure cooker with a pressure release for microwave reheating. It’s even oven-safe for good measure, with the container able to resist up to 450°F of temperature (the average preheating temperature of a conventional oven).
Long story short, the Rubbermaid Brilliance Food Containers are both microwave-safe and oven-safe.
How Microwaveable is Plastic in General?
Cheap plastic is not recommended for microwaving. Why? It could leak or leach off BPA and other plasticizers. According to studies conducted on microwaving plastic, plasticizers can end up in your food. BPA in your system can affect your hormonal balance.
Microwavable or microwave-safe plastic like with Rubbermaid Brilliance are certified by the Food and Drug Administration as BPA-free. This means that when microwaved, the plastic container doesn’t heat up and doesn’t emanate dangerous plasticizers to your food.
Rubbermaid Brilliance is Its Answer to Tupperware Containers
Rubbermaid Brilliance is essentially Rubbermaid’s answer to Tupperware’s food containers. Both food containers use extra-thick glass-like plastic that won’t break down from the high temperatures possible from microwave heating.
It’s certainly better than glass containers in terms of shock absorption or even thermal shock. It doesn’t break as easily as glass when you microwave it straight from the fridge.
Read more: Can You Microwave Plastic Wrap? (Yes, but…)
What Does Rubbermaid Brilliance Bring to the Table?
This is no marketing spiel and we’re not in any way affiliated with Rubbermaid when we say we personally find the product truly brilliant, as its name suggests. It has microwave-safe lids, it’s quite airtight (relatively, since it has vents), it’s glass-like and shiny, and it’s easy to clean.
It’s quite the good-looking in its simple design. It’s similar to Tupperware but it uses colors that fit better with the Rubbermaid branding. In terms of flaws, we don’t like how it scratches easily. Its lid crevices are also quite hard-to-clean, thus necessitating getting a straw cleaner brush or something.
Rubbermaid Brilliance is Glass-Like Yet Plastic Tough
Brilliance is better than even Rubbermaid’s regular plastic containers because they don’t use cloudy plastic. You can see what’s inside the Brilliance line due to its glass-like transparency. However, it’s a lot less fragile than actual glass containers.
Certain Tupperware-branded products are high-quality microwaveable containers complete with the microwave-safe label. However, many others are leaky and non-microwaveable. Rubbermaid’s Brilliance Food Storage Containers are their answer to these low-quality containers.
A 14-Piece Set with Completely Clear Microwavable Plastic
Every item in the 14-piece Brilliance set has clear plastic on them, so you can easily identify what food is contained in them unlike with regular Tupperware containers or even Tupperware knockoffs. Long story short, Brilliance is no simple Tupperware knockoff with lower quality construction.
The glass-like transparency allows you to see whether a container has last night’s lasagna or chicken macaroni in them. Most importantly, you can use these special-grade containers by Rubbermaid to microwave cook, defrost, or reheat any dish you wish.
How to Microwave Rubbermaid Brilliance
When microwaving, you need to put the tabs up so that the airtight lids have pressure release vents available during the heating process. This results in mess-free, splatter-free, and spill-free microwaving that will keep your oven’s interior completely clean and sanitary when all is said and done.
While other brands warn against putting lids on your container when microwaving food, it’s okay to do with Rubbermaid. Why? It’s because their airtight lids are designed to have pressure release vents hidden under each lid clasp.
As long as you aren’t heating food for more than 3 minutes or so, the sides of the container will remain cool to the touch every time. It’s quite heat resistant whether it’s dealing with thermal conduction or microwave-induced hotness.
Affordable Set That’s Easy to Maintain
The $25 price tag isn’t that pricey when you take into consideration how useful and pretty the Brilliance set offers. You’re paying extra for how glamorous it looks, but it’s also functionally beneficial for food storage, transportation, and microwaving.
The set includes 7 corresponding lids to a 9.6-cup container, 2 3.2-cup containers, and 4 1.3-cup containers. The bottom of each container indicates their capacity as well as the fact that they’re all microwave-safe. This way, you don’t have to guess which container has which cup capacity.
Cleanup is a Breeze to Do
In terms of cleanup, the Rubbermaid Brilliance is quite easy to clean because it’s dishwasher-safe. You can put it inside the dishwashing machine without worrying about it breaking apart from all the shaking and contact with other dishes.
They come out quite clear and clean after washing in the dishwasher. They’re also relatively easy to clean when hand-washed. Just use the soft side of the dishwashing sponge and avoid scrubbing too hard to prevent scratching the clear surface. Don’t use the scouring pad on it.
Summary
The Rubbermaid Brilliance Food Storage Container Set has a high-temperature heating capacity that can withstand even conventional oven temperatures (the 450°F preheating temperature) and ensures mess-free microwaving sessions every time.
Regardless, it definitely is leak-proof and 100% airtight when the lid is closed. However, the lids themselves are vented, so you won’t have to worry about steam pressure building from your food when you microwave using this particular glass container.
