Interesting, I have a potato bag that I have used for 6 years without any problems.. It actually has a polyester batting in it. Go figure. I make them with 100% cotton and warm tater batting. They are great for warming rolls and cooking corn on the cob too. I have made 10 or 12 and no one has had any problem.

Glad to know all of this. I just received one as a gift but don't know if I'll use it now. The fabric is so pretty I might just use it as a decor item in my kitchen.

I agree with Iraxy. We cook potatoes (with fork holes poked in them) in our microwave on a plate with paper towel over them, and they are DELICIOUS...no bag needed!

I bought one 4 years ago. the bag was made with flannel for the batting. wash patato don,t poke it put it in microwave for three minutes or so and let it set a few minutes and cut a slit in protato and squash it and it fluffs. My ggs loves his and has been using the same one for about 5 years. You can tell a difference when its cooked in bag. bignan

A good laugh picturing the dog taking off with it was my first reaction :) then I thought: wonder if there was a pin in the bag. Give me a damp paper towel or even just the naked potato. =sandrab64;4784515]I did use the Warm Tater batting as recommended which came in the kit. The dog took off with it so now I'll have to hunt down the 'smoking gun'! :) Oh well...nobody hurt and nothing major ruined![/QUOTE]

I used the Potatoe Bag batting to make a casserole cover & it help things stay warm with NO SMOKE!!

To me potato bags are messy to say the least. And as for washing them after they have been used, I can't afford to wash a potato bag and $1.00 a load for washing and $1.00 a load for drying. Save the space for necessaries.

My personal opinion...potato bags are stupid...as for the microwave bowls,I didnt know they went in the microwave,,,I have made them for years before they even"came out" but I just use them to hold the hot bowl when you eat,they never go in the microwave.

That would be my idea as well. A potato keeps cooking after you take it out of the microwave for awhile. My mom cooked them for the recommended time then wrapped them in foil and let set for a few minutes before serving. They were just like ones cooked in the oven. I think the potato bag would work to keep them warm and finish cooking just like the foil did.

Me too Jacquie. Used to roll taters in paper towels, tater bag is so much easier. I too never use the tater button. Depending on size, I cook full power 3-5 minutes, rotate taters in the bag, and cook again til almost soft. Then remove from microwave and let them stay in bag until time to eat.

Glad I read this before I got around to making them as gifts. After reading the directions, I washed the baking potatoes, wrapped in 1/2 paper towel, wrapped Warm and Natural batting around it and microwaved until it was done, about 10-15 minutes at 5 minute intervals rotating them.
They turned out fine but I like them better with crispy skins from the oven. That said, I really was going to make some bags for gifts but will hold off for now. The Warm and Natural batting seems to be fine and I just let it air out after use.

I poke holes in my tater and put it in a ziplock back and nook it. It makes the tater taste like a "new" one, fresh out of the patch!

I have used the potato bag someone gave me for several years with no problem...and have made some for others and never heard of problems with them. Maybe the batting makes the difference? I used Quilter's Dream Cotton...the Request weight.

I have made hundreds of these bags with polyester batting and have never heard of them burning up. I use mine for tortilla, potatoes but I only cook 4 medium potatoes for 10 minutes. They are absolutely the best. I have used warm tater also and really like that. Sorry for the accidents that have happened.

If the microwave bowls go in the microwave you don't have to worry about burning your fingers when taking the hot bowl out.

I like the way my potatoes turn out in my bag much better then wrapping them in plastic wrap or cooking in a bowl with a little water. The first time I made them, I cooked them too long and I "toasted" my bag a little. Now I use the potato setting on my micro for the number of potatoes I'm cooking (only 1 - 3 taters) and they turn out perfect. I don't like to use the oven for only a couple of potatoes. Baking is still my favorite method if I'm cooking for more than me and my hubby. Maybe part of the problem is overcooking and the potatoes heat the material too much. I like the idea of using cotton kitchen towels instead of batting. I think I will use that for the next ones I make.

Rose I am so glad you posted what the potato bags are really used for. I think it should cut down on the kitchen fires. LOL

I am 76 years old and for the life of me I cannot understand why we have to have a special bag for baking potatoes. Was there a problem with the 'good old way'? Scrub the potato..Prick with a fork..Nuke for the required time. Voila!!! Baked potatoes. Same way with corn. You remember the old saying...if it ain't broke don't fix it. If you have extra time and material make a Linus quilt or chemo caps or lap quilt for a local nursing home. Thanks for letting me vent.

I never liked them. I use a paper towel.

I have made several of these Tater bags using the special Warm Tater Batting and have had no problems with them. I like cooking corn on the cob in them and heating up tortillas with them. I have given several as gifts with no problems reported. My sister had made one for my Dad several years ago and she used regular batting not knowing about having to use the tater batting and the bag caught on fire in the microwave. So you have to use the special batting because it contains no chemicals which catch on fire in the micro.

I never saw the use for them. My potatoes come out just great on the baked potato setting

mine burned in a corner, it was touching the microwave. haven't used it since.

Rose and I both have the same idea. I poke holes in my washed potatoes. I use a Corning dish with a lid,
add a bit of water and put the lid on. They bake nicely and stay moist. i also do this with Sweet Potatoes.
I don't turn on my over to bake 2 potatoes.

June in Cincinnati

wow - what an interesting subject. I made about 20 for people for christmas. i used 100% cotton batting - some was warm and tater batting others i used a thinner batting that was 100% cotton. i am still giving them as gifts i will just tell everyone to please watch when cooking or else use it to keep rolls and taters warm before serving them.

Same story here-I used the 'tater" batting, all cotton thread, fabric-bag burst into flames. Luckily no damage to microwave, but horrible odor for several days. It could have been horrible if I hadn't been standing next to the microwave.
About 15 yrs ago I made these bags, no problems, made them again last month because of requests-no more! I made 10 of them, cute bags, trying to decide how I can re purpose them.
Maire

I had the same experience. Mine actually burned a hole through. I used all the recommended fabric and batting but will never use it again. Too risky.

This sounds to me like a lot of hoopla over nothing...depending on if you are a bag cooker or not. Personally I like to wash, poke, and zap it. Mine are great. So were the ones I cooked in the oven a long, long time ago...before I got a microwave.

Maybe this question is somewhere else in the tread but did you happen to actually put a potato in the bag along with the damp paper towel? A microwave will cook anything it can find. I've sold these bags and used one now for 7 years and have never had a problem with them. The potatoes come out so much nicer, sweet potatoes are nicer.... Couldn't live without them now!

I think the quilt store that sold you the kit ought to give you your money back...take it back and show them the consequences, perhaps everything was not clearly 100% cotton. I've made dozens of these bags, sell them at the country store, and have never had one returned. I just make sure everything involved is 100% cotton.

Just happy to hear you or your home suffered no damage! It could have turned out alot worse. The worst part of things like that is someone WILL catch their home on fire because they'll put it in the microwave and leave for the time being to do something else. As far as I'm concerned items such as these shouldn't be marketed. You need to let your LQS know what happened to you and maybe they'll take them off their shelves.

I have a friend who swears by these - one was given to her as a gift - but I haven't made one. When I do potatoes, I'm usually doing something in the oven at the same time, so I nuke the potato and throw it into the oven for the last 15 minutes with whatever I'm cooking and it comes out just like I'd baked it in the oven for an hour.

Now THAT makes sense.....but cooking a potato in a little quilt!! One of those things that makes you go hmmmmmmmmmmmm!

I never saw the need for them either. I just poke the potatoes, set them on a paper towel and they come out just fine.

Phyllis
QuiltingGrannie
Quilter's Pantry

Wow I'm sorry this happened to you but i'm glad you shared it with us, to save us from having the same problem.

I dry my potatoes and poke them several times and wrap them in a dry paper towel and napkin. The point being to absorb the extra moisture so the tater gets fluffy. They never do turn out as nice as baked potato the old fashioned way, in the oven!

I won't make them. A friend of mine made one and it started on fire inside the microwave. She had to replace the microwave. It was a very expensive potato bag!

thanks for all the feed back on the potato bags. i too think i'll steer clear of those. i'll just go make some pretty mug rugs to put aside as extra gifts.

I've recently made and used the bowl cozies. (At least that's what I call them). Have used them several times to heat instant oatmeal in the microwave or to reheat soup. I don't think I would ever want to have them in there on high for 10 minutes if that's how long baked potatoes take... That just seems like too long to me. My bowls are microwave safe, but they still get hot enough to make me jump and possibly spill the contents, so I started making some of these. When I give these as gifts though, I remind them "No longer than 4 minute intervals (that should be long enough to heat soup or stew) and use only in ovens equipped with a rotating tray. It also says never leave unattended. That's the best I can do since I can't be there with every bowl cozy I send out. Also, I caution against "Professional" hi voltage ovens.

About the ignition of the potato bags, I wonder if this was caused by using a microwave that does not have a rotating plate. I know from experience there are things I can do with a "carousel" oven that I can't do in an oven that doesn't rotate the food.

I own, "purchased" tortilla bags. I love them. Mine sound like there's some sort of plastic in them, because they "crinkle" when you squish them. Anyone know what that is? (Of course tortillas take less than 1 minute - so they've worked very well for me. I sure would like to know what is in it that makes that crackling sound. I would take them apart and find out for myself, but we use them so often, I'll just have to wait until one wears out. Anyone know?

I've never seen the need for these either - just polk the potato with a fork to make vent s for the steam to excape, and wrap in paper towel - I love SWEET POTATOES this way, I can make a meal of one they are so good! Cut it open, add a bit of brown sugar and butter - almost as good as LEFSA! Ufda.......... :)

I think the "crinkle" sound might be cause by Insul-Bright or the like. I've used it in potholders and it does make that sound.