Potato Bags are just not worth it!
 

I bought a 'potato bag' kit yesterday from my LQS. Was excited to make it today to give as a gift! I read lots of threads regarding the pros and cons of the bag on the QB here so made sure I washed/dried the fabric, used only 100% cotton thread, and tested it in the microwave with a damp paper towel inside, hit the 'potato' button and.....the bag is now outside in the rain on the steps. It started smoking so bad and has a big brown burn spot in the inside and now I have a stinky kitchen to boot. Will never make one of these again. Perhaps others have had better luck but I feel it's just not worth the anxiety!

Some microwaves have a very high wattage and can set anything flammable on fire. Cotton is flammable and has a lower burn point than the potato. Personally , I never got the enthusiasm for these.

It's probably the batting. It has to be 100% pure cotton, no scrim batting. The only batting I know of that is safe to use in the microwave is Warm Tater Batting. Why use batting anyway? I roll a potato up in a cotton kitchen towel and it works just fine.

Wow, glad to hear this news. Actually, I roll a potato in a very wet paper towel after I poke some holes in it and zap it for 7-10 minutes depending on the size of the potato. It is perfect, fluffy, and delicious. Yum, could eat one right now!

I may eat a potato too after replying, sounds good to me too. I had some 100 percent cotton batting left after a project and gave it to a coworker to make potato bags and I was one of the recipients when she was done. Mine also ended up outside, on the back patio, complete with smoke and a small blue flame. Worked ok the first time, but the second time was it's demise.

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!

hmmm... I just rub butter on the outside of the potato, poke some holes in it, and it comes out fine. Why should it be better in a bag? Or in a towel or anything at all?

I know this is not going to be a very popular response, but the truth is truth, even if nobody believes it. ;)

These bags are dangerous. The fiber in batting and woven into the fabric is so fine that it is easily vaporized (a condition for combustion) and it does not contain enough moisture to prevent vaporization or extinguish combustion.

There, I said it. I'm a fire chief's daughter and I will probably still be acting like a fire chief's daughter the day I die. But, I won't die because I smoked in bed, plugged in a frayed cord, overloaded a circuit, used gasoline to start a barbecue or because I used a little quilt to cook my potatoes in. :D

I've never seen the need for these anyway. I think they're a silly waste of time and energy. I agree...not worth it on so many levels!

Well, I must be misinformed as I thought the purpose of the potato bags were to keep the potatoes warm while serving at the dinner table. I just poke a hole in each potato and set them in a bowl with a little bit of water to cook them in the microwave. Then...I would place them in the bag...if I had one, lol!

We wrap ours in a kitchen towel after it comes out of the microwave. It drives the heat in to the middle and makes sure it gets really soft. Don't cook in the towel, DD did that, have a holey kitchen towel....

What an awesome idea !!! lol..

I have a few my late MIL made and we use them all the time..Cant tell ya what materials she used but so far all is A OK.... Ive probably used them a hundred times already.. But I have to admit, my potatoes are scrubbed to death and tossed in the bag soaking wet.. So my bag is more than slightly damp when it goes into our micro..

That's how I do mine, too! Works like a charm!

I made a couple, haven't firgued out the excitement of them. When I have used mine, I noticed they start to have a burn smell to the microwave when they are done. No fires, or smoke or anything, potat tate good. My SIL raves about them. So we have the bag and seldom uses it.

Thank you for the warning! I'm so glad it wasn't a MUCH worse disaster than it was. I'll just stick to washing the potato, poke some holes in it, set it on a microwave safe plate with a little water on it and zap away.

I was under the same impression Rose L. Don't have a potato bag but often I just tuck 1-2 microwaved potatoes in a clean oven mitt unitil I'm ready to plate the meal. Who knew?!

I know this is a somewhat serious thread but you made me giggle a little bit!

Thanks for this post. I bought one of those potato bags at a gift fair. I was going to give it to hubby as an extra little present as he loves to microwave his potatoes. I guess we can put the potatoes in the bag to keep them warm before we eat them as was suggested here! Thanks for this alert.

I always wanted to make one of these...but think I will hold off!! The worse thing that happened in my microwave was my son putting one of his old "glow sticks" in it. It was supposed to make it "new" again. Well it exploded in the microwave and had the most horrible smell!!! Made my son wash it 4 times and then had him put out in the pick up pile. Now ladies PLEASE don't try this at home.

Thanks for posting this. I guess I can take this item off my to-do list. I wonder if the soup bowl holder (from tutorial) would do the same thing ..... Maybe I'll spend my time making mug rugs for last minute gifting.

funny, I have made many and used one for years...I was always told though to NEVER put a damp tater in the bag...strange...
and I also NEVER use that tater button on the micro..it is TOO high powered even on a naked tater(no bag)

Hmmm....I was thinking what MaryMo was thinking about the soup bowl holder???? I am guessing this would be a little different because it probably wouldn't be in as long as you would for a potato......has anyone had any of the soup bowls (fabric holder for bowl like tutorial posted) burn or start to burn?

Soup bowl holder??
 

I've never heard of this. I am usually wanting my soup to cool off a bit so I can eat it, not wanting to keep it so hot it burns my mouth. Is this soup bowl holder actually something that you wrap around your bowl before heating in the microwave?? I learn something new here everyday!!

I made a lot of the soup bowl pads. We never heat a serving of food for more then 2 min. so the bowls pads work great. I never leave the microwave unattended when using. The only thing I've ever had start a fire was a paper bag. DD was making her own microwave popcorn using a brown paper bag.

Just sounds like more laundry to do. Have been making soup and baking potatoes just fine for many years.lol

I would think that the soup bowl holder would be meant to put the bowl of soup in AFTER it has been heated. I know my soup bowls get quite hot after I put the soup in them. Makes it hard to carry to the table...I always have to use a pot holder.

I wash the potatoes, put them in the bag, 4 minutes, turn em over, 4 more minutes. Never had a problem with the bag I made from cotton batting lying around, it predates this idea by a few years. May have a different story when we replace that old microwave.

I used one for a couple of years with no problems. I always made sure the potatoes was scrubbed and wet(I think thats the key) and the bag was always clean. Until... I baked a sweet potatoe one night and the next night did a white potatoe without washing the bag. It started smoldering. I think it was caused by the juice from the sweet potato.
Warm Tater has no scrim(glue) to melt or catch fire but any cotton fiber will burn. I did look mine over afterwards and the burned part was strictly on the inside surface where the juice had leaked out. The bag itself and batting had smoldered but did not burst into flames. So I caught it early when I smelled smoke. Anytime I used one, I always stayed right there, just in case. I still use one and like it. I think the potato is fluffier. But I will never walk away and leave it unattended.

I have to tell this story. I laughed so hard. My son and very soon to be wife at the time, came for supper and we were making steak on the grill and baked taters. So I made a comment we had to be home soon enough for me to get the taters in the oven. She looked at me and said..in a very serious voice and look on her face.. WELL WHO EVER HEARD OF PUTTING TATERS IN THE OVEN?? You make them in the microwave. I said and how were they ever made before the microwave came?? We still chuckle over this one.. so funny..

I agree-just a waste of time making, but a money maker for the LQS-another fad!!!! I rec'd one as a gift last year, used it once.......went in the garage sale this last summer!!!!!! Now that I read that some have caught on fire, I am glad I did not continue using it.....I will definitely pass the warning along.....

Mythreesuns- that's funny! Who puts taters in an oven! Lol
Tu

wow, this is news to me. I have made many and never had a problem. Now I pray no one I gave them to had problems.

Thanks for all the information. I was going to make these for some gifts for next Christmas, but I'm going to cross those off my list. Better safe than sorry.

Since I have seen this, I think that I will give the bags that I have done as 'Bun Warmers'. They will not have to be in the microwave that long and with a little wet papertowel they will make the buns soft and moist.

Charlie

UPDATE: The weird thing though is I thought the dog ran off with the bag last night when I put it outside but when I looked later there were just big pieces of 'ash' and a square burnt area on the CEMENT steps! I think that bugger literally went up in flames! I hope I can get the burn spot off the steps since they're only a year old!! Oh my...what next, huh?

One of the quilt guilds I belong to gave out those bags to each member last year on their birthday and it works wonderful. I have a high voltage microwave and it works wonderful in it.

Did you ever consider that instead of actually putting a potato in the bag than a damp paper towel may be the reason it burned. There is a reason they have settings on those machines. The setting is for the item stated and not a substitute.

I have heard no reports out of over 30 members that their bag did not work. Did you put batting with it and if so what type. They have a special batting for such things that go into microwaves and this one is called tater batting.

Since this was a kit you purchased does not matter if it said 100% cotton, it's possible it really wasn't or an inferior piece of cotton fabric.

Anyway I love the one I was given by the guild and use it often. Cooks alot better than what I use to use in there.

We received a potato bag for Christmas last year. We've used it quite a bit and never had a problem.

Potato Bags
 

Our craft group has made these to sell at our Church bazaar for years, with no problems. The instructions say not to prick the potatoes....maybe to keep the juices from escaping? Also, with newer microwaves, it's best to start with 4 minutes of cooking time. I've never heard of wetting the paper towel either.

This year, we also made "corn bags". A larger version of the potato bag and made with "corn" fabric, of course!

The proof of them working is in the Warm Tater Batting and 100% cotton material to make them-I have made many of them-with no problems, and use mine all the time with no problems-check to make sure you are using the right batting.