How to Use a Microwave Toastie Maker

By toastiemaker.com · Updated 16 Oct 2026

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To use a microwave toastie maker, butter the outside of the bread, place the sandwich between the two plates, clip the lid shut and microwave on full power for roughly 2–3 minutes in an 800W microwave, then leave it to stand for a minute before opening. The plates contain a susceptor layer that gets very hot in the microwave and browns the bread like a frying pan.

How a microwave toastie maker works

An ordinary microwave heats water, which is why a sandwich microwaved on a plate goes soft and chewy. A microwave toastie maker gets around that with plates lined with a susceptor, a thin layer of material that absorbs microwave energy and turns it into intense surface heat. The plates get hot enough to toast and brown the bread from the outside while the microwave heats the filling from within.

The best-known UK example is the Morphy Richards Mico toastie maker; we cover it in detail in our Morphy Richards microwave toastie maker review. For other models and an honest look at their limits, see the best microwave toastie makers.

Step by step

1. Read the manual once. Instructions differ on preheating, maximum time and whether the plates can be used empty. What follows is the typical routine, but your maker's rules win.
2. Check your microwave wattage. It is on a label inside the door or on the back. This decides your timing.
3. Prepare the bread. Butter the outside of two medium slices thinly and right to the edges. The butter in contact with the susceptor is what browns.
4. Build the toastie. Place one slice butter-side down on the base plate, add the filling with a small border, and top with the second slice butter-side up. Keep the filling modest; around 40 g of grated cheese is plenty.
5. Close and clip. Fasten the clips or latch so the plates press firmly on the bread.
6. Microwave on full power. Put it in the centre of the turntable, flat side down, and cook for the time in the table below.
7. Stand for a minute. The plates keep cooking and the cheese finishes melting.
8. Open with oven gloves. Unclip pointing the opening away from your face so steam escapes away from you, and slide the toastie out with a plastic or silicone spatula.

Cooking times by microwave wattage

These are starting points for a cheese toastie on medium white bread straight from the bread bin, with the toastie maker at room temperature. Your first toastie tells you which way to adjust.

If you are making a second toastie straight away, the plates are already warm, so cut 20–30 seconds off. For more filling ideas, see our microwave toastie recipes, and for every other cooking method our toastie timing guide.

Safety rules

• No metal. No foil, no metal clips of your own, no metal-trimmed plates in the microwave at the same time. Never put a metal stovetop toastie iron in a microwave.
• Do not run it empty unless the manual allows it. Susceptor plates with nothing to absorb heat can overheat, scorch, warp or damage the coating, and some can spark. Some makers allow a short preheat; many say not to. Follow yours.
• Do not exceed the maximum time in the manual, often around 4–5 minutes. Longer cooks can overheat the plates and the hinge.
• Full power, one at a time. Don't stack two toastie makers or cook other food alongside.
• Treat it as hot cookware. The outer shell may feel warm but the plates are much hotter. Put it down on a heatproof mat or board, not straight on a laminate worktop.
• Hot filling warning. Melted cheese and beans in a sealed pocket can be far hotter than the bread. Let it stand, especially for children.
• Retire damaged plates. If the susceptor surface is cracked, blistered or scorched, stop using it.

Common problems and fixes

Soggy or pale bread

Usually too little time, too little butter on the outside, or a very wet filling. Add 15–30 seconds, butter right to the edges and pat tomatoes or other wet fillings dry. Bread that is a few days old toasts better than very fresh, soft bread.

Burnt outside, cold middle

Your filling is too cold or too thick. Use grated cheese, let fridge-cold fillings sit for 10 minutes, or microwave a dense filling like leftover chilli separately for 30 seconds first.

One side browner than the other

Normal on some models, because the base plate sits closer to the hot turntable surface. Flip the toastie maker over halfway through if your manual allows it.

Bread sticking

Use a little more butter on the outside, and wipe the plates after each use while warm. Our sticking guide covers this in more depth.

Cleaning a microwave toastie maker

Let it cool fully, then wipe the plates with a damp cloth or sponge and a little washing-up liquid. Do not soak it unless the manual allows, never use abrasive pads on the susceptor surface, and check whether it is dishwasher safe before assuming so. Dry thoroughly before the next use. General tips are in how to clean a toastie maker.

Is it as good as an electric toastie maker?

Honestly, close but not quite. Expect a pressed, golden toastie, but usually less even browning and less crisp sealed edges than a good electric sandwich toaster. Its strengths are tiny storage size, no plug, low price and suitability for student halls or offices where small appliances are restricted. Our microwave vs electric toastie maker comparison sets out who should buy which.

Still choosing one? The Morphy Richards Mico is the model most of these instructions are based on, and our microwave toastie maker guide covers the alternatives.

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