Your kid microwaves a squishy toy to make it softer. After 15 seconds, how hot is the gel inside?

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Consumer Reports microwaved squishy toys and found some burst after about 15 seconds, spraying 200°F gel that clings to skin like hot wax. Burn centers in the US and UK have treated multiple children for deep second- and third-degree burns, with several requiring skin grafts. The Consumer Product Safety Commission warned parents in August, and with US Customs it has blocked nearly 360,000 counterfeit squishies.

Microwaving a squishy toy for 15 seconds heats the gel to 200°F. The boiling goo clings to skin, causing third-degree burns.

Source: Consumer Reports; US Consumer Product Safety Commission; Loyola Medicine; NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde · checked Aug 2026