cold food hot bowl is a direct sign of not having good microwaveable dishes.

I’ve noticed some dishes degrade over time as well. I have some coffee cups that were fine for years, but nowadays if I microwave one for a minute I might as well be grabbing a motorcycle tailpipe when I go to take it out.

Yup, some dishes absorb microwaves better than the food, so they absorb the majority of the energy.