Why did my Pyrex baking dish explode?

[Big Bad Voodoo Lou]

I had a Halloween party last week, and stayed up late the night before making dolmades. It was my first attempt, so it took several hours preparing the rice mixture, boiling and drying the grape leaves, and rolling and stuffing the dolmades. Around 5 AM, I put them in the fridge and planned to finish them off in the oven the following day.

Following my recipe, I put the thick, heavy Pyrex baking dish on the stovetop, after adding two cups of water and plenty of lemon juice and EVOO to the stacked dolmades. After the water started to boil, I removed it from the stovetop and put it in my preheated oven. Within five minutes, the Pyrex EXPLODED, ruining my beautiful dolmades with a shower of broken glass. I had to throw them all out, and it took forever to clean up the oil-covered glass shards and rice from inside the oven.

How the hell did this happen? I thought Pyrex could stand up to stovetops and ovens, and I've cooked lasagna and cakes in it before. I bought it at Publix supermarket for about $15 or $20 some years back, and it was pretty heavy and seemed quite thick. I was so looking forward to those dolmades, but the hassle of making them followed by the intense disappointment of losing them all was so bad that I'll probably never make them again.

[greygarious]

Ever since reading about the harder-to-explain explosions, when I use pyrex in the oven I keep it on a metal sheet pan to help contain whatever food is being cooked. If the food is already hot before being put into the pyrex, the pyrex is already sitting on the sheet pan, and it does not get removed from the sheet pan until they are out of the oven and have had a while to cool down at least a little. Then, the hot pyrex dish goes onto a trivet or potholder, so it does not contact a cool or wet counter. I'm also careful about the utensils. I use a silicone spoonula and plastic knife rather than metal. So far, so good. Which doesn't mean I'd be surprised if any of these pieces shattered while they are sitting unused in the cupboard!

[Tinkerbell]

Have an older 9 x 13 cake pyrex container. Also, have one that is about few inches smaller each direction. I am almost afraid to use them now. But using them on a metal sheet pan might be the answer. Also, I have the metal flat sheet round 6" and 8" electric coil covers that help keep food from falling down in the pans plus help evenly distribute heat under cooking pan/skillet. Now I am wondering IF placing the safety wire that is used under the glass pyrex double boiler should be place on the coil itself after removing the solid metal heat plate that is over the coil all the time or is it safe to leave that metal plate over the coil. Therefore the wire would be placed directly on the solid metal heat plate instead of coil.

[hsk]

Interesting. I've used Pyrex and Corningware for years and I've never had this happen but I use it for microwaving because you can't use metal cookware, so pretty much exclusively for storing leftovers and reheating. For baking and stovetop I've always used metal. Just curious, what would be the advantage of using glass instead of metal for baking or stovetop?

[greygarious]

Clear glass pyrex is great for baking because it has good, even, heat retention and allows you to see how done the bottom and sides of your pie, cake, or casserole are.

[sunshine842]

and Cook's Illustrated tried a dozen different pie plates and found that the one that produced a consistently better crust was the run-of-the-mill Pyrex.

[Tinkerbell]

What about using pyrex double boiler with a metal ring on the electric burner? I have one but have been afraid to use it for my rice pudding. Love old pyrex. Has anyone used one on the electric burner with the metal wire ring that is used with them to keep from being directly on the burner?

[greygarious]

Decades ago, I had a both a pyrex percolator and pot. Used them with the wire trivet. No problem They both broke eventually, but from being dropped on the floor. Why would you not think you can use it on an electric burner? That's WHY they made and supplied the wire gizmo.

[Tinkerbell]

Little nervous about it I guess. I know, believe it or not, my Mom told me years ago that glass rots. I do not know if this makes sense or not. She said a water glass can shatter when they get older much easier than when new due to age. I never knew but dread finding out. That is probably why the few pieces of crystal I have stay in the china closet as we call them still, ha. So I thought I would write and see if any advice or knowledge of the double boilers might come my way. You have made my day and thanks for the reply.

[sunshine842]

Glass doesn't rot, per se.

In really, really old stained glass windows (we're talking hundreds of years old), the glass begins to sag with gravity, and ends up thicker at the bottom than at the top, eventually getting so thin that they just collapse...but this takes a long, long time.

Drinking glasses get more fragile with age just because as they get knocked over and clunked against other things, they gain more and more chips and micro-cracks...and then one day the wrong clunk connects all the cracks, and the glass breaks.

[dtremit]

That story about old window panes, while romantic, isn't true. Old panes were made using a process that involved spinning blown glass into a disc; it's why you'll also see arc shapes in that glass. The glass panes were cut from the resulting circular glass, and were generally slightly thicker at one end. Window makers put the thick side facing down for stability.

[sunshine842]

**stained** glass. I've known a couple of artisan glaziers who have shown me old pieces that 'melted'.

and old residential glass (that made after the process was changed to rolling out sheets) *does* 'melt' downward. I'm talking late 19th-early 20th century stuff.

[flourgirl]

No, sunshine, it doesn't.

http://www.sciencenews.org/sn_arc98/5...

[spooner454]

Pyrex glass bakeware is, and has always been, durable, reliable and safe.
The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission conducted an investigation in 2008 and concluded that Pyrex glass bakeware does not present a safety concern.
While both borosilicate and soda lime are appropriate compositions for glass bakeware, heat strengthened soda lime is more resistant to impact breakage - the far more likely cause of consumer injury according to national emergency room data.
World Kitchen did not change the product composition for Pyrex glass bakeware.
Pyrex glass bakeware has been made – first by Corning Incorporated and now by World Kitchen – using the same soda lime composition and heat-strengthening process for more than 60 years.
World Kitchen has always manufactured Pyrex glass bakeware in the U.S. and our packaging proudly displays the American flag and the “made in the USA” label.
World Kitchen, which purchased the Pyrex consumer products business from Corning Incorporated in 1998, is a U.S. company based in Rosemont, Illinois. SO CHECK THIS LINK >>> http://www.pyrexware.com/index.asp?pa...

[flourgirl]

Sorry, but it's not "durable, reliable and safe" if it can explode into a million little shards for no apparent reason. It happened to me, and I will never use pyrex in my oven again. And no, I did not shock it, it was room temp when it went into the oven, and so was the food in it, it wasn't cracked, I hadn't even taken it out of the oven when it exploded, and it had never been used on a stove top.

[Michael549]

It would be good to acknowledge that there is a difference between the pyrex baking dishes (casseroles, pie pans, lagasna pans), and the pyrex glass coffee pots, teapots, and double-boilers that were made years or decades ago. Today in the stores - one will find pyrex baking dishes - casseroles, pie pans, lagasna pans, mixing bowls, etc with large red letters saying Pyrex on the packing material. Years ago - there were pyrex coffee pots - Alice on the Brady Bunch used one all of the time - even on Bewitched. Plus double-boilers and teapots all made for the stove-top. Yes - all of these items are "pyrex" - just like many of today's coffee pots - for example - Mr. Coffee, etc. So when folks say that "Pyrex" can go on the stove-top - they should really be talking about the coffee pots, teapots, double-boilers - items that were specifically designed for the stove-top.

Yes, the baking dishes are called "pyrex" - but they were NEVER DESIGNED OR INTENDED FOR THE STOVE-TOP. This means the casseroles, the pie plates, the lasagna pans, etc. These items were meant for the oven where the heat surrounds the whole dish, rather than being concentrated on the bottom of the dish. Usually it is best to put the dish with food inside into the oven, and then turn on the heat - that way everything heats up gradually - at least that is the way I've seen it recipes, and the way I've done it.

The very first message in this series has a person putting a pyrex baking dish on the stove-top, turning on the burner to follow a recipe - the person acknowledges that they put a BAKING DISH on the stove-top. Then they wonder just why did the dish cracked. It is simple - it was a BAKING DISH! The baking dishes already have notices that they are not intended or to be used on the stove top. It is like expecting a metal pie-pan to work like a skillet - when the two types of pans have different purposes and different capabilities. Metal pie-pans are made thin to better quickly cook the pies, the oven itself spreads the heat. Skillets have thicker bottoms to spread the heat over the surface to better fry eggs or fry chicken. Two different kinds of pans - for different purposes - regardless of the fact that they are made of metal. Those thin foil metal pie pans that come with "Jiffy-Popcorn" will never be mistaken for a real skillet even though it is made of metal. The pryex baking dishes - like other glass or ceramic casseroles, baking dishes, and pie pans - have thicker walls to better spread the heat inside the oven - they were not made to distribute the heat from one point over the whole of the dish. Pyrex baking dishes were made for the oven, period.

Pyrex baking dishes were made for baking - not stove top usage - it is really that simple. Today it is difficult to find the pyrex double-boilers of old, or the thick coffee and teapots. These days - many of the glass coffee and teapots are of the variety where one pours in boiling water into the coffee or tea - rather than putting the whole pot on the stove-top. Notice the thinner glass walls of these coffee and tea pots - to better transfer the heat - usually to something like water.

Pyrex baking dishes have been used for their intended purposes for decades by millions of people in their homes - they are generally safe, durable and reliable enough. Yes, some folks have had problems - statistically that would be case - even if some folks did not abuse the dishes. Each tale of woe or problems - can be matched by several tales where nothing bad happened at all. Folks are free to decide what materials or equipment they will have or not have in their own kitchens. Just the plain facts.

[spooner454]

yes you are right there is a big difference between stove top and oven ware i have owned both i dont care for the stovetop because of the way they cook however i have used oven ware reliably for many years and the only way i have ever broken one was by dropping or other misuse never a problem with the cook ware i am just a Guy who likes to cook.

[flourgirl]

Michael549 - Why exactly did you respond to MY post? Especially when I was quite clear that mine exploded and I had never put it on the stovetop etc. You went into a very long-winded explanation where none was needed from my perspective.

[Tinkerbell]

I take it then that the double boiler by Pyrex made years ago can be used on an electric stove with one of the metal rings that you are to place under it? I ordered a pyrex double boiler and then duhhhhhhhh it hit me. Why? Because I had used them many years ago and I think it was on a gas stove. I could be really wrong. The one I have coming is a vintage one. I hope I did not make a mistake. I am sure my induction single burner will not work as must be induction type such as my few pieces of All Clad.

[SanityRemoved]

That link reminds me of a bridge in Brooklyn.

[spooner454]

I understand why it makes you wonder why i would send you to a response from the company its self but at least it is from a source that is not just some clown weighing in on something to try and harm this company I have used pyrex for many years and have not had a problem with it

[greygarious]

In your first November 24 post, you refer to World Kitchen and "our". The jig is up - clearly you are associated with the company, and those of us who have owned pyrex that exploded when being used and cared for properly know better than to believe any of World Kitchen's claims!

[spooner454]

well my first post was a copy and past of what was on their web sight that is why I referenced the link i can assure you i am not related in any way to that company until I read the web sight I thought they were still CORNING WARE , I wanted to see what they had to say is all I am just a guy who lives in central California who likes to cook and i never tried to sell that Company I was just making the point that I cook allot and i have used Pyrex for many years and never had a problem with it. there is nothing else I can tell you short of my address and social security number to tell you who i am and thats not going to happen. anyway happy cooking

[GH1618]

I looked at your earlier post, and see that it appears to be copied from the Pyrex site, but it is best if you clearly indicate this by adding quotation marks and a statement indicating where it came from. I see how some could have been confused.

The quotation says that Pyrex (consumer, at least) has been borosilicate glass for more than sixty years. This conflicts with what we have read elsewhere, but they should know. I have only two pieces of Pyrex — two pie plates — which have been used many times over at least 35 years. I don't know what type of glass they are, but I intend to keep using them.

I think most cases of sudden failure are caused by a small scratch or nick to the glass. It wouldn't need to be large enough to be noticeable to cause this.

[Tinkerbell]

I still have the old pie pyrex pie plates. They seem to be holding up great. Is the blue cast looking pyrex the latest in the past few years to be manufactured? When I looked at the double boilers, I noted one said blue glass and was vintage. I do not remember blue cast ones back many years ago.

[spooner454]

By the way that was a copy and past of the web address for that company I AM NOT RELATED TO THEM FOLKS sorry i did not make that clear in the first place

[SanityRemoved]

If you peruse some of the other World Kitchen sites it becomes apparent that they are less than truthful.

[sueatmo]

Yes, Pyrex does explode or shatter in some cases, and yes cases of this are documented. However, I am amazed that you used Pyrex on the stovetop! Corningware could be used that way, although it was not a very good vessel for that application, but Pyrex? No.

[belgand]

Yep, I had this happen once as well. My girlfriend accidentally turned the oven to "broil" and after a few minutes... explosion of glass. As far as I'm aware the only modern Pyrex products designed to handle a direct flame are the labware and even then I've always been very careful not to immediately put them back down on a cold bench or throw them in the fridge unless absolutely necessary.

In this case you were applying a pretty significant amount of stress to the dish: fridge, to stove (and now filled with boiling water), to oven. The important thing is that you learned a valuable lesson.

[soyarra]

Interesting discussion, especially in light of what just happened to me an hour ago (I posted this on the Consumer Affairs website, too). The Pyrex warnings don't mention anything about spontaneous explosions of their products, which just occurred in my kitchen:

My fairly new 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup just exploded, with NO temperature change, NO chips or cracks, NOTHING falling on it or moving it, and NO discernible reason for such an explosion. It was sitting on the counter next to the cooktop on the opposite counter from where I was filling jelly jars. The room temperature is about 62 degrees.

The cup exploded into hundreds of pieces which went everywhere: into the salt pig which I just filled with Maldon which I had to throw away, into the last two jars I was filling, all over the floor and onto the opposite counter. It was completely bizarre and unwarranted. The cup wasn't near a heat source or on a pilot light. It was at ambient room temperature, and still exploded.

I'm throwing out all the Pyrex I've bought in the last 10 years. Now it's Anchor Hocking and ceramic for me. Jeebus. I thought it was people who "just explode.""

Note: This is the first time anything like this has even happened to me, but I will say one thing: this measuring cup was only one of two new Pyrex products I own. Everything else was inherited from my grandmother or aunt, or purchased at flea markets. Never had any problem with any of them, but now I'm completely paranoid about Pyrex products. :(

[Michael549]

Purely just for my own education. What kind of countertop was the mixing cup sitting on next to the cooktop? No I am not a CSI just curious. What you described is both frightening and puzzling. Mike

[Roland47]

Sorry that happened to you.

I'm also curious, was the glass previously hot before it was set on the countertop? Sometimes setting hot Pyrex onto a cold counter without any type of hotpad or potholder can cause rapid temperature change which can cause breakage.

One additional thing which may have occurred. You mentioned that the ambient temp in the room was 62 degrees. That's kind of cool. If the glass was previously full of very hot liquid, then emptied, and exposed to sudden temperature change from a relatively cold ambient room temp, it could cause the glass to cool too quickly which can also cause shattering...very similar to the way putting it in cold water would.

[Roland47]

The first axiom of cooking with glass is that "glass is glass is glass". That is not negated by a Pyrex label, or whether it is borosilicate or lime glass, or whether it is tempered.

Glass has been made suitable for a variety of uses (including cooking) by chemistry and science, but "glass will still be glass", no matter what, and requires considerably more care than metal.

Both I and my friends have had Pyrex (the old borosilicate kind) break during use...shattering in the oven during baking/roasting, and while using coffee pots over a low gas flame (as they were designed to withstand). I know someone who has also had the old Glasbake and Fire King pieces shatter in her oven. And she is meticulous about not abusing them.

It is a bummer...and it's unexpected...and a hassle to clean up. But in spite of it's useful properties, this is still a risk you take with glass.

When glass gets scratches over time and use, they are "wounds" and the process of thermal expansion and contraction (heating/cooling) will deepen the wound and create a vulnerable spot. Sometimes it's in an area where you can't even see it. As it heats again...expanding...then kapow!

Again...glass is glass is glass.

[Chemicalkinetics]

"glass is glass is glass."

Yet "borosilicate is borosilcate, and lime glass is lime glass" as well. Yes, they are glasses, but not all glasses are the same. Just like the fact that not all metals are the same. A copper pan certainly is not the same as an iron pan, and a chimpanzee is not a human.

[SanityRemoved]

"a chimpanzee is not a human"

That might explain the switch to lime glass.

I've noticed more strongly worded warnings about thermal shock on the Pyrex packaging recently.

[sunshine842]

I strongly suspect that the more strongly worded warnings on the packaging are due to the recent flood of articles and the advice of their legal department than of any recent discovery regarding the structural integrity of their glass.

[Roland47]

Of course not all glasses are the same. But glass and metal are not the same (even when the glass is tempered) and that's where people can run into trouble when they start being less cautious with glass, forgetting that it's not the same as metal. BTW I'm not sure what you mean by your analogy, but a chimpanzee is actually closer to a human than glass is close to metal.

[Chemicalkinetics]

Roland,

Thanks. I suppose I could be more clear in my examples. No, I didn't mean glass is the same as metal. What I meant to say is that not all glasses are the same, just like not all metals are the same. If we can appreciate the difference between iron and aluminum, then surely we can understand lime soda glass is different than borosilicate glass. In fact, diamond and graphite are both made of carbon atoms, but they are very different.

In short, what I wanted to say is that all glasses have their differences, all metals have their differences, and all primates have their differences.

[Smachnoho]

I have had 2 Pyrex dishes explode recently. Thank God they both exploded in the oven. The first time I was baking a quiche and when I opened the door, the Pyrex pie plate exploded. the second time towards the end of the baking period I heard a pop sound and opened the oven door and the dish had broken into 3 large pieces and a bunch of shattered glass.

[flourgirl]

Yes, that's what happened to me, and fortunately the door was closed as well.

[Satene]

I’m just thankful that my Pyrex loaf pan shattered while it was in the oven. Had this “accident” happened when the dish was outside the enclosure of my oven, it could have caused very severe injuries…like, shards of glass flying into someone’s eye. Every single piece of glass cookware that I owned, including Pyrex and Anchor, some that was 25 years old, has been thrown into the garbage, and everyone I know has done the same. No piece of cookware is so special that I would ever take even the smallest risk of causing damage and injury.

One Pyrex loaf pan broke into about 100 pieces inside my oven. The dish was warm when placed in the oven because it had just been washed before use. About 4 pieces of broken glass were 2 inches and everything else was in small shards and was vacuumed out of the oven. Never again!

[sunshine842]

Here's a question...if all of this is because of a change in the formula of the glass in 1998, why is it JUST NOW catching anyone's attention

There are millions of pieces out there manufactured since 1998 under the Pyrex brand name...but yet it takes 12 years for anyone to write about it? I've bought and broken a half-dozen pieces since 1998...dropping them on a ceramic tile floor tends to do that.

Not claiming conspiracy or anything else...just think it's odd.

[flourgirl]

But what are you suggesting? That all the people who have posted here, like myself for instance, are not telling the truth about having a pyrex pan explode on them? Because I can assure you it happened, it happened for no obvious reason, and if it had happened when I opened my oven, it could have been really REALLY bad. I've never had anything else explode in my oven and I would never use Pyrex in the oven again. (And yes, I know all about the pre-1998 blah blah blah, but I don't own any of that.)

[sunshine842]

I'm suggesting exactly what is written above - you're reading something into it that just isn't there.

I just find it odd that it's taken 12 years to hit the press...in an age of blogs, the Internet, tweets, SMS, and Facebook, one would think that this would have hit the fan a long time ago.

[deet13]

Heh, here's the Pyrex take on it...
http://www.pyrexware.com/thetruthabou...

Nothing too fishy listed outside of 100's of millions of pieces of glassware, and the statistical inevitably of a few thousand GLASS containers breaking per year, due to a garden variety of reasons.

[flourgirl]

"Breaking" is not the same thing as "Exploding". I haven't heard of ANY other cookware exploding in the oven the way pyrex as far too many times.

And those GLASS containers were billed as being safe for oven use and they're not.

There are also a lot of people disputing the manufacturer's claims on that link you provided.

[flourgirl]

Well than sunshine, what exactly ARE you suggesting?

[sunshine842]

I'm suggesting that it's weird that in this age of instant communication this hasn't become a widely publicized issue until TWELVE years after they supposedly made the formulation change in their glass. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less, no hidden agenda...just that in all the kajillions of pieces produced in the last twelve years, exploding is just now being aired as a significant concern.

I'm not sure what you're reading into this. I'm making an observation, and you're trying to accuse me of...what, exactly?

My comment is a case of "sometimes a duck is just a duck".

[breadchick]

Maybe it's more that "jeez what a stupid thing I did and I'm not telling anyone" feeling some may have after it happened. Until one person at some point brought it up, everyone - including me - would have thought Pyrex, the holy grail of ovenware, was the perfect bakeware. I never had heard about normal use problems.

I replaced mine not because of knowing about the odd exploding thing, but because I just don't like that I can't broil with it - which can create those same problems from what I understand. That's why I switched to the higher end stoneware and porcelain.

I think it's just that we're all instantly connected now and can relay our issues/problems almost as they happen.

[nofunlatte]

Actually, this has been reported for at least 5 years, maybe longer, so the "12 years" timeline is wrong. It's hardly a new story. Also, no one here is saying that the Pyrex issues occurred during the very first use. If it's small nicks that lead to the weaknesses (as one poster mentioned), it could take some time for those nicks to appear.

[erica]

A simple search will turn up many reports of Pyrex shattering long before this year; for example, this is from 6 years ago:

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04...

[mugugey]

I can't believe I've only found this thread now! My mothers (quite old) Pyrex jug shattered a few months ago. It was on the kitchen counter with some cutlery in it when it just exploded. Luckily I was at the other end of the room when it happened, but what I don't understand is why it happened? There was no temperature change or trauma to the jug, it was just sitting there, so I'm really confused as to why this happened? Any ideas? Oh as a side not I'm one of those people who contacts the companies when their products fail so I wrote to Pyrex and asked them for answers, they did send us a new jug but claimed that our old one was NOT Pyrex!

[dave_c]

The key to your jug shattering is that it held cutlery.

Tempered glass doesn't handle nicks to well. Nicks become stress concentrations. Tempered glass is designed to have a compressive load on it's surface.

What does that mean?
Pyrex is like a stretched spring wanting to pull itself tighter while regular glass is similar to an unstretched spring. The nicks from the cutlery create weak spots where eventually the spring snaps.

[mugugey]

I'm sorry Dave but that just doesn't make sense to me. The cutlery had been sitting in the jug all night, there was nothing sharp amongst the cutlery it was just two forks and two butter knives. Now if I had dumped a handful of knives or something in there and it had exploded straight away then that might make sense to me but thats not what happened. Also the jug EXPLODED it didn't just crack and then fall apart.

[Satene]

I'm absolutely phasing out all the glassware I have, after my experience the other day, although I have 6 Pyrex dishes that are 25 years old and have never been a problem. One shattering Pyrex loaf pan was more than enough for me to do whatever it takes to not have that happen again. And my three daughters are also throwing out their glass cookware this weekend because their stock is much newer. I hope Pyrex and Anchor go out of business for caring more about their bottom line than consumers.

[nofunlatte]

I got rid of my Pyrex earlier this year except for the plastic lidded pieces that I use for storing food. However I just realized while reading this thread that I frequently boil water in the microwave using my Pyrex measuring cup. I guess I have to stop that now.

[dave_c]

There should be no issues with boiling water in a microwave.
I believe the OP's case is different. The Pyrex was set on top of a stovetop burner to boil water.

[Tinkerbell]

I have used my pyrex measuring cups for years to boil water in the microwave. So far so good. One is more modern as handle is not completely attached to glass side at top and BOTTOM. Has a handled that comes from upper side and goes straight down a few inches and not attached to side of measuring cup at the very bottom.. That is how I can tell the older measuring cups from the new ones. Markings are a little different also.

[SanityRemoved]

Unfortunately everyday life does not exist in a controlled environment, things happen that we don't expect. I took a piece of metal shrapnel to my calf at the age of 14 and was given the choice of the possibility of never being able to run again or deal with discomfort throughout my life. I tend to not want to go through that type of decision as a result of the cookware I use.

[Chemicalkinetics]

To reiteriate my earlier point, the original Pyrex glassware are made of borosilicate glass. Borosilicate has a very low coefficients of thermal expansion. This makes the glassware resistant to thermal shock. However, today American Pyrex glassware are no longer made of borosilicate glass. Instead, they are made of soda lime glass.

Now, Pyrex Lab Glassware are still made with borosilicate, which is why scientists still have no problem putting direct flame underneath these glassware.

http://catalog2.corning.com/Lifescien...

[dessert_diva]

Interesting about the composition changeover. I recently showed my son how to make fresh potato chips in the microwave in 3 mins (don't knock it till you've tried it!) which requires a Pyrex pieplate which he doesn't have, but I have three of. I didn't want to give him mine (mean mom that I am, LOL) but told him to go to Target or BBB and buy one. When I first read these threads about 'exploding' Pyrex I was concerned but now see that it apparantly is a result of stovetop use rather than nuking.

My three pieces are definitely "vintage". One was my mom's, thus from the 1950s probably; it's the deep-dish version with the high sides, fluted edges, and integral 'handles'. It's marked PYREX and USA, along with 228 and D-37 in the mould. The other two are traditional pie pans which IIRC I bought sometime in the 1980s; an 8" one which is marked 209 and F-19, and a 9" one marked "209 9"" and CC-7. But since I know for sure they were all made before 1998, I'm guessing they are the borosilicate glass?

The oldest (circa 1950s) one is definitely thicker and heaver than the other two, even so.

[dave_c]

Simple answer. Thermal shock.

Pyrex is not designed to handle the direct heat of a burner flame (3000F) down to the oven (350F).

[yfunk3]

Dang. I have a ton of new-ish Pyrex bakeware in all sizes (including 3 pie pans due to a fluke in purchasing) that I bought as part of a set and use them occasionally (never on the stovetop, of course). Now I'm scared about them shattering at any given moment even though I never put them in the fridge. I might have to think about switching to ceramic gradually, whenever I can afford it...

[sunshine842]

I wouldn't worry...it's not like there's been a mass incident.

This thread should be taken more as a "hey, it's not metal, and it's not bullet-proof. Be careful", and not "OMGWTFBBQ Throw it all out before you DIEEEEE!"

[flourgirl]

This might be true, but the ONLY thing I've ever had explode in my kitchen was a pyrex pan. It was room temp when it went in, hadn't been in the fridge at all, and all i can say is it might have had a scratch on it somewhere I didn't see. I'm just glad it exploded IN the oven - and not as I was taking it out, especially if my young son had been in the room.

No more pyrex in the oven for me.

[erica]

Sunshine: You should read the complete article and you might not be so cavalier. There have been many thousands of incidents landing people in the ER. The vast majority were cooking IN the oven at temps lower than 375F.

Ok..next question: What should I replace my Pyrex pans with? (Prefer not to spend for the price of Apilco._

How is the white Corningware? Like this:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000...

[sunshine842]

I learned this one at about 6 or 7 -- my mom was reheating leftovers and put a Pyrex dish right on an electric burner (the old resistance coil). Fortunately, we were in the living room watching tv, and she'd stepped over to the fridge, but POW. Glass *everywhere*. Lesson learned -- Pyrex doesn't go on the burner.

When I grew up and got married, I fell under the lovely spell of Illusions Corningware glass saucepans. Utter, complete crap. No heat control, everything burns to a crisp (even on low heat) because of the ridiculously fast and uneven heat transfer...the only thing that ever came out right was rice -- you could bring the water to a boil, add the rice, then just set the damned thing to the side on a hot pad...it held so much residual heat that it would produce perfect rice (but I scraped charred remains out of that pan a dozen times before I figured that out.

Because of the production process, by the way, Pyrex will also explode if there's a chip or crack somewhere in the surface...it will also spontaneously disintegrate (because of the internal tensions) if you give it a good bump when it's got a crack or chip in the surface. Had a big glass bowl split neatly into three pieces when I set it on the counter (at room temperature and empty)...whatever micro-fracture there was just needed that bump to finish it off.

There is, however, no better pie plate than a humble Pyrex pie plate.

[breadchick]

I have pcs from LeCrueset stoneware, Emile Henry, and some Pulivyt (sp?) - all are fine under the broiler. Not on stovetop though, for obvious reasons - they're ceramic.

I tossed all my glass baking and cassarole dishes long ago.

[hobbybaker]

+1 . I did same. Now all of my baking dishes are French porcelains, either Apilco or Pillivuyt. light weight and duarable. Also cleaning is a breeze. I found good deals at Williams-Sonoma outlet, bridge kitchenware, and ebay to replace piece by piece.

[Chemicalkinetics]

People, Pyrex has changes its glassware. The American Pyrex are not more easy to break.

[Satene]

Just now experienced the same problem. I purchased a pyrex loaf pan with a plastic lid from walmart yesterday. The dish was washed and sitting on the kitchen counter all day, then on the counter next to the stove while I prepared my mixture for lentil loaf, so the dish was room temperature, maybe a bit warmer from sitting beside the stove. I spooned my lentil mixture into the pan, then placed it in the 350 degree oven. Then after about 30 seconds I heard a loud POP! The pyrex loaf pan broke into what looks like 100 small pieces, from about 1 square inch pieces to much smaller like chards of glass. all over my oven...definitely not the pyrex that I've come to trust. Will definitely be looking for a different product.

[erica]

Ii was JUST going to ask here if I should throw out my (not very old) Pyrex baking dish when I found this. The reason for my query is a long article on the new Consumer Reports detailing the thousands of injuries ca;used by shattering and exploding Pyrex. Very interesting article. Not only is it not to be used on the stovetop, but many accidents happened after it was placed on the countertop. The list of how to use this product is so long and the care that must be taken is so great that I am thinking of tossing mine.

One interesting finding in the article is that most accidents happened at oven temps below 375-F.

http://consumerist.com/2010/12/consumer-reports-breaks-a-lot-of-glass-investigating-shattering-pyrex.html

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/751340

[mpalmer6c]

Regardless of whatever "information" may be floating about, I would never, ever use Pyrex on the stovetop. It's ovenware, not burnerware.

[CPla]

Definitely agree about Pyrex not being stovetop safe. But Pyrex put the word "Corning" below the brand - not sure why it is there, but I am sure some people will loosely refer to it as 'Corningware'.

Anyway, I decided to dig a little deeper about Corningware.

The corningware.com website does NOT list stovetop use as being recommended. Now when I bought my set some years back, the packing stated that it could be used on stovetops, etc etc. Also, I do recall TV commercials in Malaysia or SIngapore (too long back to remember which) touted not just stovetop use but also the items being break resistant and shatterproof as other good qualities.

Well, a search yielded - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CorningWare

Quote - "The original pyroceramic glass version of CorningWare is no longer sold in the US market. There are various rumors as to why the popular stovetop product was discontinued. The company's official word is that the product died out due to a lack of customer interest. As the prices for "vintage" and "collector" CorningWare rise, however, many on the Internet[who?] suspect there may be other reasons.

The company's 2001 annual report shows that the stovetop and dinnerware product lines were halted at the end of the century "as part of a program designed to reduce costs through the elimination of under-utilized capacity, unprofitable product lines, and increased utilization of the remaining facilities."[3] Facilities in Charleroi, Pennsylvania and Clinton, Illinois were closed."

Read the rest of the wikipedia entry regarding product failures.

There is also a user review at http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/house-misc/co... which compares Pyrex and Corningware in the UK.

But, bottom line is that unless you have or can buy one of the original stovetop rated pieces, you are best served by following the advice of the official Corningware website, ie no stovetop use, and that puts it on par with Pyrex I guess.

[flourgirl]

FWIW, I never used my pyrex on the stove or under the broiler, and I had always let it come to room temp. before I ever put a pan in the oven. When my pyrex pan exploded in the oven a few months ago, it had never been in the fridge at all before going in the oven. For whatever reason it exploded, I'm not buying pyrex anymore.

[CPla]

I have a few Pyrex pieces and coincidentally just the other night my wife pointed out some fine print on one of the handles of a new piece. I had to put on my reading glasses to check, and it said "No stovetop or broiler". I checked some of the older pieces and on the bottom was "No rangetop no broiler". All made in U.S.A. and I have luckily only ever used them in the oven and not under the broiler.

And I would differentiate these clear Pyrex items from true Corningware (the brand). I have 3 Corningware casseroles which I happily use on a gas hob for browning meat, before proceeding with the stew and finishing off in the oven. Corningware is rated safe for stovetops, broilers and ovens, but I have never tried fridge to stovetop - that would make me a bit nervous.

BTW, the covers of the Corningware casseroles are Pyrex, and those had a warning about use under broilers if I recall.

CPla

http://www.ChefPla.com

[rockandroller1]

As an aside, they make jarred grape leaves that are perfectly fine (and not considered "cheating) for dolmades, it's just the leaves tightly rolled in a jar of brine. Rinse and use. And I always make mine in a stainless steel stock pot, for what it's worth. There's no baking involved, you make them completely on the stove top. Use a small plate to weigh them down once you get them all in there so they stay well rolled.

[Big Bad Voodoo Lou]

That's exactly what I had, the grape leaves that were tightly rolled in a jar or brine. My recipe said to unroll them and put them in boiling water to somewhat "de-brine" them, and then to flatten them back out and stack them on paper towels to dry them off. That took the majority of my time, and then the recipe said to roll them, add water and boil briefly, and then give them some time in the oven as well.

[food_eater79]

Weird to just have found this on google, just happened to me tonight a couple hrs ago. I was making spaghetti. Had the sauce all done to the side, just finishing boiling the pasta. Go to drain the pasta, while setting the pyrex 13x9 on the stovetop. I planned to bake some cheese on top. The dish was "close" I guess to a hot burner. I knew not to put it right on the burner but figured it would be ok for a couple minutes.

But the heat must have transferred very quickly to the glass. During my pasta draining about 3 feet away from the stove, there is a very loud glass explosion. Look over at the stove and the glass is EVERYWHERE in a 5-10 foot radius, on the floor, the stovetop, and of course all in my sauce too. Damn. Took me over an hour to clean up and a few cuts too. Then proceeded to make a roast beef sandwich and 3 beers. :)

Gotta be more careful not to get it even close to any heat source until it's IN THE OVEN.

[HaagenDazs]

There are some issues with old Pyrex dishes simply giving up the ghost and shattering, and some of the other posts here are helpful, but they don't address the real problem. ***Pyrex is NOT stove top safe.*** It's as simple as that. Without looking at mine (I'm at work) I'm pretty positive is says something on the bottom like no stove top, no broiler on the bottom... OK I went to the Pyrex website and here's a quote from the warnings section: "DO NOT Use On or Under a Flame or Other Direct Heat Source, including on a stovetop, under a broiler, on a grill or in a toaster oven." There's a huge difference in stove top (direct heat) versus oven heat. Lesson learned. Buy a new one and don't use it on the stove.

In regard to glass stress (like MikeB mentioned): Stress isn't built up in the Pyrex glass, it's already under enormous internal stress from the tempering process.

[lifespan]

I have some new-ish Pyrex--it's literature warned against stove-top use (as did my mother forty years ago, when she used her old Pyrex). About my mom: Sometimes, using a very low stovetop temperature, she would melt or soften better in a Pyrex dish (atop a burner), but only for 30 seconds or a minute, as a preliminary to something else. Otherwise, using Pyrex on a burner was a NO-NO. This was before microwaving, of course...

[Grillncook]

The major causes of explosion are thermal shock and scratches. In a piece that is older I would think that it was scratches rather than thermal shock. Going from the fridge to the stovetop probably didn't help. If any of my "Pyrex" develops a scratch, it's history. I'm very careful in it's cleaning and then I throughly inspect before use. If I make ahead and store in the fridge I wait until the vessel comes to room temp before putting it in the oven. Not knowing the temperature of your oven, I would look at thermal shock as the culprit. Water boils at 212 degrees, so your Pyrex was about that temp and if you went directly into 400 or 450 degree oven, even heating was probably not happening. I would think that the glass heated faster and exploded because it couldn't handle the temperature differences between the ingredients and the glass. Just my take on it.

[lifespan]

I'm in agreement with Grillncook... I would add that after a pyrex dish has been refrigerated, and before sticking it in the oven, I set the dish in hot water in the sink, to "warm" the glass and reduce the likelihood of breakage. "Warming time" varies, depending on quantity and consistency of food in the dish, etc...

[flourgirl]

I am so sorry to hear about the loss of all your hard work. That really stinks. I had a pyrex pan explode in my oven just a few months ago and posted about it here on CH. I hadn't put quite as much effort into the food I was making (meatballs) but it made a pretty big mess in my oven. Took forever to clean up.

[RShea78]

Unfortunately glass "anything" isn't bullet proof.

I am waiting for an "I told you so, day" for either my Dad or Sister for buying these new fangled glass topped stoves. I will guarantee they will break on some special day, completely spoiling the moment. I know of several couples that is literally cussing the day their glass top stove broke.

[ThreeGigs]

From what I remember, Pyrex *used to be* made of borosilicate glass, which is a type of glass that has a lower coefficient of expansion than regular glass (doesn't expand or contract as much with heat). Nowadays, ever since the Pyrex brand name was sold, it's made of simple tempered glass, which, while tough, doesn't handle uneven temperature changes as well as borosilicate glass.

The solution is to acquire and treasure old Pyrex glassware. Or, simply be prepared for the occasional shattering piect of glassware.

[Kelli2006]

Ive stopped buying Pyrex because they have changed the recipe for lower cost, and their current products are inferior.

[baseballfan]

I have had a pyrex explode twice. Both times I had removed the food after baking in the oven and was rinsing the dish under cold water. Twice it exploded into a million pieces and many of the shards ended up down the garbage disposal ruining it (twice). Needless to say, I felt like an idiot the 2nd time. I guess the drastic change in temp is what caused it and I won't be making that mistake again!

[Joe MacBu]

This is a well-documented issue with Pyrex dishes: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04...

[MikeB3542]

Sorry for the loss of the dolmades -- I love Greek food, and they sounded delish.

Follow the link below and check out the article:

wwhttp://w.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2006/03/pyrex_panic.html

Pyrex (borosilicate glass) is really amazing stuff -- it can handle huge changes in temperatures. As the Corningware jingle went say, "From the freezer, to the oven, to the table." Those temperature changes build up incredible strains and stresses within the material that would break most glass and pottery. When they break, those stresses get released pretty energetically. Unfortunately, bakeware made from brittle materials, stoneware, ceramic, Pyrex, and even cast iron can crack.

Odd aside: the 200 inch telescope at Mt. Palomar, CA, which was the worlds largest telescope for over a half century, has a primary mirror made of Pyrex. Check out the book "The Perfect Machine" for a good read. Early attempts at casting the mirror, which was waffled to save weight, involved using 8-oz custard cups to form the voids (no, it did not work.)

[Iota]

http://consumerist.com/consumer/pyrex...