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Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,979
Registered: ‎07-28-2012

Re: Anyone ever have their Pyrex explode?

I've been cooking for 45 years or more, and I have not had that happen, nor do I personally know anyone who has had it happen. That said, I do not doubt that it does happen, and think it is either a defect in that particular piece or user error. There is no such thing as 100% quality checking at any manufacturing facility, so no way to ensure that anything we purchase is 100% safe to use, IMO.

"To each their own, in all things".
Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,648
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Anyone ever have their Pyrex explode?

On 3/30/2015 tigriss said:
On 3/30/2015 chickenbutt said:

I haven't had it happen either, but I can only imagine how unsettling that would be! Scary just to think about.

One thing that I've read a LOT with that is people taking it out of the oven and setting it on the stove or on a counter. We are all best served to have some silicone trivets. You don't ever want to set any HOT glass, stoneware, etc, on a hard or cool/cold surface. Silicone trivets are extremely helpful. I have several from Le Creuset - rectangular, round, and small round. They are very thick silicone that will last a lifetime.

I wish they hadn't changed to soda lime glass, either. I have some old Pyrex and some that is newer. I have a couple of purple glass pieces that I wish I could figure out how old they are and if they are borosilicate or soda lime. They are purple (see-through purple) glass. I've used them extensively in the oven with no problems, but I'm always still careful handling glass. It's good to follow the rules sometimes. Smiley Happy

I have some of the purple stuff. It was around 2005-2007 when I got mine. Mine is a dark plum type color. I also have some of the white with avocado flowers that I got a whole set, new from a flea market straight from the 60s. I love it!

Thanks! I figured it was probably newer. I have made cornbread in the 8" square one a ton of times over the years and so far, so good.

I have a rectangular white one. I was pretty sure it's very old (although it looks like new). Mine has red chickens and hearts around the outside. Smiley Happy

Honored Contributor
Posts: 21,733
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Anyone ever have their Pyrex explode?

In 2012 Consumer Reports published a lengthy report, including testing results, that demonstrated that the newer and cheaper soda lime glass formula is indeed prone to shattering and breakage.

It tested much more poorly than did the older borosilicate formula, which btw, is still used in the Pyrex that World Kitchen (who bought the rights from Pyrex in 1994) sells in Europe.

I would not feel safe using any modern Pyrex or Anchor Hocking in the oven or microwave.


~Who in the world am I? Ah, that's the great puzzle~ Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,833
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Anyone ever have their Pyrex explode?

On 3/29/2015 jaxs mom said:
On 3/29/2015 bonnielu said:

I have had one for over 40 years that I would love to explode. I have difficulty cleaning it. Baked on stuff all the time. I spend a better part of an hour trying to make it perfect. Not working for me.

Bar Keepers Friend works pretty good in them.

Never had this problem. I have lots of Pyrex and Corning Ware. When something sticks (and this isn't too often) I just soak it for a little while with a drop of two of Dawn and the stuck on food comes right off. It's never been an issue at my house.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,936
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Anyone ever have their Pyrex explode?

Not explode, but crack in half. That was 10 years ago and I had sent a lasagna type dish fresh out of the oven on top of the stove. The back door was open and a cool breeze came in, hit the dish, and CRACK!. My own fault, I guess. This was one of the new formula dishes I had bought recently. I now buy my Pyrex at antique malls to be sure I get the old formula glass.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,104
Registered: ‎09-12-2010

Re: Anyone ever have their Pyrex explode?

I only use my older pyrex pieces, but I can't imagine that happening. Maybe newer ones with a glass defect?? I know women who go shop at antique stores for pyrex pieces instead of purchasing new. Smart.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,648
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Anyone ever have their Pyrex explode?

On 3/31/2015 suzyQ3 said:

In 2012 Consumer Reports published a lengthy report, including testing results, that demonstrated that the newer and cheaper soda lime glass formula is indeed prone to shattering and breakage.

It tested much more poorly than did the older borosilicate formula, which btw, is still used in the Pyrex that World Kitchen (who bought the rights from Pyrex in 1994) sells in Europe.

I would not feel safe using any modern Pyrex or Anchor Hocking in the oven or microwave.

You're probably right. I had used my purple 8" pan for cornbread for several years and now I'm kind of paranoid, knowing it was probably of the newer type of glass. The cornbread recipe has it baking at 450F, too!

I also have a Lodge wedge pan that's good but I have to half the recipe, it's a bit of a hassle to pre-heat and grease it, and I like to make the full recipe for 8x8 anyway, so I probably should get something else in an 8". I do have the Fiesta 9" square one and I have a silicone square baker.

Frequent Contributor
Posts: 140
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

Re: Anyone ever have their Pyrex explode?

I had the exploding incident with an Anchor Hocking piece I got as a gift when I was married. We'd just moved into our new apartment after I had my firstborn and I'd put a chicken to roast in the oven, on 350. I was always very careful and followed directions as I always used Pyrex and Corningware at home growing up. I was sitting in the living room nursing my baby, when I heard a BOOM in the kitchen. It had exploded inside of the oven, and there was chicken and glass everywhere. What I found out later was that the stove that was in the apartment was not a very reliable one: what I thought was 350, was more like broiling -- the thermostat on that oven was faulty so it would heat up excessively fast and furious, hence the explosion. Needless to say, I never used any of my other glassware in that oven, and I was picking out random pieces of glass from crevices in that oven for the 2 years I lived there. I still use my Pyrex and Anchor Hocking pieces, and have not had any incident since that first and last some 23 years ago.