Kitchen

[4uthebest]

On 3/14/2015 suzyQ3 said:

On 3/13/2015 4uthebest said:

On 3/13/2015 suzyQ3 said:

On 3/12/2015 4uthebest said:

On 3/12/2015 suzyQ3 said:

Here's some info I have posted in the past about Pyrex and Anchor Hocking that points out the change to a cheaper and potentially dangerous forumla:

For anyone who wants an UNBIASED account of the development and changes in Pyrex and Anchor Hocking, it would behoove them to read the Consumer Reports article entitled "Glass Bakeware That Shatters" in its January 2011 issue and not depend solely on the manufacturer's own website.

The Consumer Reports in-depth five-page analysis was a year in the making and includes the history of the glassware, the results of their lab tests on the current Pyrex and Anchor Hocking products made in the U.S. and those made in Europe, a series of interviews with people severely injured from shattered glass bakeware, suggestions for consumers' safety when using the bakeware, and a plea for government action, primarily because the two companies have been reluctant to address the problems but instead have taken a "blame the victim" stance.

Yes, World Kitchen does claim that Pyrex has consistently been made of soda lime glass for 60 years. However, Sarah Horvath, a Corning spokewoman, states that Corning made Pyrex out of both soda lime and borosilicate before selling to World Kitchen in 1998. And a former executive scientist with Corning, P. Bruce Adams, says that borosilicate was still being used by Pyrex when he retired in 1987. So it is not at all clear when the switch took place.

The important point is that strengthened or not, the cheaper soda lime version tested much more poorly than did the more expensive borosilicate glass, which by the way, is still made in Europe by the company that bought the rights from Pyrex in 1994.

This information is not really new, but it is delineated clearly and thoroughly in this Consumer Reports article. It is worth reading before deciding to buy Pyrex or Anchor Hocking glass bakeware. And the sidebar on reducing the risks if one does decide to buy and use the product is invaluable.

A google search of "Pyrex dangers" will verify this information.

Actually I see what you are saying re Consumer Reports and I have no idea where they got their information because several years ago..probably 2008/9 I called World Kitchen and spoke to a production supervisor who told me that when they took over Pyrex from Corning in 1998 they changed to soda lime glass production.

The statement about Pyrex being made for 60 years of Soda lime is an absolute lie and obviously it was made by someone that wanted to blow off any possible controversy.

Can you imagine how many lawsuits there WOULD have been just from the HighSchool and College science classes let alone the research and clinical medical labs over the last 60+ years if Pyrex test tubes, beakers, flasks, distillation vessels, etc were made of Soda Lime glass. ??x test tubes, beakers, flasks, distillation vessels, etc were made of Soda Lime glass. ??

Any people wonder why I don't trust Consumer Reports..

I have more faith in the CR statement that it is unclear as to when they switched over solely to soda lime, which is corroborated by other credible sources, that I would in a spokesperson from the company, who just might being trying to defend the current use of this cheaper formula.

As for vessels used for research, I have no clue as to the formula of glass used.

I don't.. I purposely spoke to a worker bee as opposed to a queen.

As far as Research, High School, Colleges, Clinical & Diagnostic labs, as I alluded to before the glass used is Borosilicate never SodaLime for test tubes, beakers, and flasks, as well as distillation apparati.

I have seen in over 50 years in these environments multiple times where the Pyrex glassware due to insult suffered cracks which we then trashed. If a test tube or flask/beaker broke there were a few pieces not like thousands of shards that you would see from dropping a Corelle item and many soda lime pieces.

Maybe the lab products were made from the more expensive borosilicate. That really doesn't change the fact that it is undetermined as to when the formula for consumer products changed.

And really, it doesn't matter. It's now the soda lime formula. And I won't use either Pyrex or Anchor Hocking because of the potential dangers so well illustrated and detailed by Consumer Reports in a lengthy article three years ago.

I only use my Pyrex from the 50's and Corningware from the 60's and Corelle from the 80's which I just eat off of and hand wash.

Like I said before.. The definition of Pyrex is Borosilicate glass. What is Pyrex today is in name only but not Pyrex.

http://www.preservearticles.com/201012291928/glass-types.html

http://www.fdglass.com/pdf/simax.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borosilicate_glass

[lovesrecess]

If I need a Pyrex pan, I just go to the Goodwill store where they almost always have several...I try and get the oldest one I can find that isn't chipped.

[4uthebest]

On 3/14/2015 lovesrecess said:

If I need a Pyrex pan, I just go to the Goodwill store where they almost always have several...I try and get the oldest one I can find that isn't chipped.

Please help us out how do you tell old from new?

[adoreqvc]

I can't vouch for filing glass down even with diamond files, especially when it comes to items where food is prepared and handled often.

I believe I would trash it because the implications of having glass fragments remain and cut someone are too dangerous to envision.

I need to mention that my Pyrex and Corningware are the items made in the USA which both I and my beloved deceased Mother bought many decades ago.

Both of the above made in the USA can still be found on Ebay and other sites.

[4uthebest]

On 3/15/2015 adoreqvc said:

I can't vouch for filing glass down even with diamond files, especially when it comes to items where food is prepared and handled often.

I believe I would trash it because the implications of having glass fragments remain and cut someone are too dangerous to envision.

Absolutely, in fact even when borosilicate is hairline cracked I would trash/recycle.

[chickenbutt]

All I remember about how to discern Borosilicate from soda lime glass is that one of them has a greenish hue to it and I believe the other doesn't have any notion of color at all. I just can't remember which is which.

Or, I could be totally wrong. I hope somebody knows the answer.

[adoreqvc]

On 3/15/2015 4uthebest said:

On 3/14/2015 lovesrecess said:

If I need a Pyrex pan, I just go to the Goodwill store where they almost always have several...I try and get the oldest one I can find that isn't chipped.

Please help us out how do you tell old from new?

Pyrex USED to be borosilicate glass, which is basically impossible to break with heat because it doesn't expand with heat at all- differential expansion of glass (which doesn't stretch) results in it shattering.

In 1998 Corning sold "Pyrex" to World Kitchen, who switched to tempered soda lime glass, which isn't the same thing at all.

[Mominohio]

On 3/15/2015 4uthebest said:

On 3/14/2015 lovesrecess said:

If I need a Pyrex pan, I just go to the Goodwill store where they almost always have several...I try and get the oldest one I can find that isn't chipped.

Please help us out how do you tell old from new?

You can often tell by the types of logos and wording on the bottom of the pieces. Do a little online research about the dates different stamps were used, and it might help tell the approximate age of the pieces.

[4uthebest]

On 3/15/2015 adoreqvc said:

On 3/15/2015 4uthebest said:

On 3/14/2015 lovesrecess said:

If I need a Pyrex pan, I just go to the Goodwill store where they almost always have several...I try and get the oldest one I can find that isn't chipped.

Please help us out how do you tell old from new?

Pyrex USED to be borosilicate glass, which is basically impossible to break with heat because it doesn't expand with heat at all- differential expansion of glass (which doesn't stretch) results in it shattering.

In 1998 Corning sold "Pyrex" to World Kitchen, who switched to tempered soda lime glass, which isn't the same thing at all.

I already said that multiple times but who can contradict the Consumer Report god ?

[Mominohio]

On 3/15/2015 4uthebest said:

On 3/14/2015 lovesrecess said:

If I need a Pyrex pan, I just go to the Goodwill store where they almost always have several...I try and get the oldest one I can find that isn't chipped.

Please help us out how do you tell old from new?

Pyrex Love and Corelle Corner are two good sites to start with finding the different logos and ages