I think some might be missing the point. Corning use to make Pyrex out of borosilicate ... but it wasn't the stuff you bought in store anytime recently. Borosilicate was used for laboratory glassware (says the girl who has been working in research labs for 6 years now).

As of sometime in the 40s, home glassware made by Pyrex was soda lime. Yes, it has some breakage problems ... but it is mostly due to thermal shock. Granite counter tops suck heat out of things quickly causing fast temperature changes ... this can cause thermal shock to your glassware and it will break. If your range is part of a stove, they stove usually vents to the back of your range. If you set glassware on your range (even with the range off) the heat coming from your oven venting out the back of your range can cause thermal shock.

It is more likely that people are just now noticing it because the way we cook and how we design our kitchens now is very different from how they were designed and how we cooked in the 60s.

kurtm85 wrote:I have these, the pyrex is great...but the lids on the rectangular ones, not so much. I've lost count of the number of times the lids have failed me, leaving food all over something it shouldn't have been on.

I noticed that there is a 2-year warranty on the glass, NONE on the lids (Pyrex does offer a 1-year warranty on SOME of their lids).

I'm going to check out the deal I just posted for Kmart (HUGE 1-DAY ONLY BOGO-50% OFF SALE) - you never know, they might have this Pyrex set on sale too....

whatsamattaU wrote:1. . . . you need a Kohl's credit card to get the 30%. Can you/anyone confirm/deny this?

I can confirm this. You (unfortunately) need a Kohl's card to use the code.

Looks like I'm done Christmas shopping for Mom! Thanks woot!

aquastardreamer wrote:I think some might be missing the point. Corning use to make Pyrex out of borosilicate ... but it wasn't the stuff you bought in store anytime recently. Borosilicate was used for laboratory glassware (says the girl who has been working in research labs for 6 years now).

As of sometime in the 40s, home glassware made by Pyrex was soda lime. Yes, it has some breakage problems ... but it is mostly due to thermal shock. Granite counter tops suck heat out of things quickly causing fast temperature changes ... this can cause thermal shock to your glassware and it will break. If your range is part of a stove, they stove usually vents to the back of your range. If you set glassware on your range (even with the range off) the heat coming from your oven venting out the back of your range can cause thermal shock.

It is more likely that people are just now noticing it because the way we cook and how we design our kitchens now is very different from how they were designed and how we cooked in the 60s.

This! This all the way!

Was stoked when I saw these for such an amazing price and I'm going to snatch them up...I've been meaning to get some new pyrex.


Like others have said (and others seem to be ignoring..) Pyrex doesn't lie about the dangers of glass cookware. It says it right on the box: DO NOT allow the temperature to change rapidly, and when you put something in the oven you MUST have a shallow amount of food or liquid covering the bottom (this is likely why people have seen hams, etc explode while still in the oven.


Most cookware has different rules for usage--even *gasp* stainless steel, where should not be heated on the highest setting (unless you want hideous blackened cookware), non-stick should never be heated for long with nothing in it; ceramic is somewhat like glass (cracks though, not explosions); and iron and other stoneware must be seasoned.

Honestly, I think the issue is less our differing kitchens and more a lack of basic cooking knowledge.


All that rambling aside...I have been using pyrex since I was a kid, bought my own set recently, and will be adding this awesome set to it. Particularly for the lovely square casserole dish.

john27 wrote:I did have a pyrex dish explode on me once. It was around Christmas time, and we had a ham in the oven, had been for quite some time. It was about ready to come out, when we heard an awful noise from the kitchen, like something had fallen and dropped HARD. We couldn't find anything, but there was smoke coming from the oven, we shut it off, and inside were pieces of glass EVERYWHERE. The racks were still in place (initial thought was an oven rack broke and it fell) and there was still a good size chunk under the ham in place that hadn't even budged.

It was definitely odd! However, that was a piece that was probably 30 years old, it's the only time I've experienced ANYTHING like that. We called Pyrex, when someone told us they would replace it, they did. In fact, they sent us an entire new set of Pyrex dishes, and we disposed of the glass shards (thankfully it broken into larger chunks, so it was easy to clean out of the oven when it all cooled! Ham was, of course, ruined.)

But anyway, there's your one-in-a-million. I've never felt like I shouldn't use Pyrex anymore, especially since that's what generations of family has ALWAYS used. Used one tonight, actually, to make a spaghetti bake! Not trying to turn anyone away, but I am saying they might have a 'shelf life', and they should occasionally be checked for cracks and things (I suspect there was a crack that juices from basting the ham got in and spread and eventually broke. The way it broke apart made it seem that way, not like impact, but like it 'fell apart'). SO, that said, if you have Pyrex dishes, give them a good look-over, and if they do have damage, get rid of them and replace them with this one! haha!

Also, again, Kudos to Pyrex for giving us a no-nonsense "my bad" replacement on the thing!

I agree. Being that old of a piece, they don't know how it was used for 30 years. Nice to know they stand behind their products by your word alone. I already bought 1 set last night and have no doubt I'll be happy with it.

If you look at each piece priced in the supermarket, you could probably get less than 1/4 of what this large set has for the money.

Thanks for sharing your story and happy to hear no one was injured.

verdauga wrote:Might have been said before, but US-made Pyrex home products were never borosilicate glass in the memory of most people using woot... (aka 1940s on) only Pyrex laboratory products were.

WRONG. Read the snopes report.

aquastardreamer wrote:... but it is mostly due to thermal shock. Granite counter tops suck heat out of things quickly causing fast temperature changes ... this can cause thermal shock to your glassware and it will break.

As I am sure you are very much aware, thermal shock can be an amazingly powerful thing. I have seen things that should not break do so very spectacularly due to thermal shock (granted, the temperature change was rather extreme, and would never be seen under more normal circumstances [it is amazing what can happen when a bunch of geeks get together and start asking "what would happen if..."])

not for me

Just to add my 2 cents, I bought a 3 piece casserole set a couple years ago. On my way inside, I dropped the whole set on cement and there was neither a dent or scratch on the set!

tiger7610 wrote:This is offered right after my pyrex casserole dish exploded in my kitchen today

My sister had the same problem, her casserole dish recently exploded in her kitchen. Thankfully no one was nearby (I don't even want to imagine what would have happened if my 3 year old niece had been there), but still, I'm a bit scared of pyrex now..

Does anyone know the dimensions of the two oblong dishes? I assume close to the standard 16x9 and 13x9, but you know what they say about those who assume

If I didn't already have a cabinet full of Pyrex, I'd be all over this woot.

We freeze in these containers, machine-wash ALL the parts (lids and glass), and reheat in them with no problems at all. In our washer we even put the lids on the bottom rack, no warping or cracking.

Some of our containers we have had for over 10 years and a few of the lids are starting to show wear, but most are still in pristine condition. Pyrex makes some great stuff!

Narfcake wrote:The glass isn't any different, and indeed, they are still made in the USA.
Truth about Pyrex Glass

Narf, read the release you linked to, they admit to changing to Soda-Lime glass and brush it off as an upgrade.

Sorry, this didn't use to happen with Pyrex, now it does...

Thanks for that, but it is a lie that Pyrex continues to tell! Pyrex used to be made from borosilicate, but now is soda lime. Soda lime MAY be better at surviving drops, but it does NOT survive thermal shock so well. This is documented by several fact-checking sites and consumer agencies.
This is not to say this is a bad product, if used correctly. Just know how to use it, and also know the company making it is lying about it.

These are fantastic for making vodka gummi bears, gummir worms, or whatever gummi alcohol you can dream up. Perfect for all christmas parties...can't use plastic or else you die. Or so the urban legends tell me.

daduckster wrote:Narf, read the release you linked to, they admit to changing to Soda-Lime glass and brush it off as an upgrade.

Sorry, this didn't use to happen with Pyrex, now it does...

dewriter wrote:Thanks for that, but it is a lie that Pyrex continues to tell! Pyrex used to be made from borosilicate, but now is soda lime. Soda lime MAY be better at surviving drops, but it does NOT survive thermal shock so well. This is documented by several fact-checking sites and consumer agencies.
This is not to say this is a bad product, if used correctly. Just know how to use it, and also know the company making it is lying about it.

Are you two claiming that the switch from borosilicate to soda lime happened recently? Or that you've been using reliable borosilicate pyrex produced prior to 1950 (When they claimed to have switched to soda lime)?

Or is there some conspiracy to the tune that good pyrex is borosilicate and made in the USA while there is a lesser product made in china from soda lime?

SWBeauty wrote:Each, or the whole package? They came in 3 boxes, like a set of nested dolls - one box inside the other. Then each piece was separated by paper, and all was surrounded by air-packing material. The whole thing probably weighed 15-20 lbs. The packing was amazing - never saw anything like it.

the bakeware it self. I wanna know if this would be to heavy for my wife to work with. She's been looking for something like this for a while now but also complains about the weight of the ones we have seen and picked up. And Thank you @SWBeauty

Had to buy... With my $10 JumboWoot Coupon came out to $34.99 Works For me!

I stopped using these when one exploded one Thanksgiving.

I'm not talking about small explosion either - huge bang and glass everywhere.

I can't understand why they aren't banned as unsafe.

I have old Pyrex and love the Borosilicate, but you can tell from the picture that this is not the Borosilicate glass. The blue hue is the first clue. They s/b ok if you aren't going to bake in them, but I don't like the soda lime for that and most of the problems started after they switched to soda lime.

So, what is thermal shock? It has been mentioned, but no real explanation... Thermal shock is when localized areas expand or contract due to rapid temperature changes. The local expansion/contraction next to an area that is expanding/contracting at a slower rate causes the piece to break, sometimes violently.

tiponeill wrote:
I can't understand why they aren't banned as unsafe.

The same reason that they sell Turkey fryers - It's not they are unsafe, it's the user that is using it in an unsafe way.

I do like pyrex. I'm sure I'll find someone to give it to

I'm in! My set of Pyrex (purchased new in ~2001, long after any possible change in mfg process/content) has served me well, with regular use, for the past 10 years. This set will nicely round out the pieces I already have, and any duplicates (custard cups) will get their fair share of duty!

I did recently manage to break a mid-century *borosilicate* Fire King casserole with thermal shock, but I'm not at all surprised. Who knows how many times that casserole had been banged around, causing microcrystalline fractures that were exacerbated by my pouring cool batter into a hot dish? This glassware is tough, but nobody should expect any of it to be unbreakable!

Dadoboy wrote:The same reason that they sell Turkey fryers - It's not they are unsafe, it's the user that is using it in an unsafe way.

It's not always the user's fault. My sister simply removed her dish from the oven and placed it on a pot holder. She left the room, and within a few minutes she heard it explode. It's not like she submerged it in cold water or something, it just self-destructed.

"Honestly, I think the issue is less our differing kitchens and more a lack of basic cooking knowledge."

A million times this. USE AS DIRECTED. You wouldn't try to fry an egg in a 20 quart stockpot, would you?

Not for me. I'm glad they are made in America but can't see supporting a corporation that isn't paying their fair share of the US taxes. Pyrex's parent company, Corning, had a total tax liability of -.02% during 2008-2010.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/whos-not-paying-corporate-taxes/2011/11/02/gIQAw9ArgM_graphic.html

This is a great deal, but I'm wondering why I was charged 10% tax (shipping to New York,) where the tax is 8.75%?

More importantly, I haven't been charged sales tax on previous woot deals.

Any idea? I'd love to hear from someone at Woot...

Sorry for this repeat (I'd delete if I knew how. Promise.): That's a nice tip but requires payment via Kohl's charge card and is a slightly different set.

southdakota wrote:over at Kohl's it is the 19 pc Prep and Bake Set for $44.09,then use code
GIFTS4ALL for 30 percent off
then use code
XMASFREE for free shipping

makes it 30.87 delivered


http://www.kohls.com/kohlsStore/kitchen/top_brands/pyrex/pyrex1/bakeware/PRD~268921/Pyrex+19pc+Prep+and+Bake+Set.jsp

Kirika wrote:It's not always the user's fault. My sister simply removed her dish from the oven and placed it on a pot holder. She left the room, and within a few minutes she heard it explode. It's not like she submerged it in cold water or something, it just self-destructed.

I have had them explode by cooking something too small for the dish. like cooking a couple of chicken breasts in the middle of the dish and taking it out of the oven. The outside cools down faster than the part that has the food on it so it causes stress around the food area.

dliidlii wrote:
As a side note. I bought a Kuhn pot on homewoot about 2 weeks ago that was stamped 18/10 stainless steel by the Chinese manufacturer yet when I tested it with a magnet the magnet stuck like glue. 18/10 stainless steel is NOT magnetic.

Not entirely true. 300 series stainless steels (e.g. 18/8, 18/10) are generally not magnetic but will become so after being cold-worked. Forming a pot is done by a huge amount of cold-working, hence the resultant ferromagnetism. My All-Clad pots are magnetic and also made from 18/10. Some springs we have made at work from 18/8 are magnetic.

tgroves wrote:Not for me. I'm glad they are made in America but can't see supporting a corporation that isn't paying their fair share of the US taxes. Pyrex's parent company, Corning...

The Pyrex trademark for use on cookware was sold quite a while ago to World Kitchen, which is unrelated to Corning. Corning only makes Pyrex labware these days.

Pyrex has always been more breakable than CorningWare. Could never put on stove, or, when hot, on a wet surface.
As for stainless steel, it is not magnetic, meaning that it will not act as a magnet to another metal object. That doesn't mean that a magnet will not be attrected to it. Magnets will not be attracted to aluminum, however, so if the magent, in your example, had not stuck to the pot, you could be sure that it was NOT stainless steel..

I have heard that these store marbles really well. Do they also store toothpicks?

If the potholder was even slightly damp, or the dish came in contact with something that was, it would break; had that happen once in the 70s.

Kirika wrote:It's not always the user's fault. My sister simply removed her dish from the oven and placed it on a pot holder. She left the room, and within a few minutes she heard it explode. It's not like she submerged it in cold water or something, it just self-destructed.

Dear Santa,
Please get this set to me before Christmas... I am not too far down the road from you.
Sorry for slacking but it is your fault it wasnt offered a couple of weeks ago.
If you deliver before Christmas, there will be something special for you left next to the milk and cookies.
Thanks!

bomonkee wrote:As for stainless steel, it is not magnetic, meaning that it will not act as a magnet to another metal object. That doesn't mean that a magnet will not be attrected to it. Magnets will not be attracted to aluminum, however, so if the magent, in your example, had not stuck to the pot, you could be sure that it was NOT stainless steel..

Um...no.
Depending on the grade of stainless, a magnet may be mildly attracted to it, or not at all.

Higher grades of stainless won't hold a magnet at all.

Not quite right on the stainless steel. There are many alloys of stainless some of which are ferromagnetic to different degrees.

Yes, Calphalon (and probably several other manufacturers) makes stainless steel cookware that is induction ready. And pans won't work on induction unless they are magnetic.