Pyrex 8pc Bowl Set

These are my main mixing bowls which I use for all sorts of various applications. The sizes, strong glass, compact stacking, and good lids have impressed me and using these to cook with has been a pleasure. They are some of the nicest mixing bowls I have used, but also one of the most affordable (I own the 8-piece set.) The tempered glass that these Pyrex Essentials are made from perform very well for my needs. As a glass, it does not alter flavors like other materials can. As a tempered soda lime silica glass, it's durable and capable of withstanding high-heat cooking/baking/cleaning/shock...and it is suitable for usage in the dishwasher to make cleanup easier. With a good lid design, these are great for liquids (ex: brining or soaking beans) and reduce mess. Being compact, I find these are easy to store. I also really like how these are clear...and I find I do use this to my benefit (ex: looking for clumps of unblended flour that may be stock to the bottom or side wall.) The sizes themselves are also a real plus. Ranging from the small 1 quart to giant 4 quart, this wide range in sizes means that these can tackle jobs of all different sizes. Finally, I like how the bowls used a flared lip at the top. While the purpose of this is so these bowls can use a lid, I find this reduces spills and gives you a lot better leverage when holding the bowl and stirring something thick (such as a batter.) The only possible downside is that some people may not like the heft of these...being these use thick tempered glass, they have quite a lot of weight to them. I personally really like this as I find it helps keep the bowl more stable, but some people may find the weight is not what they prefer. Price-wise, I am also really satisfied with the purchase. Nice mixing bowls are not cheap to begin with, let alone nice mixing bowls that are clear and have an excellent lid. So for under $8 per bowl & lid, I think this is an excellent value. Overall these are just great mixing bowls and I don't think you can go wrong here. . . . ===SIDE NOTE -- BOROSILICATE GLASS and the MODERN PYREX GLASS=== It may be worth noting that modern home-use Pyrex containers are NOT currently made from borosilicate glass. Up until around 2000, it was borosilicate, but it is now a tempered soda lime silica glass made by a different company. That can raise interests in regards to the differences between the older borosilicate and the current soda lime silica glass. More-or-less, borosilicate glass is more heat-resistant and can better handle drastic temperature fluctuations, where as soda lime silica glass tends to be slightly more resistant to damage from shock. Borosilicate is also more expensive to produce, and Pyrex's use of soda lime glass is arguably a major reason they can offer a high-quality mixing bowl set (with lids) for not much more than an inexpensive economy set (without lids.)