Do you consider pyrex glassware your ultimate choice for cooking and baking?
Are you worried about your pyrex dish which explodes in the microwave despite all of your care? Do you think that your mother’s old Pyrex glasswares are more reliable to use in the oven?
Got confused! What to do or not do? If you are concerned about Pyrex glassware, this post will provide answers to all of your queries about Pyrex glass usage, care and safety precautions.
Is Pyrex glass microwave safe? Yes, Pyrex glass is safe to use both in the oven and convectional microwave oven. Pyrex glassware is thick, tough and more durable than other oven-safe glassware brands. But proper care is needed such as avoiding extremely high temperatures, drastic and abrupt temperature changes while using Pyrex glass for heating, cooking and baking in the microwave and conventional oven.
When you buy Pyrex glass cookware, check for the oven and microwave safe symbol and label etched on the bottom of the glass. Carefully follow the manufacturer’s instructions to prevent any potential damage and breakage.
Let’s dive into the article to explore more about Pyrex glass.
Is Pyrex Glass Microwave Safe: Myths and Reality
Do you enjoy baking and presenting your creation in Pyrex dishes and casseroles?
When one of your Pyrex dishes shattered in the microwave or conventional oven, the whole scenario changed to suspicions.
You might start thinking about whether Pyrex glass is safe to use in the oven or not. Your mother has been using your grandmother’s Pyrex cookware for a long time without any fear of breakage. What happened to Pyrex glass now?
Pyrex glass was originally made of borosilicate glass and was more durable and heat resistant. Now, most of the Pyrex is made with soda-lime glass, perhaps to lessen the cost of the glass. But Pyrex glass cookware is safe and can be used for cooking and baking in the microwave and conventional or conventional oven. Handling Pyrex glass with caution and following the manufacturer’s instructions is the key to prevent shattering.
So, it is not a myth that Pyrex glass is currently made with a different material. Despite all of these realities, Pyrex glass is still strong enough to tolerate high heat in the microwave and conventional oven. Pyrex glassware is multi-purpose and dishwasher safe.
Can You Put Cold Pyrex Glassware in the Oven
Pyrex glass cookware is thicker and tougher than the other glass cookware brands but it cannot bear rapid and high-temperature changes.
Though it is declared by the pyrex manufacturers that you can microwave cold Pyrex, yet many people complain that their cold pyrex glass dish or bowl shattered or cracked while heating food in a cold pyrex glass in a microwave oven.
What to do? Is it safe to microwave a cold Pyrex dish or bowl?
No, because it involves the risk of breaking or shattering when you move cold Pyrex glass cookware directly from the freezer or refrigerator to the high heat of the microwave. Your pyrex glass may explode in a few minutes due to sudden temperature changes.
Cold Pyrex glass when directly exposed to high heat in the microwave or conventional oven, undergoes thermal shock due to the drastic temperature changes which may lead pyrex to shatter immediately or later.
How to Microwave Cold Pyrex Dish or Bowl
You can safely use cold Pyrex glassware for heating, cooking and baking in the microwave oven if you follow these steps like:
- Place your cold pyrex glassware after removing it from the freezer, on a countertop and wait till it reaches room temperature.
- If you are in a hurry then put cold pyrex in a lukewarm water container until it melts and its temperature increases.
Now your Pyrex glassware is no longer cold, so you can safely place it in the preheated microwave and relish your food.
Is It Safe To Place Small Pyrex Bowl In Microwave
Small Pyrex bowls with an oven-safe and microwave label are equally safe to use in the microwave to heat, bake and cook food.
As for the other glass cookware, it is important to follow some precautions to conserve your pyrex from damage.
Yes, Pyrex bowls are safe but do not put empty or cold pyrex bowls in the microwave; on a hot stove, in a toaster oven and under the broiler.
When a pyrex bowl is cooled or heated rapidly, the bowl undergoes thermal shock and stress, its surface expands or contracts quickly. This stress can break or shatter your Pyrex bowl violently.
Related Article: Can glass go in the microwave?
How to Prevent Pyrex Glass from Shattering in the Microwave
Though Pyrex glass is microwave safe, it can also be susceptible to breaking and exploding in the microwave if you do not follow safety measures.
While using Pyrex glass for cooking, be mindful and follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully to keep your glass safe and prevent a possible mess around you.
1-Preheat microwave
Pyrex glassware can resist high heat but rapid temperature change can cause your Pyrex to shatter in the microwave.
Always preheat your microwave at convection mode before cooking and baking your food in Pyrex glass cookware.
2-High-Temperature Limit
Though pyrex cookware is tough and durable but extremely high temperature is not recommended for cooking and baking in the microwave or conventional oven.
While baking and cooking in Pyrex, don’t exceed the recommended temperature of 350-425 F. Any carelessness can break your pyrex glass into pieces.
3-Drastic Temperature changes
Pyrex glass cookware undergoes severe stress when exposed to sudden and extreme temperature changes. Pyrex glass cannot handle this stress and result in violent shattering.
A rapid shift from cold to hot or from hot to cold can cause tension in the pyrex glass.
Protect your pyrex glass from rapid fluctuations in temperature to prevent a possible explosion.
What should you not do while using Pyrex Glassware
Though pyrex glass is microwave safe, you should avoid the following conditions to save your Pyrex glassware from possible shattering such as:
- Don’t expose your Pyrex glass under the broiler or in a toaster oven.
- Don’t place Pyrex glass over a stovetop or electric burner.
- Pyrex can be used only to reheat your food in the microwave, use convection mode for cooking.
- Don’t grill food in pyrex glass.
- Avoid heating oil, butter or empty Pyrex glassware in the microwave.
- Don’t use a Pyrex glass bowl to microwave popcorn bags as uneven or abrupt heat can cause Pyrex glass to shatter.
- Avid warming and baking little food or nearly empty pyrex glassware in the microwave.
- Don’t move the hot pyrex dish to the fridge, let it cool down on a dry hot pad before storing your food in the refrigerator.
- Add some liquid at the bottom of the Pyrex pan or dish while roasting dry food to avoid cracking.
- Don’t move cold or frozen food in a Pyrex glass directly to the microwave, it can explode your glass.
- Any flaw or hairline crack can break your Pyrex and ruin your food, so do not use chipped or cracked pyrex in the microwave for warming, cooking and baking your food.
- Do not pour hot water in the Pyrex cup, bowl or dish because it can break Pyrex glass.
Avoid these conditions to minimize the risk of breakage, potential injury and for the long life of your Pyrex glassware.
Most Asking Questions
Can you put a Pyrex glass mixing bowl in the Microwave?
Yes, all Pyrex glass bowls are microwave-safe when placed in a preheated oven at medium temperature while exercising all precautions to prevent the risk of potential cracking and popping out the food.
Is it safe to put cold Pyrex glassware in the microwave?
No, it is not safe. Your Pyrex glass will shatter due to rapid temperature change. After removing the cold Pyrex glass dish or container from the freezer give it time to warm up to room temperature before you move it in the microwave.
Is it safe to put a Pyrex lid in the Microwave oven?
Yrs, Pyrex lids are made of Plastic and are PBA free, so you can microwave them to warm or reheat your food. Don’t microwave plastic lids too often as it can cause cracking.
Closing Thoughts
Pyrex glass is heat resistant, hard, multi-purpose and can safely be used in the microwave. It has been used widely for decades as cookware and bakeware, for heating and storing left-over food.
The key point is that Glassware is a sensitive and breakable product, it always risks breaking. While cooking and baking, some basic care is required to keep your Pyrex glass safe in the microwave oven then you have nothing to be concerned about.
To reduce the risk of shattering or cracking, protect Pyrex glassware from thermal shocks, abrupt temperature changes then your pyrex will serve you for years.
