How To Prevent Your Pyrex From Exploding In The Oven

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Burning something in the oven is always a bummer, but what's considerably worse is hearing the sound of glass shattering inside the appliance. This doesn't happen so frequently, but when it does, it ruins the meal and leaves you without a piece of bakeware. More often than not, Pyrex cracks in the oven rather than fully exploding, but both can be prevented with a few easy precautions.

For starters, it's key to understand why Pyrex would explode in this scenario. After all, it's meant to be put in the oven and has long been associated with durability. The most common reason for exploding glass dishware, and often the biggest mistake made with Pyrex, is subjecting it to thermal shock. This occurs when the bakeware is exposed to two contrasting temperatures too quickly. The glass could just crack and split as a result. Depending on how extreme the heat is, it could actually explode with tiny shards going everywhere.

One point brought up by Reddit users on the r/Cooking thread is that the new brand of Pyrex is less durable than it used to be. Modern versions of the iconic glass dish are now made with soda-lime glass, which is less durable and resistant to thermal expansion than the original borosilicate glass.

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To prevent thermal shock, never take a glass Pyrex dish from the fridge or freezer and put it directly in the oven. Always let it defrost from the freezer. Likewise, you should allow dishes taken from the fridge to warm up to room temperature. Even adding a cold sauce or frozen berries to the glass dish that goes in the oven could cause this mishap. Avoid transferring your hot bakeware straight onto a cooler surface as well. Adding oil to the bottom of the dish can also create somewhat of a barrier between the glass and any cool foods.

Before using your Pyrex products, check for any small cracks or chips. These can weaken the entire dish and turn into a big disaster in the oven. Those defective items can instead be used for storing food.

Finally, consider trying to score some older products. Although vintage Pyrex can be difficult to find, the effort will be worth it. Newer versions made from soda-lime glass aren't unsafe and are also made for oven use. However, they typically don't have the same durability and as long a lifespan as those made from borosilicate.