Spicy Roasted Chickpeas
Picnic Recipes Galore
Corner-Store Party Food on the Fly
9 Chili Recipes, Bison to Vegan
How to Choose the Best Strawberries
Sausage Recipes of the Month
If you think the tales of exploding glass bakeware made by Pyrex and other manufacturers are just urban legends, they're not. The January issue of Consumer Reports (full article only available to subscribers) investigates the phenomenon, recapping documented cases, like this one: "According to legal documents filed in a federal court in fall 2008, Sharon Fluker of Shreveport, La., opened her oven and started basting a rib roast baking 350 degrees in an Anchor Hocking baking dish in Oct. 2007, and the dish exploded while she was bent over it. Glass shards flew across the kitchen, including 'multiple large glass fragments,' and hundreds of 'microscopic shards penetrated her face and eyes, causing serious injury and loss of vision.'"
Yes, shards in the eyes. In fact, Consumer Reports was concerned enough about what it calls "scores" of cases of reported explosions, the injuries received, and the circumstances in which these explosions were taking place (i.e., consumers using the product as directed) that it devoted five pages to the issue. The problem, it seems, is relatively recent. Glass bakeware sold in the U.S. used to be made of tough borosilicate. It's now made of soda lime glass, described in a Corning educational booklet from 1984 (quoted in Consumer Reports) as "the lowest in cost of all glasses" and that its "resistance to high temperatures and sudden changes of temperature are not good."
CR examined 163 incidents in detail and found that in three-quarters, the bakeware was being used at 375 degrees or less, and about half exploded while in the oven. Yikes, that leaves another half out where they can send glass shards flying into your eyes. How to avoid this? Consumer Reports had a whole lot of recommendations:
* Put hot glassware on a dry cloth potholder or towel to cool
* Do not use glassware under a broiler or on a stovetop
* Let your oven fully preheat before putting glassware in it
* If you're cooking meat or vegetables in glassware, cover the bottom with liquid
* If the glassware is hot, do not add liquid (basting is out, people)
* Do not overheat butter or oil in glassware or the microwave
* Don't put dishes from the oven into the freezer and vice versa
* Hot glassware should not be put on metal of any kind, stovetops, in the sink, on countertops, or on any damp or wet surface
* Dishes with chips or cracks, even small ones, are more vulnerable
* Consider using metal bakeware in the oven
Yeah, it's that last one that really made me chuckle ruefully. My cast iron pan is looking better and better. It weighs 700 pounds, but it can go from stovetop to oven to fridge with nary a shard.
Image source: Flickr member doortoriver under Creative Commons
It happened to me this evening. I was just about to take a lovely roasted pork out of the oven, when the pyrex dish exploded. Thank goodness I'd not yet opened the oven door. Lemme tell ya...WHAT A MESS!
Interesting thing here: this particular clear Pyrex baking dish was just bought last summer, as a "sibling" to a blue Pyrex baking dish I've had forever. As I understand it, from reading similar...+READ
It happened to me this evening. I was just about to take a lovely roasted pork out of the oven, when the pyrex dish exploded. Thank goodness I'd not yet opened the oven door. Lemme tell ya...WHAT A MESS!
Interesting thing here: this particular clear Pyrex baking dish was just bought last summer, as a "sibling" to a blue Pyrex baking dish I've had forever. As I understand it, from reading similar stories online, Corning sold off the Pyrex division a few years back, and now the dishes are manufactured differently.
BUMMAH!!!! I was really looking forward to that roast. :(
Signed,
Now Sauteeing Chicken on the Stove-COLLAPSE
Come to think of it-- it happened to me again at a company event several years ago. I brought mac and cheese and was warming it on a hot plate when... POP. Right in front of everyone while our executive team was giving a "state of the union" before we ate. I seemed to have blocked it out until now.
Happened to me in college. I was running water over a warm Pyrex dish and poof- exploded everywhere including my face. Luckily I wasn't hurt. At the time I was young and didn't realize that the drastic change in temperature could be a problem because I thought Pyrex was indestructible. I still use Pyrex but am very careful with how I handle it.
That response is not to Consumer Reports January 2011 article but to Consumer Affairs 2008 online article. Two entirely different entities - "Consumer Affairs is a for-profit business that earns revenue solely by selling online advertising on its website." Consumer Reports, "Consumers Union (CU) is an expert, independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to work for a fair, just, and safe...+READ
That response is not to Consumer Reports January 2011 article but to Consumer Affairs 2008 online article. Two entirely different entities - "Consumer Affairs is a for-profit business that earns revenue solely by selling online advertising on its website." Consumer Reports, "Consumers Union (CU) is an expert, independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to work for a fair, just, and safe marketplace for all consumers and to empower consumers to protect themselves." Not the same. At all.-COLLAPSE
It might be worth your time to read the counter argument:
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2008/08/pyrex_response.html
TWICE in past months. First, I was emptying the dishwasher when a Martha Stewart brand ovenproof glass storage bowl on the top rack exploded into pea-sized or smaller shards, all inside the dishwasher, all over the kitchen (pieces 15 feet away) and on me. I was luckily wearing a heavy sweatshirt, so between that and turning my head away, no cuts. Finding glass pieces in your hair though is pretty...+READ
TWICE in past months. First, I was emptying the dishwasher when a Martha Stewart brand ovenproof glass storage bowl on the top rack exploded into pea-sized or smaller shards, all inside the dishwasher, all over the kitchen (pieces 15 feet away) and on me. I was luckily wearing a heavy sweatshirt, so between that and turning my head away, no cuts. Finding glass pieces in your hair though is pretty creepy. The second time was about a month later. I had a older pyrex 13x9, along with a bunch of other baking dishes, restring for about an hour on my washing machine while I was doing some cleaning up. Out of nowhere--POP. Again, teeny tiny pieces of glass everywhere. The washing machine had been on and I think the vibration set it off. I love using pyrex, particularly for brownies and ziti, but...not anymore....-COLLAPSE
How to find out if bakeware is made of borosilicate or soda lime glass?
Chef's Catalog sells European manufactured bakeware made of borosilicate.
$80 rib roast, Pyrex with very little liquid and 20 guest on Christmas Eve a few years ago. It blew up in the oven creating a huge mess. I trimmed the outer 1/4 inch off the roast and cut it up into steaks for the BBQ. I sold all my Pyrex at a garage sale and headed on down to the LaCruset outlet store.
Very happy now.
In 1989, I was mixing banana bread batter by hand at room temperature when all of a sudden there was a loud pop and the clear glass "ovenproof" bowl literally exploded all over me, all over my kitchen, and all over the other food being prepared for company.
Shards of razor sharp glass were everywhere: the counter, inside the control panel of my dishwasher, the floor, in my hair, all over the...+READ
In 1989, I was mixing banana bread batter by hand at room temperature when all of a sudden there was a loud pop and the clear glass "ovenproof" bowl literally exploded all over me, all over my kitchen, and all over the other food being prepared for company.
Shards of razor sharp glass were everywhere: the counter, inside the control panel of my dishwasher, the floor, in my hair, all over the front of me, and all over the rest of dinner being prepared on the counter.
It was a miracle there was no injury to myself or to the other person nearby, but there were scratches to my countertop and floor and dinner for ten was ruined.
Unbelievably, the same scenario happened a second time a year later. I was so spooked by this freak 2nd ocurrance, I asked the manager of Crate and Barrel (where I purchased the bowl) to come over to witness the devastation so that no one would think I was crazy or hallucinating.
I now only use stainless steel bowls for mixing and minimize my use of Pyrex-type glass for baking.-COLLAPSE
I mainly buy Fire-king or pre-1970's Pyrex. Will have to investigate this further.
I had a 15 year old french glass bowl explode on my countertop last year. It was not hot, it was empty, and nothing fell into or on it. Glass pieces were found 20 feet away, no pieces were larger than 2". My wife and I were in the adjacent room so there was no human intervention. We really have no explanation for what happened.
Thanks for the info on the glass types changing. I figured the exploding ones were the cheaper Anchor Hocking products and I have 2 more expensive Pyrex dishes in my car that I couldn't decide if I would return or not. Looks like they're going back, and I'll just buy a few more ceramic baking dishes. What's old is new again.
I had this problem this thanksgiving, it held a lasagna, and the rack above had my pinza, and my stuffed mushrooms, the lasanga pan exploded while in the oven. Glass rained everywhere, was in everything...I'm still picking up glass in my feet. I know it was not scratched, was brand new. I also know it wasn't thermal shock as it went from room temp into the oven with the lasagna in it. So no Idea...+READ
I had this problem this thanksgiving, it held a lasagna, and the rack above had my pinza, and my stuffed mushrooms, the lasanga pan exploded while in the oven. Glass rained everywhere, was in everything...I'm still picking up glass in my feet. I know it was not scratched, was brand new. I also know it wasn't thermal shock as it went from room temp into the oven with the lasagna in it. So no Idea what caused it, but yup they explode...glad it wasn't while I was applying glaze or anything.-COLLAPSE
This has happened to be with a pan much like the one shown above. I'm sure it was, as it always is, user error.
'Nary a shard"! Genius!
Unfortunately, yes. I baked a peach cobbler for a friend who works at the TSA and dropped it off at her work site. They say I might be here in Guantanamo Bay for years....
http://www.healthproductreviewers.com/radialabs-instant-wrinkle-reducer-reviews.html
Thank you for scaring the bejeezus out of me!--all your comments even more than the Consumer Reports article.
No more mac and cheese in the pyrex dishes. I suppose the pie plates are also an issue?
I once foolishly placed a hot pyrex dish under cold water (i know, i know) and it exploded in my face. The bang was the loudest noise short of firing a gun that i've ever heard. I think I'm actually lucky to be alive. There were enormous shards of glass everywhere. Don't do like me people!!!
My casserole exploded when we used it in a very hot oven, and hot shards of glass melted some of our vinyl kitchen flooring. They usually do alright in lower heat!
My casserole pan exploded on me two weeks ago after years of use. Never again will I use glass bakeware.
Morwen, among the many articles about this problem that have come out over the years, the point is made that vintage borosilicate may not be much safer. If it has scratches, pitting, or other signs of long-term use, it will be more prone to shattering than unused borosilicate. There ARE borosilicate pieces made for laboratory purposes that are suitable for kitchen use. Since learning about the...+READ
Morwen, among the many articles about this problem that have come out over the years, the point is made that vintage borosilicate may not be much safer. If it has scratches, pitting, or other signs of long-term use, it will be more prone to shattering than unused borosilicate. There ARE borosilicate pieces made for laboratory purposes that are suitable for kitchen use. Since learning about the danger, I have continued to bake with my pyrex, but I always put the pyrex on a rimmed metal sheet pan so that if it should shatter, most of the contents will be contained on the tray. I put the pyrex on the sheet pan before putting the food in it, and let it cool in place, on the tray, before removing it. Knock wood, no explosions so far. In the past, I've had two pyrex failures, before I knew the danger of putting a hot pyrex dish on something wet. One and possibly both pieces were from the borosilicate days.-COLLAPSE
I had a Visions glass casserole pan explode on me. Was full of scalloped potatoes in the oven. Didn't do anything different than I had a zillion million times before, but boom. No injuries.
Thank you, guilty, that incorrect date has been updated, appreciate your correction.
I had a pyrex dish explode in my face. I had stuffed mushrooms in it and a fairly low temp and had pulled it out of the oven and put it on a potholder on the counter. Luckily I had turned slightly away right about the time I heard a "clink" and it sent shards of glass all over the kitchen, my face and arms. Nothing that needed a trip to the doctor but I was lucky I had turned right before it blew...+READ
I had a pyrex dish explode in my face. I had stuffed mushrooms in it and a fairly low temp and had pulled it out of the oven and put it on a potholder on the counter. Luckily I had turned slightly away right about the time I heard a "clink" and it sent shards of glass all over the kitchen, my face and arms. Nothing that needed a trip to the doctor but I was lucky I had turned right before it blew up or I would have gotten it straight in the face. I won't put pyrex anywhere near an oven anymore. I have two dishes from back then (have not bought more since). I use them to cook frozen veggies in the microwave. That is the extent of what I think they are safe for.-COLLAPSE
I have a number of Pyrex loaf pans, pie pans, casseroles, and measuring cups and bowls that I inherited from my mother, all purchased in late '50's through the '60's that are still going strong. My DH who works for Corning says the exploding bakeware phenomena began several years after Corning sold off the Pyrex division. I'd say the best bet is to look for vintage Pyrex bakeware.
This is pretty terrifying.
For those who haven't read the CR article, borosilicate was phased out because it would have required more stringent pollution controls when manufacturing to meet new EPA requirements, and soda glass didn't require such stringent measures.
What a shame; I bet most people would be willing to pay more for the more durable borosilicate to have the peace of mind of less...+READ
This is pretty terrifying.
For those who haven't read the CR article, borosilicate was phased out because it would have required more stringent pollution controls when manufacturing to meet new EPA requirements, and soda glass didn't require such stringent measures.
What a shame; I bet most people would be willing to pay more for the more durable borosilicate to have the peace of mind of less explosive cookware.
And the "educational booklet" Chow cites above is from 1984, not from 1948.-COLLAPSE
I was making spoonbread. Put the pyrex into the over to heat, and melted the stick of butter at the same time. Made the batter, pulled out the pyrex dish from the oven, poured the batter into the dish, and mid-pour, the whole dish just explodes all over the kitchen. I was honestly finding glass shards for years. No injuries,though.
This happened to me with an Anchor Hocking glass baking dish. No setting it down on a cold surface, no adding water, no broiling, the mac and cheese was nearly done when the dish exploded inside the oven. Luckily, the door was shut and no one was hurt.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mmmonica/4229413983/in/photostream