How Pyrex Changed Home Cooking Forever

When a brand becomes so ubiquitous that the brand name itself becomes the common way to refer to the product, it has undeniably had a significant cultural impact. This is true for the globally known Tupperware brand, and it can be said for the sturdy glassware brand, Pyrex. Although plenty of brands produce glass containers, cookware, and bakeware, Pyrex has become another name for these kitchen staples. The glassware was not originally even intended for kitchens, but rather for industrial and laboratory use.

We have Corning Glass Works to thank for Pyrex – in 1908, the company began producing lamp covers and jars that stored large batteries from borosilicate glass that would not shatter when exposed to heat. A crafty wife, frustrated by her current bakeware that would crack in the oven, asked her husband, a scientist at Corning, to bring a glass jar home. Her first sponge cake baked in the jar was a success (no cracking!), and several years later, the first Pyrex kitchen line was born, including loaf pans and pie plates.

As the brand expanded its product line to include measuring cups, casserole dishes, and mixing bowls, Pyrex quickly became an essential part of the American kitchen. If you were wondering, the iconic Pyrex liquid measuring cup was released in 1925 – the original had two spouts instead of one. In the 1950s, the brand switched from borosilicate to soda-lime glass, but it continued to remain a trusted brand for baking, storing, and serving.

What originally made Pyrex such a game-changer? Its ability to withstand extreme temperature changes without breaking made it a big deal for home kitchens in the early 1900s. At the time, home cooks primarily used ceramic or high-temperature-resistant metal bakeware. These came with limitations — ceramic which could crack from sudden temperature shifts, while metal cookware conducted heat unevenly. Other material options, like tin, could rust. Pyrex's shatter-resistant glass could go from oven to fridge and back again without damage.

Being glass and transparent, cooks could see their food as it baked, improving consistency and ease of use. Glass is also a lot easier to clean, sanitize, and remove smells from. Food doesn't tend to stick to it as much as it does with metal, and if it does, it's quite easy to remove. While earthenware was previously a popular option, it tended to pick up food odors over time. Glass also has a non-reactive surface, meaning it wouldn't alter the flavor of food like cast iron sometimes does.

When refrigerators and freezers became the standard in every U.S. household, Pyrex made storing food simple and safe; this was especially true with the introduction of stackable containers in the 1980s. Then, when the microwave was introduced, Pyrex could also be used for heating food in the new appliance. 

For more than a century, the simple glass cookware has remained useful in the home kitchen, and today some people even collect vintage Pyrex. For a dose of nostalgia, try shopping secondhand for Pyrex to score a rare, colorful piece of glassware from the brand's earlier years.