Borosilicate or soda-lime: which glass bakeware to buy, and how to read the one you own
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Two kinds of glass are sold as oven bakeware in America, and only one of them survives a real temperature swing. Borosilicate takes a change of about 330 F before it lets go. Tempered soda-lime takes roughly 100 F. Both are safe for ordinary baking; only one is safe for a frozen dish going into a hot oven. This page lists what is on sale today, sorted by which glass it actually is, and shows how to tell which one is already in your cupboard.
OXO Good Grips 9x13 glass baking dish, with lid
Borosilicate, 3-quart, the size most American recipes assume.
See it on Amazon →OXO Good Grips 8x8 freezer-to-oven dish, with lid
The square version of the same glass.
See it on Amazon →Simax 2.5-quart round casserole with lid
Czech borosilicate. Amazon's own 'Overall Pick' in this search.
See it on Amazon →If you want borosilicate: the thermal-shock glass
These are the dishes sold as borosilicate. Borosilicate takes a swing of about 330 F before it lets go; tempered soda-lime takes roughly 100 F. If you pour cold water into a hot dish, this is the group that matters.
OXO Good Grips 9x13 glass baking dish, with lid
Borosilicate, 3-quart, the size most American recipes assume.
OXO Good Grips 8x8 freezer-to-oven dish, with lid
The square version of the same glass.
Simax 2.5-quart round casserole with lid
Czech borosilicate. Amazon's own 'Overall Pick' in this search.
Simax casserole set, three dishes with lids
Borosilicate, made in the Czech Republic.
Simax 8-quart roaster with high lid
The big one, for a bird or a whole shoulder.
Simax 1-quart round casserole with lid
Small, for sides and reheating.
Amazon Basics borosilicate bakeware, 6 pieces with lids
Rated to 752 F. The cheapest way into borosilicate.
European PYREX 'Bake & Enjoy' souffle dish, 21 cm
The French line. Same name, different glass, different company.
European PYREX borosilicate square roaster, 25 x 21 cm
Import listing: stock comes and goes.
European PYREX round casserole, 4.9 litre
Import listing: stock comes and goes.
European PYREX quiche and flan dish, 25 cm
Sold as 'high resistance' — that is the French borosilicate line.
American Pyrex today: what the classics actually are
American pyrex today carries the lower-case logo — the dishes are made in Charleroi and now in Lancaster — and it is tempered soda-lime glass, and has been for decades. That is not an accusation: it is Corning's own published decision. These dishes are fine for ordinary baking. They are not fine for thermal shock. The capitals you see on an old dish, or on a French one, are the other glass.
Pyrex 233, 3-quart 9x13 clear dish (made in USA)
The one in every American kitchen. Tempered soda-lime.
Pyrex 232, 2-quart oblong dish (made in USA)
The 11x7. Same glass.
Pyrex 222, 2-quart square dish (made in USA)
The 8x8 brownie dish.
Pyrex 233 and 232 together, two dishes
The pair most people end up buying separately.
Pyrex 222-D, 2.5-quart deep dish, two pack
Deeper walls, same glass.
Pyrex 233-D, 5-quart Hold-Everything dish
The biggest of the current line.
Pyrex Easy Grab 2-quart casserole with lid
The handled one. Handles help exactly because the glass does not.
Pyrex 233 with the red lid, two pack
Dish plus the storage lid.
Pyrex bowls, cups and pie plates (soda-lime, made in USA)
Same glass, same rule. Listed here because the episode gets asked about them every time.
Pyrex 4-cup glass measuring cup (made in USA)
The one on every counter.
Pyrex Prepware measuring set, 1 and 2 cup
Pyrex 326, 4-quart mixing bowl (made in USA)
Pyrex 325, 2.5-quart mixing bowl (made in USA)
Pyrex Smart Essentials bowls with lids, 8 pieces
Pyrex 9-inch glass pie plate (made in USA)
Pyrex fluted-rim pie plates, two pack
Read the bottom of the glass
| Mark on the glass | Built by |
|---|---|
| PYREX in capitals, inside a circle, with 'CG' | Corning Glass Works, 1940s-50s: borosilicate. Keep it. |
| PYREX in capitals + 'MADE IN U.S.A.' | Mid-1950s Corning. Circular logo gave way to a straight line in the 1960s. |
| pyrex in lowercase | Soda-lime glass. Works fine, but never hot oven to cold or wet surface. |
| PYREX in capitals + 'Made in France' | International Cookware, Chateauroux: borosilicate. |
| Anchor Hocking | Tempered soda-lime by the company's own statement, not borosilicate. |
The episodes behind this page
- Pyrex isn't Pyrex anymore: the glass swap that makes dishes break September 20, 2026
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