# exploding pyrex? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 1, 2016, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exploding-pyrex/741958 "2016-01-01T23:47:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2016, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exploding-pyrex/741958/61 "2016-01-03T19:32:34Z")
> [@harmonicamoon](#): > > {…} It was then I discovered that while Pyrex may be safe for oven temperatures. The gas stove flame was much hotter than an oven would ever be. {…} It’s not the temperature. The Pyrex would happily sit in an oven that reached stove flame temps . . . until it turned into a puddle of Pyrex. It’s that the open flame isn’t heating the Pyrex evenly, the parts that are in contact with the flame are heating up and expanding faster than the parts that aren’t in contact with the flame. CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2016, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exploding-pyrex/741958/62 "2016-01-03T19:56:03Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > It’s not the temperature. The Pyrex would happily sit in an oven that reached stove flame temps . . . until it turned into a puddle of Pyrex. > > It’s that the open flame isn’t heating the Pyrex evenly, the parts that are in contact with the flame are heating up and expanding faster than the parts that aren’t in contact with the flame. > > CMC fnord! Thank you for clearing this us **cmc**. You correctly described the situation. Big, roasting Pyrex dish over just one stove flame. I won’t do it again. ---
**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2016, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exploding-pyrex/741958/63 "2016-01-04T03:50:17Z")
From my 6th grade science class, I was under the impression that Pyrex advantage was that is has a low coefficient of expansion; hence, big changes in temperature do not cause the glass to fracture. Of course, every glassware has it limits. Too lazy to Google for the answer. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2016, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exploding-pyrex/741958/64 "2016-01-04T07:37:04Z")
> [@harmonicamoon](#): > > I killed my Pyrex too. > > Roasted Thanksgiving turkey in the Pyrex. Worked great. I removed the beautifully, browned, roasted turkey. Now, for the gravy. > > I decided to use the Pyrex to make the gravy. Why dirty another pan? The Pyrex is for the oven. > > I made my best gravy, ever! With the Pyrex, the drippings, less fat, selected spices, and flour. I prepared it on the gas stove. > > We sat down to eat. The gravy compliments were everywhere! Then, in the kitchen, the Pyrex exploded. I had turned off the flame. But, that didn’t matter. There were no seconds. Small, toothpick size, glass needles were everywhere in the kitchen No, leftovers either. Everything had to be thrown out. Sad, tragic story. > > It was then I discovered that while Pyrex may be safe for oven temperatures. The gas stove flame was much hotter than an oven would ever be. > > I realize it was my fault. I killed the Pyrex! > > And it was the best gravy I ever made! Admit it - it was you that left the cake out in the rain too, right? ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2016, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exploding-pyrex/741958/65 "2016-01-04T16:41:20Z")
And I’ll never have that recipe again. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exploding-pyrex/741958/66 "2016-01-06T07:43:05Z")
I’ve never had any problems with any of my Pyrex or GlasBake stuff, but it’s mostly all older than I am. The only newer ones I have are a few smaller dishes and are all Anchor Hocking. I knew they were prone to exploding if they have scratches, which is why my grandmother and I never put them in the dishwasher, and only use plastic or wooden utensils when using them. But I may not be the best source of “cooking safety”. I still use wooden spoons, wooden cutting boards, the occasional aluminum sauce pan, and an orange juicer made of uranium glass. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2016, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exploding-pyrex/741958/67 "2016-01-06T15:45:23Z")
I was broiling tomatillos in a pyrex dish. Pulled the dish out and as I turned the liquid that bakes out rolled to what I assume was a hotter part of the dish and it exploded in my hands. And I mean exploded! The worst part is we have vinyl flooring in our kitchen which now has melted spots all over where the hot glass landed. Thanks Obama! 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exploding-pyrex/741958.md?page=3)