Submitted by OpALbatross t3_11twps7 in BuyItForLife
Which is the best BifL investment? I've seen all 3 recommended
The Pyrex and Anchor Hocking lids look like they would break / warp easy. The GlassLock (and other brands) with the clips look like they may have an issue with chipping around the edges overtime.
What are your experiences? Any other recommendations I may have overlooked?
Thanks for the advice! I usually really like my OXO products
I would definitely recommend OXO over Pyrex or Anchor (or any brand using tempered glass) because they are much less likely to catastrophically fail when exposed to sudden temperature changes. Zwilling also produces borosilicate products as do some smaller brands.
The one benefit of Pyrex's tempered is that they do have a bit more impact resistance than borosilicate, but you sacrifice a HUGE amount of thermal shock resistance for that (and Pyrex's choice to stop using borosilicate is unquestionably one made due to costs.)
The people saying they have had their Pyrex for a gazillion years and they are great...those are borosilicate products from back when Pyrex used borosilicate on the glass they sold to consumers.
How common is it for tempered Pyrex to fail? It's not a common occurrence, but it also isn't a rarity. Further, it has caused some very serious burn injuries and I have personally seen one fail and it is quite violent (admittedly, my fault, but borosilicate almost certainly would not have failed in that situation.)
Thanks for all the info! This is helpful!
I'm 10 years into a rather cheap set of glass containers with plastic lids that I got at Costco for less than $20. Just checked the brand and they are Pyrex. All lids and containers still going strong, and that is with regular 3-hour dishwasher cycles that include a heat-dry cycle at the end. Any warpage on the lids has been slight and has not affected closure or seal at all.
I can recommend the Pyrex ones, at least the set they sell at Costco.
I also go with pyrex. Love the option of being able to order replacement lids if needed.
Surprisingly (or not?) I love the ones I bought at IKEA. Have held up for eons.
None of those brands last long, especially if you put them in the dishwasher. I don't have a recommendation but I can tell you the lids on all of them dry rot eventually.
Agreed, hand wash the lids for longer life!
We typically hand wash everything, so hopefully that helps!
The Pyrex with the thin plastic tops haven’t held up nearly as well as the ones with the thicker, locking lids. The ones I have are glass with green locking lids. Received a set secondhand from a friend and they show no signs of wear 7 years in. Good luck!
Agreed on the thin tops. Lunch in my Pyrex bowls over the last 5 years have cracked the thin tops. Replacement lids are same price as new set.
The benefit of the round Pyrex or anchor hocking ones is that the lids are somewhat standard and you can buy replacements. Even better, you can buy silicone replacements which last longer and work as well. The glass lock are better if you need it airtight (liquids or it’s going to get jostled in a lunch box), and those usually stack too which is nice
My anchor hocking lids have started to split in n the sides after just a few years
The anchor hocking lids crack. There are easily ordered silicone replacement lids available, but the original lids are not bifl.
Some places sell replacement red Anchor lids. (Canadian Tire here). New ones are thicker and shouldn't split so easily this time.
Anchor Hocking is the best. Ever since Pyrex has changed their glass and outsourced it’s been a big downhill in quality
Been using Pyrex with the plastic lids for 7-8 years and they're holding up brilliantly. Only lost one lid due to user error of accidentally putting it on a still warm hob 🙈
Should add they're constantly going through the dishwasher. Straight from freezer to oven too.
Do you know if the current ones would hold up as well as the 8 year old ones?
Use my Pyrex a lot and freeze leftovers often. I hand wash and never microwave the lids, but I have to replace them every 3-5 years or so. They stop sealing well, and sometimes crack.They’re relatively cheap though so it’s not a big deal to me. The actual Pyrex portion seems like it will last a lifetime and I do microwave them a lot and sometimes bake or put them in the smoker.
All plastic lids give up over time. It's plastic.
Happily, Amazon has replacement lids for Pyrex.
There's a difference between Pyrex and PYREX. The newer Chinese made ones are of a significantly lesser quality than the older PYREX ones.
Is there somewhere I can order legit PYREX ?
Your best bet would be a thrift store. The brand was sold a long time ago.
I was hoping that wasn't the answer lol. Thanks!
I have the glass lock ones but the seal got moldy due to poor drying (user error). The company sent me new lids but I had to pay for shipping.
The anchor ones lids die pretty quickly. I’d be happy if I could buy new ones that weren’t an arm and a leg
Borosilicate glass containers with lids made of silicone/glass are the way to go, IMO. Pyrex makes these and calls them Pyrex Ultimate. It's a completely plastic-free solution so it's great for meal prep and reheating via microwave. Granted, they don't lock closed, but the lids stay on pretty well. I wouldn't expect these to warp or chip unless you maybe drop one.
Interesting - in the United States these are tempered and not borosilicate.
I wonder if they have multiple versions of this product elsewhere? (as I know Pyrex now apparently sells very different products in different countries.)
As far as I know, made in USA is tempered, made in France is borosilicate. You can tell the difference easily by the blue hue in the glass.
Those honestly look perfect. I was hoping for a plastic free option and was only seeing bamboo kids earlier.
Pyrex is great. Have had some sets for 10 plus years, nonissue. Have one that is 25/30 years old gets used mostly every other week. Anchor hawking makes well made items as well. Those glass top snap ones, I also have one and it’s great, but I’d imagine with daily use the plastic will eventually break imo
I have glasslock containers that are about 10 years old now. Some of the lids have gone bad due to my carelessness, but they will replace them, just pay (high) shipping. The glass is perfect and has been abused and frozen/baked/dropped whatever.
I have Pyrex and Glasslock for food storage. The Glasslock are a year or two older but the lids on a couple of the most-used Pyrex containers had to be replaced first. A couple of my Glasslock lids are about to break though, the locking tabs are starting to break off after a few years of use. I do put them in the dishwasher. Both companies offer replacement lids, though. The glass has held up find on both brands.
I’d recommend you buy the ones that are the best size and shape for your needs. Most of the Glasslock containers are fairly deep, I added Pyrex because they have a shallower rectangle that’s easier to pack a few in a lunchbox.
This is helpful, thanks!
The Anchor Hocking and Pyrex are pretty much identical. I have both and they’re interchangeable. The tops don’t last forever but the bottoms are bulletproof. You can call Anchor Hocking and complain. They’ll give you new tops. Another bonus is using them as soup bowls if you’re going to microwave soup. I use the big ones if I’m making a big salad for myself.
I have had a set of Pyrex glass storage containers with plastic lids for 16 years and the first lid just cracked. I use them regularly, most often fridge to microwave to dishwasher. I’m pretty happy with that lifespan and they sell individual replacements.
The lids will dry rot or crack after a number of years…but the lids are for sale separately online. I just prefer glass - gets clean, does not stain or hold smells, heatable.
One of my Pyrex lids warped within two months (I got it from Costco and I use the dishwasher). Based on the comments below, it might just be that I got a defunct one. Unclear, but a data point for you!
I'm surprised not to see any ello love. They're relatively new so no word on bifl yet, but we've had ours almost two years and they still look new. We like them so much we just bought more.
Older Pyrex will be borosilicate. Look for the blue green tint on the edge. Change was late 90’s I think. The old stuff is way more durable but I have newer pieces going on 15 years
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Pyrex has alternate lids available sometimes that are I think silicon and glass. GAMECHANGER.
They’re way more durable, don’t warp or break, and they actually make the container not jean in my bag. They’re not available on their website right now so I don’t know what the deal with them is, but a Pyrex with one of those is damn near perfect
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pan567 t1_jcmua0j wrote
I would recommend OXO over Pyrex (and Anchor) because OXO uses borosilicate, which has drastically better thermal shock resistance than the strengthened soda lime glass used by Pyrex (on most of their consumer products), which has the potential to catastrophically fail when exposed to extreme temperature changes.
Additionally, the lid design OXO uses keeps food fresher as it obtains a better seal.