Pyrex says its glassware and lids are dishwasher safe, and the glass is safe in the microwave. Plastic lids are for the microwave and storage only, and the glass must never meet a sudden temperature change.
Pyrex is made for both machines. The rules are about heat and handling, because glass breaks suddenly when a hot dish meets something cold or wet. One caution: Pyrex sold in the United States today is tempered soda-lime glass, which an Iowa State extension article says handles sudden temperature change less well than the older borosilicate glass. Advice written for old Pyrex does not always carry over.
| Dishwasher | Yes. Keep glass and lids away from the direct heating elements |
|---|---|
| Microwave | Yes for the glass. Plastic lids are for the microwave and storage only |
| Never | An empty dish in the microwave, popcorn or browning wrappers in glass, or direct flame, stovetop, broiler and toaster oven |
| Thermal shock | Preheat the oven fully, do not add liquid to a hot dish and rest hot glass on a dry cloth |
| Damage | Do not use glass that is chipped, cracked or badly scratched |
How to use Pyrex safely
- Load glass so it does not knock against other dishes, and keep it clear of the heating element.
- Keep food in the dish when it goes in the microwave, and never run it empty.
- Take the plastic lid off before the dish goes in an oven, because the lid will melt.
- Put a hot dish on a dry cloth or potholder, never on a cold counter, a wet towel or in the sink.
- Let an oven-hot dish cool to room temperature before it meets dishwater.
What happens when you get it wrong
- It shatters. Thermal shock breaks glass suddenly and throws fragments, and it can happen after the dish has left the oven.
- The lid melts. Pyrex plastic lids are not oven safe unless the package says they are.
- A weak dish fails later. A chip or deep scratch is where a crack starts, and Pyrex says not to use or repair damaged glass.
A metal baking tin for the broiler or the stovetop, since Pyrex says glass should never go under direct heat.
A new dish if yours is chipped or cracked, because damaged glass is not repairable.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pyrex dishwasher safe?
Yes. Pyrex says its glassware and lids are dishwasher safe. Keep both away from the direct heating elements in the machine.
Can Pyrex go in the microwave?
Yes, the glass can. Plastic lids are safe in the microwave and for storage, but not in an oven. Do not heat the dish empty.
Why did my Pyrex shatter?
Usually thermal shock: a hot dish put on a cold or wet surface, liquid poured into a hot dish, or a cold dish into a hot oven. Today’s tempered soda-lime glass copes with sudden change less well than older borosilicate glass.
Can Pyrex go from the freezer to the oven?
Pyrex guidance is to avoid sudden temperature changes and to preheat the oven fully before glass goes in. A dish straight from the freezer into a hot oven goes against that, so let it warm first.
Can you use Pyrex in an air fryer or toaster oven?
Pyrex lists toaster ovens among the direct heat sources to avoid. Air fryers are not named, so check your manual. See the glass in an air fryer page.