Can You Put Pyrex In a Toaster Oven?
Glass and high heat don’t go together unless you’re using Pyrex.
Pyrex glassware has revolutionized home cooking and made it incredibly easy (and convenient) to cook and store food, all in one dish!
Can you put Pyrex in a toaster oven? Yes, you can put Pyrex glassware in a toaster oven so long as you do not exceed the max temperature of the glass. Pyrex is made from reinforced borosilicate glass that can handle high temperatures. While Pyrex is built to be heat-resistant, you should always check the user manual or usage instructions to know the limitations of the glassware.
Read below to learn more about Pyrex, what makes it so special, and how to get the most out of your Pyrex!
Nonex – The Beginning of Pyrex
Pyrex is a renowned global glassmaker that produces different types of glass for various kitchen applications.
The company is owned by Corning Corporation, a glassmaking giant that similarly produces high-quality and durable glass products ranging from smartphone screens to kitchen glassware, to advanced optics for commercial and scientific applications – and more.
Perhaps one of the biggest successes of the company lies in its sub-brand Pyrex, and interestingly, the invention of Pyrex wasn’t related to kitchenware at all!
The story of Pyrex is, in fact, closely linked to transportation; railway to be exact!
Back in the day, railway stations depended on lanterns to signal train operators about moving ahead, stopping, or being cautious. These signals were crucial because they helped train operators avoid deadly accidents.
The lanterns were surrounded by a removable colored glass and each color signaled the train operators accordingly – however, there was a big problem with the signaling system: the glass always shattered.
Since these lanterns used regular-quality glass, they were more prone to shattering due to sudden temperature differences, which were quite common in North America, especially at night.
The issue was so dire that these shattering lanterns may have even led to dangerous train crashes over the decades while they were in use!
To combat this, Corning was brought in to solve this problem. Corning engineers immediately began working on a reinforced type of glass that could work well in all ambient conditions.
This is what led to the invention of lead borosilicate glass – or “Nonex”, as the marketing department labeled it.
Nonex was short for “non-expanding glass” – and to showcase the capabilities of the glass, Corning arranged a demonstration where they exposed the glass to high temperatures and then submerged it in cold water.
The glass was not just able to withstand this temperature change, but the color of the glass remained the same too.
It didn’t take long for Corning to start selling this reinforced glass to railroad companies which allowed the company to invest even more in research and development.
But it turned out, Corning made the glass so great and nigh-indestructible that companies didn’t have to replace them at all, which led to Corning incurring a decline in sales.
This is where the company quickly began to pivot its original plan for selling reinforced glass to a niche industry.
The Birth of Pyrex
If we were to concisely describe how Pyrex was born, we would say that it was created because of a cake.
The application of Pyrex was first realized when the wife of a Corning physicist requested a durable mold that she could use in place of a broken pan at home.
When she baked the cake in the glassware, it turned out to be perfect.
Since glass retains heat more efficiently and evenly, the cake was cooked on all sides and everyone who had the cake marveled at the capabilities of the glass as well!
When word got out about this, Corning arranged a special team that would immediately begin working on a type of glassware for home use; of course, the team’s first order of business was to remove lead from the “lead borosilicate glass” formula to make it safe for customers.
After a few short months of tinkering, the formula for borosilicate glass was created with the first glass mold being designed just for making pies.
Did you know: the “Py” (read: pie) in Pyrex comes from the first pie mold that the company made?
Pyrex in the Kitchen
After the initial success of Pyrex, the company began experimenting with different designs, colors, and sizes to appeal to a wider audience that still held on to their fancy bakeware, even though they were less durable.
The combination of better designs, colorful options, and a price drop allowed almost everyone to easily own a Pyrex – and the rest is history!
Today, Pyrex continues to push the boundaries of convenient cookware and has completely changed how people use glassware in the kitchen.
Most Pyrex glassware can handle up to 425F which is more than enough for daily use. Not only this but Pyrex is also built to handle freezing temperatures of up to 0F.
This makes it an all-in-one solution for all kinds of storage and cooking applications.
But how does Pyrex fare when used in toaster ovens?
Well, the good news is that Pyrex is more than capable of handling the temperatures in any type of toaster oven so long as the temperature is within the limitations of the glass. However, since toaster ovens can reach very high temperatures due to the positioning of the heating element and their size, Pyrex should be used with caution in these small ovens.
Using Pyrex in a Toaster Oven
Here is how you can get the most out of your Pyrex when using it in a toaster oven.
First, let’s talk about the size of the oven. Before using Pyrex in the toaster oven, make sure that it is the right size.
Forcing a large Pyrex in a small oven can result in damage to the glass or the oven. Another reason why you should avoid this is that it may also affect how the food cooks in the oven!
An overcrowded oven won’t spread heat evenly, and you will likely end up wasting food – or worse, the glass may crack under direct heat.
Since most toaster ovens are compact and small, averaging around 1.3ft to 1.5ft, you will need to use an appropriately sized Pyrex that can easily fit in the middle rack of the oven.
When cooking, we highly recommend that you do all the preparations like layering or marinating in the Pyrex before storing it in the freezer.
This way, you can use the Pyrex directly in the oven without wasting any other cookware.
Here are a few steps on how to use Pyrex in a toaster oven:
Prerequisite) As a safety precaution, check the back of the Pyrex to confirm its rated temperature range, which should be 0F to 475F.
Step 1) Preheat the oven. If you want to cook with frozen food in Pyrex, then you will need to preheat the oven so that the food can evenly cook or reheat.
Step 2) Remove the Pyrex from the freezer and carefully place it on the counter. You can either wait for the oven to preheat while the food chills in the freezer, or you can allow the food to thaw while it preheats – it doesn’t matter since Pyrex glassware are built to handle sudden temperature changes.
Step 3) Place the Pyrex in the toaster oven and let it cook as intended.
Step 4) After the food has been cooked, let the Pyrex rest in the oven with the door open so that it cools down gradually.
Step 5) Carefully remove the Pyrex from the oven and gently put it over the counter. For the best experience, lay a soft dry towel over the counter and then put the Pyrex over the towel. This will cushion the glass and prevent damage if you were to accidentally drop a corner.
Step 6) Once the food is cool enough, dish it out, or serve it straight in the Pyrex!
When you’re done, you can either store the leftovers in the same Pyrex or you can also use smaller Pyrex containers to store and reheat the leftovers in the toaster oven!
Related Questions
Pyrex is a timesaving and highly versatile glassware that can withstand sudden temperature changes without breaking.
Now that you know all about Pyrex and how you can use it in a toaster oven, here are some related questions!
Can you broil food in the toaster oven using Pyrex?
Broiling usually requires very high temperatures and is not suitable for Pyrex.
While Pyrex is designed to handle high temperatures, it’s best to first always confirm the limitations of the glassware before subjecting it to extreme temperatures.
If you intend to use Pyrex with very high temperatures then it may shatter!
Can you use Pyrex on a stove?
Any direct heating method will not work with Pyrex. Even though Pyrex is reinforced, it will always remain a glass with inherent limitations.
This is why we only recommend that you use Pyrex as instructed by the manufacturer. Always check the labeling to see if the Pyrex is oven-safe or stove-safe before usage.
