Pyrex Vs Anchor Hocking – Comparison And Buyer’s Guide

If you are planning to buy glass kitchenware staples, you have most likely come across Pyrex and Anchor Hocking as two of the most popular brands. 

So, Pyrex vs. Anchor Hocking – is one better? Pyrex and Anchor Hocking use the same glass type for their bakeware and food storage items. The plastic components of containers by both brands are BPA-free. Additionally, the bakeware essentials and containers by both brands are oven, microwave, freezer, and dishwasher-safe. 

There aren’t any crucial features to make one brand better than the other.

But there are certainly a few minor differences when comparing similar items by the two brands. Read on for a detailed comparison review of two of the most popular US glass kitchenware manufacturers. 

Pyrex Vs Anchor Hocking – Comparison Review 

On the market since 1915, Pyrex is one of the most popular glass kitchenware brands on the US market. 

The history of Anchor Hocking as a brand goes back to the beginning of the 20^th century too. It started in 1905 and now manufactures bakeware, drinkware, and anything you need for storage. 

Pyrex and Anchor Hocking are quite similar. Both of these American brands produce glass bakeware and storage containers. However, there are still a few differences between the products of these brands.

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Feature	Pyrex	Anchor Hocking
Material	Lime-soda glass BPA-free plastic	Lime-soda glass BPA-free plastic
Assortment	More variety within sets	Wider variety of products
Properties	Microwave-safe Freezer-safe Dishwasher-safe	Microwave-safe Freezer-safe Dishwasher-safe
Oven-safe	Up to 350 F (usually)	Up to 425 F (usually)
Lids	BPA-free, airtight	BPA-free, airtight
Storage Set	Simply Store Set	Snug Fit Lid Set
Mixing Bowls	4-Quart Rimmed Mixing Bowl	4-Quart Mixing Bowl Set
Measuring Cups	Measuring Cup Set	3-Piece Measuring Cup Set

If you want to add new items to your bakeware collection or buy storage essentials, you might need to have a closer look at these brands and the specific item you are interested in. 

When comparing baking and storage essentials by these two brands, there are a few important things to take notice of. 

Material 

Both Anchor Hocking and Pyrex used to use borosilicate glass in the manufacturing of their products. Borosilicate glass is resistant to extreme temperature changes. Any product made of this can safely go from the freezer into the oven and not crack. 

Unfortunately, as of now, neither Anchor Hocking nor Pyrex uses borosilicate glass. Now, both use soda-lime glass.

Anchor Hocking glass bakeware has used tempered soda-lime glass for the past 40 years. 

Since 1998, Corning, having licensed pyrex (lowercase), produces soda-lime glass kitchenware for the US market, as well as that of South America and many Asian countries.

So, Pyrex and Anchor Hocking both use soda-lime glass for their products. Soda-lime glass, unlike borosilicate glass, is susceptible to thermal shock. If you expose soda-lime bakeware to drastic temperature changes, it could crack. 

Safety 

Glass kitchenware by Pyrex and Anchor Hocking are both safe and healthy choices.

Glass kitchenware can break when you drop it or handle it carelessly. Bakeware and storage containers by these brands will also crack if you expose them to drastic temperature changes.

But this is the case with all kitchenware made of tempered glass, not a particular fault of either brand.

The important thing is that these glass kitchen essentials don’t leach chemicals into your food. As the plastic lids of food storage containers by Pyrex and Anchor Hocking are BPA-free too, both brands are safe choices. 

Assortment 

Although both Anchor Hocking and Pyrex have a wide variety of products, the latter falls a little behind. 

If you go to the Pyrex website, you will see a large collection of bakeware and glassware items, storage sets, as well as such accessories as replacement lids, portables, and hot and cold packs. 

In comparison with Pyrex, the arsenal of products manufactured by Anchor Hocking is even wider. You can buy not only bakeware and storage containers by the brand but also pantry organizers that are presentable enough to be kept on display.

Anchor Hocking also manufactures drinkware, including glasses, cups, and water bottles, as well as cake stands and platters. 

Properties

Bakeware staples need to be safe not only for the oven and the microwave but also for the freezer and dishwasher. 

The same goes for food storage containers with plastic lids. Being able to store food in such containers in the fridge is not enough as sometimes you need to quickly warm your food without transferring it into another container. Or, you might need to freeze the leftovers for later use. 

Pyrex and Anchor Hocking bakeware and storage containers are:

• Oven-safe
• Microwave-safe
• Freezer-safe 
• Dishwasher-safe 

Note that these properties do not apply to all Anchor Hocking products, such as pantry organizers, cake stands, and drinking glasses. 

Lids – Material, Tightness, and Locking

When it comes to food storage containers, lids are one of the most important constituents deciding the overall quality of the item.

But it’s easier to test them in context, so let’s look at storage sets – which will naturally have many lids – to compare the brands side by side.

Storage Set Comparison

Let’s start our product comparison with storage sets.

Check Pyrex Simply Store Set Price on Amazon
Check Anchor Hocking Snug Fit Lid Set Price on Amazon

Starting from similarities between the two sets, here’s what you need to know about Pyrex Simply Store and Anchor Hocking Snug Fit:

• The plastic lids on both sets are BPA-free and airtight. 
• Both sets include rectangular and round containers of different sizes. 
• Both manufacturers use tempered glass for these containers. This means the containers are freezer, oven, and dishwasher-safe. It should be noted, however, that Anchor Hocking containers are claimed to be up to 425 degrees oven-safe. Pyrex ones, on the other hand, are recommended to be used in the oven preheated up to 350 degrees. 

One thing that may make you prefer the Pyrex set over the Anchor Hocking set is that it has more variety as far as the capacity of the containers is concerned. 

Do Pyrex Lids Fit Anchor Hocking?

While these are two different brands, the lids of some Pyrex containers can fit on Anchor Hocking containers.

For example, the lid of the 2-cup container in the Pyrex set is interchangeable with the lid of the 2-cup round container in the 16-piece Anchor Hocking set.

You can also buy replacement lids from either Pyrex or Anchor Hocking.

Mixing Bowls Comparison

Let’s see how mixing bowls by Pyrex and Anchor Hocking compare. 

Check Pyrex Rimmed Mixing Bowl Price on Amazon
Check Anchor Hocking Mixing Bowl Price on Amazon

A standard 4-quart mixing bowl is a kitchen staple. If you are looking for one made of glass, mixing bowls by Pyrex and Anchor Hocking will be two of the top options you will come across.

Here’s what makes these two mixing bowls similar:

• Both are oven-safe. The Anchor Hocking bowl, according to the claims of the manufacturer, can go into the oven preheated to 425 degrees. The Pyrex bowl is recommended to be used in the oven preheated to 325 to 350 degrees.
• Both Pyrex and Anchor Hocking bowls are microwave, fridge, freezer, and dishwasher-safe. 
• You can purchase plastic lids for both bowls. 

The main difference between the two mixing bowls is their shape. The Pyrex one is rounded while the sides of the Anchor Hocking mixing bowl are slightly more straight. 

Usability – Measuring Cup Comparison

This may seem a silly metric for comparing brands, but as any avid baker will tell you, measuring cups are important! Having a set with a variety of features is more crucial than you may realize.

Some kitchenware items should have enhanced usability.

A good way to assess the usability of Anchor Hocking and Pyrex products is by comparing one of the most popular and best-selling items by both brands – the handy-dandy measuring cup. 

Let’s look at two basic, but handy, measuring cup sets.

Check Pyrex Rimmed Measuring Cup Set Price on Amazon
Check Anchor Hocking 3-Piece Measuring Set Price on Amazon

• You get three measuring cups of the same capacity in both sets.
• Both sets feature high-quality tempered glass that makes the cups pre-heated oven-safe, dishwasher, and microwave safe. The Anchor Hocking cups as opposed to Pyrex ones are also freezer-safe. 
• Pyrex gives a 2-year warranty for its measuring cups while you get a 5-year warranty from Anchor Hocking.
• Both brands’ cups have comfortable handles and handy pouring spouts. 

Despite the similarities, there’s one key difference between the measuring cups by Pyrex and Anchor Hocking.

Anchor Hocking cups are heavier and can break when you stack them. Pyrex measuring cups nest nicely, saving space in your cupboard. 

Choosing Between Pyrex and Anchor Hocking

For glass bakeware essentials and food storage containers, your primary consideration should be the type of glass the items are made of.

As both Anchor Hocking and Pyrex use soda-lime glass, making a choice between the two brands is easier – or rather, it becomes more of a matter of personal preference. 

When looking for a bakeware staple or a storage container, you can compare the appearance, price, and features of the same items manufactured by Pyrex and Anchor Hocking. Then, choose the item that best fits your preferences. 

Here are a few things to consider when you don’t know which brand to choose:

• Usability and added features for enhanced convenience 
• Glass properties – oven, microwave, freezer, and dishwasher-safe 
• Design and how well it fits into your kitchenware collection
• Price 

Which Is Better – Anchor Hocking or Pyrex?

As we have already mentioned, as far as the material is concerned, Pyrex and Anchor Hocking are on the same level. 

Which brand is better for you depends on what you are looking for in your kitchenware and the specific product you are buying. 

For example, Anchor Hocking’s TrueSeal line of food storage containers is exceptionally good. The lids of these containers seal tightly and are leak-proof. If you need a container to carry your lunch without any unpleasant incidents, these are surely the containers to go for.

Food storage containers by Pyrex are ideal for those who need lots of variety, such as someone looking to purchase their first set or outfit a kitchen for the first time.

Pyrex has numerous collections of storage sets. You can find containers of different shapes, sizes, and designs. 

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