"Can you put glass in the oven?" you ask yourself and head to the refrigerator to take your leftover apple pie. But is it safe to put cold glass in the oven? In this article, you will find out the answers to these questions.
Nowadays, glassware is popular in everyday life, enchanting professionals and home cooks. Although this delicate material can easily shatter due to unfortunate accidents, its benefits greatly outweigh the risks.
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First and foremost, glass is a safe and healthy way to store, cook and reheat your food. Once heated, it doesn't leach toxic chemicals into food, like plastic Tupperware.
Glass is an easy material to clean and store. You can effortlessly remove all the food residue using tap water with a few drops of dish soap and a sponge. To keep, you can stack your glass plates together without sacrificing your kitchen space.
Baking in a glass is exciting: you can watch each cooking step through the oven window.
Finally, with glass cookware, you can serve your meal from the oven to the table in style. Plus, it is heat-resistant, so the food remains hot for a long time.
Is glass oven safe?
Glass manufacturers that label their glass products oven-safe guarantee the safety of their products in the oven. But you should avoid instant temperature changes that may result in glass cracks and breaks.
Among all the types of glasses, borosilicate glass is the safest and healthiest material. Made of boron trioxide and silica, it is the best material for glass kitchenware.
Can glass go in the oven?
Can glass be put in the oven? As a general rule, most glass cookware labeled as "oven-safe" is safe to put on a baking sheet filled with water and bring to the oven at 350°F (177°C) for at least 10 minutes.
But not all glass is equally heat resistant. The baking time and the oven temperature the glass can withstand depend on the glass material.
Standard glass cannot be used in the oven. It isn't good at resisting heat and begins to break at 302-392°F (150-200°C). Regular glass withstands a temperature difference of about 108°F (60°C). Rapid temperature changes can cause the ordinary glass to crack.
High-quality tempered glass is five times stronger than regular glass. It withstands heat of about 482°F (250°C) and can be used in the oven.
Borosilicate glass is highly heat resistant and withstands much higher temperatures than soda-lime glass. Despite the former appearing superior to soda-lime glass, most manufactured glass, from drinking glass to mason jars, is soda-lime glass.
While borosilicate glass is oven-safe, glassware made of soda-lime glass is a poor candidate for bakeware. You should always read and follow the manufacturer's instructions for the recommended upper-temperature limit.
Depending on the glass, the temperature limit can vary from 350°F to 500°F (from 177°C to 260°C), but it is a good idea to stay well below for safety reasons. Most types of glass melt at temperatures around 1112°F (600°C).
If you wonder about the melting point of different types of glass, here is the answer:
- Borosilicate glass - around 3000°F (1648°C)
- Soda-lime glass - 1832°F (1000°C)
- Tempered glass - between 1100°F and 1300°F (between 593 to 704°C)
- Pyrex glass - between 1508°F to 2282°F (between 820°C to 1250°C)
According to multiple tests, glass can withstand temperature shifts of up to 1832°F (1000°C) at maximum. So it is evident that ordinary glass will shatter if exposed to such high temperatures.
Can glass lids go in the oven?
If glass lids are made of the same material as a glass dish and labeled as oven safe, you can safely use them in the oven.
But most glass bakeware is accompanied by plastic lids, BPA-free, microwave and dishwasher safe. Those are not suitable for the oven. So always follow the manufacturer's instructions if in doubt.
Can you put cold glass in the oven?
To transfer or not transfer a glass dish from the fridge to the oven depends on the glass material. Glass, as a fragile material, should avoid exposure to thermal shock.
Thermal shock is referred to highly rapid temperature changes. The glass material's ability to withstand such temperature shifts is measured in a Coefficient of Linear Thermal Expansion (CTE).
Exposed to thermal shock, soda-lime glass expands at different rates and easily breaks or even explodes in the oven.
Tempered glass (aka heat-treated soda-lime glass) is more resistant to thermal shock. That is why it works better for bakeware than soda-lime glass.
What about borosilicate glass? According to Ecobud,
While Borosilicate can withstand a range of about 170 degrees Celsius due to its low CTE, Soda-Lime has a much higher CTE that prevents it from tolerating high heat changes.
The official Pyrex website reports that PYREX borosilicate glass is highly resistant to temperature changes up to 396°F (220°C). You can move your glass dish from the freezer at -4°F (-20°C) directly into the oven at 464°F (240°C).
It means that you can bring their borosilicate glass products from the refrigerator or freezer to a preheated oven.
So among the three types of glass, borosilicate makes for the best bakeware, from the best borosilicate glass pie plate to Pyrex glass round casserole. So no wonder borosilicate cookware is more expensive than soda-lime and tempered glass.
How to know if glass is oven safe
If you know how to check if your glass is microwave-safe, there is a way to figure out if your glass is oven safe. Here are three simple tricks.
Oven-safe symbol
When purchasing glassware to cook in the oven, you need to check the bottom of the dish for an oven-safe symbol. It represents heat waves going upwards.
But these oven-safe symbols aren't universal, so let's check if other signs are helping to distinguish oven-safe glass products.
Check the user manual
Look for the oven-safe label on the product or its packaging, and see if there is a written instruction in the manufacturer's manual. If you find the Pyrex logo, you can safely use this glass dish in the oven.
Type of glass
The type of glass your baking dish is made of can help you understand if it is safe to use in the oven. Borosilicate and tempered glass products are okay to put in the oven.
Untempered soda-lime glass, made of silica sand, sodium oxide, and calcium oxide, isn't suitable for microwaving.
But is there any way to tell if your glassware is made of soda-lime glass? Yes, but it isn't very accurate. If you look at the edge of your baking dish and find a bluish-green tinge, it is soda-lime glass.
So the best way to know the material of your glass kitchenware is to check the manufacturer. Look for a printed manual and instructions online, Google glass's brand, send an email, and call the manufacturer. Or opt for the alternative oven-safe cookware to play on the safe side.
Tips for using glass in the oven
To cook safely with oven-safe glass cookware, follow these simple safety tips.
- Ensure the glass cookware is labeled "oven safe," has a Pyrex logo, or follow the manufacturer's guide for using the glass in the oven.
- Never use non-tempered glass such as drinking glasses or thin glass dishes for the oven. Instead, opt for tempered or borosilicate glass pans, bowls, etc.
- Inspect your glass dish for scratches or crack in the glass before placing it in the oven. Being already cracked, the dish will break in the hot oven.
- Always preheat the oven before placing glass cookware inside. Preheating the conventional ovens isn't even. The actual temperature will cycle above and below the setting. When preheating is complete, it is safe to introduce your dish to the oven.
- Never bring an empty glass dish in the oven. Make sure the bottom of the baking dish is filled with food or liquid.
- Do not use plastic lids sold with Pyrex glass containers in the oven. The lids are created for food storage; they can be used in the microwave oven if they are microwave-safe but should be removed for oven cooking.
- Avoid rapid temperature shifts that refer to a thermal shock. For example, taking a glass container from the refrigerator or freezer and bringing it to the hot oven creates a drastic temperature change. This can cause the glass to crack or break. If you ever need to get the glass dish to the oven, let it first stay at room temperature to warm up. Then introduce it to the oven.
- Avoid high oven temperatures: don't expose the glass to oven temperatures above 350°F (177°C).
- After baking with glassware, let your dish cool down to room temperature before cleaning it with water. Washing a hot glass dish with cold water can cause the dish to break. The same tip applies to using a dishwasher: don't put hot glassware straight from the oven into your dishwasher.
- Ensure the glass dish is at least at room temperature before placing it in the refrigerator or freezer. Chilling your container in the fridge before introducing it to the freezer would be a great idea.
- When baking dry foods in a glass, add a small amount of liquid to the bottom of the pan.
- If the glass dish breaks in the oven, turn the oven off and let the glass cool down with the oven door closed. Then carefully clean up glass pieces, don't cut yourself! You can use a vacuum to handle tiny pieces of broken glass.
- Handle hot glass cookware using dry oven mitts. Moist mitts transfer heat, causing your hands to burn.
Note: Borosilicate glass is safe even with breaking. It breaks into large pieces of glass, while tempered glass breaks into multiple cube-shaped pieces. Soda-lime glass breaks into long, thin shards.
Best glass cookware for the oven
Choosing baking essentials, including oven glassware, is important. The suitable glass material doesn't only protect your money but also your health.
You may need several dishes of different shapes and sizes to serve your needs. Consider investing in a borosilicate glass baking dish set. Not only is this oven, microwave, dishwasher, and freezer safe, it even has excellent heat resistance.
If you want the best quality cooking experience, check out French PYREX. Read more about how PYREX is different from pyrex.
If you are looking for a universal glass dish, nothing is better than a Pyrex glass baking dish or Pyrex oven dish. It is perfect for savory preparations and sweet treats like Far Breton and Cherry Clafoutis.
You can find all the range of European PYREX on Pyrex.eu and purchase your favorite ones on Amazon.com or Amazon.fr (it delivers to the States).
Alternatively, you can also go for oven-safe glassware - a 3-piece glass bakeware set or a single 3-quart glass baking dish with a lid by trusted brand Anchor Hocking.
Conclusion
Can you put a glass pan in the oven? While you can place the oven-safe glass pan or another bakeware in the oven, there are safety precautions to consider.
Make sure to have it labeled oven-safe and avoid drastic temperature changes. But what can you use instead of a glass baking dish? Here is a choice of oven-safe ceramic and cast iron dishes:
- Stoneware rectangular dish by Le Creuset.
- Porcelain rectangular baking dish by Villeroy & Boch.
- Ceramic rectangular baking dish by Emile Henry.
- Cast iron rectangular pan by Le Creuset.
Metal bakeware made of stainless steel and cast iron is a suitable replacement for glass. It withstands even higher temperatures than glass, making it ideal for baking cookies, biscuits, cakes, muffins, and bread.
But you should increase the oven temperature by 25 degrees F (14 degrees C) when baking in a metal dish. If you bake with a silicone mold, keep the same oven temperature as the metal pan.
FAQ
You can put glass in the oven if it is labeled oven safe, has the Pyrex logo or has an indication of oven safety on its manufacturer's instruction.
Glass bowls made of borosilicate or tempered glass labeled oven safe can go in the oven. Those made of non-tempered soda-lime glass may not be the best at heat resistance and withstanding extreme temperature changes.
You can safely put a glass plate made of borosilicate or tempered glass, also labeled oven safe, in the oven. Avoid using non-tempered soda-lime glass in the oven.
Glass lids made of the same oven-safe glass as the glass dish can safely go into the oven. Plastic lids are not suitable for oven heat.
Glass pans made of borosilicate or tempered glass labeled oven safe can go in the oven. Pans made of non-tempered soda-lime glass don't have that high heat resistance and don't withstand sudden temperature changes.
Glassware made of borosilicate, or tempered glass, is oven safe. Non-tempered soda-lime glass has less heat resistance and doesn't withstand rapid temperature changes.
The glass (such as Pyrex or Corningware) may safely go in the oven at 350 degrees F as long as it is oven-safe glass. It also applies to stoneware, metal, and ceramic dishes.
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