Specifically, they switched to a Corning-designed soda lime glass that has much better shatter resistance, but less thermal shock resistance.
However, I don't care what Pyrex consumer products say, either back when it was ran directly by Corning, or when they spun World Kitchen off, putting a fridge cold borosilicate or soda lime Pyrex product into an oven risks blowing it up, as does taking an oven hot dish and putting it on anything other than a wire cooling rack or a pot holder.
Just don't do it.
Fridge cold into the microwave, however, is fine, as there is no instant thermal shock there.
That said, I have Pyrex older than I am that is borosilicate, stuff that's a bit newer, and then stuff I've bought that is the new soda lime. People act as if the soda lime glass is shit, and it's not: it is the same high quality Pyrex products we've always enjoyed.
As a warning: do not buy Anchor Hocking's knock off for any sort of heated cooking. I don't care what they say, their shit will happily blow up; I know two people who this has happened to, and the Internet is full of bad reviews over this. Anchor Hocking glass products are fine for kitchen storage, however, just never cook with them.
> as does taking an oven hot dish and putting it on anything other than a wire cooling rack
I can attest to this. I learned this lesson the hard way when I took a lasagna dish out of the oven and put it on a marble marble cutting board. The Pyrex dish literately exploded on my counter top.
Also, after removing a covered casserole dish from the oven, take the top off for a second. Otherwise moisture can form a seal around the lid so tight that when the air inside cools, it will shatter the pot inwards.
If you want resistance to thermal shock, go and get some old Corning Ware from a thrift store. Corning Ware can go directly from the freezer to the oven without damage.
Yes. I had a nice steak in a Pyrex brand dish, in the oven. It was around 1986. When I took it out, I set it down on a cold electric stove burner. Kaboom.
However, I don't care what Pyrex consumer products say, either back when it was ran directly by Corning, or when they spun World Kitchen off, putting a fridge cold borosilicate or soda lime Pyrex product into an oven risks blowing it up, as does taking an oven hot dish and putting it on anything other than a wire cooling rack or a pot holder.
Just don't do it.
Fridge cold into the microwave, however, is fine, as there is no instant thermal shock there.
That said, I have Pyrex older than I am that is borosilicate, stuff that's a bit newer, and then stuff I've bought that is the new soda lime. People act as if the soda lime glass is shit, and it's not: it is the same high quality Pyrex products we've always enjoyed.
As a warning: do not buy Anchor Hocking's knock off for any sort of heated cooking. I don't care what they say, their shit will happily blow up; I know two people who this has happened to, and the Internet is full of bad reviews over this. Anchor Hocking glass products are fine for kitchen storage, however, just never cook with them.