Glass vs. Pyrex — What's the Difference?

Transparent, hard material made primarily of silica.

Not as resistant to impact as some other glass types.

Breakable and brittle under stress.

A brand of borosilicate glass known for its heat resistance.

Can be recycled repeatedly without loss in quality.

Often used in kitchenware and laboratory equipment.

Various types include float, tempered, and stained glass.

Resistant to thermal shock, making it safe for high-temperature cooking.

Used in making windows, bottles, and art.

Produced by Corning Inc. but now owned by other companies globally.

Glass is a non-crystalline, often transparent amorphous solid, that has widespread practical, technological, and decorative use in, for example, window panes, tableware, and optics. Glass is most often formed by rapid cooling (quenching) of the molten form; some glasses such as volcanic glass are naturally occurring.

Pyrex (trademarked as PYREX and pyrex) is a brand introduced by Corning Inc. in 1915 for a line of clear, low-thermal-expansion borosilicate glass used for laboratory glassware and kitchenware.

A hard, brittle substance, typically transparent or translucent, made by fusing sand with soda and lime and cooling rapidly. It is used to make windows, drinking containers, and other articles

A kind of heat-resistant borosilicate glass, made by mixing a high concentration of boron oxides into the molten glass to reduce its thermal expansion coefficient.

A drinking container made from glass

(by extension) Any borosilicate glass

A lens, or an optical instrument containing a lens or lenses, in particular a monocle or a magnifying lens.

(by extension) Any glass capable of withstanding high temperatures, such as tempered glass suitable for cooking

A mirror

A borosilicate glass with a low coefficient of expansion; used for heat-resistant glassware in cooking and chemistry

Cover or enclose with glass

(especially in hunting) scan (one's surroundings) with binoculars

Hit (someone) in the face with a beer glass

Reflect as if in a mirror

Any of a large class of materials with highly variable mechanical and optical properties that solidify from the molten state without crystallization, are typically made by silicates fusing with boric oxide, aluminum oxide, or phosphorus pentoxide, are generally hard, brittle, and transparent or translucent, and are considered to be supercooled liquids rather than true solids.

A drinking vessel.

A mirror.

A barometer.

A window or windowpane.

The series of transparent plastic sheets that are secured vertically above the boards in many ice rinks.

Glasses A pair of lenses mounted in a light frame, used to correct faulty vision or protect the eyes.

Often glasses A binocular or field glass.

A device, such as a monocle or spyglass, containing a lens or lenses and used as an aid to vision.

The quantity contained by a drinking vessel; a glassful.

Objects made of glass; glassware.

Made or consisting of glass.

Fitted with panes of glass; glazed.

To enclose or encase with glass.

To put into a glass container.

To provide with glass or glass parts.

To make glassy; glaze.

To see reflected, as in a mirror.

To reflect.

To scan (a tract of land or forest, for example) with an optical instrument.

To become glassy.

To use an optical instrument, as in looking for game.

An amorphous solid, often transparent substance, usually made by melting silica sand with various additives (for most purposes, a mixture of soda, potash and lime is added).

Any amorphous solid (one without a regular crystal lattice).

(countable) A vessel from which one drinks, especially one made of glass, plastic, or similar translucent or semi-translucent material.

(metonymically) The quantity of liquid contained in such a vessel.

(uncountable) Glassware.

A mirror.

A magnifying glass or telescope.

(sport) A barrier made of solid, transparent material.

The backboard.

(ice hockey) The clear, protective screen surrounding a hockey rink.

A barometer.

Transparent or translucent.

(obsolete) An hourglass.

Lenses, considered collectively.

A pane of glass; a window (especially of a coach or similar vehicle).

(transitive) To fit with glass; to glaze.

(transitive) To enclose in glass.

(transitive) fibreglass To fit, cover, fill, or build, with fibreglass-reinforced resin composite (fiberglass).

To strike (someone), particularly in the face, with a drinking glass with the intent of causing injury.

To bombard an area with such intensity (nuclear bomb, fusion bomb, etc) as to melt the landscape into glass.

(transitive) To view through an optical instrument such as binoculars.

(transitive) To smooth or polish (leather, etc.), by rubbing it with a glass burnisher.

To reflect; to mirror.

(transitive) To make glassy.

(intransitive) To become glassy.

A hard, brittle, translucent, and commonly transparent substance, white or colored, having a conchoidal fracture, and made by fusing together sand or silica with lime, potash, soda, or lead oxide. It is used for window panes and mirrors, for articles of table and culinary use, for lenses, and various articles of ornament.

Any substance having a peculiar glassy appearance, and a conchoidal fracture, and usually produced by fusion.

Anything made of glass.

A drinking vessel; a tumbler; a goblet; hence, the contents of such a vessel; especially; spirituous liquors; as, he took a glass at dinner.

To reflect, as in a mirror; to mirror; - used reflexively.

To case in glass.

To cover or furnish with glass; to glaze.

To smooth or polish anything, as leater, by rubbing it with a glass burnisher.

A brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure

A glass container for holding liquids while drinking

The quantity a glass will hold

A small refracting telescope

Amphetamine used in the form of a crystalline hydrochloride; used as a stimulant to the nervous system and as an appetite suppressant

A mirror; usually a ladies' dressing mirror

Glassware collectively;

Furnish with glass;

Scan (game in the forest) with binoculars

Enclose with glass;

Put in a glass container

Become glassy or take on a glass-like appearance;

Pyrex is made from borosilicate glass, which expands less than regular glass under heat, reducing stress and the likelihood of shattering.

Pyrex tends to be more expensive than regular glass due to its specialized manufacturing process and thermal resistance properties.

Traditionally, yes, though the brand now also includes some metal cookware items.

Yes, both can be recycled, although it is recommended to check if your local recycling program accepts Pyrex as its composition differs from regular glass.

Glass refers to a broad group of silica-based materials, while Pyrex is a brand of borosilicate glass known for its resistance to thermal shock.

Pyrex can be used in ovens at recommended temperatures, typically up to 425°F (218°C), but it should not be exposed to broiler heat.

Regular glass can be chemically or thermally tempered to increase its strength and thermal shock resistance, but it will not match the specific properties of borosilicate glass.

It is not recommended to use Pyrex on a direct heat source like a stovetop as it can lead to thermal stress and potential breakage.

Both materials are environmentally friendly as they are non-toxic and recyclable, but the production of borosilicate glass (Pyrex) generally requires more energy due to its specialized composition.

Yes, Pyrex is designed to be microwave safe, making it versatile for cooking and reheating food.

Its ability to withstand sudden temperature changes and chemical resistance makes Pyrex ideal for the demanding conditions of laboratory experiments.

There are no specific health risks associated with the age of glass or Pyrex dishes, but it's essential to replace any item that shows signs of deep scratches, chips, or cracks.

Pyrex is made using a blend that includes boron oxide, which changes its heat resistance and thermal properties, unlike regular glass which mainly consists of silica sand melted at high temperatures.

While clarity is mostly an aesthetic feature, it does not significantly affect the physical properties of the glass but can influence its application, such as in optical lenses.

Carefully collect and dispose of the pieces, ideally in a container that prevents the broken glass from causing harm. Consult local recycling guidelines for disposal.