Why Is Vintage Pyrex So High In Demand For Collectors?

Vintage Pyrex can cost hundreds of dollars. Why are people paying extra for the old stuff, when you can buy an unused Pyrex bakeware set at Target for $20? One significant reason is that old Pyrex is made differently than the new versions. Another is the nostalgia factor. The old designs were more varied and are loaded with memories of a simpler time when one's parents were cooking with the dishes.

Originally, Pyrex used borosilicate glass, which was able to handle extreme temperatures and rapid changes in temperature. In the 1940s, the company switched to soda lime glass, which absorbed impacts better, but couldn't handle the extremes and shifts in temperature the old style was able to. Soda lime glass is cheaper and easier for Pyrex to make, however. (If you want to dive into collecting vintage bakeware, make sure you read up on the differences between Pyrex and PYREX before you start digging through thrift stores.)

The many vintage patterns also call some people back to an earlier era. Nostalgia is a strong force, and collectors surrounding themselves with pieces from their own past connects them with that personal history. For some people, this can be therapeutic and give them a sense of belonging with other collectors who share a similar history. Sometimes, a bowl is more than just a bowl.

It doesn't help that Consumer Reports kept track of reports of exploding soda lime-based Pyrex bakeware, and found over 150 instances of explosions. Soda lime glass also breaks into smaller pieces than borosilicate. Cory Doctorow coined a term to describe how web platforms die due to the process of going from consumer-focused to profit-focused: ensh*ttification. The concept is now being applied beyond the internet. Perhaps modern Pyrex is an early example of this new term. Or maybe people just aren't following our tip of adding a little bit of liquid to your pan to keep your new Pyrex from shattering.

On Reddit, a person asked, "Pyrex Brand is terrible. What are we using instead?" OXO got a shoutout for still using borosilicate glass. Another commenter represented all the collectors out there with: "Garage sales, [eBay]. Buy old PYREX. I've dropped my 13x9 probably a dozen times. It may be a bit scratched...but that puppy is probably 55-60 years old. My mom got it as a wedding gift." When you go out looking for the old glassware, make sure you keep your eyes open for this Daisy pattern bowl set from the 1960s!