Costco Customers Have Complaints About The 8-Piece Pyrex Deal. Here's Why They're Skipping It

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If you've purchased Pyrex glass lately and noticed quality issues, you are not alone. Many Costco shoppers feel that Pyrex isn't what it used to be. Customers who bought the store's 8-piece glass mixing bowl set have raised concerns about their durability. One of the biggest complaints about the Pyrex set, which consists of four glass bowls and four plastic lids, is that four lids aren't always included. A Reddit user started a thread on r/Costco to share how they've had to return the set twice because a lid was missing. The post gained a lot of attention. 

In the replies, one commenter said they checked several boxes at their local Costco, and none had the fourth lid. Another Redditor added that they found all of the lids, but two bowls were cracked. On the product page of Costco's website, a reviewer stated every single lid had cracked.

Over on Instagram, a post promoting a re-release of the 8-piece Pyrex set received similar criticism. One commenter said they purchased it three times and there was a cracked bowl in each box. Others pointed out that although the set is marketed as eight pieces, only four are glass containers because the other four are lids. That's a minor quibble, and many bakeware sets are sold the same way, but it's a valid frustration. The biggest issue touched upon in the Instagram comments is more nuanced. Multiple Instagram users suggested that these bowls are of lower quality because they are "pyrex," not "PYREX."

PYREX and pyrex are not the same, and the history behind this is a little confusing. Corning notes on its website that PYREX is a registered trademark, while pyrex is a blanket term often used to describe heat-resistant glassware. "Real" PYREX is often written in all-caps, but not always. Look for the ® symbol to know for sure.

Corning invented Pyrex in 1915 using borosilicate glass. This material is highly resistant to thermal shock, so it can be heated, cooled, then heated again without breaking as easily as normal glass. In the 1940s, Pyrex in the U.S switched from borosilicate glass to tempered soda lime glass for its bakeware. Corning divested its home glassware business in 1998, and Pyrex is currently made by Corelle Brands, which is run by Anchor Hocking. Although most domestic glass bakeware is made from soda lime, many consumers feel it is an inferior product. However, soda lime glass is heat-resistant like borosilicate and is cheaper to make and more environmentally friendly because it's boron-free. 

A 2010 Consumer Reports test showed that American-made soda lime glass bakeware shattered at a lower temperature than European-made borosilicate glass, but the test was designed to gauge how the materials performed under extreme conditions. Each hot glass was placed on a wet counter to force thermal shock, intentionally violating manufacturer safety guidelines. After a thermal shock, soda lime shattered at 450 degrees Fahrenheit, while borosilicate broke at 500 degrees. Costco's Pyrex bowls are listed as being safe up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Pyrex 8-piece glass mixing bowls with lids set currently sold on Costco's website retails for $22.99. Based on customer complaints from Reddit and elsewhere, if you decide it's not the Pyrex product you were hoping for, there are other options — even at Costco. We've recommended some superior Costco kitchen items in the past, including the Snapware Pyrex 18-Piece Glass Set. This set (containing 9 containers and 9 lids) has over 12,000 Costco member reviews and a 4.6-star rating, so it's proven itself to many more customers than the Pyrex 8-piece set. Snapware's airtight locking lids are also made by the Pyrex company and covered by a solid manufacturer warranty.

If you are in the market for reliable mixing bowls, we have other recommendations, too. Amazon has a great selection of glass, metal, and plastic bowls, including nesting bowls, bowls with lids, and storage sets. Amazon also sells borosilicate storage containers. If you want something a little more unique, rare, and desirable, vintage Pyrex is another glass bakeware category worth looking into.