Can You Put a Glass Bowl in the Oven?

Last Updated on January 25, 2023 by Claire

Can you put a glass bowl in the oven? Putting a glass bowl in the oven to reheat the leftovers of the delicious meal you made last night seems like the logical thing to do. But before you do that you need to be sure if it’s safe to do so, as a wrong decision could have disastrous consequences for you and your kitchen or entire home. This article addresses the topic “can you put a glass bowl in the oven”, and also gives you a few helpful tips along the way.

Can you put a glass bowl in the oven?

The answer to this question is yes, you can put a glass bowl in the oven. However this depends on what type of glass bowl you want to use, as some glass bowls (bakeware sets) are made specifically for oven use and are capable of withstanding high temperatures that ordinary types of glass cannot withstand and will break right away.

Also, glass can be used in the oven, but not all glass cookware is oven-safe. This depends on the type of glass in question, what it’s made of, its level of tolerance to extreme heat temperatures, and how well it copes with drastic temperature changes. Factors such as your oven’s operating temperature and the presence of any flaws in your glass container also come into play.

There are a lot of advantages to cooking with glass dishes such as being  toxic-free, allowing you to see how your food is cooking, and allowing you to store cooked food in them also; making cleanup easier as you have lesser dishes to wash.

How can you tell if the glass is oven-safe?

Although glass cookware such as casserole dishes and Pyrex bakeware might be able to withstand heat up to a certain temperature, this doesn’t entirely mean they are oven-safe.

Here are a few things you can check out to make sure the glass is oven safe before use:

1. Check for the oven-safe symbol or if the item is called “glass bakeware”

Checking the glass cookware you intend to use for the oven-safe symbol is the first step towards determining if your glass cookware is safe for use in the oven. This symbol is usually engraved on the underside of the glass cookware in question.

You might be asking what the oven-safe symbol is; this symbol depicts a bowl inside an oven with heat waves going upwards. You must also note that this symbol is not a universal one, as some variations of glass cookware might not have this symbol (depending on location), or have different iterations of it. But the general idea is the same.

You can also refer to the manufacturer’s website or product packaging for more information in case you’re unsure of this.

2. Check the user manual

A quick look at the user manual of your glass cookware is enough to tell you if it’s safe for oven use.

3. Type of glass

Tempered glass cookware and borosilicate products are suitable for oven use, as opposed to glass cookware such as casserole dishes and Pyrex bakeware which might be able to withstand heat up to a certain temperature, but are not entirely safe for oven use.

You must do well to keep in mind that glass cookware safe for oven use will have the “oven-safe” symbol or label on them.

At what temperature does glass break?

The temperature glass breaks is determined by factors such as, the type of glass it is, how fast it’s heated up, and drastic changes in temperatures.

It doesn’t matter the type of glass in use, it’s important to make sure you only bake with glass when cooking meals at lower temperatures.

Here’s a table showing you the temperatures different types of glass may break at:

Can you put cold glass in the oven?

Glass generally reacts badly to drastic temperature changes. This means putting a glass bowl straight from the freezer into your oven is a pretty bad idea, and there is a higher probability that the glass cookware will rapidly disintegrate and break in the oven.

So it’s a good idea to allow a warm or cold glass cookware to cool down to room temperature before placing it in the fridge or oven and vice versa. 

Can you put glass in the oven at 180°C? This depends on the type of glass in use.

Standard glass begins to break at 150-200°C, while regular glass can withstand a temperature difference of about 60°C.

However, thicker, oven-ready glass cookware may be able to withstand hotter temperatures. So it’s worth checking the manufacturer’s guidelines before putting glass in the oven.

Also, although the general idea is that most glass should not be heated above 350°F, you can safely heat oven-safe glasses such as tempered or Pyrex glass at temperatures above 350°F.

This is because they have high heat resistance and can withstand rapid changes in temperature better than other types of glasses.

What can cause glass to break in the oven?

Here are a few things that can cause glass to break in the oven:

• Rapid changes in temperature
• Using the wrong type of glass in the oven
• Exposing the glass cookware to extremely high temperatures not suitable to it for extended periods of time
• Previously unnoticed cracks or scratches may cause structural weaknesses in your glass cookware, causing it to disintegrate and break when heated.

What to do if your glass breaks in the oven?

When your glass breaks in the oven, you are more than likely to hear a loud explosion come from your oven.

Naturally your first instinct is to run towards the oven and try to clean it up, but this is actually dangerous.

Here’s what you should do instead:

1. Don’t panic!
2. Turn off your oven, unplug it and keep the oven door closed
3. Let the shattered glass cool down completely before you touch it
4. Carefully pick up and throw away the larger pieces of shattered glass
5. You can get rid of smaller pieces of shattered glass by using a vacuum cleaner or damp towel to clean out or mop the inside of your oven

You can use any cleaning methods you deem appropriate, but the most important thing is to avoid cutting yourself.

How to use oven-safe glass cookware

1. Always read and the instructions in the owner’s manual (your oven and glass cookware)
2. Ensure your glass cookware is at room temperature before placing it in the oven
3. Make sure your oven is completely cooled down
4. Preheat the oven only after you have placed your glass dish inside it
5. Do not expose your glass cookware to temperatures unsuitable for it. For example, borosilicate glass should only be used at temperatures below 330°F
6. Avoid subjecting your glass cookware to raped changes in temperature. E.g. don’t put super cold glass in the oven or hot glass cookware straight into the dishwasher
7. Add some liquid to dry foods before placing them in the oven to prevent your glass cookware from being baked in the oven.

Frequently asked questions

Does glass explode in heat?

Yes, glass will explode when exposed to extreme heat higher than it can safely handle for an extended period of time or drastic temperature changes.

Is it safe to bake in a glass dish?

This depends on the type of glass the dish is made of. But generally, the safety standard to adhere to when baking in glass is to reduce the oven temperature by 25°F, lower what the recipe calls for, and bake for up to 10 minutes longer.

How hot can glass get in the oven?

Standard glass doesn’t stand up to heat well and begins to break at 302-392°F (150-200°C), while regular glass can withstand a temperature difference of about 108°F (60°C). Borosilicate and Pyrex glass can withstand temperatures of up to 330°F and 425°F or above respectively. However you should note that drastic temperature changes will cause any type of glass to disintegrate and crack.

Conclusion

Using glass cookware is an ideal way to store, bake and reheat foods in the oven.

However, this depends on the type of glass cookware, as some are specifically designed to withstand high temperatures, while some are not made for hot temperatures and will break once heated in the oven.

Although there are types of glass cookware specifically designed for oven use, the best way to tell if they are safe for oven use is to check its underside for the “oven-safe” symbol.

You also need to treat your glass cookware with utmost care and take certain precautions when putting them in the oven to prevent them from breaking in the oven.