Consumer Reports: Glass Bakeware That Shatters
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyhdMa1ikKM
the test done by CR is absolutely useless. they essentially put the glass on a hot surface (like a stove), which you are not supposed to do.
the reverse is also true - taking an extremely hot item, and then exposing it to something that can transfer heat very quickly (like water - the wet counter top used in CR's example) also leads to shattering.
in both cases, very large thermal gradients and stresses are induced, which is why the glass shatters.
the testing by CR tells me two things:
1) soda-lime glass is more sensitive to thermal shock than borosilicate glass
2) consumers do not understand how to use their product properly. RTFM.
pyrex is good for ovens and microwaves, where heating is more uniform. it even says so on the product labels (if you bother to read them).
their "extreme test" is not what the product is designed for, and if anything, misleads consumers into believing their product may be defective.
if i were the maker of pyrex, i'd be pissed.
