Are you buying PYREX or pyrex in Washington State?

PYREX or pyrex.

You may be thinking, wait, what?! Thats the same thing! Oh, but my friend, it's not. It's not just the difference in capital letters but also the difference in quality!

Have you ever heard of THE "pyrex VS. PYREX" debate? I saw a video floating around somewhere, and thought, wait, is this a Mandela effect?! Short answer, no. But it is a thing, and it has all to do with trademarks!

Both patented in 1915. Then Corning (which was the original licensor) allowed them to be two different companies.

Go check your dishes.

How is "pyrex" spelled on the bottom of the dish? All caps? All lower case?

PYREX - Made with borosilicate glass, making it heat-resistant and less likely to shatter. Sold in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East

pyrex - Made with lime-soda glass. Still heat resistant, but not as resistant as the other version. Sold in North America. South America and Asia.

Neither come with a 100% thermal-shock guarantee, the PYREX version is the safer of the two, you still need to be careful with both versions.

PYREX vs. pyrex: Which Is Safer? (simplyrecipes.com)

So, what are we buying here in Washington State??

Well, a quick look at Target, showed me they sell the "pyrex" version. All lower case letters.

Does this mean we shouldn't buy?

No, this just means we need to be careful when using the dishes for cold to hot, hot to cold and back again.

Never pour boiling water directly into the dish, keep an eye on the dishes as well for "micro-cracks."

Happy cooking and may the glassware gods be forever in your favor!