Borosilicate glass is one of its kind as it allows for a very low coefficient of thermal expansion when the temperature around it increases. This effect is due to the boron trioxide that it contains as one of its main components. But having a very low coefficient of thermal expansion means that it consists of the capability to not crack even under extreme temperature changes, unlike the standard type of glass that we use.
Its durability increases its usage and the places where you can use it, such as in luxury restaurants, wineries, and even laboratories. Borosilicate glass also consists of about 15% boron trioxide in its total weight and chemical composition. This boron trioxide is the ingredient that provides a real superpower to the glass. This superpower refers to the increase in the glass’ capability to resist thermal shocks.
Are Pyrex and Borosilicate glass the same?
If you have ever been in a kitchen or have ever gone to a kitchen supply store, then by most chances, you might have heard about the brand name ‘Pyrex’ once or twice. Pyrex is often misunderstood as borosilicate glass, but they are not the same. During the initial phase of Pyrex, the brand used to manufacture its products with the help of borosilicate glass.
But why these terms are intertwined and confused with each other is because Corning Glass Works brought the borosilicate glass in the US under the brand name Pyrex. The initial glass bakeware of Pyrex also became quite famous for its durability. They got this durability due to being made from borosilicate glass.
But time has changed, and so has the ideology of Pyrex. Not all Pyrex products are made from borosilicate glass, as they have found the soda-lime drink to be a better alternative due to its cost-effectiveness. This change has made it hard to differentiate between the Pyrex products made from borosilicate glass and what is not.
Where is Borosilicate glass used the most?
The durability of borosilicate glass has a reputation for having a specific resistance to chemical changes. This non-reactiveness of this glass makes it appropriate for long-term use as it won’t change color due to reacting with either chemicals or food items.
Due to this superpower, borosilicate glass can quickly be taken out of a freezer and sent to an oven without worrying about it breaking due to the sudden change in the temperature of the surroundings. Its ability to do so also makes it invincible around things such as tea or coffee that might fall on it.
Borosilicate glass is traditionally used in a chemistry lab or industry and the kitchen and premium wine selling restaurants and wineries. But it is priced higher than its alternatives, such as soda-lime glass, due to its superior quality.
Is switching to Borosilicate glass bottles worth my money?
To make a significant improvement, all that it takes is a small step every day to better our daily habits bit by bit. Opting to buy a disposable plastic water bottle in the age that we live in is downright silly if we consider all the other available options. Looking for a cheaper and usable average product is easy for settling and satisfying your mind.
But it is not the right mindset that you should have for making a real change for improving your health and making positive life changes. Quality over quantity is the right choice in our case. “quality over quantity” refers to buying long-lasting products and providing real value for your money.
Below are some more reasons that might persuade you into understanding why choosing a premium reusable borosilicate glass bottle is better for you and nature than bluntly putting money on disposable plastic bottles again and again.
1. It is the best choice for you.
Other plastic or glass bottle materials react with chemicals and food items to provide you with a dirty utensil for drinking or eating things in it. These reactants can harm your health by seeping into the food items you’ll consume in these utensils. But this is not the case for borosilicate glass as it resists chemical as well as acid degradation.
Borosilicate glassware is always the safest option for you as well as the most convenient one. Due to being thermally resistant, you can put it in the microwave, dishwasher, used for putting too hot or too cold liquids in it, and you can even put it out in the sun without a single worry.
Since borosilicate does not hold up foreign items due to reacting with different food items, you can reuse it again and again without worrying about it releasing toxins in your food items.
2. It is the better choice for the environment.
It is not a surprise that the plastic waste percentage is increasing every year and is terrible, to say the least, for the environment. Plastic items are made from petroleum and always end up in places such as a lake, ocean, or a landfill.
Recycling plastic only covers up about 9% of the total amount of plastic that humans waste every year. Sometimes, even the recycling process also leaves a carbon footprint, which worsens the Earth similarly.
3. It increases the taste of things.
You can quickly feel the change in food taste when you eat it from a dirty and discolored plastic utensil from when you eat it in a clean and clear borosilicate glassware utensil. So, eating food from borosilicate glassware can help you eat healthily and eat more food in its most original taste possible.
Conclusion
To start making your life better in small steps, you need to consider that not all glasses are the same. In our case, borosilicate glass is a considerable upgrade from the traditionally used glass, despite looking just about the same.
The difference between them is not something that every one of us can see with our naked eye, but their impact on our lives is significant and noticeable. To make sure that you use the best glassware that benefits nature and yourself, make sure to make the proper choice between borosilicate glass vs pyrex.
