This is one of our “Buy It For Life” posts featuring products built to last a lifetime.
Schott Zwiesel Glassware
Schott Zwiesel is a German company known for glassware innovation since 1872. They create break-resistant, chip-resistant, and scratch-resistant stemware. The crystal glass has added titanium for strength and zirconium for crystal clarity, making it dishwasher safe.
I have their glassware at home — the pieces are versatile and can be used daily, yet they are elegant enough to use on special occasions. They are slightly expensive, but the investment is worth it.
Schott Zwiesel is available on Amazon.
Duralex Picardie Tumblers
Duralex has been manufacturing tempered glassware in France since 1929. Their Picardie Tumblers are known for lasting decades — they will bounce several times when dropped on the floor and survive without a crack. The tumblers can also withstand a sudden thermal shock — the temperate glass can go from -4° F to 212° F without breaking. This means they can be used to drink hot beverages. Duralex glasses are also lighter and more elegant than similar tempered glass products.
Duralex went into court-ordered liquidation bankruptcy in 2006 but has since partnered with Emile Henry, an old French manufacturer of cooking ware, to return to production.
Duralex doesn’t offer any product warranty beyond a 21-day return policy. However, we found no tempered glass tumblers with an extended warranty.
Durlaex Tumblers are available from Amazon for about $18 for a set of six.
Fortessa Fortaluxe Vitrified Dinnerware
Fortessa is a dinnerware company line created by the German company Schott Zwiesel. Fortessa specializes in vitrified china dinnerware. The china is reinforced with alumina or magnesium oxide for durability and thermal shock resistance. The dinnerware is called Fortaluxe SuperWhite, and it is used in many restaurants around the world and is reasonably priced.
You can find Fortessa dinnerware on Amazon.
Pyrex Bowls
Pyrex is another brand of tempered glass products renowned for their durability. The Pyrex brand was introduced by Corning Incorporated in 1915. Today, Pyrex is owned by World Kitchen and Pyrex glass products are manufactured in Charleroi, Pennsylvania. Recently, there have been rumors circulating about Pyrex products. The rumors suggest that Pyrex products are made with inferior materials, prone to breakage, and manufactured in China. However, this lengthy article on the myth-busting website Snopes.Com, concludes that the rumors are false. Here is an excerpt from the article:
While it is literally true that the material used in manufacturing Pyrex brand glass bakeware has changed from borosilicate glass to soda lime glass, the brand’s current owner, World Kitchen, claims that changeover began back in the 1940s and long antedates Corning’s 1998 sale of the brand, stating that “The Charleroi [Pennsylvania] plant has produced PYREX glass products out of a heat-strengthened (tempered) soda lime glass for about 60 years, first by our predecessor Corning Incorporated, and since 1998 by World Kitchen. In fact, since the 1980’s, most, if not all consumer glass bakeware manufactured in the U.S. for consumers has been made of soda lime glass. Consumers should know that soda lime glass, such as that used to make PYREX glass bakeware, is significantly more resistant to breaking on impact than borosilicate glass and comparably resistant to breakage caused by severe temperature changes.”
World Kitchen itself states that it has received complaints from only “a very small number of consumers” about unexpected breakage. It notes that the Consumer Safety Product Commission has found no safety issue with Pyrex glass bakeware.
Pyrex Bowls are available from Amazon.
Le Creuset French Ovens
Le Creuset has been producing handcrafted French Ovens in their foundry in Northern France since 1925. Their cookware is made with enameled cast iron and is known for lasting decades. The Le Creuset foundry uses standard sand-casting methods to produce its cookware. After hand finishing, items are sprayed with two coats of enamel, and each is fired at 800 °C. The enamel becomes resistant to damage during regular use.
Le Creuset cookware has a lifetime warranty that the products are free from defects in material and workmanship.
If you want an equivalent American-made product, see Lodge Dutch Ovens. We choose to feature the Le Creuset French ovens because, based on our research, they have an edge in quality.
Le Creuset French Ovens are available from Amazon for about $235.
I suspect that most of the people who claim online that the Picardie glasses explode are selling a competing product.
What are the different types of glassware?
I had a similarly arrogant response to the people who claimed their Duralex was exploding. I wrote them off as people who had been careless and then exaggerated the results of their bad behavior. I bought a whole kitchen full of Duralex bowls, plates, & Picardie glasses. Guess what? Those people knew exactly what they were talking about. There must be a defective manufacturing process because Duralex (like the infamous a Ford Pinto) works beautifully until, without any warning, it explodes into razor sharp pieces like a pipe bomb. Duralex is aware that it simply weakens over time with normal use and then blows up without any warning. They will replace the piece that blew up but they don’t have replacements for your eyes or tendons so, good luck.
I actually do not suggest the Picardie glassware whatsoever. I’ve used Picardie eyeglasses exclusively with regard to 15 a number of have had most likely 10 of these randomly shatter/explode into a mil tiny items for simply no reason. Indeed, they’re usually durable-they’ll endure a lot of usage. But then you will just be softly putting one out of the dishwasher or cupboard and shazbam! Shards associated with glass throughout your kitchen area. Very harmful if you have children or domestic pets. And I do not think I simply have a poor batch. I have had 1 set through Williams-Sonoma and another from Costco and it is the same tale.
Thanks for letting me know about your experience with the Picardie. I believe I’m using them in my kitchen at home. So far I haven’t encountered them breaking them like that. However, since this article was written I realize I like the glassware from Fortessa and Schott Zwiesel more than Picardie. It’s a bit more expensive but very durable.
I do not recommend the Picardie glassware at all. I’ve been using Picardie glasses exclusively for 15 years and have had probably 10 of them randomly shatter/explode into a million tiny pieces for absolutely no reason. Yes, they’re generally durable–they’ll withstand a lot of wear and tear. But then you’ll just be gently putting one in the dishwasher or cabinet and bam! Shards of glass all over your kitchen. Very dangerous if you have kids or pets. And I don’t think I just have a bad batch. I’ve had one set from Williams-Sonoma and one from Costco and it’s the same story.
I’m a major fan of Pyrex 🙂
Just like you I blog about “buy it for life” items… I’d love if you can check out my blog and give me tips & criticisms! you might be interested in my kitchen post: https://permabuy.com/top-quality-kitchenware-everyone-should-have/
Let’s help each other out! perhaps a guest post?
Is pyrex the strongest ?
I’m guessing pyrex is the strongest. But any of the vitrified ceramics are quite strong.