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This sounds amazingly basic, but I love my Pyrex Simply Store containers. They’re one of the biggest spoon savers in my kitchen, and it comes down to one thing: one dish can do the whole job.
Mix in it, bake in it, serve from it, pop the lid on and put it in the fridge, then reheat in the same dish tomorrow. That’s one dish to wash instead of four. When washing up is the job that tips a low-spoon day over the edge, that matters a lot more than it sounds.
Why Pyrex Simply Store containers save spoons
- Oven, microwave, freezer and dishwasher safe. One container covers cooking, storing and reheating. (The lids aren’t oven-safe. More on that below.)
- Stain resistant. Unlike plastic, they don’t turn orange the first time you put bolognese in them.
- They stack. Easy to store in the cupboard and the fridge.
- Lids that actually seal. The lids are BPA-free, fairly airtight and spill-proof, which is handy for a klutz like me. Coffee is what I actually spill, and no container fixes that. They’re fine in the microwave too.
- Sized in cups, embossed on the bottom. You can pick the right size without guessing.
- Nice enough to go from oven to table. I like serving family-style meals straight from the dish. A silly thing, but it’s one less serving bowl to wash.
Use the container sizes as built-in measuring cups
This is my favourite stupidly simple hack. Once you know your containers, the sizes do the measuring for you.
The 4 cup round container holds exactly the salad I want for lunch. A 1 cup container filled halfway is the right amount for a chia pudding. No measuring cups, no scales, nothing extra to wash. It also makes estimating macros much easier, because the portion is the same every time. If you’re new to macros, our quick-start guide walks through the basics.
It’s a small thing, but that’s what saving spoons is about.
Which Pyrex sizes to get
I was given a rather large Pyrex collection in my glory box when I turned 21, so I think I have every size and shape, some of them in multiples. These are the ones I actually use.
Round containers
- 7 cup round: a good mixing and salad bowl, and the size I use for baked puddings. It goes oven to table, then the lid goes on and the leftovers go straight in the fridge. It also fits in my 6.7 L air fryer.
- 4 cup round: the perfect single-serve salad. I throw everything in, pop the lid on and shake.
- 2 cup round: single soup portions, ready to grab from the freezer.
Rectangle containers
- 3 cup rectangle: single portions of things like lasagne and enchiladas. Are you seeing a theme?
- 6 cup rectangle: also fits in my 6.7 L (medium) air fryer. In my house it’s two meal portions, maybe with leftovers. There are two of us, but my partner eats closer to a 1.5–2 person portion because of all the training he does. It’s perfect for lasagne, enchiladas or bobotie.
- 11 cup rectangle: the family-meal size. It’s much deeper, so it suits shepherd’s pie, a family lasagne or a big batch of bobotie.
Measuring jug
- 4 cup (1 L) measuring jug: right for most baking and cooking. I use it as a mixing bowl more than I use my actual mixing bowls. I’ve written more about why I love these in my Pyrex measuring jug review.
Where to start
If you’re starting from scratch, the Pyrex Simply Store 14-piece round set is a good base. It has one 7 cup, two 4 cup, two 2 cup and two 1 cup round containers, all with lids.
Add the Pyrex Simply Store 6-piece rectangle set for the 3 cup, 6 cup and 11 cup rectangles, and you’ve covered everything above.
Replacement lids
You can buy replacement Pyrex lids for every size, which I think is brilliant. There’s one store in Brisbane that only occasionally has them. I’m only now replacing some of my original lids, and given I’ve had some of these containers since my 21st, that’s a really good run.
Mine are all the original blue, but there’s a huge range of colours now. They also come with a 2-year warranty.
A few glass rules worth knowing
Glass is forgiving, but sudden temperature changes are its weak spot. Check the care instructions that come with yours. These are the habits I stick to:
- Lids stay out of the oven. They’re fine in the microwave (loosen them a bit first), but never in the oven or the air fryer.
- Don’t go straight from freezer to hot oven. Thaw it in the fridge first, or let the dish sit on the bench for a while.
- Put hot dishes down on a dry tea towel or a board, not a wet bench or a cold sink.
- No stovetop or griller. They’re oven dishes, not saucepans.
- In the air fryer, check your model’s manual and leave space around the dish so the air can still move.
Where to buy Pyrex in Australia
The Pyrex shop on Amazon often has good deals and bundles you won’t find in bricks-and-mortar stores. I’ve generally found it a bit cheaper, and it carries the entire range.
We’ve used our Amazon affiliate links in this post, but you can also find Pyrex at Woolworths, Coles, Kmart and Big W. Their ranges are smaller, but they run sales now and then, which are worth watching for. Tempered glass isn’t the cheapest storage on the market, but mine have lasted decades, so I think it earns its keep.
Once you’ve got a few sizes, cook a double batch, portion it into containers and stock up on our freezer-friendly recipes for future-you.
