Next time you’re feeling down for getting something not-quite-right the first time, consider the case of S. Donald Stookey, for whom a little accident turned into a wonderfully successful facet of a world-renowned glassware empire.

The year was 1953, and the Corning Glass Works company had been making quality glassware for just over a century. One day in the Corning Research and Development Division lab, S. Donald Stookey intended to heat photosensitive glass in a furnace set at 600°F. However, when he checked on the glass sample, he noted the furnace was 900°F and the glass within it had turned a milky white color. Startled, Stookey reached for the sample with his tongs, intent on throwing it away as an experiment gone wrong. When the sample slipped to the floor and didn’t break, Stookey realized he had created something amazing. The glass-ceramic product was later dubbed Pyroceram, and it is the same material CorningWare uses today to produce the high-quality, versatile dishes we know and love.

Pyroceram’s crowning feature is its ability to withstand thermal shock—the immediate change in temperature that causes some earthenware dishes to break. Pyroceram, and by extension all CorningWare, is capable of being taken from a freezer or fridge and used directly in a pre-heated oven, under a broiler, or in a microwave. Users need not worry about their cooking vessels cracking and ruining the meal, because these durable dishes have the wherewithal to withstand applications greater than or equal to 1000°C. No matter how high you accidentally set your home oven, there’s a very good chance your CorningWare will survive.

When you order CorningWare from Helton Tool & Home, it is covered by World Kitchen's lifetime guarantee. You also get fast, free shipping in the contiguous United States. Check out all our CorningWare sets here.