I've never used my Corningware casserole dishes or pie plate on top of the stove, but I use these all the time to reheat leftovers.

The corningware I have that can be used on the rangetop says underneath the handle- range, oven, microwave. Mine are ALL square. Hope this helps.

I have used mine to cook on top of the stove since they first came out with corning ware. Vegetables from stove to table to refrigerator. I have made my chicken and dressing in the larger ones for years. I have an extensive collection of corning ware because I use to cook
so much for so many. My early pieces had the blue cornflower on it. When the plain white came out everything I bought was solid white.

My memory is failing me but it seems like I tried to replace a piece I had dropped about 5 years ago and learned they no longer made the original
corning ware only the French White. It was a wonderful
product I simply do not understand why they quit producing something that was in almost every home across the U.S.
arosegirl

Ok, I finally remembered to look at the bottoms of my corningware pieces. I have two of the kind with the blue flower (both were my mother's). One is a loaf pan and one is a square. Both say Corningware (stamped in blue) on the bottom but nothing else. I also have some of the plain white and some that look like the one on the right in the picture above. Those say nothing at all on the bottom. Then I have one that looks like the one on the right in the picture above, but the picture had something written below it. (Can't remember now what it said!). It also has nothing written on the bottom.

I did use one of my pieces in the oven last night. I use them whenever a recipe says to put in a "baking dish". I have a really large one which I've used for extra large dishes when I'm trying to feed an army or when I want lots of leftovers -- usually some baked noodle dish.

It sort of amazes me that they don't make it anymore. I think it sort of went out of style with newer cooks. My mother and her contemporaries used it a lot. I got a lot of it as wedding shower gifts back in 1980 and I remember that a lot of the women there used theirs a lot and raved about how handy it would be.

Mine say underneath the handles on the cookware, not on the bottom on the dish. There is nothing written underneath the handle? Mine only has something written underneath one handle. If you have the loaf dish, as far as I know that can NOT be used on top of the stove. Just pieces shaped like the ones in the above picture can be used on the range top.

Could they have stopped making the old corningware because of the popularity of smoothtop ranges? I am assuming that the corningware can't be used on those type of ranges. We will be redoing our kitchen within the next year. Gas is not an option. So, to get the bells and whistles I want I will have to go smoothtop. I am assuming that I won't be able to use my old corningware on top of the smoothtop range. Is that correct?

LondonDi wrote:
> Could they have stopped making the old corningware because of the popularity of smoothtop ranges? I am assuming that the corningware can't be used on those type of ranges...

Interestingly, Corning made one of the first smoothtop cooktops in the market. Mid-1960s. My mother has one that was installed in their (then new) home in 1970. Still looks almost like new, even though countless meals have been prepared on it.

Corning made a special series of pots and pans for the flat cooktop, with smooth flat bottoms. Mom has a couple of cabinets full of them. If you look carefully on ebay, you might be able to find some of these special pans. Guess I'd better tell mom to be careful with hers...

wws944,
Do you know the name of the cookware? Corning had so much stuff, I can't keep it straight. After 33+ years of marriage, it will be difficult to change my cooking habits. I guess it can be hard to teach an old dog new trick. Thank you for the information.

I've always known it as just Corningware. They used to call the particular formulation "Pyro-Ceram". As long as it has a flat bottom, it should work fine.

Googling a bit, I found the following on Corning and "The Counter That Cooks":

"In 1953, Pyroceram, a white ceramic-like material capable of withstanding enormous variations in temperature, was invented and developed by Dr. S. Donald Stookey of Corning research and development division.

"Corningware, an oven-to-table service made of Pyroceram was introduced in 1958 by Corning Glass. It featured the first little blue Cornflower decoration, designed by Corning staff, which became the trademark of Corning consumer products for three decades.

"In 1965, the Terra line of bake-serve ware, by William M. Curtis of Corning Glass Works, won one of the last IDI annual design awards.

"In 1968, Pyrex Store 'N' See ware, designed by R. Greer, Allan Samuels and S. Balbach of Corning staff, was introduced by Corning Glass Works.

"The same year, Corning also introduced a "Counter-that-Cooks" electric range made with a Pyroceram cooking surface, designed by Corning staff designer Jerry E. Wright. Under the smooth glass surface were four unseen heating elements. With it, Corning provided a set of Cookmates, special pots with ground and polished bottoms to assure perfect contact with the heat source. The product line was refined into "3 plus 1" cooktops, which enabled ordinary pots and pans to be used, and in 1976 was sold to Amana. By the 1990s, all major manufacturers had a similar black "glass-top" range.

OK, I finally remembered to look under the handles of my corning ware. I looked at every piece I had and not one of them says range oven OR microwave. They actually do say Corningware under the handle, but nothing else. Oh well!

My mom gave me some of her old corningware with the blue flowers when I moved into my first apartment. In 1998 when I bought my first place & remodeled my kitchen I got a smooth top range. I have used the corningware a couple of times on it, and even though it doesn't have a flat bottom it seemed to work fine. I don't know if it took longer than my other pots to heat up though.

Check garage sales and farm auctions. Why is it when a good product is made, and everyone gets use to it, the company stops making the product and makes something NEW.
Tupperware for example--love the older stuff, not impressed with new
Again, farm auctions

I have a lot of it, too, that just sits in my cabinets. My husband keeps telling me to get rid of it. I guess I should ask my friends to see if anyone wants any of it.
I got all mine because a relative works at Corning and got a good discount. Hence, we got Corningware for Christmas!

I had a set of those Visions pans. They were terrible. Everything stuck to the bottom. I got rid of those!

Hi,

I know a kitchenware store in calgary, Canada and they carry those corningware square cassarole dishes that are stove top safe. they have got the plain white and in Rosemarie pattern. Plain white are available in all sizes.
If you have any question you can contact me at gkm@yahoo.com

If you check KMart, Corningware released 2 sets in the past year of stovetop-safe dishes under the Martha Stewart Living label, just like the old Corningware we used to love. One was a 5 piece set of smaller (1 1/2 qt. and smaller) square dishes, and another set was a large lasagna-type pan in an insulated carrier. The dishes themselves are totally white with no pattern, and green lids with the Martha logo stamped in the center. We have a Corningware outlet at our mall, and they had a bunch of these sets there as well. The box states in several places that it is the original Corningware "formula" of Pyroceram.

I love my (old-style) Corningware. It's so versatile. We often make meals ahead, freeze them in it, then move them straight from freezer to stovetop or oven. I have several pieces bought right before they changed from the Pyroceram formula, and they do not say "oven stovetop broiler" under the handles, but are the same kind. Some of my older pieces from my mom do say that though -- I wanted to post this for the person above who said hers don't have it.

Your best bet is to search on Ebay and try to match up your pattern to one known as being "old enough" to be a stovetop-safe kind. Anything "Spice of Life" (cornucopia with vegetables and spices on it) is stovetop safe.

I just found this thread because I was dumbfounded when I saw "not for cooktop use" on the corningware I was about to buy last weekend! My corningware is only 5-6 years old and is find for the cooktop.

Upon closer examination, the new stuff in the store does not have a flat bottom, there's a little rough ridge all the way around. I did not buy this new version! Guess I'll start going to garage sales. :(

We have a Corning Factory outlet near us on Cape Cod. I imagine there are others around as well.

I am looking for a pattern that shows a little basket on the side with blue flowers and a few pink ones. My set is about 15 years old.............I broke one of the casserole dishes and can't find the pattern again. I would appreciate any help.
Thank you.

Hi ! I have been searching for the Corningware 5 Qt. Blue Cornflower Casserole w/lid for a while now.

Someone actually stole it from a pot luck dinner at a club we went to... can you believe it ?

It belonged to my grand-mother and had sentimental value to me as well.

If anyone has the 5 qt. they want to sell, please let me know.

Thanks, Tim

I saw quite a few different open stock designs of Corningware last week at Shopko.

I see the old corning ware at thrift stores quite often, some of it is new, not a scratch or burn mark on it. I have added to our collection over the yrs. for a very reasonable price, and use it often. Has anyone ever had a piece of the square ones break? I know a lot of people who have corning ware cookware, and no one has had any problems with breaking. I have not had any break, so this must be a great quality glass.
Darlene

I am moving and have a FREE Corningware range skillet. I will be glad to send to any Garden Web member; you pay only packaging & postage. It is one very cute corningware skillet type (round, 6.5 in. across, 1.5 in deep, one 3.5 in. handle). I have no digital camera so I'll describe in detail: It is white with Le Persil logo (tan mushroom on right, red pepper in center). On bottom: Corning Ware, 6.5 in., range, oven, microwave, corning, NY usa .478 MA. On the top edge of the rim there are three silver scratches about 1/8 in wide and 1 inch long...just on the top edge. They look like what you would expect from storing with pans on top or scrape on metal sink. I was not able to remove them with a general cleaning. The bottom, and cooking surfaces are clean and smooth, like new. Please contact me by July 18th, if you are interested by direct mail to SuzanneHJ@sprycat.com and I'll email you back after I get packing/mail fees. I will wait 24 hours for the original posting member to contact me and if she/he does not, I will pick the first email note from other member of this message board. I joined this site, so that I could offer this to you before I move, so if you would like it please email me. I have no business and will make no money off this...just trying to do something nice for member. /Suzanne (SuzanneHJ@sprycat.com)

I asked the question "Why can't I find the old fashioned Corning Ware" at one of the outlet stores and was given this answer:
The process of manufacturing Corning Ware put off a noxious byproduct; when it was discovered that the public would purchase French White--which also goes from freezer to table (although not the same as the old Corning Ware) the company phased out the old product and replaced it with more updated products.
Corell plates and French White cookware are made of a very different material than the Corning Ware therefore do not harm the environment when manufactured.
(Never mind that you cannot cook with French White on the cooktop the way you could with the Corning Ware!--I just hope mine never breaks!!!)

Whoops! I've been using the French White round ones on my stovetop for years--especially for rice. (Yes I know it says not to but didn't know it was different material.) So far so good, but maybe I'm pushing my luck. Sandy

Stove Top Safe Corningware is available at Home World 2929 Sunridge Way N.E. Calgary AB.(403)451-0650
They are available in sets and open stock

I'd like to know what happened to Corningware slow-cookers.
I bought one a few years ago from QVC and love it since it was the only "new" crockpot I could find that didn't cook too hot/fast. So many of my friends and family wanted to purchase one on my recommendation but they're no longer available. Calling the company was useless. They knew nothing.
Monica

" * Posted by pratzert (My Page) on
Fri, Jul 7, 06 at 10:18

Hi ! I have been searching for the Corningware 5 Qt. Blue Cornflower Casserole w/lid for a while now.

Someone actually stole it from a pot luck dinner at a club we went to... can you believe it ?

It belonged to my grand-mother and had sentimental value to me as well.

If anyone has the 5 qt. they want to sell, please let me know.

Thanks, Tim"

Try Replacements.com I'll post a link. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Replacements Cornflower link

Interesting thread!

I could have written WWS944's first post. My mom also had one of the original Corning cooktops -- she took very good care of it, and had all the flat bottom cookware for it. I wonder if I can use it on my new Electrolux glasstop? I'm going to call Electrolux CS and ask.

I married in 1963 and got a lot of CW for wedding gifts -- I ended up with all my mom's and my MIL's as well, so I have a ton of it. I'll be sharing it with my daughters. I, too, love the original stuff.

They are making it again! Visit World Kitchens site--they are calling it pyroceram. Only in 2 sizes & wait till you see the prices! Take good care of your own.

Good news, it's back! Check out this website: http://www.shopworldkitchen.com/corningware/stovetop

Even if you're unsure whether to use something on a stovetop, buying a heat diffuser (heat tamer) may be the answer. You can use all kinds of cookware with one of these.

Seems to me that some years (decades??) ago Corning
had a major recall on their stove-top coffee
percolators.

HELLO OUT THERE, I WAS CLEANING AND I CAME ACROSS AN UNOPENED BOX OF SPICE O LIFE 6 PIECE KITCHEN STARTER KIT, STILL WITH THE KMART TAG ON THE BOX, LOL, THIS BOX INCLUDES CASSEROLE COOKWARE. DOES ANY ONE KNOW THE VALUE OF THESE?

I'm a divorced man who lives alone, and just learned about pyroceram Corning Ware last week. The blue cornflower goes with the dishes, and my sauce pans are badly stained from burning beans, soup, etc., so I have bought several pieces of vintage Cornflower. Is it safe to throw out the metal pans and just use the vintage Cornflower for routine cooking?

Thanks in advance for your reply/replies.

Merrill

I realize this thread is older than dirt but please realize that there is a difference between stove top corning and the kind only used in the microwave and oven. DO NOT try putting regular ol' corning dishes onto a burn, it will burst into 100 million pieces!

In answer to merrill, do not toss your metal pans and do not use vintage corningware on the stove top unless it specifically says stamped on the dish that it's for use on the stove top!

OOOPS, burn is supposed to be BURNER. ACK...

I just thought I would share this info for others who are wondering about how to identify which Corningware pieces are safe to use where. I was concerned about one piece of Corningware my "newish" husband had stowed in a cabinet, so I wrote to customer service at WorldKitchen LLC,. I wanted to use it on the stovetop, then transfer to oven, but the only information printed on it was "Corningware" and the size.

It took almost a week to hear from WorldKitchen, but here is the reply I received:

"Please be advised that any Corningware piece made of pyroceram is stovetop safe. If the bottom of the dish is complete smooth and glazed white, it is made of pyroceram. The newer line of French White is made of stoneware, will have a unglazed raised rim around the bottom and will be printed with "No Stovetop, No Broiler". The stovetop safe pieces can be used on any type of range, gas, smooth top or electric, without using a diffuser. We hope this is helpful."

You decide what you are comfortable with, but this is straight from WorldKitchen on Oct. 21, 2011.

Sadly it was recently announced that Corning will be closing November. The reason for the explosions is the original formula was changed (buy new buyers of company wehn Corning sold it off) somewhat causing the corning ware to shatter or explode and was no longer as the original where it was safe to bring from freezer to microwave etc. If you find any pieces they most likely will be on Ebay or some flea market. Sadly another era bites the dust. I love corningware. (blue flower and french white cookware) The Musuem in Corning will stay open.

Unless I'm mistaken, not all the blue cornflower is safe for stovetop. I have a few old pyroceram dishes, and they all say on the bottom 'range oven or microwave'. I've gotten these at thrift/junk shops for a few bucks. They still work fine, but I don't buy it if it doesn't specifically say that it's safe for stovetop.

Sadly, the Corning plant closing means no more Steuben glass. Not that I could afford it, anyway, but it's sad when an icon of American craftmanship goes under.

On my counter is a set in corningware counter saver warming tray. It heats up and has a special spot for a coffee pot to get extra hot. I believe this is from the early 70's. I LOVE the unit but the two dials have disintegrated. I've looked all over for dials that would fit without any luck. They are only about 1/2 in high and an inch and a half wide,they have the standard round prong with one flat side that connects to the unit. Does anyone have any idea where I can find replacements? I've already tried corning etc etc. Thank you for your help.:O)

I also need a new dial. I need the lower dial not the one next to the hotspot. Were you able to find one?

I had a set of smaller Corning ware 1/2 quart and 1 quart that I used for over 15 years and one day I broke the glass cover accidental falling on the floor. All the newer cookware comes either with no cover or with a plastic lid! And they only have it in large size too! The size I wanted does not exist in Corning Ware anymore! After doing alot of research; I end up buy online from an Italian Cookware company that made the right size and had a glass top and you could do baking, microwaving, etc...

Harry...Thrift stores often have tons of Corning and single lids. Its a good place to shop for Corning.

I have never used my Corningware on the stove burner, but would be lost without it.

So for all of you out there who own it, especially with glass lids, hang onto it.

However, I came across the following link for all types of Corning and also replacement lids:

Corningware site

I have almost the entire set of French White and have used it on top of the stove many, many times, where ever did that idea come from that you can't? Oh, of course maybe they changed the newer line, but mine can definitely be used on stove top, oven, microwave to table.

I believe on the paperwork included with French White it says oven/microwave. Only corning ware marked range/oven/microwave can be used on the stovetop.

Well, I have no professional expertise, but I doubt that dnaleri2 is correct about only marked items being safe for stovetop use. We could go back to the Oct 21, 2011 post above that all 'flat' smooth corning ware is OK. I have several versions of the square units with various markings. My first point is that all are smooth white on the bottom, but some have a very slight raised (still smooth) outer rim. However, some are completely smooth on the bottom.

My most important point supporting general stovetop use is that Corning sold two clip on handles to go over one of the hand holds at the side of most units. One was for the small (~5") P-41 PETITE PAN and the other was for the common size pans. Obviously, this turned the dishes into sauce pans etc for stove use. All my dishes have essentially the same shape hand holds that can be gripped by the clip on handle. It seems unlikely that Corning would not modify the shape to prevent the handle use if newer or different non-stovetop formulations were designed.

I have looked at the bottoms of all my Corning Ware. Some specifically say RANGE - OVEN - MICROWAVE, others say FOR RANGE & MICROWAVE, and others say nothing. My P-41 PETITE PANs say nothing, but they came with that handle. I have three regular blue corn flower units, all in exactly the same shape: the P-1-B says nothing, the P-1 3/4-B says For Range & Microwave and presumably the oldest 2 1/2 QT unit (no P- designation) only says PYROCERAM.

My guess is that newer units don't say anything due to our more litigious society.

I agree with the poster above. Not all were marked with range top. The reason I say to only use on range top if it is marked is because there are some that can not be used on the range top, for instance French White is not to go on range top. I was just using an abundance of caution. I did not want anyone to get hurt. The best way to find out for sure would be to contact corning and give them any identifying markings on your corning and let them tell you if it was okay.

Not sure why these have been discontinued. The best I can find for the 5 quart size which is the most useful for cooking casseroles, whole chickens, potatoes, anything. You cannot find a new one. Used ones are $140? WTF? Best baking dish ever. What happened? Internet doesn't seem to know.