Step-Up · Glass food storage
Glass storage: are latching lids worth it?
Pyrex Simply Store against Rubbermaid Brilliance Glass, 18 pieces each. The glass is similar; the lids are not.
Save if containers stay in the fridge. Spend if they travel in bags or hold soup.
Updated · First published.
Pyrex Simply Store Glass Set, 18 Pieces
Tempered glass with snap-on plastic lids. Good for the fridge, not for your bag.
- Pieces
- 9 containers, 9 lids
- Sizes
- 1 to 7 cups
- Total capacity
- 30 cups (listed)
- Glass
- Tempered
- Lids
- BPA-free plastic, press-on
- Warranty
- 2 years limited (listed)
Rubbermaid Brilliance Glass Set, 18 Pieces
Glass bases with clear latching lids that seal. The lid is what you are paying for.
- Pieces
- 9 containers, 9 lids
- Total capacity
- About 28 cups (listed)
- Lids
- Latching, airtight, leak-proof (listed)
- Oven-safe
- Glass bases to 450°F (listed)
- Care
- Dishwasher-safe, lids on top rack
What the extra money buys
| Line | Base | Step-up |
|---|---|---|
| Pieces | 9 + 9 lids | 9 + 9 lids |
| Lid type | Press-on plastic | Latching, clear |
| Seal | Leak-resistant | Airtight, leak-proof |
| Microwave | Yes | Yes, lid vented |
| Oven | Not on listing | Bases to 450°F |
Spend if
- You carry lunch or leftovers in a bag.
- You store soups, sauces or anything liquid.
- You want one stackable family of lids.
Save if
- Containers live on a fridge shelf.
- You mostly store solid leftovers.
- A mix of round and rectangular shapes doesn't bother you.
The trade-offs
Glass is glass: both sets resist stains and smells and survive the dishwasher. The real difference is the lid. Pyrex's press-on lids hold well enough upright in a fridge but are sold as leak-resistant, not leak-proof. Rubbermaid's latching lids clamp down and are sold as leak-proof.
Lids are also what fails first. Press-on lids loosen and split at the edges over time; latching lids have hinges that can snap. Either way, check that replacement lids are sold separately, and favour a set whose lids fit across sizes. It saves a drawer full of orphans.
Listing checks before you buy
- Whether lids latch, press on or screw on, and how the maker describes leaks.
- Container sizes in cups, and how many of each.
- Microwave and oven limits for the glass and the lid separately.
- Whether replacement lids are sold.
Red flags
- Glass sets with no mention of tempered or borosilicate glass.
- Leak-proof claims on lids that only press on.
Product facts checked on October 30, 2026. Advice is research-based: we read makers' specifications and warranty terms rather than using the products ourselves.