Corelle: They Only Make It Look Unbreakable*
Corning Glass Works introduced Corelle dinnerware over 35 years ago. It became popular because of its durability and colorful patterns.
Today, the often forgotten brand is being rejuvenated with a clever, new advertising campaign.
In their latest TV commercial, the company has created a fashion show with top models, each carrying a different Corelle patterned plate. And to show that the plates are “still as durable as ever, we greased the runway.” [Aired October 22, 2006]
As the first model walks down the slippery runway, predictably she falls, the plate goes flying in the air, and crashes down onto the hard runway surface — and is completely unharmed.
*MOUSE PRINT: That fine print disclaimer on screen reads: “Corelle Ultrelle glass dinnerware is durable but may break if dropped or struck. Warranty details available in store or [online].”
So, like those car commercials depicting wild offroad use, the message is don’t try this at home.And if you do, the warranty may not cover you, because it requires that you follow the use and care instructions:
DO NOT abuse by dropping or hitting against a hard object.
SHOULD ANY ITEM BE MISUSED IN ANY MANNER AS STATED ABOVE, DISCONTINUE USE AS DAMAGED ITEMS MAY BREAK WITHOUT WARNING.
I have used Corelle dinner plates for over 30 years and haven’t broken a plate yet but… I take care of it as if it were breakable. They have survived a few hard bangs and a drop on the floor a time or 2. They also can chip. Somewhere along the way, the human being needs to use an antiquated resource called Common Sense. Glass is glass is glass and glass breaks. Corelle makes a very good product.
Comment by Patti — January 1, 2007 @ 12:36 pmIf you grease a runway you would probably not only break a plate but a bone. Nothing really misleading here just a funny commercial.
Comment by island — January 1, 2007 @ 2:15 pmThey will break if they hit a concrete floor on their edge. When they do, they splinter into thousands of pieces. But I love them!
Comment by Gayle — January 1, 2007 @ 11:51 pmAgreed that common sense would tell us that a glass plate can indeed break, especially if dropped to the floor.
But I agree with the author of the posting… Why show the product intentionally being used/abused when it could indeed break and likely violates the warranty? Yes, they have a disclaimer… But again, WHY?
It reminds me of the car (truck) commercial where the meteor comes down and hits it (yet the truck is still running strong)… Or the Jeep commercial where they are in the ocean looking thru the sunroof like it is an aquarium…
I would like to believe people have enough common sense to realize this is not do-able (even without a disclaimer), but it is also a bit ridiculous…
Comment by Patrick — January 2, 2007 @ 1:50 amI am STILL using Corelle in the Blue Snowflake pattern. I think it was the first pattern produced. Yes, the pieces will shatter into hundreds of tiny shards occasionally when dropped, but more often than not they survive intact. I have wondered if years of microwaving can be a factor in the “shattering into tiny shards” when dropped scenario. Does age cause brittleness? Does nuking contribute to brittleness?
Comment by jradgas — January 2, 2007 @ 1:57 pmIt’s a comercial people! Lighten up!!! Quite simply, Corelle is the most durable dinnerware avaialable at a reasonable price and available in a wide variety of patterns. I have dropped Corelle plates on ceramic tile floors from counter height that have survived unscathed. I have also dropped Corelle plates on ceramic tile floors from counter height (and lower) that have shattered into hundreds of pieces. The point is this, for everyday dinnerware needs Corelle holds up better than just about any other product out there. ANYONE whoe seriously thinks you should be able to use Corelle dinnerware to hammer a railroad spike into steel reinforced concrete is an idiot.
Comment by Shawn — January 2, 2007 @ 4:18 pmCorelle can be handled with kid gloves like delicate china and still break.
Comment by L. Weight — January 2, 2007 @ 4:56 pmMy mother had Corelle and, because she did not have a dishwasher or
microwave and never put it in the oven, it was treated VERY gently.
But it still shattered into thousands of tiny sharp splinters when
dropped, even on a linoleum floor with a plywood subfloor (not just
concrete). For an elderly person cleaning up the resultant mess
(it “explodes” and pieces travel all over the place)is very difficult and
splinters keep appearing for weeks afterward, making walking barefoot
in the area impossible. I would never, ever buy Corelle after seeing
what it did. For the company to show and advertise that it can
withstand dropping is approaching fraud. For those posters who brag
that they have had it for many years without breaking a piece, and
who advise others to “lighten up”, I say, congratulations on your
luck so far, but watch out when one does break. If a small child or
a pet is in the vicinity you could have a tragedy.
L. Wieght, the advertisement does not in anyway “approach” fraud. It does not say anywhere that it can survive a drop. It’s like those Axe and Tag Body Spray commercials; those products do not actually cause what the commercial depicts, but you might be one to believe that too. You had a bad experience with it and no one expects you to purchase another one. And you only had ONE break out of how many? You seem more upset at that that and taking a single experience to judge everything.
Comment by island — January 3, 2007 @ 3:19 amLIGHTEN UP!!!!
Comment by Shawn — January 3, 2007 @ 11:55 amThe fact that they show the plate dropping and then call dropping a plate abuse in their warranty is the issue, and I think that it is misleading. If they did something truely outrageous like attacking the plate with a flamethrower, then you could say that the commercial was parody, but the fact is that the commercial looks like it claims that the plate can withstand a fall and then the company does not stand by that claim. That is the difference with the Toyota commercial; you knew that the Toyota cannot really withstand a meteor, but here you only know that the plate cannot really withstand a fall unless you drop it.
Comment by John — January 3, 2007 @ 2:09 pmIn the warranty it states “DO NOT abuse by dropping.” It does not state that dropping the plate IS abuse. I have broken Corelle plates by accidentally dropping them and each time Corelle has stood behind their warranty and replaced the product. I have never ABUSED my Corelle dinnerware by repeatedlly dropping it just to test its limits.
Comment by Shawn — January 4, 2007 @ 9:35 amCorelle’s profits go up if consumers believe their product is durable, i.e., does not break. The point of the commercial is to promote the belief Correlle is unbreakable. Anyone watching this commercial could reasonably think Corelle does not break when dropped.
In fact, Corelle does break when dropped. Apparently, Corelle even breaks with normal use. The manufacturer defines “abuse” and “misuse” as “dropping or hitting against a hard object” in “any manner.” Presumably, the term “any manner” includes normal everyday use, as it is nearly impossible to use dishes without the occasional bump against a hard surface.
Yes, consumers should employ common sense and not use Corelle plates for things like, say, target practice. However, this company’s intentionally misleading commercial could harm someone who reasonably relied upon the commercial when purchasing the product, only to be injured when the product shattered “without warning” from the “abuse” of normal everyday use.
Companies like Corelle get away with these misleading commercials because too many folks say “lighten up!”
Comment by Suzy — January 4, 2007 @ 2:05 pmYou know, I can’t get a hot cup of coffee from McDonald’s now becuase of consumers like yourself.
The commercial in no way states or implies that Corelle is indestructible. In fact, their plates can be dropped and not break – I witnessed this myself. Anyone who draws the conclusion from this commercial that Corelle is indestructible is not cpable or a single reasonble thought.
Comment by Shawn — January 5, 2007 @ 1:38 pmWell, it doesn’t really matter what anyone says, including me, you won’t be able to sue Corelle for this “false advertisement.”
Comment by island — January 5, 2007 @ 4:09 pmWow…some of you need to lighten up, for people who have never used their plates before, the commercial makes it sound like it’s not made out of glass, but out of something else that doesn’t break if you drop it, that’s all. When I saw it I had no idea that it was made out of glass, when you say “plate” it’s kind of a generic term, so it could be made out of anything. But I am guy, so I really don’t look at my plate and wonder what its made out of, I’ll just stick with the paper plates.
Comment by G-Money — January 7, 2007 @ 2:03 amI loved Corelle until a plate accidentally dropped on my cement driveway from a height of three feet. To say they “break” is a misnomer. They explode into razor sharp slivers, unlike a traditional ceramic style plate that might break into three or four pieces. I had shards of glass all over my barbeque grill and on our food. Lighten up? When it happens to you, you’ll be horrified! I filed a complaint with the Consumer Product Safety Commission and I’m betting they’ve gotten tons of others over the past 30 years. They troubling thing is the company knows its products “breaks” like this — why would they even underscore the fact that you can drop them. You can, but if you’re unlucky, it might be the last plate you ever drop. DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!
Comment by jacob espinoza — January 8, 2007 @ 2:24 pmI have been and remain skeptical of the use of humor in commericial endeavors. The objection is one of context. There is nothing wrong with laughing at a comedy club. But laughing at a commerical I think is a little bit dangerous. It’s like jokes about the recent hanging of Saddam or racial jokes; I don’t find them funny at all. I realize why advertisers make jokes and I understand that humor can drive sales. But I also believe that the truth has a place in human society as well. A good commerical relationship is built on trust. And trust is not advanced by making a statement and then in the fine print going “just kidding”. Sorry if I am so sober today.
Did you hear the one about the Pope, his drug pusher, and the child porn producer? No, its really funny!!!
Comment by Daniel — January 9, 2007 @ 2:31 pmNot sure where I stand on this, but I remember as a kid when we got the “lifetime warrantee” boxes they included a coupon to send in if one of the dished broke. We had to do this a few times. We had a standard bowl break (shatter as indicated) and they sent back a small bowl. Another time we never heard from them. And, of course, the replacement bowl didn’t include another coupon so it seemed that only the broken item had a lifetime warrantee, not it’s replacement.
The products are good, but potentially dangerous. Years later I checked them out in a warehouse store and noticed that they seemed a bit pricey to me so I went for cheaper, nicer products that have only lasted 12 years for 1/3 the price. (OK, a few of the ceramic ones have small chips on the edge and should be replaced, but they’re fine for some things until I get around to finding some new ones that will last 10 more years.)
–
Comment by RS — January 11, 2007 @ 12:18 amAs for the microwaving, I wonder if the heating of the plate may cause the defects to melt and make them stronger … just a thought, maybe not.
Typical for a company to make an ad that directly conflicts with the actual truth of the product. Could we just get a law that requires advertisers to tell the truth. What’s wrong with saying “They are pretty strong, but they can be broken. They are typically stronger than x, y, and z products.”
Why does it always have to be some lofty unreal story with only the fine print to keep them out of court?
Law makers – help us.
By the way, does anyone know how to get this comment edit box to size correctly and stop running out of view while typing?
Thanks.
EDGAR REPLIES: There is a bug in IE6/Wordpress that causes this. When you upgrade your browser to IE7, the problem will be resolved. Sorry the current inconvenience.
Comment by Indiana — January 19, 2007 @ 10:24 amI dropped a bowl tonight. I called my husband into the kitchen because I thought he would not believe the thousands of pieces from the shattered bowl. I could understand if Corelle broke into thousands of pieces of safety glass, but this was anything but safe. The shards were incredibly sharp. It took us almost an hour to completely clean the kitchen Our Saturday night was ruined. I am more than 50 years old, so have more than 25 years of experience cooking and I have broken dishes before, but I have ***never, ever*** seen anything like this before.
I did *not* abuse bowl; I just dropped it on a linoleum floor (over plywood) — a relatively soft surface. I already wrote to Corelle about this and will see what they say.
Comment by B. English — February 3, 2007 @ 10:40 pmI’ve been using Corelle for years. And yes you do occasionally chip or break a dish here and there. But they have a great warranty. Every time I break one (which has only been about 2 or 3 over 10 years) I put the pieces in a box, mail them back to the company, and they mail you another one! In my case they stopped making my pattern so they mailed me a gift check for a replacement.
Comment by Thrifty Lady — February 14, 2007 @ 7:50 pmI have used Corelle Dinnerware for so many years I lost count. Yes it does break on occasion but is is so very durable that I can’t imagine life without it especially now that I have arthritus in my hands. It is so much lighter than even my good china. I wouldn’t give it up for anything!
Comment by Susan A. Marquez — February 15, 2007 @ 2:28 pmThanks Corelle!!!
The older dishes of the 70s were stronger, and I had dropped them at times with no problem. I used to warm mine in the microwave for a min or less during the winter. Bought a new design about five years ago and did the same, till one day a stack removed burst into chunks and slivers all over my counter.
Comment by Cathe — February 17, 2007 @ 12:42 pmWell, i think that they had a good comercial! BUT, they shouldnt try to trick u lik tht.
Comment by JoJo — February 18, 2007 @ 8:13 pmWe use Corelle and have for decades. I’ve dropped them a lot more times with no ill effect but… drop it just right (or wrong) as it were, and they explode with the effect of a bomb. Millions of particles, fragments and deadly shards all over the place, over a good distance. It’s quite scary when one goes off on you.
Comment by Kevin — February 21, 2007 @ 1:39 amI came to this forum while trying to find how to contact Corelle about a bowl that broke last night. Have not found the contact information yet, but after reading the comments posted I will say that the bowl in question was sitting in the dish rack after being washed. We heard a loud crack, looked around and found the bowl broken into three large parts. It certainly was not abused in any way, just self-destructed. The noise was so loud we thought the window had cracked. Also, I thought the commercial was simply stupid. Why show anything that has to have a disclaimer? That doesn’t seem to be good business.
Comment by Argie — February 22, 2007 @ 2:45 pmApparently you are all too young to remember the original “CorelleWare” commercial from Corning Glass – live on Johnny Carson. Johnny sang the praises (“…looks, rings and feels like fine china etc..) and banged a plate a few times on his desk. Then he tossed the plate across the stage like a Frisbee. It shattered. A shocked Johnny looked at the camera and said “I guess we just lost that sponsor” and we all had a good laugh. Corning, in the spirit of their warranty, sent him a new plate about two weeks later. He explained the situation, banged the new plate and sent it sailing – and again, the plate shattered. Johnny looked shocked as only Johnny could and we had an even bigger laugh.
Having said that, we have used Corning- Corelle factory seconds (we live near Corning) for over 25 years. They may be blemished or a little out of round, but the price is right. Through 3 kids, scads of entertaining, many reheated dinners in the oven and microwave, dishwashing by hand, camping trips, dishwashing in a machine, etc – we have only broken two or three plates, and maybe two bowls. Heck, the fine “stoneware” set we got as a wedding gift in 1979 didn’t last two years – and yes, Correlle does look and feel like fine china.
Comment by S Nagle — March 7, 2007 @ 3:12 pmAll I can say is : Corelle products are very good and durable.
Comment by blairmckenney — March 7, 2007 @ 4:31 pmMy last set was over 25 years old and was still in very good condition.
ndition.I opted for a new winter frost set , because of all the
extra pieces that are available today.
In my view Corelle has achieved the status of “Americana”. We have lived with some products for so long they have become just part of being an American.
So most people have probably dropped a Corelle plate & it didn’t break and they probably have dropped a Corelle plate & it DID break.
If you drop a regular plate it WILL break.
So Corelle is less likely to break.
For that feature, do you want to buy some or not?
So my goodness, we all know it CAN break.
Hasn’t Corelle earned the right yet to emphasize their durability in a cute commercial without people SOMEHOW not understanding that they CAN break?
Like Coca Cola– they do not need to explain in their commercials what “cola flavor” is. We all just know.
I have some Corelle plates that I’ve had for years AND ONE OF THEIR BEST FEATURES IS HOW LITTLE SPACE THEY TAKE UP IN THE CUPBOARD and dishwasher COMPARED TO STONEWARE. Besides Stoneware seems a little bit “ugly 70s” to me. I remember all the natural pottery looks. blehkk.
Corelle has all these great new designs, is lightweight too.
And P.S. nearly anything you break is a big hassle to clean up. Glass & ceramic, etc. shards fly everywhere not matter what you break.
Comment by Lena — March 11, 2007 @ 11:37 amsimply put, Corelle is the best!
Comment by Laura — March 13, 2007 @ 11:16 pmover the years i have broken a few.
yes, they did shatter into a million little pieces,
but, the company has a “no hassle” return policy.
i sent them a few pieces, and got a new plate/bowl in return.
no questions asked!
who needs overpriced “special occasion” china
when Corelle is so durable, appealing to use, and easy to clean.
i am on my third pattern. my mom and sister have my hand me downs!
My children had finished eating.
Comment by Rachel — April 9, 2007 @ 8:22 pmTheir empty dish, which had held pear slices (not something from the oven or freezer) sat on the table one minute.
The next minute the bowl spontaneously exploded. Luckily none of my kids were nearby to get hit by the flying shards which littered my kitchen. While they have survived several toddler drops onto my wood floor, I am very scared by the unpredictable spontaneous exploding possibility. I am tempted to get rid of my whole set.
If anyone in the South Bend, Indiana area wants to get rid of their Corelle dishes, we could use them at St. Margaret’s House. We had an accident today and an entire dish tray of them fell out of the dishwasher. Yes, a million pieces, in and out of the dishwasher, but we like how thin and light the plates are.
Comment by Danica Duensing — May 22, 2007 @ 3:35 pmI’ve had a set for about 15 years and last year I realized that they are in fact breakable after my toddler son dropped a saucer on to the ceramic tile. It shattered into small and tiny shards and I felt I had to wash out a nearby rug. Still, that was the only time that ever happened after many uses and drops. I’m going to buy two more sets in a new design, figuring the benefits far outweigh whatever risk…the ‘spontaneous exploding’ just seems too hard to believe. I just love these dishes.
Comment by Gina — May 22, 2007 @ 10:47 pmThis is actually a really good product, but as it is human made, it is likely breakable, albeit difficult to do.
Likely, due to some frivolous lawsuit, they are now obligated to the disclaimer rather than the other way round.
Comment by Arigato — June 25, 2007 @ 6:54 pmCorelle is a great product. And though I have now had two bowls spontaneously explode in the night, for no apparent reason, I’m chalking it up simply to their age. They are from the late 70′s/early 80′s and have been through alot. They will not loose me as a customer just because I have had to sweep up a million shards of glass (yes all those claims of them exploding into millions of pieces is very true). It’s not their fault, it’s just the nature of the product. While it is definitely more durable during every day use, when it breaks, it breaks, just like anything else made of glass. Ever dropped a lightbulb? No further comment.
Comment by Mike — August 22, 2007 @ 9:18 amBowl of fruit falls from counter top and breaks in a hundred pieces I had never seen this before. I will say though if it breaks then why in so many pieces after all if is not supposed to break ok. I know it can happen but for the sake of safety and family why in a hundred pieces with small splinters. This is exactly what we don’t want. If those who want to say it is common sense and get defending and company who had a commercial of false claim go ahead. I just want one thing, if it must break then at least not in splinters. That is the worst possible way that it can break.
Comment by Michael — September 23, 2007 @ 12:17 amI totally agree with how dangerous these plates are. When I dropped a smaller plate on the counter from the cabinet it shattered into a thousand little pieces all over the counter, floor and flew across the room as far as 12 feet away. The broken hards are like little razors and are very difficult to see. It is very likely that these could fly into ones eye and cause serious damage or at least require a trip to the doctor to have it removed from the eyeball – yeesh, sounds very painfull. I am thinking of getting rid of these and replacing them with regular ceramic plates that don’t break into so many little pieces and “literally” explode all over the place from impact. I agree their should be a recall or at least a warning on these. The ironic thing is that on the back of the plate it says break and chip resistant, but if anything they break easier than glass or ceramic plates I have had. Even though it might be rare for one to drop or brake a plate, when it does happen it could cause serious injury if toddlers, little children, older people, or the disabled are nearby and step on the pieces. It took me like a whole hour to decontaminate the kitchen and then even later on I found a shard of glass on the rug, leading to the living room even though I made a point of not walking into the other room until I swept and vacummed the kitchen. The shards are very scary looking like they could penetrate an artery!
Comment by Brien — September 23, 2007 @ 2:56 pmI have used “Correll” for the past 16 yrs in the home, yes I have shattered many by leaving them on a hot burner by mistake! My fault.
Comment by Hilary Flower — October 19, 2007 @ 10:49 pmThis instance is worth a mention as I believe it has caused the death of one of my dogs! I took chicken out to the kennel in a “correll” dish, put it on the shelf, one of my dogs knocked it off & the dish shatterd into thousands of pieces, the dog ate the chicken with probably hundreds of shattered pieces of the dish. I had to have her put down today. Very sad, Please be careful of these dishes around pets.
lesson: I will not use these dishes for pet food again!
Hilary
Two correlle plates shattered in the corner of my kitchen counter when something dropped on them. I picked up the larger pieces first. The shattered pieces were too many and too small to pick up. So I tried to wipe them up with a damp cloth. (I’m in a wheelchair, my face is just above the edge of the counter tops so I’m sorta wiping directly toward my face.) I didn’t see the sparkling glint of the tiny slivers until it was too late. I swear some of them were floating in the air. Now I have a sore throat and I wonder what I breathed in. Sorta spooky. I wonder if they are micro cuts. I wonder if there are flecks embedded. This is scary stuff.
Comment by Karen Johnson — October 26, 2007 @ 3:13 amFor those who are complaining about the plates breaking – these are made of GLASS. If you expect your dinnerware to not break, try “stainless steel” plates – you can get them in stores like Target.
For those are are complaining about cleanup required after plates “exploding” – did you try using a vacuum cleaner?
For me – these are the nicest most reliable dinnerware I can find. Show me another one – ANY PRICE!
Comment by Roger — October 29, 2007 @ 3:25 pmI have just sent my corelle to the dump and replaced it with another brand. I bought two sets of Elegant Rose + 6 extra plates 6 years ago. The glazing wore off the edges of the plates and shed tiny little shards into my fingers when I used them! The flat surfaces of the dishes look perfectbut the edges are devoid of shine and are rough looking. Corelle said I should have used a different brand of dishwasher detergent – not their problem. I estimate these dishes have had an average of 300 washes over those 6 years. A large family would have done that in a year. If the detergent was too harsh I believe my 20 year old glasses would be showing some sign of etching – not so. These dishes have been stored flat and handled carefully.
I am taking my chances with breaking real glass dishes rather than eating my lunch with a pair of tweezers in my hand to pick the splinters out of my fingers!
Comment by M Johnston — November 25, 2007 @ 12:49 pmCorelle dinnerware does spontaneously explode as we have witnessed first hand. After 7 years of reliable, carefree service, we have had 3 dinner plates explode, one per year over the last 3 years. We have observed that plates are particularly vulnerable after being ‘warmed’ a bit, usually by placing them near, not on, a warm cooking area or in the dishwasher. This uneven warming action seems to cause exploding when hot food is then placed on the center of a pre-warmed plate. Our practice, after experiencing this dangerous phenomenon, is to never pre-warm the plates and not place hot circular food (such as hotcakes) dead center on the plate but rather, arranged across the plate. Weird, huh?
Comment by Tessa — November 27, 2007 @ 11:15 pmTHIS IS MESSING UP>>>HAHAHA…I am 63, have gone through loads of dishes, plastic, melmac (my mother’s)beautiful Irish Beleek China, lead crystal (before they warned us of leaching) and of course CORELLE. I had the plain white set for years, dressed it up with colorful other dishes and foods. I now have several different pieces, I have shattered many, especially the bigger bowls, and also have the heavier corning pieces. whoever gets the purple dish has to say something nice about/to everyone at the table. I addition, I sometimes use paper plate on top of the on top ofdishes to save rewashing, just scald them and drain (I have no dishwasher, they grew up and moved out)
The salesman who sold us the melmac (door to door) went out to the garage and sailed dishes, bowls and cups against the door and cement pad; they withstood it, as well as my family’s use for YEARS; wish I still had them!!! Turquoise, orange, gold, and gray. Modern rounded shaped handless mugs, bowls large enough for a good portion. COrelle is great used sensibly, and many others pale in its durability
Huggles, Grandma ELlie in FLorida
Comment by Grandma Ellie — January 29, 2008 @ 5:18 pmI’ve had a few corelle dishes shatter, but they are fairly sturdy. The thing isn’t that they break, but the shards they break into. 8 inch pointed glass shards sailing thru the air isn’t exactly a desirable situation. With a cat underfoot in the kitchen (because in my cat’s mind the only reason for me to go in the kitchen is to feed it) a dropped plate could be a trajedy.
Oh and by the way Huggles, I recently saw new melamine (also called melmac) dishes on sale at Sears (in Canada). We always used it for camping dishes when I was a child because its so sturdy and light. I had no idea you could still buy it.
Comment by Clara — February 26, 2008 @ 10:51 amI just had one shatter on me on a linoleum and plywood floor when dropped from about waist height (I’m only 5′ 4″). The plate was not hot or particularly cold either. It left millions ( and I don’t even think I’m exaggerating ) of tiny razor sharp shards all over the kitchen floor. I did sweep and wet paper towel the floor, as well as vaccuum the nearby rug, but when going into the kitchen a few hours later, my foot found one tiny piece I had apparently missed. Swept again, took some rolled up tape went over the floor with the sticky side as best I could. Just a bit nervous about our 3 cats finding any missed pieces more than anything.
Comment by Ouch — March 25, 2008 @ 6:24 pmI know it’s just commonplace that if you drop ANY glass type plate, it’s going to break. You just have to be careful – I get that. I was just very disappointed that dropping a Corelle plate caused a bigger mess than a normal plate. I’d rather risk breaking a normal plate and not have all those near-microscopic daggers the deal with. I’ve also seen many chipped corelle plates at other people’s houses, so it’s not just a rare occurance.
No more Corelle for me. I’ll stick with less explosive dishes.
Warranty? Come on people. If I break a Corelle dish, I just buy a new set. Why the cheap ass opinions. Oh yes, I’ll go through hell and write to the company because ONE dish broke. Get real people. These are GLASS and can’t be made indestructible like you all want. If you’re so damn careless, use Chinet paper plates and stop all your damn bitching. These are neat commercials and I love them.
Comment by Tory D — April 20, 2008 @ 11:49 amOne plate exploded in my cupboard. For no reason, it sent shards of razor sharp glass through the cupboard and into the side and through the neighbor’s house. We counted 1,345,956 various shards that have so far effected the neighborhood. Our house has been blocked off by the environmental protection agency and two years later, we are still finding shards all over the place. Oh the humanity!
Comment by Tory D — April 20, 2008 @ 11:55 amMalamine or Melmac dishes are made from plastic with recycle number 7 which contains Bisphenol-A or BPA, a hormonally active chemical in this plastic (Health Canada, the Canadian equivilant to the FDA, has formally designated it as a dangerous substance). It is way more dangerous to your long term health than even a shattered broken dish. Had to get rid of most of my kids plastic dishes, and am considering get rid of all the plastic, because who knows what they will say about all plastics 5 years from now. Considering using Corelle dishes for the kids, since it is less breakable than regular glass dishes, and not toxic like plastic. Our Corelle dishes have lasted 8-10 years with only one or two broken. Our other glass dishes break a few a year at least, even the kids plastic dishes (the toxic number 7 ones) break, a couple a year.
Comment by Marcie — May 2, 2008 @ 2:30 amJust another good comment:
Comment by Blair Mckenney — May 22, 2008 @ 5:01 pmI have absolutely no problem with your corelle product.I have the winter frost white set and have a lot of different pieces.Any new pieces coming out in the near future?
I used to stock freight at a local Wal*Mart. One night a box of Corelle plates opened and one hit the floor, on edge… It bounced three times down the aisle and another stocker caught it! It is the only brand I buy now. The wife and I have some “Nice” China from our wedding, and some of them are already chipped and one plate is long gone. My “Bachelor” Corelle is still all here…
Comment by Eddy — June 1, 2008 @ 12:02 amAfter about 30 years of continual use, it finally happened. I had just taken several of the Corelle “Livingware” bowls out of the dishwasher, but they were all at room temperature when I put them away. One was placed on a wooden table, and all the others were put away in the dish cabinet. Within five minutes, three of them exploded spontaneously! What are the odds?
Comment by Jane — August 10, 2008 @ 12:31 pmFalse avertising, will never by
Comment by Gina — September 17, 2008 @ 8:26 pmCorelle again.
Good Lord, you either like this brand, or you don’t. We are on our second set of Corelle, not due to breakage, but because we got tired of the first set & gave it to one of the grown up kids (still in use without breakage). This stuff is darn near industructable. I only wish they would bring some of the retired patterns “out of the vault” so to speak so that people with retired patterns could fill out their sets even more. There are sites to buy used stuff, but it’s hit or miss when they have it, and pretty expensive. Have had some luck on eBay, but again, hit or miss.
Comment by Tim — September 25, 2008 @ 1:30 pmWe just sat down to eat dinner and my 1-year-old daughter grabbed my plate, and before I knew it she had tossed it to the floor. What happened next was beyond description — the plate exploded into a million pieces. I spent the next hour cleaning up shards of glass, some long and extremely sharp, and had to throw away dinner. The shards had flown onto the table, on top of the computer, into the living room, and under the table. I have never seen anything quite like it. It was as if the plate exploded. The pieces did not end up where they were because of the fall, but rather, because of the apparent stored energy; probably because of design. My biggest concern is my 1-year-old. I am afraid that she may find a piece and put it in her mouth, which could prove fatal (see the post about the dog that died from eating shards from the broken product). Up until now, I have loved the product, but now I am ready to replace them. They are durable, indeed, but safety is my main concern. I bought Correll because of going through so many dishes in the past (we have nine children), but after tonight and reading about “sponataneous explosions,” I am going to start looking for something to replace these potentially dangerous dishes. Sorry Correll. If you can come up with something that doesn’t “expolde” I will consider it. -John K.
Comment by John K. — November 8, 2008 @ 9:20 pmI am still buying pieces to add to my original winter frost
Comment by BLAIR MCKENNEY — December 9, 2008 @ 3:26 pmwhite collection.I do find that some do warp though.I use the
dishwasher and some pieces are exhibiting the problem mentioned above.This is a
minor problem , but would like to bring this to your attention.
It’s not ticking but it’s a time bomb.
Somewhere in your kitchen, a potentially lethal bomb is waiting to go off. The bomb is an innocuous appearing, attractive piece of dinnerware called “Corelle Ware.”
On three occasions, either I, or a family member, have dropped a piece of Corelle Ware only to have it explode like a bomb, complete with sound and shrapnel.
Now I know that any glass or ceramic will shatter upon impact with the floor, but this is no ordinary broken dish. The exploding Corelle pieces that we have experienced are so destructive and so completely distributed around the area that shards may be found as far away as an adjoining living or dining room fifteen to twenty feet away from the impact site.
The manufacturer, Corning Glass, of Corning, New York relays complaints to “World Kitchens” of nnnnnnn where representatives make the absurd claim that they have no knowledge of this phenomenon. This despite the fact that just entering the words “Corelle” and “explode” into Google or any other search engine reveals thousands of accounts of similar incidents.
But the real deadly trap lies waiting for anyone who is on anticoagulation medications like Coumadin, as is my wife, Jeanne. These people, if they experience an event such as the one I did on January 7, 2009, may literally be put into a life threatening situation, because several of the shards lacerated my hands, and if it happens to someone on a blood-thinner, as these medications are called, that person could bleed to death. Hemophiliacs, as well, are at risk, and even people without these disorders could easily be blinded by a shard piercing the eye.
I am not interested in engaging in the pseudo-legal, phony-ethical discourse that some writers on this blog seem to enjoy. I want only to point out to the unwary and vulnerable that they take a substantially greater risk than dropping a typical plate or glass when they handle Corelle Ware.
Gil Gaudia, Ph.D.
Comment by Gil Gaudia, Ph.D. — January 9, 2009 @ 5:03 pmA Corelle salad bowl, used for ice cream, just spontaneously shattered this evening. My husband had finished his ice cream and set the bowl on the arm of his recliner while he read a newspaper. Moments later, the bowl just broke into pieces. I accused him of dropping the bowl on the floor, and he said NO, it just shattered “exploded” into pieces. We can’t determine what caused it to happen. I had to get out the vacuum to clean up the smaller pieces in the carpet. There were no sonic booms or any high frequency noises at the time of the breakage. We are at a loss as to why it happened.
Comment by SharonP — April 23, 2009 @ 10:50 pmI accidentally dropped a Corelle dinner plate in the kitchen and on the tile, and it was explosive to say the least! I did not forcefully drop it. I accidentally knock it off the counter. I have to honestly say I have never seen a dish break in this manner! Most dishes will break into several pieces, but my Corelle broke into so many microscopic pieces and dangerously sharp shrapnel; frankly, I am getting rid of all of mine. I would rather have cheaper ceramic plates, that when they break, will not break into a kagillion sharp shrapnel pieces! The explosive sound of the dish breaking, and the distance to which it scattered was very scary! The microscopic pieces and shrapnel flew out into the entrance way of my house. They flew partially out into the living room hall way, and then into the dining room! I wonder if our armed forces could shoot Corelle plates out of a cannon at the enemy what casualties and damage this would cause! Like shrapnel bombs they would be! I frankly think Corelle should get their act together and make a safer REAL none shatter plate, and not these dangerous ones they try to pawn off to the public as safe. Imagine if you accidentally dropped a Corelle plate while your small child was near by. I have heard of people having them explode right in front of them for no apparent reason. Imagine if shrapnel hit your eyes!! Very scary!!! And yes, I can understand how scary and dangerous it would be if one of these plates shattered, and the person near it was on blood thinners! Although I think I cleaned up all of this shattered plate, I bet I will be finding shrapnel for years to come! Lily Darcey
Comment by lily — June 19, 2009 @ 12:56 amIf people would just read the product when they buy it they would have no questions. On the box it states “break and chip resistant”. That DOES NOT MEAN IT IS UNBREAKABLE people!!! It is glass, glass can break when dropped, no matter how durable it is. This is just a glass that is more durable than your typical run of the mill glass.
All you people complaining about the tiny shards of glass when it breaks. Think of it this way….would you rather little splinters of glass flying at you when it breaks or large sharp triangular shards of glass that could impale you? Think about it. I’d rather have a splinter than have my ankle sliced open.
Comment by Heather — July 23, 2009 @ 7:33 pmOh, and regardless of whether you “purposely” dropped it or it accidentally dropped…..it’s GLASS….it can break. If the company made them of plastic that wouldn’t break when dropped we’d be whining that then we couldn’t microwave it, wah, wah, wah. Use some common sense and some care people.
Comment by Heather — July 23, 2009 @ 7:36 pm“TORY” and “HEATHER” — Glad to see you’re such a fan of exploding dinnerware![comment edited] But Corelle owners (present AND future) NEED to be made aware of the obviously VERY likely dangers of Corelle that their mfg’s ironically fail to label on their boxes!
#1: Theres NO EXCUSE for something to EXPLODE/ SHATTER into thousands of tiny, sharp pieces! ESPECIALLY unprovoked & without an obvious reason whatsoever!
#2: PARTICULARLY something that is used for FOOD, which makes it ‘especially’ dangerous!
OF COURSE people want dinnerware that’s dishwasher/microwave safe, appealing design and lightweight! Who DOESNT? So Corelle should find a way to meet these popular standards! And, IF dropped- it should break like NORMAL dinnerware, BUT NOT ‘SHATTER’!!! There is NO excuse for this!! Thousands of slithers of glass could be DISASTEROUS.
Comment by Jane Doe — January 18, 2010 @ 6:53 pmMy family has used Corelle for as long as I’ve been alive(only 22 years) but my grandmother and great grandmother used them long before I was born. I grew up with them and as an angry teenager, PO’ed at my mom for not letting me go out. I picked a plate up off the counter, raised it up above my shoulders and slammed it onto the floor. Didnt break. There are countless times I’ve dropped my plates and bowls in my stainless steal sink or tile floors and I’ve still never had one break. I just ordered the snowflake pattern because its the pattern my great grandmother had and I love it. I’m positive it’ll hold up.
*I’m not a big fan of the new prints*
Comment by Jessica — February 11, 2010 @ 9:24 pmwe have used corelle for so many years.But i got a new set 2 yrs back. And very strangely it broke.Just washed it and left in the drainer basket and one bowl and a plate broke with a huge cracking noise.Really it was never dropped before or hit any hard surface.Im still thinking what the cause is..
Comment by ramya — February 16, 2010 @ 3:41 pmCorelle will shatter into so many pieces it will take a broom, dustpan, gloves, safety shoes, and a strong vacumn cleaner to pick it up. An example, my dog stepped on a plate which shattered into manner splintered pieces which are very difficult to clean up. I am still picking splinters out of my hands. Is this the first time? What a joke! So many plates have broken in the paste that I am at my computer researching dineerware that really not break, if it exists. Claims that it wont break when dropped, try letting it fall on a hard surface such as concrete. You will be dumbfounded at the amount of splintered pieces that will exist.
Corelle my false adversting award for the evening.
Comment by Bill Thornton — February 27, 2010 @ 7:47 pmI dropped a small drinking glass on a Corelle plate and the plate exploded into innumerable, extremelyh sharp shards which flew all around the kitchen. I consumed one piece, perhaps inhaled it. It is causing me longterm, and serious problems, such as difficulty swallowing, severe pain around the tongue and larynx. The ENT (ear-nose-throat) specialist cannot visualize the pieces with single picture X-rays, fluoroscopy, or CT scan – the pieces are invisible to x-rays therefore, the surgeon cannot remove them since they are not visible.
I also got a piece in my foot, which has caused a thick fibroma, that may require substantial surgery to remove, although it too is not visible.
Does anyone know how these pieces can be visualized for removal from the human body?
Comment by Bob Summerfelt — March 4, 2010 @ 10:20 pmI have been using Corelle for over ten years. I thought it was a great product,
until recently when a corelle plate broke into a hundred shards when it bumped against the kitchen sink. I cleaned up the mess, and finished cooking.
This product does not break like ordinary plateware. The fine shards are very
sharp and difficult to detect, and they can cause a lot of damage.
Much later, after I found a few shards still clinging between my fingers
Comment by Danny — March 13, 2010 @ 8:33 pmcausing them to bleed, I decide to throw out the entire beef stew dish I cooked. I have to wish to ingest any of those shards that can cause major internal bleeding.
I would NEVER had believed a plate could exploded totally on its own had I not just experienced it. I have a 30 year Corelle set that I usually regularly. One plate was used as a ‘catch plate’ for my pet’s water bowl (also Corelle). I washed both pieces, placed in the dish drainer, nothing was close to it in the drainer, then the plate exploded in multiple pieces. The water was not hot or cold, the air was not hot or cold – it was like someone had shot a bullet directly through the center of it. I was amazed and very concerned. I was thinking of replacing with a new set of Corelle but not so sure. I love Corelle because it stands up to everything, I know everything has a life span, but will the new ones do this, too???? This plate sat in the floor for 6 years until the water bowl – was out of the way – so it was definitely NOT abused. I shudder to think what would have happened if the cat was drinking from it. I have since replaced his bowls, and being VERY careful with mine until I can decide what to do.
Comment by Dee Brown — September 1, 2010 @ 3:29 pm