It was just a dominant brand of dishware in the U.S.
Corning, one of the world leaders in glass manufacturing and materials science, figured out how to make thin tempered glass that was lightweight, very durable, resistant to thermal shock, and safe to use in microwaves, dishwashers, and up to medium temperature ovens (350°F/175°C is the manufacturer recommended max). It became the dominant dishware brand in the U.S. as a result, for “everyday” use.
Personally I don’t like the heat transfer characteristics (poor insulator which means hot food makes the dish hot to the touch) and don’t mind thicker plates/bowls for most situations. But I can see why they became immensely popular, especially for families with kids.
Side note, Corning spun off its consumer products division in 1991, so the company that makes the Gorilla Glass in basically everyone’s cell phones is now technically different from the company that made all these kitchen dishes, even if they were once part of the same corporation.
It was just a dominant brand of dishware in the U.S.
Corning, one of the world leaders in glass manufacturing and materials science, figured out how to make thin tempered glass that was lightweight, very durable, resistant to thermal shock, and safe to use in microwaves, dishwashers, and up to medium temperature ovens (350°F/175°C is the manufacturer recommended max). It became the dominant dishware brand in the U.S. as a result, for “everyday” use.
Personally I don’t like the heat transfer characteristics (poor insulator which means hot food makes the dish hot to the touch) and don’t mind thicker plates/bowls for most situations. But I can see why they became immensely popular, especially for families with kids.
Side note, Corning spun off its consumer products division in 1991, so the company that makes the Gorilla Glass in basically everyone’s cell phones is now technically different from the company that made all these kitchen dishes, even if they were once part of the same corporation.