Move Over, Plain Mixing Bowls: The Vintage Pyrex Set Worth Hunting For At Thrift Stores

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Pyrex has a reputation for being the go-to kitchenware that lasts. No matter the decade, there's sometimes valuable Pyrex not to be overlooked at the thrift store. For the ultimate stacked mixing bowls find, keep your eyes peeled for the vintage Pyrex Homestead Cinderella mixing bowls. Its blue folk art design is subtle enough to match any kitchen decor, and its vintage charm looks great on any shelf. It's compact, and the set of mixing bowls fits together nicely for easy storage. Unlike boring stainless steel bowls, these mixers are both cute and valuable. Resellers ask hundreds for a set like these 4 Vintage Pyrex Homestead Cinderella Nesting Mixing Bowls that sold on eBay for $296.

What makes these bowls so special? Aside from their usefulness, the pattern on these Pyrex mixing bowls was only offered for a few years. Much like the modern farmhouse trend, a bohemian country style was a desired design choice in the 1970s. Think: '70s wall plate decor, macrame, earthy tones, and "Little House on the Prairie" playing on the TV in the living room. The Homestead line from Pyrex matched the vibe, and shoppers from 1976 to 1980 eagerly snagged the new folk art design. You can snag one too if you know what to look for when thrifting.

There are plenty of tips and tricks for spotting valuable vintage Pyrex at the thrift store. For the Homestead Cinderella mixing bowls, a complete set of four is ideal, but keep an eye out for a single bowl or two. The bowls are speckled or solid beige. The blue design is inspired by hand-painted folk art, and a brown version later appeared on casserole dishes. Pyrex bowls have a number range on their original boxes, and for this design, look for ID numbers 441 through 444. The Pyrex logo will be located on the bottom of one of the bowls in the set, with the brand name Pyrex in all capital letters and the phrase "Corning N.Y. USA" underneath one of the bowls in a set. If you find a single bowl outside of the set, it may not have the Pyrex logo or "MADE in U.S.A." on the bottom. (For example, YouTube creator Joyful Yessi shows off her single Pyrex bowl without these two labels in her vintage mixing bowl video.) 

Speckled beige bowls were the first ones made in 1976, with the solid beige following. If you find a speckled beige, give it a clean if it's out of the box to make sure the specks are actually supposed to be there. Pyrex has hundreds of designs, and the blue Homestead was created to complement the Corelle Livingware Old Town Blue pattern, which is mentioned on the original packaging. These patterns can be confused for each other, so familiarize yourself with the Homestead design swirls before searching. Finding a true vintage Pyrex Homestead Cinderella mixing bowl is worth the hunt. Good luck!