Pyrex Refrigerator Dishes (501, 502, 503): The Complete Guide

Pyrex refrigerator dishes — the stackable lidded rectangles, known to collectors as the 500 series — are some of the most collectable pieces in any pattern. They are also some of the most commonly mis-sold, because a “complete set” has a specific composition that a lot of sellers get wrong.

The three sizes

Model	Capacity	Handles
501	1.5 cup	No
502	1.5 pint (3 cups)	No
503	1.5 quart (6 cups)	Yes — on dish and lid

Of the three sizes, only the largest — the 503 — has handles on both the dish and its lid. That is a quick way to identify the big one in a photo.

What a complete set actually is

This is the bit that trips people up. A standard four-dish refrigerator set is not one of each size. It is:

• Two × 501 (1.5 cup)
• One × 502 (1.5 pint)
• One × 503 (1.5 quart)

That is four dishes and four lids — eight pieces in total. In multi-colour sets such as Primary Colors, the two 501s are the same colour as each other.

So if a listing offers “a complete set of three,” it is not complete. And if you own one 501 and think you are one dish from finishing, check again — you probably need two.

The stacking trick

The lids were deliberately designed to sit either the normal way up or inverted, so the dishes could stack tightly in a crowded 1950s refrigerator. It is a genuinely clever bit of mid-century design, and it is why these pieces still earn their shelf space today.

A little history

The four-piece Primary Colors refrigerator set arrived in 1947 — red 501s, a blue 502 and a yellow 503 — and the 500-series shape went on to be produced in a great many of the decorated patterns that followed. If you collect a pattern, the refrigerator dishes are very often the pieces you will be hunting longest.

What they are worth

Refrigerator dishes tend to punch above their size. Complete, matched sets with all four original lids are the prize; lids are fragile, frequently lost, and a set missing lids drops sharply in value. Individual dishes are far more affordable and are a sensible way to start a pattern.

Check the value ranges for the pattern you are chasing in our Pattern Database, and always compare against recent sold listings rather than asking prices.

Buying checklist

• Count the dishes: two 501s, one 502, one 503 for a full set.
• Confirm all four lids are present — and that they are the right ones, not clear substitutes.
• Check lid knobs and rims for chips; this is where damage hides.
• Look for dishwasher fade on the printed pattern.
• Read the backstamp — PYREX in capitals means vintage.

Frequently asked questions

How many dishes are in a Pyrex refrigerator set?

Four dishes and four lids: two 501s (1.5 cup), one 502 (1.5 pint) and one 503 (1.5 quart).

What sizes are Pyrex 501, 502 and 503?

The 501 holds 1.5 cups, the 502 holds 1.5 pints (3 cups) and the 503 holds 1.5 quarts (6 cups).

Why does my set have two of the same small dish?

Because that is correct. The standard set includes two 501s, and in colour sets they match each other.

Are the lids interchangeable between patterns?

Physically, a lid of the right model number will fit any dish of that size. For collectors, though, an original patterned lid matters — a substituted or clear lid is considered a married piece and is valued accordingly.