When it comes to oven mitts, we’ve come a long way from the all-cotton, flower-printed mitts your grandma might have worn. These days, oven mitts and gloves are more protective and come in a wider variety of colors (to reflect the fact that women aren’t the only ones who ought to be doing the cooking at home).
One of the latest innovations you’ll find in the best oven gloves and mitts is the addition of silicone. Many fabric mitts now have silicone grips at the palms, thumb and fingers for protection from heat. Silicone is also grippy, making it easy to hold the pot or baking tray. And, since this material is also waterproof, you don’t have to worry about the mitt getting wet when you grab something hot, potentially resulting in a steam burn.
Another one of our favorite innovations is the evolution of the oven mitt toward more traditional fingered gloves. Oven gloves have individual fingers, so your dexterity won’t be reduced while cooking. Oven gloves allow you to cut, pick up pieces of food, and do whatever other prep work you have to do, which is all but impossible with mitts. There is, admittedly, a trade-off. Since oven gloves are more fitted, they’re generally less protective. However, many oven gloves are outfitted with silicone grips for added protection and to make gripping easier.
Ultimately, it can be worth having both mitts and gloves. The mitts provide unbeatable protection and the gloves allow you to keep your dexterity. Since there’s a good chance you already have a couple of oven mitts lying around, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite oven gloves that you can buy on Amazon.
1. Grill Armor Extreme Heat Resistant Oven Gloves
Grill Armor’s gloves were designed with grilling in mind, but they’re great for cooking and baking as well. The gloves are designed to be protective up to 932 degrees Fahrenheit. They have silicone strips across the palms and the back of the hand for added protection. Grill Armor’s gloves are machine washable, and the gloves have a convenient hanging loop. Plus, several colorways are available.
Pros: Textured silicone grips. Machine washable. Available in several colors. Heat resistant up to 932 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cons: Some options have more protective cuffs to protect your wrists when reaching inside a hot oven.
2. Heat Guardian Heat Resistant Gloves
If you like your oven gloves to be a little bit punk rock, then consider these black heat resistant gloves with a skeletal print. The skeletal print isn’t just for show — it’s made from silicone, adding an extra layer of protection on top of the heat resistant fabric made from a similar material to Kevlar. These gloves also have a long, 5″ cuff, adding extra protection for your wrists and forearms.
Pros: Playful and unique design. Extra-long cuff for wrist and forearm protection.
Cons: Limited size availability.
3. Semboh Heat Resistant BBQ Gloves
These gloves have a cuff that’s almost 6″ long, adding extra protection to wrists and forearms. The backs of the gloves and palms have textured silicone grips, and the interior has a soft and breathable terry-cloth cotton lining. Two widths and three colors are available. The gloves are machine washable as well.
Pros: Extra-long cuffs make for good wrist and forearm protection. Cut resistant, making them good for knife-work. Comfortable and breathable terry cloth lining.
Cons: Resistant to extreme heat for only limited periods.