I’ve never understood the lack of oven mitts in professional kitchens. Instead, all I see are chefs using folded up dish towels to grab hot dishes from the oven and maneuver scalding hot pots and pans across the stovetop. Then again, I’m no restaurant chef. I am, however, proficient in an apartment kitchen, and I can say the lack of burn scars on my hands and forearms is all thanks to one, er, two things: my silicone oven mitts.
Brands make a bunch of items designed to help cooks touch hot items: heat-resistant gloves, pot holders, fabric mitts and the like. I’ve tried them all. None can hold their own against my silicone oven mitts because none gives me the dexterity and heat resistance, while also being easy to clean. One pet peeve I’ve had with fabric oven mitts is that they’re so hard to clean. On numerous occasions I’ve dipped the thumb into a sheet pan of oil, which is not only a pain to clean, but soaks through the material. If I make that same mistake with silicone oven mitts, I can wash them in the sink like I would wash my hands, and they’re good as new. I have a similar cleanliness qualm with dish towels, which also decrease the dexterity I get from oven mitts.
When it comes to heat-resistant gloves, I always find myself struggling to get them on and off in a reasonable amount of time. Plus, one size fits most doesn’t work as well when it comes to gloves versus mitts. Which brings me back to the GOAT of heat protection in the kitchen. Silicone oven mitts will never let me down, which is why they’re my go-to gift for people who use anything else. Buy a pair, and you’ll never have to buy aloe vera gel to soothe any more hand burns.
The Best Silicone Oven Mitts to Buy
Five Two Silicone Oven Mitts
Food52Five Two Silicone Oven Mitts
Five Two’s oven mitts are probably the best to buy. They can withstand up to 650 degrees Fahrenheit with their flexible and durable silicone construction. The fabric forearm protection is longer than most others on the market providing greater protection, and they feature a side slit to make it easier to put on and take off. And if you’ve ever had trouble finding a place to store your mitts, these have a magnet in them so you can hang them on your oven or fridge.
