These top performers feature functional easy-grip designs, high thermal capacity, flexibility, and easy-to-clean materials.
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Oven mitts are household items in kitchen drawers across the world, yet we don't give these essential safety equipment items too much thought. While decorative mitts may add to aesthetics, the pain of grabbing a batch of your signature chocolate chip cookies out of the oven and realizing those mitts don't actually do much to protect you from the heat is something we've all fallen for. Some kitchen items, like baking trays from your favorite sheet pan meals, can be large and awkward. Others can be heavy, like a cast iron loaded up with a whole roast chicken. Nothing ruins a meal quite like dropping everything on the floor because your oven mitt isn't adequately insulated.
Different styles and materials are all about personal preference, but what matters most is that they protect your hands from the heat of the oven and other hot pans. Our professional product testers put over 20 high-performing mitts to the test. By grabbing pans, baking dishes, and cast irons straight out of the oven and rating them on performance, design, and ease of cleaning, we determined which mitts could take the heat.
We loved these mitts for their high thermal capacity, exceptional grip, and smart design.
These mitts aren't great for broiling or grilling.
The Big Red House Heat-Resistant Oven Mitts were an obvious standout favorite. They were the only mitts to earn five out of five ratings across all categories. Our testers were impressed with the heat capacity, design, and grip. Plus, we loved that these mitts protect our forearms, too. Our testers said these mitts were super comfortable to wear — even when handling hot items — with no heat coming through even after 15 seconds of holding. And unlike other mitts with similar exceptional heat tolerance, these aren't bulky and are easy to maneuver.
The only negative our testers could find is that they aren't very well-suited for super high-heat tasks like broiling or grilling.
Price at time of publish: $17
Food & Wine / Mary Hodes
The unique design of these mitts made them easy to grip and maneuver.
The shape of these mitts caused them to risk dipping into food or possibly flames.
You might not expect a 4-pack of pot holders for the price of one would be very good. But the Ritz Royale Collection Pot Holders don't sacrifice quality for quantity. We loved the design of these mitts; there are two slits to slide your hand into, plus a grippy texture on the other side to give an excellent grip. The flexibility of the dual slits made these some of the easiest to use and maintain a solid grip.
However, the design has a slight downside. Since the pot holder is rectangular and not the same shape as your hand, some inevitable overhang can inch too close to an open flame or dip into food.
Price at time of publish: $22
We loved these for their beautiful design, flexible glove, and high cuff.
These mitts felt somewhat expensive for the value.
The combo of soft cotton and flexible silicone makes the Food52 Five Two Silicone Oven Mitts something special. The silicone on the glove is thin but effective and is insulated exceptionally well, and its slim design makes it super flexible. Our testers loved the plush interior. One tester described it as a "luxurious experience," noting how the extra-long design protects forearms, too.
Oh, and did we mention how cute these are? Our testers all commented on their aesthetically pleasing design. The magnetic clip and loop make storing these in plain sight easy.
Price at time of publish: $40
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Our testers loved the extra flexible silicone coupled with the grooves for a superior grip.
The full silicone shell can be bulky.
The Mastrad Silicone and Cotton Mitt is the perfect marriage of silicone and cotton — it's a silicone outer shell with a removable cotton interior. The outer silicone shell is flexible and allows for a good grip, especially the small grooves on the inner portion of the tip of the glove.
The full silicone design can be a bit bulky, though. One tester noted that the shape of these can feel a bit awkward at first, but eventually you'll get used to it. The tip of the mitt can be challenging to control, and there's some risk of dipping into the food. However, since the outer shell is entirely silicone, it can easily be wiped clean or even washed in the dishwasher. We also loved that the inner cotton lining was removable and machine washable.
Price at time of publish: $33
This mitt is extra long, protects even more of the arm, and offers impressive heat resistance.
This mitt has a stiff thumb that makes it difficult to get a good grip.
Professional bakers, such as Kareem Queeman of Mr. Bake Sweets in Washington, D.C., and home bakers alike are always reaching deep into the oven to pull out their golden brown treats. We loved the Williams Sonoma Ultimate Oven Mitt for baking specifically because the cuff is extra long, reaching all the way to the elbow. Queeman appreciates the extra protection from these types of mitts, saying, "I love to use the extra long silicone oven mitts…As a baker it allows me to reach pans that are in the back of the oven without burning my arms, and I can get a good grip on the pans."
The grip on these mitts was also impressive; our testers said the glove was never too hot to handle — even after a full minute of holding a hot tray. However, the thumb felt inflexible to our testers, who noted that due to the stiff thumb of the mitt, it took a little finagling to get a grip on a shallow baking pan.
Price at time of publish: $20
Food & Wine / Allison Wignall
Food & Wine / Allison Wignall
This hot pad can be used as a trivet and is very affordable.
This mitt is small and circular, so it doesn't protect your hand as well.
Who doesn't love a multitasker? This hot pad-style mitt from Thermoworks can be used to pull a hot pan out of the oven and then placed under the pan right on the table. And, since they're only $7, it's easy to purchase a few to grab things with multiple handles or have extras to use as trivets. This mitt is 100% silicone, so it has unparalleled heat resistance — up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit. That said, since this mitt is a silicone circle, our testers felt it left much to be desired regarding hand and arm protection.
Price at time of publish: $7
The glove style offers extra dexterity, and we loved the high heat resistance.
They didn't perform well when holding onto hot items from the oven.
Grilling and barbecuing can require temperatures twice as high as your regular oven, so grilling gloves with extra-high heat resistance are necessary. This pair from Grill Heat Aid is safe up to 1,472 degrees Fahrenheit, but with high grilling temperatures, that's ambient heat. While we didn't feel like these worked as well when holding hot pan handles and grabbing trays out of the oven, that's not what they're made for.
However, our testers raved about the glove style. One tester said, "These gloves are great for tasks that require a sure grip — like flipping hot dogs, grabbing shallow dishes, and handling hot potatoes." Regular oven mitts can be cumbersome, but since these have individual fingers and silicone grips on both sides, it's like having heat-proof hands with extra grip, giving you superior control.
Price at time of publish: $30
Food & Wine / Allison Wignall
Food & Wine / Katie McDonald
Food & Wine / Allison Wignall
Use this as a pot holder or trivet to place hot items on top.
The silicone side makes it difficult to bend.
We love the OXO Good Grips Silicone Pot Holder because it's shaped like a trivet, but also has a pocket lined with soft cotton to mimic a traditional oven mitt. The silicone grip performed well, and our testers had no problem tightly gripping hot items without any heat interference. Our only complaint is that it's a bit inflexible. Our testers said, "it started straining my fingers just as the timer was going off," so after just 15 seconds, it became a bit uncomfortable.
Price at time of publish: $13
Food & Wine / Katie McDonald
We loved the Big Red House Heat-Resistant Oven Mitts best because of their high thermal capacity and exceptional grip. If grilling is more your speed, you'll love the Grill Heat Aid Extreme Heat Resistant Grill Gloves for the freedom you have with the glove style combined with their high heat resistance.
Our testers started with a set of 23 oven mitts. To test heat resistance, testers evaluated each mitt's performance on things like grabbing hot pans, baking dishes, and cast irons out of the oven. They assessed each mitt on how long they could hold each hot item, how comfortable it was to use the mitt, and the flexibility of the material. At the end of the assessment, testers were asked to rate each mitt on its overall performance, design, ease of cleaning, and value.
Choosing between a classic glove-style oven mitt or a potholder style can be tricky. It's important to consider your needs and habits when shopping. A pot holder style is more versatile and flexible, but it's much smaller and can wrinkle and fold, posing a safety hazard. Glove style, on the other hand, protects your whole hand up to your forearm and the close-fitting design means there's nothing that could accidentally burn or catch on fire. The downside is that they can get dirtier and give you less precise control over your hands.
When you think of oven mitts, you probably have a mental image of a cloth, glove-like mitt that's thick and slightly rigid. While these types of materials are fairly good at insulating against heat, their bulky nature can be somewhat finicky when it comes to grip. Silicone, in contrast, is known for its low thermal conductivity, meaning the heat from a hot pan won't be passed on to you. Silicone is also very flexible, so it can easily wrap around whatever you're grabbing, but its inert smoothness means it can be slippery when wet or greasy.
Some oven mitts are meant for indoor oven use, but many specialized mitts and gloves are on the market made specifically for grilling and barbecuing. Some oven mitts designed for indoor use just can't hold up to the conditions of outdoor cooking and aren't a safe choice. Since most outdoor cooking methods deal with open flames and extremely high heat, buying mitts made with this in mind will give you the performance and safety you're looking for.
When shopping for an oven mitt, ease of cleaning is a critical factor to consider. Oven mitts made of fabric can absorb liquids and stain, so most of them must be washed in the washing machine to clean them thoroughly. Silicone, for example, doesn't stain and can easily be wiped or rinsed for a quick cleanup. Always make sure you check the cleaning instructions before you buy; some mitts can't be cleaned in the washing machine or with a quick wipe and require a cumbersome hand-washing method that can get annoying fast.
As is with most kitchenware, it's always best to check the manufacturer's recommendations for cleaning. Some are best suited to air drying over the dryer, so always be sure to check the tag or packaging. Others are made of nonabsorbent material, like silicone, and can be quickly rinsed or wiped with a soapy sponge. But generally, most cloth or fabric-type oven mitts and pot holders can be tossed in the washing machine.
Most professional chefs will say yes, but it's just not the safest option. Towels can be too thin and require a few folds to insulate appropriately, making it difficult to get a good grip leading to a higher chance of dropping. They can also dangle and burn or catch fire on a wayward corner. But the number one reason why you should avoid using a towel as an oven mitt is steam.
A steam burn can happen in a flash and is extremely painful. If a towel is even the tiniest bit wet, that water can quickly convert into steam once you reach into the oven or touch a hot pan and burn you instantly. While grabbing the towel you've been drying your hands on or wiping the counter with while cooking may be convenient, in the long run, no amount of convenience is worth the potential for a severe burn. Chef Galen Zamarra of The Lodge at Blue Sky in Park City, Utah, admits to using towels at work, but at home, he says, "I prefer silicone; it is washable with soap and water, doesn't burn like a cloth mitt can, and protects against heat better (even when wet)."
Every item in the kitchen can be unsafe when not used properly, and silicone oven mitts are no exception. Silicone can get extremely slippery if it gets wet or greasy, so like all kitchen items, responsible use and attention to surroundings are of the utmost importance. So long as they're used safely and for their intended purpose, silicone can be safe. It's an excellent insulator and a terrible conductor of heat, so it's one of the best materials for oven mitts.
Which material you choose depends on your specific needs and preferences. The best material for oven mitts is one that is thick enough to insulate your hand from the heat, but not so thick you can't control your grip. Cloth oven mitts and silicone can both fit the bill. Some mitts have both materials and are the best of both worlds. Chef Trisha Pérez Kennealy, owner of the Inn at Hastings Park in Lexington, Mass., is a fan of this style. She says, "I like to use the oven mitts that have the silicon by the hand and cloth on the bottom; I find that the silicone is much easier to clean and maintain than washing oven mitts in the washing machine."
Nick DeSimone wrote and compiled this list. They have spent nearly a decade cooking in professional kitchens. During that time, Nick has spent hours handling hot pans and pulling sizzling trays out of the oven. They have experience using almost every type of oven mitt imaginable. These mitts were tested by our professional Food & Wine product testers. Each tester is an impartial culinary enthusiast with a passion for sniffing out the best of the best.
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