The Best Oven Mitts and Pot Holders, Tested by Allrecipes

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No, your dish towel is not enough protection.

In This Article

Allrecipes / Alli Waataja

Cooking can be fun, but kitchens are loaded with things that want to hurt you. In my case, hot surfaces are my nemesis. From oven racks to cast iron skillet handles to steaming Instant Pots, they’ve all tried to take a bite out of me at one time or another. Unsurprisingly, I’ve tried multiple types of heat protection over the years. It may be a little surprising that I have different favorites depending on what I’m about to grab, but my aloe plant prefers that I prevent burns rather than treat them.

Why It’s Great: Heavy enough to thwart heat; great flexibility; toss in the wash with the dish towels; grippy silicone texturing

Grain of Salt: Tan color stains over time; not waterproof

I got my first Ove Glove when they were only sold as singles, and they were plain knit gloves, without the silicone grips. I’ve since added another Ove Glove, so I have a lovely mismatched pair.

The Ove Glove has a lot going for it. Those silicone grips are a welcome addition and make the gloves grippy enough to securely grab a slippery Dutch oven. These get used a lot in my kitchen, and the use shows, with stains that will never go away. Looks aside, these are comfortable, agile, and ready to keep my hands safe from heat. And when they inevitably pick up spaghetti sauce splashes or beef gravy, they go right into the wash with the kitchen towels.

The flexibility of these gloves means they’re great for grabbing pot handles and lids, and they go far enough up the wrist to protect from many oven-rack burns. The downside of these cloth gloves is that it’s possible for liquid to soak all the way through the glove, which can then transfer heat. Fortunately, it takes quite a bit of liquid to saturate the materials since the two layers are thick. A splash from a casserole dish may get the outside a bit damp, but there’s still enough protection to protect your skin.

The Details: Cotton, polyester, aramid, and silicone; safe to 540°F; 6-inch length; machine washable

Why It’s Great: Extra-long length; excellent heat and cold resistance; two sizes and lengths available

Grain of Salt: Rough texture can trap some dirt

These gloves might not look like your typical oven mitts, but they’re my favorite when I need to reach into the oven or when dealing with foods that spatter. Not only are they resistant to heat, but they can also handle cold, so they’re what I grab when I need to rearrange the freezer or when I have to dispose of dry ice.

These have bendable fingers, but they’re not quite as agile as other oven gloves. On the other hand, they’re thin, so they can fit into small loop handles with less trouble. Since they’re not absorbent or fuzzy, they’re great for grabbing a whole cooked chicken out of a roasting pan, rather than struggling with forks, tongs, and spatulas.

They’re easy to wash, too. I just drizzle dish soap onto my gloved hands and wash them just like washing my own hands. I dry them on a dish towel and they’re ready to grab a cookie tray out of the oven. There have been a few times when a sticky sauce left some residue on the textured surface, but a scrub with a brush takes care of that easily.

Not just for kitchen use, they’re great for barbecue, and the long length keeps arms safe from heat, whether I’m reaching deep into the oven or basting food on my charcoal grill. These aren’t the most fashionable gloves I’ve used, but they do their job well.

The Details: Neoprene and cotton; safe to 700°F or 932°F; 14-inch or 17-inch length; hand-wash only

Why It’s Great: Attractive; multiple pattern options; great for gifting

Grain of Salt: Not heat-rated

Sometimes you feel like a mitt, and sometimes a pot holder is the best choice. This set offers both, and in attractive colors and patterns. Besides looking pretty, the patterns have another function—they help hide any spills and stains until the set can get tossed into the wash for a thorough cleaning. The pot holder has a pocket to slip your fingers into for easy lifting and holding, and you’re less likely to drop it. They’re both nice and roomy, so there should be no problems with the fit for any size hand.

The material is fairly stiff, and since these are a mitt rather than a fingered glove, there’s no way to fit fingers into loop handles. On the other hand, both the mitt and glove make a nice landing pad for the bottom of a baking pan or pot when carrying. These are easy to slip on and take off, so you can grab that smoking pan out of the oven quickly. The potholder can also do double-duty as a trivet, to keep the counter safe from hot pots and bakeware.

The Details: Cotton; 12.5-inch mitt, 8 x 8-inch pot holder; machine washable

Why It’s Great: Comfortable to wear; silicone texture for gripping; easy to clean

Grain of Salt: Not as agile as gloves

Before we get to the important parts, I have to say this: these gloves are comfortable. Slip a hand in and they just feel nice, like a comfy winter coat. The thickness is great for keeping hands safe from heat. Of course they’re not as flexible as gloves, but they’re soft enough to be able to grab handles, lids, and casseroles. I particularly like the silicone lines on the interior of the mitts, which make them a bit more grippy with slick glass casseroles, and those stripes also add a lovely decorative element. The length is nice, covering a bit of the forearm, but not getting in the way.

These mitts are quite roomy, so they’ll fit almost every hand, plus they’re easy to put on and take off. They’re even easy to wrangle when I’m wearing long sleeves that might get in the way of snugger gloves. When it comes to putting them on, I’ve been known to slip into one while it’s resting on the counter, using just one hand. The silicone keeps it from sliding away, and there’s enough wiggle room to get my hand in easily. The dark red is easy to spot on the counter or hanging on a hook, and most stains don’t look as obvious on it.

The Details: Cotton and silicone; safe to 480°F; 12.5-inch length; machine washable

Why It’s Great: Thick knit; silicone anti-slip texturing; dark color hides stains

Grain of Salt: Not waterproof

It’s a good idea to keep a close eye on these comfy knit gloves in winter because it’s a sure bet someone will grab them when their winter gloves have gone missing. They’re thick, warm and comfortable, and have a snug cuff that keeps the gloves from getting accidentally pulled off. They’re great for handling both hot and cold items, so they’re handy for rearranging the freezer.

The gloves don’t feel overly large on my medium-sized hands, but they’re stretchy so they’ll fit a wide range. The fingers make it easy enough to grab pot lids and handles, and the silicone design helps to make these gloves grippier, so it’s easy to hang onto slick surfaces. That design is also decorative if that matters.

While these aren’t waterproof, they’re thick enough that water won’t soak through immediately. There have been plenty of times I’ve dunked a finger into a roasting pan or gotten splashed with sauce, and the liquid didn’t soak through. Since these are black, most stains don’t show at all, although a smear of tomato sauce or mustard would show up against the dark background. When it’s time for cleaning, they’re machine washable, and have come out unscathed every time I’ve tossed them in.

The Details: Aramid, polyester, and cotton; safe to 527°F; 12.5-inch length; machine washable

Why It’s Great: Smooth surface is easy to clean; waterproof; durable

Grain of Salt: Not ambidextrous

At first glance, these look a bit like a finely knit fabric, but they’re actually entirely waterproof silicone on the outside. The name gives you a hint that these would be great for handling meat in a smoker, but mine seldom leave the house. The shiny surface might fool you into thinking that these might be a bit slick, but they’re very grippy, even when they’re wet. I’ve used them to wash cookware in very hot water and to grab things out of ice water.

The medium size (8) fits my hands well, and for even larger hands, these go up to an extra-extra large (11). I like the idea of a more custom fit since it means the smaller fingers can fit more easily into loop handles and they feel less floppy when wearing them. Besides the custom fit, these are also very flexible so it’s easier to handle small items or for grasping stubborn jar lids. Meanwhile, the finely knit inside feels soft and comfy against the skin.

Since these are waterproof, they’re easy to wash. Just use dish soap while wearing them, and wash just like you’d wash your hands. For less greasy messes, they just rinse clean.

The Details: Silicone and polyester; safe to 480°F; 11.8-inch length; hand-wash only

Why It’s Great: Waterproof; wide range of colors; cotton lining

Grain of Salt: Not as flexible as all-cloth mitts

These might look like they’re stiff, but they’re actually soft and flexible. They’re not as agile as fingered gloves, but they’re quite easy to maneuver compared to many mitts I’ve used. Not only is the exterior silicone but there’s also a beehive-like pattern that adds to the stickiness. The interior is a quilted cloth that feels nice on hard-working hands.

These are quite roomy, so they’re easy to slip on, even one-handed. While color isn’t the first consideration when choosing a working tool like a mitt, these come in a decent range. For even more options, they come in both 12.5-inch and 14.5-inch lengths, and you can even get a set that includes matching trivets.

When it comes to cleaning, these need to be hand-washed, and that might require some brushing if food has dried onto the silicone pattern, but most of the time they’re easy to wash and rinse clean right after use.

The Details: Silicone and cotton; safe to 484°F; 12.5-inch or 14.5-inch length; hand-wash only

Why It’s Great: Easy to grab and use; silicone on one side; doubles as a trivet; pocket for your hand

Grain of Salt: Not as agile as a glove or mitt

Pot holders have been in use for a long time, for a good reason. They’re versatile, safer than using a folded towel to handle a hot pan, and typically easier to store than a pair of oven mitts. Best of all, they’re ambidextrous (unlike some of the gloves I tested).

This pot holder is a fairly large oval, so it’s hard to imagine a hand that wouldn’t fit, and when my whole hand is inside, my wrist is covered, protecting it from silly kitchen accidents. Diamond-shaped silicone nubs on the working side help make this pot holder more grippy, so it’s great for picking up a pot lid, or for holding a casserole from the bottom.

When this isn’t being worn on a hand, it’s also a great trivet, keeping pots from slipping and sliding, and keeping counters safe from excess heat. When it gets too grungy from kitchen chores, it’s machine washable.

The Details: Silicone and cotton; safe to 450°F; 10.5 x 8.75 inches; machine wash

Why It’s Great: Easy to put on; relatively flexible

Grain of Salt: Not a lot of coverage; might take time to get used to them

These little mitts were designed specifically for grabbing the rim of an Instant Pot’s inner cooking vessel, to remove it from the shell. They work excellently for that task, much better than bulkier gloves and mitts that are often too thick to grab that little rim. They’re really easy to slip on because they are so small—these just cover your fingers and thumb. The design reminds me a bit of a duck bill or a puppet of some other creature’s flapping mouth. If I’m honest, I have to say that I’m tempted to draw on some eyes to complete that illusion.

While these were designed for a particular task, they can also be used for times when you’re only using fingers and fingertips, but the rest of the hand doesn’t need protection. They’re fine for holding pot handles on a Dutch oven, or for pulling out an oven rack. Or just tuck them into the pot of the Instant Pot when it’s not in use so they’ll always be available for their primary job.

Since these are all silicone, they’re easy enough to rinse clean or wash by hand with the dishes.

The Details: Silicone; 4-inch length; hand-wash only

Why It’s Great: Familiar; affordable; three lengths available

Grain of Salt: Cleaning can remove fire retardant coating

What these mitts lack in style, they make up for in usefulness. Available in muted neutrals, they’re made from quilted terry cloth, just like grandma’s oven mitts, but these have a fire-retardant coating. While you might not be reaching into the grill or grabbing hot coals, the coating is great if you cook with gas or like to flambé foods, but are concerned that your mitts might scorch or burn. That fire retardant also helps to make these mitts a bit more waterproof, so there’s less chance that liquids will immediately seep through or stain the mitts.

These gloves are quite stiff but are good for holding pot handles or lifting lids. They also work well for grabbing hot baking sheets from the oven. These are quite long, reaching up my forearm, but not to the elbow, so they’ll thwart annoying burns from oven racks.

One downside is that these should only be spot-cleaned since cleaning can strip off the fire retardant. Even with that coating gone, these would be nice mitts, but not as handy for handling dragons.

The Details: Quilted terry cloth cotton and fire-retardant coating; safe to 425°F; 13-inch, 15-inch, or 16-inch length; spot-clean only

The Ove Gloves are my clear favorites because they’ve been tested in my kitchen with decades of use. Aside from looking pretty ugly from permanent food stains, they work as well as when I first bought them.If I could only have one more set, I’d have to choose a waterproof option for those times when I know I’ll be getting a little wet or greasy—or a lot wet or greasy. And since they’re extra-long to protect my forearms, I like the Rappica Heat Resistant BBQ Grill Gloves.

Allrecipes / Alexander Huang

Gloves: Of all of the styles, gloves offer the most agility, since you can slide one or two or three fingers through the loop of a handle or put fingers through a grate or rack. Most oven gloves are one-size-fits-all which might be a problem for cooks with extra-large or small hands, but they’ve got enough stretch that they should work for most. Many gloves are ambidextrous, but some have a left and right glove.

Mitts: The advantages that mitts have over gloves are that they’re easier to put on, and they fit most adult hands. They’re less agile than gloves but offer better coverage than a pot holder. Most mitts are ambidextrous, so it doesn’t matter which you grab if you only need one.

Pot Holders: Pot holders have been around forever, and they’re still very useful. However, one of their best attributes may be how easy they are to store. Since they’re flat, they can slip into almost any kitchen drawer so they can be positioned near the stove, toaster, slow cooker, and any other hot appliances on the counter, ready whenever you need one.

Mini Mitts: Mini mitts are a fairly new style. They don’t cover the whole hand. Instead, they stop near the knuckles, so they’re easy to slip on—I’ve even managed to get one of them on one-handed. These are the perfect tools when you’re just using your fingertips, but they don’t offer as much protection as full-size mitts and gloves.

Fabric or Knit: Quilted fabric mitts or knit gloves are often made of cotton, sometimes in combination with other materials, including flame-retardant materials. Sure, your cotton T-shirt doesn’t provide much insulation, but thick knitted or quilted gloves are excellent at keeping hands safe from heat. Since they’re breathable, they’re also more comfortable to wear for a long period, without hands getting overly sweaty.The downside of any fabric gloves is that they aren’t waterproof, and a wet spot can transfer heat quickly, resulting in a burn. The plus side is that most fabric gloves are machine washable, so they’re easy to clean when they get messy. Many fabric mitts and gloves have silicone lines on the exterior that offer a more nonslip grip.

Silicone: Silicone and similar nonporous materials have several advantages. First, they’re waterproof, so there are no worries about liquids soaking through. Second, they are usually very nonslip, so my grip on the roasting pan is always secure. And last, they’re pretty easy to clean, so you can wash off a mess and keep using them without transferring turkey drippings to the cake tins.Many silicone mitts and gloves have a soft fabric interior that makes them more comfortable to wear, and also easier to put on and take off.

While oven mitts and gloves are designed to handle high heat when grabbing hot pots and pans, that doesn’t mean they can’t catch fire if they’re exposed to flame or extended high temperatures. Care should always be taken when using them, particularly around open flames on gas stoves or outdoor grills.Also, while many are rated for high temperatures, that doesn’t mean hands will be comfortable at those temperatures for an extended time. Sure, you can grab a screaming hot cast-iron pan to move it to a different burner with no problem, but if you’re carrying a hot griddle from the outdoor grill to the kitchen, it’s wise to have a safe place to set it down if the heat gets uncomfortable.

In general, fabric mitts can be machine washed, but just like clothing, it’s best to check the cleaning instructions for specific water temperature and drying instructions. Some require air drying, which can take some time with thick fabrics, and they should never be used while still damp.Silicone and other waterproof gloves can easily be hand-washed. I just use dish soap while I’m wearing them and wash like I’m washing my hands. When I’ve gotten super messy, I might grab a scrub brush to get rid of all the debris. Some silicone mitts can be washed in the dishwasher, while some are hand-wash only. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Oven mitts are best stored near where they will be used, so you can grab them quickly when you need them. Many have a hanging loop, so they can be hung on a cabinet handle or even better, on a magnetic hook on the exterior of your oven or fridge. They can also be stored in a drawer, if you have the spare room.

Mitts should always be dry when grabbing anything hot because water can speed the transfer of the heat, resulting in burns. While a wet fabric mitt is more dangerous, some silicone mitts may become slippery if they’re wet or greasy.

If looks matter, you can replace oven mitts when they’re stained and can’t be sufficiently cleaned. More important, though, is making sure mitts don’t have any tears, holes, or thin spots where heat can get through. The worst kitchen burn I got in recent years was in a friend’s kitchen, when I used a mitt that was damaged in the web of the thumb. It’s best to replace mitts before something like that happens.

Most mitts are one-size-fits-all and will fit most adult hands. However, there are a few that offer different hand sizes if you’d like something a bit more tailored. Some also come in various lengths, for more or less coverage of forearms.

A wise person once said that people are either burners or cutters in the kitchen, meaning that they’re either prone to burning themselves, or prone to knife accidents. Donna Currie is the former, as her aloe plant can attest to. She has amassed a collection of oven mitts and gloves, with a pair always ready near the stove. Besides writing for a variety of online publications, she’s the author of “Make Ahead Bread,” a cookbook that’s designed to fit bread baking into a busy schedule.