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When it's time to take that sizzling roasting pan out of the oven, you shouldn't rely on potholders and dish towels to prevent burns. Oven mitts not only keep your hands protected from searing temperatures, they also provide superior grip. Whether you're a seasoned chef or a complete beginner, oven mitts are an essential tool for safely handling hot cookware.
With so many different options available, finding the right fit can be a challenge. Can silicone oven mitts handle the heat? Do advanced materials like Kevlar really have a place in the average kitchen? And whatever happened to good old-fashioned cotton?
Everyone knows that oven mitts are worn to prevent burns while handling hot cookware, but why do you need an oven mitt when you could just as easily grab the nearest dish towel? Let's take a look at the key benefits of oven mitts to find out.
Heat-Resistant Materials:To effectively prevent burns, most modern oven mitts offer dual protection in the form of an insulated lining and a heat-resistant outer shell. Certain varieties even keep their cool at temperatures exceeding 500°F.
Full Coverage:The average pair of oven mitts cover the entire hand, from the fingertips to just below the wrist. Using a folded dish towel or potholder often leaves the wrists and the backs of the hands vulnerable.
Improved Grip:Since oven mitts are worn rather than held, they don’t interfere with grip. Dish towels and potholders can easily slip out of place, resulting in burns or dropped food.
Better Handling:Rotating sheets of cookies or the pan of a roasting turkey can be tricky, and such maneuvers present loads of opportunities for getting burned. Using a pair of oven mitts makes the job that much easier.
Oven mitts may not be the star of the culinary show, but they play an invaluable supporting role. From oven to stovetop and in between, oven mitts truly are an indispensable aid to every cook.
Oven mitts are available in a variety of styles and lengths, but the materials are what determine a mitt’s resistance to heat. Different materials can withstand different temperatures and vary in terms of how long you can safely hold a scalding pot or pan. Popular oven mitt materials include the following.
Traditional cotton oven mitts have been around for decades. Cotton is breathable, comfortable, and flexible. However, due to their low level of heat resistance, cotton oven mitts are better suited for quick use in lower temperatures. Unless the mitts are reinforced with heat-resistant material, cotton oven mitts only offer protection from temperatures of around 200°F, and only for a few seconds at that.
Neoprene is the material used to make wetsuits. This synthetic rubber offers a great balance of flexibility and heat resistance. Most neoprene oven mitts are water, stain, and grease resistant, making these a good option for foods that require lots of hands-on attention. Most are safe to use at temperatures of up to 400°F. Neoprene prevents heat transference much longer than cotton.
Silicone oven mitts provide heavy-duty protection for everyday cooks. They're also highly flexible, with excellent grip, and many can be simply tossed into the dishwasher to clean. Most silicone oven mitts are capable of withstanding maximum temperatures of 500°F for around 30 seconds at a time.
You’ll find Nomex in the protective gear worn by race car drivers, astronauts, and firefighters. Kevlar is used in bullet-proof vests and needs no introduction. Not surprisingly, both are extremely flame and heat resistant. Oven mitts constructed of these materials deliver superior protection when cooking at high heat or over open flames, which is why you find them in commercial kitchens. Heat resistance varies from around 500°F to just over 900°F.
Oven mitts come in two styles: conventional mitts and gloves. Both provide excellent heat protection, but each style has its own unique strengths and weaknesses. Try on both styles to get a better idea of how they handle and grip common cookware items of varying sizes to determine which works best for you.
Oven mitts are shaped like mittens, with a smaller pocket for the thumb and a larger compartment for the rest of the fingers.
Pros:
Easy to pull on quickly in case of emergency
Work well for gripping large items like baking sheets androasting pans
Lend additional strength handling heavy items
Familiar shape more comfortable for some people
Cons:
Reduced dexterity
May compromise grip on smaller handles and pot lids
Just like regular gloves, oven gloves have a separate compartment for each finger.
Pros:
Allow for a more natural range of motion
Superior dexterity
Eliminate the need to remove mitt for some tasks (grasp spoons; stir dish in oven)
State-of-the-art heat-resistant materials
Cons:
More effort to pull on
May take some getting used to
Once you've settled on the best style and material for you, selecting a great pair of oven mitts is fairly simple. Consider these factors before making your final decision.
If you regularly cook at very high temperatures, added heat resistance is essential. Although heat resistance can generally be determined by the material, different blends and thicknesses of oven mitt may vary in performance. For this reason, it's important to check manufacturer specifications before purchasing.
The average oven mitt extends just beyond the wrist. While this length is adequate for most cooks, longer oven mitts will protect the forearms, too. Some mitts even reach right up to the elbow. Consider buying longer oven mitts if you're passionate aboutbakingor barbecuing.
When you look at the clock and realize you were supposed to check the oven ten minutes ago, speed is of the essence. Any extra seconds spent trying to get oven mitts on can feel like hours. To avoid the temptation of plunging your hands into a hot oven with only a dish towel for protection, make sure that your oven mitts are easy to slip on. If you have larger hands, take extra care in choosing the right size.
Food spills and stains are occupational hazards for oven mitts. Grease, gravy, sauce, and oil splatters are all in a day's work. The best oven mitts are stain resistant and easy to clean. Check whether the oven mitt materials are machine washable before purchasing.
Oven mitt prices vary according to the material, heat resistance, and length.
Most cotton oven mitts cost between $5 and $10. However, name-brand varieties or those with limited-edition prints may cost a few dollars more.
You can find a variety of excellent neoprene and silicone oven mitts for $10 to $20.
Aramid fabrics tend to be the most expensive, but they provide superior heat resistance. Expect to pay between $15 and $40 for these oven mitts.
A.Silicone, neoprene, and aramid fabrics are all great options forbarbecuing. However, due to their exceptional heat resistance, aramid fabrics tend to be the safest, and many will even enable you to rearrange hot coals.
A.Different materials require different care, so it’s important to check the label before washing your oven mitts. With that in mind, the following cleaning methods work well for most oven mitts.
Cotton:To avoid damaging fibers, it's best to gently hand-wash cotton oven mitts in lukewarm water and detergent. Rather than wringing them out, give your mitts a gentle squeeze after rinsing and allow them to air-dry.
Neoprene:These are generally machine washable. However, some neoprene oven mitts are blended with other fabrics and might need to be hand-washed.
Silicone:Durable, flexible, and waterproof, silicone is exceptionally easy to clean. Light messes can simply be rinsed off, or toss silicone oven mitts into the dishwasher or washing machine for a more thorough clean. Just remember to check whether the lining needs to be removed, first.
Aramid Fabrics:Most Nomex and Kevlar oven mitts are machine washable.
A.Both mitts and gloves are suitable for baking, and the best style for you will be the one you're most comfortable wearing. One feature worth looking for when using oven mitts for baking is extended length to prevent burns when you’re reaching between racks in a hot oven.
