How Oven Gloves Saved My Life

“Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.” – Ernestine Ulmer

Eating at least three meals a day keeps the body and mind healthy. The desire to consume something sweet after a full bite is certain. Dessert is a sweet course eaten at the end of a meal. It can be served hot, warm, chilled, or frozen. 

Desserts are also as important as main courses. They are usually made to be sweet. And as there is a hidden sweet tooth inside all of us, we tend to crave for sugar. Ingesting sugar actually improves the mood of a person through the production of happy hormones.

Fond of making and baking desserts? Baking can be therapeutic to some people. As a matter of fact, the scent produced by desserts is absolutely relaxing and getting busy in the kitchen can help with anxiety and mental health by relieving stress.

For starters, oven is the most important appliance for baking. The prepared dough or mixture is exposed to a hot environment inside an oven. Technically, after the timer on your oven stopped, you take out the finished products. The temperature for ovens ranges from 200°F to 450°F. For safety measures, it is recommended to use oven gloves when taking out pans and trays from ovens.

Why should you use oven gloves and not a tea towel?

Using a tea towel or a simple cloth is not enough to protect the hands in handling hot pans and trays from ovens. Professionals advise everyone to use proper gloves. Oven gloves are designed to resist heat in order to avoid burns. 

Tea towels are usually made thin. Nevertheless, it is not stated that it can’t be used in taking out trays from an oven. To be able to make use of it, it needs to be folded to the right thickness first, which is inconvenient and time-consuming. However, keep in mind that there is a possibility that the tray or pan may slip your own hands which can result to accident.

On the other hand, oven gloves, can also be referred to as oven mitts, are designed to specifically for the hands to handle items with high temperature. Made from materials with low conduction of heat, oven gloves prevent the transfer of heat from the tray to the hand. Purchasing oven gloves with high quality will actually last years especially if handled properly. 

How to wash oven gloves?

We are all aware that, sometimes, baking can get a little messy. Grease, stains, oil, flour, and food remains that can’t be seen visibly with the naked eye can cause germs or bacteria to build up in oven gloves. 

Occasional washing of oven gloves is advisable. Though, the procedure of washing might be different for various types of materials used.

Most oven gloves come with a care label where instructions for proper washing is stated. There are two methods in cleaning oven gloves. One is by hand wash while the other is through machine wash.

Before proceeding with hand wash or machine wash, another additional process to check if the washing can cause damage and fading are as follows:

• Prepare one gallon of warm water in a bucket.
• Add ½ cup of mild detergent, ¼ for concentrated detergents, into the bucket and stir.
• Dip a piece of cloth, preferably white because colored cloth may stain oven gloves, and squeeze it until only a small amount of moisture is left.
• Gently dab the damp cloth on all areas of the oven glove/mitt.
• Allow to dry for at least 30 minutes.

If no discoloration happens, then the oven gloves/mitts are ready for hand wash or machine wash. Gentle washing cycle for machine wash while careful twisting for hand wash. Oven gloves can be dried with either low heat dryer or air dry for at least 24 hours. Chlorine bleach can be used for white oven mitts to remove stains more effectively.

However, if damage or fading occurs, do not attempt to wash it.

Are silicone oven gloves any good?

In purchasing oven gloves, it is important to check the level of heat it can handle. Another factor to consider is the grip of the gloves. Lastly, it is good for oven gloves to be made of materials that does not absorb liquids.  

The most common material used for oven gloves is cotton fabric. Today, manufacturing companies developed oven gloves made from silicon that can resist higher temperatures providing better protection for the hands. In addition to higher heat resistance, it is also waterproof, thus, no liquid passes through the gloves. Silicone oven gloves can be cleaned with only soap and water. It also gives the user a better grip.

What are the best oven gloves?

Traditional oven gloves’ design is commonly known as oven mitts while gloves that features the five fingers, usually sold in pairs, are referred to as oven gloves. Different materials provide different level of resistance and flexibility in oven gloves. Oven gloves made from cotton is cheaper but isn’t reliable for long period of contact with hot pans or trays. 

Five Best Oven Gloves of 2021

OXO Good Grips Silicone Oven Mitts

From the name itself, it is an oven mitt made up of silicon. It can resist heat up to 450°F.

Pros: 

• Non-slip grip from the diamond pattern
• With dimensions of 13.7 x 7 x 0.5 inches, it covers the hands up to the forearm 
• Flame, stain, and steam resistant.
• Easily cleaned by wiping the stain with damp cloth or rinsing with clean water

Cons:

• Not designed for people with small hands and short finger
• Expensive

Food52 Five Two Silicone Oven Mitts

Made from platinum-grade silicone, it can withstand up to 650 degrees. The inner interior is made up of 100% cotton terry giving a soft feeling.

Pros: 

• Soft interior
• Thin and flexible
• Long enough to cover up to the forearm
• Washing and dryer safe
• High temperature resistance
• Design and colors are good for decoration

Cons:

• Expensive

Homwe’s Extra-Long Professional Silicone Oven Mitts

Homwe’s Silicone Oven Mitts can be bought in pairs. It is designed to withstand up to 450°F.

Pros: 

• Affordable
• Flexible
• Steam and heat-resistant
• Washing and dryer safe
• Machine washable

Cons:

• Bulky

Big Red House Oven Mitts

Oven mitts made from 100% cotton exterior and terry cloth interior. Designed with striped silicone lines to provide a non-slip grip. It can withstand up to 480 degrees.

Pros: 

• Simple and classic
• Machine washable

Cons:

• Hindrance in performing simple tasks

Grill Armor Gloves

Pair of gloves with five-finger design recorded to have the highest heat resistance that can withstand up to 932°F. 

Pros: 

• Non-slip grip
• Does not melt or burn when exposed to flame
• Lightweight and flexible
• Machine washable
• Lifetime warranty

Cons:

• Covers only up to the wrist
• Not waterproof

To sum up everything that has been stated so far, a lot of oven gloves are manufactured and have their own pros and cons. However, according to reviews from customers, the best pick would be the Food52 Five Two Silicone Oven Mitts. 

Oven mitts/gloves are usually designed to withstand up until 450°F only. Five Two Silicone Oven Mitts has higher temperature resistance and can cover up to the forearm of the user, reducing the risk of getting burns and scalds. It is expensive for its price but it is worth it and can last a long time if handled properly.