Unless you’d like to end up burning your hands while cooking, it would be wise to grab a pair of oven mitts for yourself and start using them.
Oven mitts are made from items that do not conduct heat. Because of this, the heat from pans, pots, ovens, stoves, or other similar objects doesn’t get transferred to your hands.
You may be one of the majority of people who have gotten used to handling hot items in the kitchen using tea towels or kitchen rags. It’s important to note, however, that tea towels or kitchen rags can only give you slight protection from heat.
You may also lose your grip on the item you are handling as you’d have to fold a towel or rag in order to protect yourself, making it quite bulky and awkward.
You know that tea towels and kitchen rags found in your kitchen are most likely damp or wet. They won’t protect your hands. It is important to keep your oven mitts dry before use.
Doing so, it would actually allow the heat to pass through the mitts as water is an excellent conductor of heat. Wetting your oven mitts will permit the heat to seep into the fibers and go right into your hands.
Kinds of Oven Mitts
Unlike before, when you’d only have a choice of pattern, color and design of cloth oven mitts, now there are different kinds available, depending on the material the mitts are made of. Choosing the ideal pair of oven mitts to suit your needs is easy as long as you have all the helpful information needed.
Here are the most common kinds of oven mitts available on the market and what makes them different from each other:
Fabric or Cloth Oven Mitts
The most traditional type of oven mitts, cloth mitts are designed to protect your hands from intense heat from objects you handle in the kitchen. When using these kinds of mitts, you would have to have a solid grip on the item you’re holding and make sure that you don’t handle the hot item for too long.
Using fabric or cloth oven mitts in handling hot items too long or handling items which are intensely hot might prove ineffectual as they are not made for those purposes.
One good thing about fabric or cotton mitts is that there are many more designs available unlike other kinds of oven mitts. They are also very convenient to store as you can fold them and place them in a small space or just hang them on a hook in your kitchen.
The downside of cloth or fabric mitts is that they are prone to stains and are not fire proof. Cleaning these kinds of mitts can prove to be a challenge as well as doing so makes them less durable.
However, if you’re looking for simple and affordable oven mitts to be used for light tasks in the home, fabric or cotton oven mitts would be a good choice for you.
Silicone Oven Mitts
Silicone oven mitts are more modern kinds of mitts which have become available in the market. Thick yet pliable, these kinds of oven mitts provide better protection for your hands, especially when you plan to handle extremely hot items in your kitchen.
When using silicone oven mitts, you don’t have to worry about feeling any amount of heat in your hands. Aside from that, silicone gloves are very easy to maintain and to clean as you can opt to wash them by hand or using the dishwasher.
The non-slip feature of silicone oven mitts as well as the flexible material will permit you to handle objects confidently. This would be the most ideal choice for professionals or if you enjoy cooking a lot and experimenting in your kitchen.
Neoprene Oven Mitts
Neoprene mitts are a new kind of oven mitts which are made from the same textile as wetsuits. They have a non-slip feature and are able to protect you from temperatures as high as 400°F.
The exterior structure is seamless and it would even allow you to reach into hot liquids without burning or scalding your hand. Neoprene oven mitts can be washed in the washing machine or in a dishwasher too.
What to Look for When Buying the Best Oven Mitts?
A lot to consider, right? When looking for the best oven mitts for you, you don’t just consider the different kinds of oven mitts available, but a number of other factors. It would be such a waste to go and buy one kind of oven mitt only to find out you’ve missed a few things.
Here’s a short guide for you to assist you in selecting your ideal pair of oven mitts. Read through and enjoy!
Safety Features
Since safety is the most important feature of oven mitts, this is the first thing to consider when finding the perfect oven mitts. Base your choice on the amount of heat you plan to handle and you’d definitely end up making a great choice.
Material Quality
No matter what kind of oven mitts you plan to buy, make sure to check the quality of the material it is made of. A superior quality product will be very useful for you and you will be able to use it for years.
Hardness or Softness of Material
Oven mitts made from different materials come in varying degrees of hardness or softness. It would be wise for you to pick mitts which are not too stiff or not too hard so that you will be able to handle objects well.
Find the Best Value for Your Money
Oven mitts come in different price ranges. You can either choose cheap ones which you can replace easily or more expensive ones which tend to be more durable and long lasting.
Low Maintenance
Much time and effort can be saved if you choose oven mitts which are easy to clean and easy to maintain.
Now that you’re aware of the kinds of oven mitts as well as what to look for when you’re choosing oven mitts, let’s move on to some of the best oven mitts available in the market now to further help you make your choice.
