Why Silicone Oven Gloves Are a Better Choice

Why I Really Like Silicone Oven Gloves

UPDATED: 3/16/15

I first read about silicone oven mitts and gloves years ago in our local paper right around the holidays and put them on my Christmas wish list. I'll let you know I received a pair and have enjoyed working with them since. Here's what I said about my first silicone gloves back then:

How can you not love a waterproof, heat-resistant glove that will protect your hand from boiling water and according to the manufacturer, oven temperatures up to 500 degrees F? I don't plan to stick my hand in anything that hot soon.

This futuristic glove is made of heavy-duty silicone and looks like a shark or killer whale in the eyes of my two young daughters. They were surprised when I opened my gift thinking it was a mistake and must have been for them.

I love that the manufacturer says it will protect your hand from direct heat, charcoal, boiling water, and hot oil up to 500 degrees F, AND is dishwasher safe. I'm more concerned about what this material could do to my dishwasher.

I have to admit it's a little bulky on your hand. Even with the advertised "ribbed texture for easy gripping", you're not going to confuse it with any Playtex Living Gloves that were "so flexible you can pick up a dime."

They are not cheap at $20 to $25 bucks (see below for online sources) but if it keeps me from burning myself just once when grabbing a hot pan out of the oven, it will be well worth it.  I can't wait to send one to my dad who loves to bake.

Same Idea, Better Design

I just received from Amazon.com a new, updated version of silicone gloves that give you much more flexibility and dexterity, you just might be able to "pick up a dime." You can see from the photo above, these gloves now have fingers rather than those clunky "mitts" I originally purchased.

Besides having fingers to better grip pots, Dutch ovens, freezer items, and hot foods like whole chickens off the grill spit, they feel much more flexible while still retaining their ability to withstand both hot and cold temperatures. Of course, you should be sure to read the manufacturer's specs before trying to grab anything too hot or too cold.

Great Ways for Using Silicone Gloves

I've been trying to think of how these gloves might be helpful in the kitchen and came up with some ideas I've listed below. If you have some of your own ways to use silicone gloves, please share them with me in the comments section below.

Barbecuing - removing charcoal chimneys, removing and adjusting hot grates, handling big cuts of pork or poultry, moving a hibachi or tabletop grill

Indoor Cooking - removing hot pans from the oven, draining hot pots of boiling water, grabbing lobsters out of a pot of water, handling cast iron cookware, removing and replacing pot lids for stirring

Frozen Foods - We have a chest freezer out in the garage and after about 30 seconds of moving cryovaced meats, chicken pieces, ice cream, leftover containers, and frozen foods, my hands are burning cold. These gloves will help.

Carving - holding onto hot food items for carving without burning those fingertips

Plating - removing hot plates from the oven or microwave before plating, transferring hot plates to the table

Camping - working with fire pit grates, pulling hot pans out of the fire or off the fire grate, protecting your hands when making smores with a stick that's too short

Miscellaneous - opening those incredibly hard-to-open jars, grabbing an oven thermometer from whatever you are cooking, removing hot light bulbs around the house

Some of My Favorite Cookware