8 Best Oven Mitts in 2026, Tested and Reviewed
These oven mitts and pot holders allowed us to hoist pans out of sweltering ovens without feeling the burn.
Our Top Oven Mitt Picks
Tested by Laura Denby
No matter how experienced a chef is in the kitchen, everyone may get burned by a hot pan at some point. That’s why it’s essential to have a durable, comfortable set of oven mitts at the ready. Protecting your hands from heat is essential when cooking, and no one is immune to the high heats that a stove, oven, grill or smoker can produce — regardless of how much cooking experience you have. While there are many different styles to choose from, the best oven mitts should protect your hands and fingers from heat, be easy to clean and make grabbing hot items feel easier and more secure. In search of the best oven mitts available, we put over 25 sets to the test in our own kitchens. We grabbed pots, sheet trays and hot pans and assessed how comfortable and efficient the process felt with each set.
Laura Denby
How We Tested
For starters, we checked the packaging for specific directions on use and care, whether or not the mitts were machine wash safe, and to see if the brand made any special claims such as “easy grip” and “heat-resistant to 450 degrees F.” After jotting down notes on shape, size and materials used, we put the mitts to work. We heated an oven first to 350 degrees F and then 450 degrees F, and we let a sheet pan sit inside for five minutes before holding it as long as we could with our oven mitts, before feeling heat radiate through. We also analyzed how easy the sheet pan felt to maneuver with the mitts, before determining our final rankings.
- Silicone stripes on the inside provide a non-slip surface
- Heat-resistant up to 500 degrees F.
- Available in 11 colors
- These are a little more expensive than some of the others on our list
When it comes to sturdy, comfortable, heat-resistant gloves, this option from All-Clad is the best of all we’ve tested. They completely protected our hands from the heat when holding a hot pan, and we never felt any discomfort, even while holding a hot sheet tray for multiple minutes.
The oven mitts are made from cotton and silicone, so the inside is soft and comfortable while the outside provides a non-slip grip for picking up slippery pan handles or sticky sheet trays. The mitts are 14 inches long, so they protect your wrists and a good portion of your forearm from the heat. We love that these mitts are machine washable and come in 11 colors, so they’re easy to match to your decor and wash in the washing machine when they get dirty.
- Length 14"
- Material Cotton and silicone
- Machine-washable Yes
- Colors 11
- Heat-resistant up to 500 degrees F.
- At 14.6 inches long, they offer extra forearm protection
- Available in 12 colors
- Not dishwasher safe
These durable gloves are affordable and easy to maneuver. Made from polyester and silicone, they offer a comfortable grip that protects your hands, wrists and forearms from high heats. Though we could feel some heat after lifting up the hot pan, it never got to the point of discomfort. These affordable mitts are a great option for any home cook looking to handle high heats with comfort. Available in 12 colors, there are a ton of options to choose from. Keep in mind that these mitts should be washed by hand and shouldn’t be put in the washing machine.
- Length 14.6"
- Material Polyester and silicone
- Machine-washable No
- Colors 12
- Heat resistant up to 932 degrees F.
- Also provide protection from knife cuts
- These gloves stop at your wrists, so your forearms aren’t as protected from the heat
The Grill Armour fits like, well, a glove, which allowed us the most maneuverability by far. Seriously, you can snatch a pan heated to 932 degrees F straight off a grill, as easily as you could a cool one with a bare hand because they come insulated with materials like Kevlar and Nomex, which don’t melt or catch fire when exposed to open flame.
- Length 10"
- Material Cotton and silicone
- Machine-washable Yes
- Colors 7
- A combination of materials mean they offer the comfort of cotton and the security of silicone
- Available in 22 colors
- They’re heat-resistant up to 500 degrees F.
- They’re not machine washable
These sturdy gloves from one of our favorite brands offer the best of both worlds — they’re made with a soft and comfortable cotton lining and a completely slip-free, waterproof silicone exterior. They performed very well in our tests; the silicone and cotton kept our fingers protected from the heat, even when holding extra-hot pans. Although they’re not safe to put in the washing machine, they’re easy enough to spot clean with a damp cloth.
- Length 13"
- Material Polyester, cotton and silicone
- Machine-washable No
- Colors 22
- It comes with four pieces
- Totally heat-proof during our tests
- Comes in 11 colors
- The oven mitts are shorter than a lot of others on this list
- Not machine washable
When testing these oven mitts, we were surprised to see how little heat we could feel coming through the material. Even after holding a hot pan for over a minute, we still never felt the heat hit our fingers, which is super impressive compared to some of the other models we tried. We love that the silicone was super flexible and not too cumbersome. The best part? This set of two oven mitts also comes with two potholders that can be used as trivets, so it is a fantastic value for the price.
- Length 12.5"
- Material BPA-Free Silicone
- Machine-washable No
- Colors 11
- It doubles as a trivet
- Roomy pocket can fit your whole hand
- Has the comfort of cotton with the functionality of silicone
- Not machine washable
- Small hanging loop wouldn't fit all hooks
The pocket on this potholder is roomy yet flexible, keeping the entirety of our hand safely covered, while still allowing us to maneuver sizzling sheet pans. And instead of just being a square of filmy cotton, the entire underside is affixed with diamond-patterned silicone, which resists heat, improves grip and can be easily wiped clean. The silicone siding even allows the OXO to double as a trivet, so you can prop your pots and pans directly on a counter or table.
- Length 9.75"
- Material Cotton and silicone
- Machine-washable Yes
- Colors 4
- Super soft
- Extra-long construction offers more protection
- Doubles as a hot pad
- Great for picking up large cookware with two hands
- Not ideal for grabbing things with one hand
This double oven mitt is super soft and super versatile. The long piece of cotton and linen has two hand slots so you can easily grab heavy Dutch ovens or super-hot sheet pans with confidence. We love that the two hand slots are connected by a thick piece of material, which helps protect your inner wrists and belly when moving hot cookware out of the oven. Better yet, the rectangular piece of material can be arranged however you like, so you could lay it out along the center of your table to act as a surface protector or extra-large trivet. The shape, size and material make this piece super versatile and comfortable to use, making it a great option for someone looking for a multifunctional way to protect themselves from the heat.
- Length 34.5"
- Material Cotton and linen
- Machine-washable Yes
- Colors 2
- Silicone interior makes it non-slip
- Totally protected our fingers from heat during testing
- Available in 6 colors and prints
- Doesn't offer a ton of wrist protection
Short gloves like these from Folkuture are a fantastic way to improve mobility in the kitchen — they’re easy to get on and off and provide protection from the heat without feeling too cumbersome or bulky. This set performed better than the others we tried, thanks to the comfortable cotton lining and non-slip silicone ridges. The gloves offered complete protection from the heat, we never felt any discomfort on our fingers even after holding a hot pan for over a minute. They’re easy to wash in the washing machine and come in six cute colors and patterns.
- Length 9"
- Material Cotton and silicone
- Machine-washable Yes
- Colors 6
What to Look for in an Oven Mitt, Potholder and Gloves
Material and Durability
The main purpose of an oven mitt is to keep your hands protected from heat, so you should start by looking for mitts that are made of durable materials that can withstand higher temperatures. Material is a key factor to consider when shopping for an oven mitt because it is directly tied to the product’s heat-resistance, durability and ease of use. The best oven mitts should be made of an easy-to-wash material (like cotton) and should have some way of protecting your skin (like double layers of material). While cotton is a strong and durable material that is super soft against your skin, silicone is another great heat-resistant material that is perfect for oven mitts. While silicone isn’t as comfortable as cotton, it does provide a slip-free surface that can withstand high heat. Some of our favorite oven mitts — like the All-Clad Silicone Oven Mitts — are made from a combination of the two materials.
Size
Oven mitts are offered in different sizes, and the best option for you is a matter of personal preference. Some oven mitts are long enough to cover the majority of your forearms while others are designed to just cover your hands. While the longer gloves make it easy to reach back further into your oven, the shorter gloves provide convenience and portability when working quickly.
Style
When it comes to protecting your skin during cooking, there are a few different options to choose from. Oven mitts have a slot for your thumbs and another slot for your remaining four fingers, and they make it easy to pinch and grab pots and pans. Oven gloves have five individual finger slots that are great for grilling or working over an open flame. Potholders are insulated pads that let you grab a pot or tray with your palm, and they can also act as trivets to protect your surfaces from hot cookware.
Laura Denby
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a mitt, potholder or gloves?
If you like to cook, you absolutely need a way to protect your hands while grabbing hot pots, pans or sheet trays. While a kitchen towel can do the trick, it’s not as safe as using a reliable set of oven mitts, a potholder or gloves. No matter which style you choose, this small, affordable kitchen tool is an essential in any home kitchen.
What material is best for oven mitts?
Cotton or silicone are best for oven mitts. Both of these materials can withstand high temperatures and protect your skin from heat. However, they do have some differences; cotton is easier to clean, more comfortable and more flexible than silicone. Alternatively, silicone provides a secure, non-slip surface when compared to cotton.
How should you clean oven mitts?
Oven mitts should be cleaned according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Some are machine washable while others should be cleaned by hand. Before cleaning, be sure to check the owner’s manual to ensure you do so properly.
Can you use a towel as an oven mitt?
You can use a kitchen towel as an oven mitt, but it’s not as safe or reliable as the real thing. A folded towel can protect your hands from heat as long as it’s not wet or covered in grease. If a kitchen towel is dirty, it could cause more damage when in contact with high temperatures.
