Do you use potholders or oven mitts? They are not the same. I was surprised to learn how popular potholders are. They are extremely useful unless you want to burn your hands. Potholders are made of many materials. People even make their own. Not only are they useful one daily basis, they make a nice matching accessory to your decorated kitchen theme.
What Are Potholders?
Potholders are insulated pieces of material used to cover our hands when holding and moving hot kitchenware around, usually from stove top to counter to kitchen or dining room table. Most Pot Holders are around 8” x 8” in size, made from 100% cotton, and feature a convenient hanging loop.
Why should you use potholders or oven mitts?
1. To Handle Hot Dishes
Safety, you do not want to get burned or burn someone else if the hot pan falls out of your hands. The primary function of Pot Holders is to protect your hands while moving hot pots, pans, and dishes around. For example, moving a Sauce Pan between stove tops or from stove top to dinner table.
To lift a pot or pan using both hands will require two Pot Holders, which is why any decent set comes with at least two. In addition, some Potholders are created with a rubber surface on the cloth’s inner palm side, which provides extra grip and creates an anti-slide section of the holder. There are pros and cons to having Potholders with or without a rubber surface, but the difference usually comes down to whether or not you feel comfortable and confident with your hot-dish-handling skills.
Potholders are not meant to be used for reaching into the oven. This is because, unlike Oven Mitts, Potholders only cover your hand and perhaps a little of your wrist, but not your forearm. Reaching into a blazing oven with your wrists and forearms exposed is a recipe for disaster (one of the few recipes we wouldn’t suggest everyone try at least once). A good rule of thumb is if the oven is being opened, you need your Oven Mitts. If the oven is staying closed, you probably only need your Potholders. I have learned the hard way that this statement is true.
2. To Protect counter tops and Dinner Tables
Potholders can also be used in place of hot pads to protect counter tops and dinner tables from hot dishware and cookware. One of the best ways to keep your counters, dinner table, coffee table, and other surfaces in their best condition is to protect them from potentially damaging heat.
3. Potholders or oven mitts add a pop of color to your kitchen
A well-equipped kitchen not only makes life easier (and safer) but creates an overall appearance of a high-end, sophisticated kitchen.
Potholders or Oven Mitts add a pop of color to the kitchen, potholders come in all shapes, different sizes, materials and colors.
Oven Mitts
Oven mitts are actually type of mitten that covers whole hand, wrist and some forearm.
Coverage
Coverage is an essential factor to consider when choosing an oven mitt. Most oven mitts will cover at least down to the wrist, which is about 14 inches. Standard-size mitts are a step up from potholders. They’re fine for moving items around on the stove top, but they won’t protect the rest of the forearm when reaching into the oven to pull a pan out.
If you’ve ever accidentally scorched your elbow, you might want some additional protection. In this case, extra-long oven mitts offer a fuller coverage in sizes up to 17 inches long. Those are ideal for grilling or cooking over any large surface.
Material
There are four different kinds of material from which oven mitts are made: cotton, neoprene (a type of synthetic rubber), silicone, and fabric. Ar amid refers to fibers that are classified for their exceptional strength and heat resistance. Regardless of the oven mitt’s material, you’ll want to choose one that’s thick. My daughter got me a pair of silicone oven mitts. They are wonderful. I use them now instead or oven mitts. Especially when I am Air frying.
While cotton is comfortable and the easiest to clean, it has the lowest heat resistance. Neoprene and silicone offer more protection from flames along with more grip. Ar amid fabric provides the most heat resistance, resisting temperatures of up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, but most people won’t need that level of protection for everyday use.
Heat Resistance
Protection from the flames of your oven or grill is the most important aspect of an oven mitt. As previously stated, aramid fabrics resist the most heat, with neoprene and silicone coming in as close seconds. Cotton is the least heat-resistant.
When choosing an oven mitt, select one that can resist heat up to at least 400 degrees Fahrenheit. While you shouldn’t be holding a hot baking pan for long, look for a glove that can withstand high temperatures for more than 10 seconds.
In addition, the best oven mitt should have an extra layer of protection to insulate hands and prevent burns. If you feel like you need to grab a dish towel in addition to your oven mitt, it’s too thin.
Grip and Fit
The grip of an oven mitt depends on the material. Silicone and neoprene offer the most secure grip. Some cloth or cotton mitts have heat-resistant gripping rubber material sewn into them, which can help when working with heavy pots and pans. It’s best to choose a mitt with a solid grip to avoid dropping any slippery cookware, such as glass or muffin pans.
As for the fit, there are two types to choose from: traditional oven mitts or cooking gloves. Mitts are easier to slide on and off, but they have less grip than cooking gloves. The gloves give more control over movement and don’t need to be removed to stir food or mix some ingredients, but they can be a challenge to take off.
Ease of Cleaning
An oven mitt’s material determines how easy it is to clean. Cotton is the easiest, as it can be tossed in the washing machine with the rest of the laundry. Silicone mitts require a little more work, as you have to clean them with soap and water, though some are conveniently dishwasher safe.
While some mitts claim to be stained resistant, these kitchen tools are exposed to so much wear and tear that staining is often inevitable. Oven mitts with no fabric material will likely resist staining longer, as food can easily be rinsed off.
Walmart carries a very nice selection of oven mitts and potholders. Amazon also carries oven mitts and potholders