If you don’t have much time and just want to find out what the best heat resistant gloves are, then I recommend the BlueFire Gloves as the best ones.
For all the fun that comes with a barbecue lifestyle, safety always comes first. After all, you’re dealing with red hot temperatures. That’s why it’s vital to invest in the right equipment.
One of the most important pieces of barbecue safety equipment is a pair of gloves. The best heat resistant gloves offer great protection, giving you peace of mind. They keep your hands safe, allowing you to focus on grilling up some amazing food.
I’ve looked at five of the best grilling gloves available so that you can decide which one is the most ideal for your needs.
What Are Heat Resistant Gloves Made From?
Silicone
Some heat resistant gloves are 100% silicone. Silicone offers great protection from dry heat, boiling water, and steam.
Fabric
Other grill gloves are made from a mixture of high-performance heat resistant materials, such as kevlar, aramid, and nomex. These materials are used to make firefighters’ uniforms, offering amazing protection from dry heat. Fabric grill gloves often have silicone padding for extra grip and protection.
Synthetic
Neoprene is a great synthetic material that is often used on the outside of grill gloves, paired with a cotton lining for comfort.
What to Look for in the Best BBQ Gloves
There are a few key features that make up a great heat resistant glove:
Price
The price of grill gloves tends to be between $25 and $45. You can buy cheaper of course. But anything below $25 won’t offer you a good standard of protection.
Heat Resistance
The main function of grill gloves is heat resistance. All grill gloves offer decent protection, but the best grill gloves offer protection from very high temperatures. It all depends on the materials.
Comfort and Dexterity
For skilled cooks who like to make small, intricate adjustments, comfort and flexibility are very important. This is where fabric gloves are great and silicone gloves – which tend to be big and clunky – are far from ideal.
Easy to Clean
Gloves made from waterproof material – like silicone – are very easy to clean and maintain. Fabric gloves need to be machine washed, which can affect their durability.
Size
Sizing is a very important and often overlooked feature. Lots of the best heat resistant gloves only offer a couple of different sizes. Often, these sizes are large and extra-large. Some are ‘one size fits all.’ yet don’t actually fit those with smaller hands.
When it comes to safety, size matters. Floppy finger ends and oversized gloves don’t make for a safe BBQ glove. So, if you have smaller hands, choose with care.
Warranty
Of course, if there’s a manufacturing defect, you’re entitled to a full refund. But if the gloves don’t fit or they don’t quite meet your needs, the makers don’t have to give you your money back. Some offer satisfaction guarantees though and will refund you, no questions asked.
Heat Resistant Gloves Review
Here’s our pick of the best heat resistant grill gloves on the market.
GRILL HEAT AID Extreme Heat Resistant BBQ Gloves
These grill gloves can withstand extreme temperatures. They’re made from a material called aramid. It’s a type of heat resistant synthetic that’s used to make firefighters uniforms.
The Grill Heat Aid BBQ gloves are EN407 certified. This means they can withstand temperatures up to 932°F. Although this is the upper limit stated by the makers, it might be a bit of a stretch. At about 500°F you’ll start to feel the heat.
Also, they are pretty large gloves for being ‘one size fits all’. Those with smaller hands might want to look for a smaller grill glove, or one with several size options.
Still, there’s no doubt these heat resistant gloves offer great protection. They’re also very comfortable. The breathable 100% cotton lining keeps your hands nice and cozy on the inside, while the aramid keeps them safe and sound on the outside.
What’s more, Grill Heat Aid offers a full refund if these grill gloves don’t live up to your expectations.
Pros:
- Great materials: the outside layer is made of firefighter-grade aramid.
- Comfortable and dextrous: these gloves have a breathable and comfortable 100% cotton lining. This gives you plenty of dexterity, meaning you can barbecue with skill and precision.
- Guarantee: the warranty gives you extra peace of mind, in case these grilling mitts don’t come up to scratch.
Cons:
- Too big for smaller hands: these BBQ gloves are ‘one size fits all’, but they can be a little too big for some. If your hands are on the small side, you might end up with floppy finger ends. This will affect the dexterity of the grill gloves, making it difficult to cook with skill, speed and precision.
- Inaccurate heat limit: while the manufacturers state that the upper temperature limit for these BBQ gloves is 932°F, it seems to be a lot less. Keep in mind – anything over 500°F is going to feel hot in a few seconds.
Ekogrips Premium BBQ Oven Gloves
Made from BPA-free silicone, these are well-made heat resistant gloves with plenty of grips. The manufacturers have done their homework, adding reinforced finger webbing to prevent rips. This can be a typical problem with silicone gloves.
The cuffs are extra-long to protect your forearms from steam or other kinds of secondary heat. Still, they don’t have the same classy design as other heat resistant gloves. The bright orange color might be off-putting for some.
For simple tasks like picking up and moving hot foods on the grill, these grilling mitts are great. But they lose points when it comes to anything that requires a bit of finger dexterity. They’re too bulky and clunky for that precision you need when dealing with lots of different cuts of meat on the grill.
In case you’re not happy with your grill gloves, Ekogrips also comes with a ‘no need to return’ refund guarantee.
Pros:
- Inexpensive: these silicone cooking gloves are great value for money and ideal for those on a tight budget.
- Easy to clean: they’re 100% dishwasher proof and are stainless, meaning you’ll be able to keep them clean and odor-free with minimal fuss.
- Guarantee: if you buy the wrong size or have issues with quality, they’ll refund you. No questions asked.
Cons:
- Not as heat resistant as other gloves: with an upper temperature limit of 425°F, Ekogrips should do the job for casual cooks. But enthusiasts will look for BBQ gloves with better heat resistance.
- Don’t have the dexterity of other gloves: these gloves are pretty thick and clunky. This means they don’t offer the same dexterity as other, more expensive gloves.
- Can be hard to put on and take off: when you need to slip your BBQ mitts on, these BBQ mitts can sometimes let you down. Especially if you’ve got wet hands. This is always going to be the case with silicone.
RAPICCA BBQ Gloves
These heavy-duty, heat resistant gloves offer some great protection. They’re made from neoprene rubber on the outside, protecting your hands around smokers and grill flames. The neoprene coating is 100% waterproof, meaning you can handle boiling water or steam. Also, these gloves are very long – at 17 inches you’ll be able to get deep into the grill with confidence.
Neoprene also makes them resistant to grease and chemical liquid, meaning stains won’t be a problem. They’re very easy to clean too – wash them with a bit of soap and water, then hang them up to dry.
Handling slippery, greasy meat with big BBQ gloves can sometimes be a problem. The makers of the RAPICCA BBQ gloves have thought ahead, with a textured palm design that gives you a better grip when handling meat. It’s a great design feature and brings a balance of control and protection to these grill gloves.
The thumbs do feel a little rigid though. For some, this might be off-putting. Still, for this kind of heavy-duty protection, you’re always going to lose a little dexterity.
Pros:
- Great materials: these heat resistant gloves are made for comfort and durability. Neoprene rubber on the outside and soft cotton lining make for a fine combination.
- Flame resistant: the neoprene coating is resistant to melting, as well as being fire resistant. These grill gloves will protect your hands around smokers, grill flames, and open fires.
- 17-inch sleeve length: a very long sleeve length means you can go deep into the grill, with extra protection for your forearms as well as your hands.
- Easy to clean: with a coating that’s resistant to oil and chemical stains, these grill gloves are really easy to keep clean. Just wash them with a little soap and hang them up to dry.
Cons:
- A bit clunky: waterproof materials come with a sacrifice. These BBQ mitts aren’t the most dexterous, meaning you’ll be forever taking them off to carry out precise barbecue tasks.
- No guarantee: unlike some of the other grilling gloves on this list, RAPICCA doesn’t offer a guarantee.
HellFire BBQ & Oven Gloves
If you’re a fire-loving pitmaster, you’ll probably fall in love with these gloves at first sight. They definitely look the part, but they bring some substance with the style.
These HellFire BBQ gloves are made from a mixture of nomex and aramid fibers, with great heat protection. They also have silicone coating in the form of cool-looking flames on either side of each grill glove.
The manufacturer’s stated heat limit of 932°F seems a little high. Still, these gloves will protect you from dry heat in any barbecue situation. Unlike 100% silicone gloves though, HellFires don’t offer protection from very hot steam and liquids.
They definitely out-do 100% silicone gloves with their flexibility though. The mix of materials makes these gloves very dexterous. They’re perfect for those barbecue enthusiasts who need to be able to use their fingers.
Another small drawback is that these ‘one size fits all’ gloves are very big – too big for those with smaller hands.
Pros:
- Great comfort and dexterity: the flexible material makes these BBQ gloves a delight to wear. You’ll be able to chop, carve and flip, then handle hot meat with no problem, all the while completely safe from high temperatures.
- They look cool as hell: the devilishly cool design will seal the deal for many barbecue junkies.
- Cut resistant: the fact that the material is cut resistant is an added bonus.
Cons:
- Too big for small hands: if your hands are small, these ‘one size fits all’ gloves might be a little too big.
- They only protect against dry heat: unlike 100% silicone BBQ gloves, HellFire gloves don’t protect against hot liquids or steam.
- Inaccurate heat limit: much like the GRILL HEAT AID, HellFire’s EN407 heat rating of 932°F seems a little off. You’ll definitely start to feel the heat pretty quickly when dealing with anything above 500°F.
BlueFire Gloves
These stylish blue grill gloves are made from a mix of kevlar, nomex, aramid, and silicone. This makes them very fire resistant as well as nice and flexible. The extra-long cuffs give you forearm protection for added peace of mind when reaching deep into your grill.
These BBQ gloves offer great dexterity, which is something that 100% silicone gloves can’t compete with. So, if you’re the kind of cook who is always making small, intricate adjustments, this is something to keep in mind. The impressive mix of materials also includes cut resistant fibers. So, you can cut, chop and carve with confidence.
BlueFlame’s manufacturers stand by the EN407 heat rating of 932°F which, again, seems a little unrealistic as a guideline for BBQ enthusiasts. Still, there’s no doubt they offer great heat resistance. In fact, they’re one of the few fabric grill gloves to protect from dry and wet heat.
They only come in two sizes though – large and extra-large – meaning those with smaller hands might be left disappointed. For everyone else though, these gloves will do an amazing job.
Pros:
- Very good heat resistance: an impressive mix of materials make these gloves very resistant to dry heat, as well as steam and hot liquids.
- Great comfort and dexterity: again, the materials in these gloves make them a winner. They’re extremely dextrous and flexible, without compromising on protection.
- Very stylish: the ice-cool blue design really makes these heat resistant gloves stand out.
- Cut resistant: cut-resistant fibers mean you can cut, chop and carve with confidence.
Cons:
- Too big for small hands: with two sizes on offer – large and extra-large – these gloves are only for those with hands on the bigger side.
- Inaccurate heat limit: BlueFire’s manufacturer says they can withstand 932°F. But, anything above 500°F is going to feel hot pretty fast.
Conclusion
All these gloves offer excellent protection and would be a great investment for any barbecue enthusiast.
But for me, there’s a clear winner.
The BlueFire Gloves are the best all-round grill gloves. They bring the comfort and dexterity typical of fabric gloves, while the mix of materials makes them very resistant to dry heat and steam. And, as an added bonus, they look really cool.
