We've put a dozen heat-resistant BBQ gloves, including welding gloves, through hands-on tests for heat resistance, durability, dexterity, and comfort.
When it comes to cooking gloves, they're not all created the same. To find out which ones you can rely on, we purchased 20 of the top selling grill gloves and reveal the worst and best gloves for the kitchen, grill, or smoker.
Our top pick for the best BBQ glove is the Geekhom silicone glove. It aced all our tests, delivering an impressive blend of heat resistance, comfort and durability, all at a great price.
Hot on its trail is the leather Rapicca gloves, which excel in heat resistance but might not be the best option if you need a glove that can handle both heat and meat.
For those who need a true BBQ glove that can handle both heat and meat the best overall grill glove is the Artisan Griller.
Remember, our top pick may not necessarily be the best fit for your specific needs and grilling style. To help you make an informed decision based on our test results, check out our experience with these gloves and run through the Buyer's Guide. It covers what to consider when selecting a cooking glove that's ideal for the tasks you need to preform in your kitchen, grill or smoker.
TOP GRILLING & BBQ GLOVES
| Brand | Price | Material |
|---|---|---|
| #1 GEEKHOM | ||
| #2 ARTISAN GRILLER | ||
| #3 RAPICCA | ||
| #4 ECOGRIPS | ||
| #5 OZERO | ||
| #6 GRILL ARMOR | ||
| #7 PIT MITT | ||
| #8 G & F |
How We Tested
We aimed to find the best all-around BBQ glove and determine if one type could handle all tasks or if you'd need different gloves for different jobs. Our test lineup included gloves made from silicone, fabric with silicone, synthetic materials like aramid and neoprene, and classic leather.
Heat Handling
We cooked whole chickens, using silicone and neoprene gloves to pull them off the grill and shred the meat. All offered decent dexterity. For a controlled heat test, we placed a heated 13.5-pound Dutch oven (450°F) on our top top rated inside the glove's palm for 45 seconds. The best glove reached 91°F, while the worst hit 144°F, with silicone/neoprene gloves showing less carryover heat than leather ones.
Heat Resistance
We handled burning logs to see how long the gloves could protect our hands, by withstanding direct heat. Generic oven gloves heated up quickly or burned, while some lesser-known brands outperformed well-known ones.Dexterity
We tested dexterity by tying shoelaces. Some gloves were too stiff or had excess material, making the task difficult.
Cleaning
Silicone/neoprene gloves cleaned up easily with soap and water, while others required more effort.
In the end, we set fire to the set by lighting up some logs and handling them. This is where we were able to separate the men from the boys. Some of the generic oven glove brands heated up quickly and even burnt up. Others allowed us to handle logs for upwards of 15 seconds. We saw mixed results though with some of the lesser known brands performing as well or better than some of the well-known ones.
What We Learned
Silicone and neoprene gloves provided versatile performance and easy maintenance, showing that you might not need multiple types for different tasks.
At the end of our testing, we set fire to the set. We ignited some logs, waited for them to get nice and hot before handling them. This is where we were able to separate the men from the boys. Some of the generic oven glove brands heated up quickly and even burnt up. Others allowed us to handle logs for upwards of 15 seconds. We saw mixed results though with some of the lesser known brands performing as well or better than some of the well-known ones.
GRILL & bbq gLOVES
best Value: Geekhom
Specs:
overall
*Heat Test
107°F / 171°F
Dexterity
Comfort
Fire Logs
*Heat Test = Temperature recorded after 45 seconds in controlled heat test / Highest temperature reached after removing Dutch oven in controlled heat test
Results
The problem with silicone grilling gloves is they’re not as easy to put on and take off. The Geekhom gloves solve that problem with a thin heat resistant layer of cotton. The cotton lining is comfortable, helps with cutting down on sweaty palms that silicone gloves are known for. Since the exterior is easily cleaned by scrubbing them together with a little soap and water, you don’t have to worry about tossing them into your washing machine if you want to wash the inner cotton layer from time to time. Additionally, the cotton layer may have contributed to its superior performance over the Ecogrips in the playing with fire test.
The textured grip indentations on the glove’s exterior are not as prominent as the Ecogrips but there wasn’t a measurable difference in performance when pulling apart the roasted chicken or tying the shoelace.
If you wear a small glove size (a length under 6¾”, measuring wrist to tip of middle finger) these are going to be on the big side for you.
Coming in as one of the cheapest gloves in our testing and performing at the top of the list for the silicone and neoprene style gloves, we can’t deny this lesser-known grill glove as our top pick. While it isn't our winner for the best grilling gloves, it's hard to deny the value here.
Best overall: Artisan Griller
Specs:
overall
Results
This grill glove finished atop the charts in all of our testing. It took a little of a hit when it came to dexterity/comfort due to the fact that there was a little extra space in the fingers (even though I wear a size 10 glove and was using the size 10 glove). The fingers of the glove are preformed in a puffed-out cylinder, so your fingers sit loosely inside. This likely added to its heat proection ability by passing less of the intense heat straight through to our fingers when handling the firelogs.
The rubber-like exterior is conducive for gripping and they’re a little more flexible than the silicone gloves. The interior cotton layer is comfortable, especially when wearing them for extended periods.
Like the Geekhom, this glove is an ideal BBQ glove across the board — heat resistance, handling food, and cleanup: there’s nothing not to like here. It’s about $10 more than our top-ranked glove, the Geekhom, but offers all the identical benefits and performance -- you can’t go wrong with either. Artisan Grillers are made in the good ol’ US of A and is the top pick in our testing wining the title 'Best Grilling Glove'.
top Leather glove: Rapicca
Specs:
overall
Results
While we wanted to stick with traditional meat-handling gloves like silicone or neoprene, we really liked the Rapiccas. As you guess, the downside is you won’t be shredding a pork shoulder with these. Aside from that, there’s nothing not to like. They're a heavy glove with extreme thermal resistance, comfort, and they even clean up fairly well with a damp rag and a little soap. The insulated layers kept our hands dry when we ran them under the faucet to give them a quick rinse.
The last straw that sold us was how well they performed when it came to tying the shoelace. These styles of bulky (basically welding) gloves are not known for their ability to handle small objects.
And hey, if you need a perch for your noble hawk, they’ll double as “animal handling gloves” according to the manufacturer’s listing when describing it’s cowhide leather qualities.
They finished right alongside the Ozeros as the best when it came to handling the fire logs.
Like the Geekhom, if you are small in glove size, these ones will be a little too big.
Ecogrips by Jolly Green Products
Specs:
overall
Results
I feel a little bad about ranking these grilling gloves outside of the top three. After all, they were my go-to gloves for so long and they’re top sellers for a reason. They just didn’t perform well enough to offer the same value as some of the other gloves (but perhaps some of the problem was my high expectations for them).
The gloves were not the easiest to slip on, especially if you had any type of moisture on your hands. This is where the Geekhom gloves won a few comfort points with its cotton inner layer, not to mention how silicone makes your hands sweat after a short period. Additionally, the Geekhom gloves were more flexible than these Ecogrips. They Ecogrips were stiff, and almost seemed that some of the discomfort with the Ecogrips came from the fact that they were cut a little awkward since they seem to be designed to be worn interchangeably with no dedicated right or left hand glove. However, when it came to dexterity we had no problem tying the shoelace so regardless of our opinion of their comfort they were functional and the ‘one size fits most’ was a good fit for a size 10 hand. Any smaller and you’ll likely be purchasing the L/XL. It is nice that the Ecogrips offer a XXL option.
We received some conflicting results when it came to their high thermal resistance temperature rating we recorded (second best behind the Ozeros) in the controlled temperature test with the dutch oven, and how poorly we felt they performed when handling the firelogs. It seemed as if the Ecogrips were starting to melt when we were handling the logs, however, after closely examining the gloves after washing them, there were no noticeable signs of the gloves being compromised. It should be noted that they cleaned up the best/easiest of all the gloves we tested.
If you purchase the Ecogrips you’ll likely be happy with them as a versatile glove for the kitchen or out at the grill but for the same price you may be happier with the Artisan Grillers.
OZero Welding Gloves
Specs:
overall
Results
The Ozero welding gloves were our best performers when it came to heat resistance, receiving the best rating in both the controlled-heat and firelog testing. One of the questions we wanted to answer in this cooking glove testing was; “Does a heavy duty welding glove make a good BBQ glove?” The long and short answer is, kinda.
Welding gloves are commonly leather based, with fire retardant coating on the exterior. While this is great for resisting heat and protection, they are not suitable for cleaning. After rinsing the gloves following the firelog testing, the gloves stiffened up in the fingers where they came into contact with the hottest parts of the coals on the logs. This isn’t great news as the Ozero gloves were less than satisfactory when it came to the dexterity test prior to the firelog testing and cleaning. In comparison, the Rapicca gloves, also leather based, maintained their integrity after the firelogs and cleaning — they also came cleaner than the Ozero gloves.
The Ozero gloves are a great pair of gloves for the money. If you are looking for gloves to handle grill grates, platesetters, pots, etc., and double as a glove for yardwork, then the Ozeros would be nice to have around; but you’ll want to pair them with one of the silicone or neoprene gloves above.
Grill Armor Oven & Grilling Gloves
Specs:
overall
Results
It looked like all our fabric grill gloves, with their limited heat resistance and poor food handling qualities, were predestined for the bottom of our list, but Grill Armor makes the top of these lower rankings (for whatever it's worth). There are several problems here when it comes to the Grill Armor gloves, and it’s more of its name, Grill Armor, which is the problem and less about how this glove fared in our testing. We’ve learned that fabric, combo, and silicone gloves don’t do well with intense heat but since Grill Armor has made a name for itself in the BBQ circuit as a reputable brand to protect your hands -- and they charge accordingly.
These gloves, while constructed well, were the highest priced in our grill glove roundup. Non-related, but while I’m complaining, their advertised range of 1400°F+ is an insane overreach of its practical capabilities in a real world scenario. However, with it's aerospace material composition it has a EN407 certified rating but the EN407 certified rating is listed as 100°C to 500°C (932°F). Here's a little more information on how the gloves that advertise a heat resistance of 932°F quantify their rating.
Moving onto the good stuff. As previously mentioned, fabric based gloves are unmatched when comparing their ability to grab, grip, and complete minuscule tasks.
The ‘small lady size’ fits snug around the fingers on a small-glove-sized hand, but has extra material at the fingertips and the palm area is wide leaving excess material on the little finger side of the palm. I have a size 10 hand (large glove size) and this ‘small lady size’ glove seemed to fit snugly, and while a little tight, I didn’t mind how it felt when trying to grab and handle things. However, the tight fit is not conducive to heat resistance.
In conclusion, if it weren’t for their amazing ability to come clean when scrubbing with soap and water (they are machine washable as well) I wouldn’t recommend these grilling gloves. But, they're comfortable, come in multiple sizes/colors, and can be used for multiple purposes aside from out at the grill. They would be ideal in the kitchen as an oven mitt, pot holder, etc. When it comes to fabric grill gloves, these are the real deal (we know because we tested a generic knock-off that looked and felt identical, but the hot coals burnt a hole in the finger).
Ultimate Barbecue Pit Mitt Glove
Specs:
overall
Results
Tied with the G & F gloves for the worst performance in the firelog and controlled-heat testing, we do not recommend the well-known Pit Mitt barbecue gloves. I used to own (a pair) of Pit Mitt gloves years ago and I remember them being better. But that was before I had much to compare them to. In this testing it is evident that the Pit Mitt glove has fallen off from the established quality it was known for (CC5165 Pit Mitt Pro BBQ Gloves). It’s possible this glove is no longer owned by the original company and shares a similar fate to Schwinn bicycles. Did I mention for the mid/high price point you only get one glove? They burnt us, don't let 'em burn you.
G & F Leather Gloves
Specs:
overall
Results
Of all the testing I’ve done, nothing had me fooled more than these G & F “Premium” Leather Gloves. Opening up the packaging, the smell of genuine leather filled the air. The construction quality looked top-notch. For a modest price point of $20, before the testing had even begun, I was certain I had discovered our ‘value buy’, and quite possibly our ‘best leather cooking glove’.
The honeymoon period quickly came to halt in our first test when the thermometer inserted into the palm of the G & F read 144°F after 45 seconds (see testing description above). It didn’t get much better when we decided to try our hand at firelogs. It performed slightly better here than the Pit Mitt. As for cleaning, well, that wasn't great either, and its suede finish was more or less seared from the logs. Coming into contact with water also isn't the best for a leather grill glove with a suede finish. They look nice, but forget about high heat resistance.
One thing to note, it’s possible it’s poor performance had something to do with the factory treatment/material of the glove. It just seemed there was a lot of moisture being emitted from the glove in both the controlled heat test, and when we were attempting to play with hot coals in the firelog test.
About Grill Gloves
Which Material Fits Your Cooking Style
First things first, there are four types of barbecue gloves:
- Silicone
- Leather
- Fabric
- Synthetic
Each cooking glove material has its own strengths and appropriate uses. For example, silicone is excellent for handling food directly, as it is non-stick, simple to clean, and totally food-safe. Leather heat resistant gloves are great for handling hot grill grates, coals, and heavy cast iron. However, neither silicone nor leather does well when it comes to handling utensils such as knives, as they are just too bulky.
- Leather
- Fabric
- Synthetic
Silicone gloves make it easy to handle your briskets and ribs with — you know — your actual hands. They don’t provide as much insulation as other grill gloves so they may be less ideal for handing heavy cast iron pans, metal rods, grates, hot chucks of wood, etc. They are typically not as form-fitting as synthetic or fabric gloves, but they are very easy to clean. Nothing sticks to the silicone surface, making them ideal for food prep — meat juices and sauce just wash right off with a quick rinse.
Silicone gloves are usually made of pure, food-grade silicone. Some are even 100% BPA-free, which is great if you wish to minimize your food’s exposure to chemicals.
Consider the following
Dexterity
In the past, grilling gloves resembled oven mitts with limited dexterity. Today, top-selling gloves are designed with individual fingers, greatly enhancing usability. Dexterity is a critical factor when selecting grilling gloves. Our dexterity ratings will help you find the perfect balance between high-temperature performance and ease of use.
Comfort
Gloves come in various sizes and colors, though some are one-size-fits-all. Our comfort and dexterity ratings are based on properly fitting gloves.
If you have smaller hands, pay close attention to sizing options as one-size-fits-all may not be suitable for you. A longer cuff provides better protection, with some gloves extending to the elbows.
Grill Armor had cuffs that extended beyond the wrist (some went all the way to the elbows).
Cleaning
Cleaning methods vary among cooking and grill gloves. Fabric-based gloves are often machine washable, but many recommend using a damp rag. Greasy gloves typically require hand washing. Silicone gloves can be washed like your bare hands. Leather and suede gloves degrade with water exposure and can become stiff over time.
Heat Resistance & Materials
While manufacturers advertise heat resistance ratings, we found no correlation between these ratings and actual performance. Surprisingly, silicone and neoprene gloves match leather gloves in thermal resistance, making them excellent all-around heat resistant BBQ gloves. Unlike leather, silicone gloves hold carryover heat for less time but lack certain protective qualities. Some leather gloves include cut-proof Kevlar, offering additional protection.
Final Two Cents
Selecting the right set of grilling gloves involves balancing dexterity, comfort, ease of cleaning, and heat resistance. Modern gloves with individual fingers offer enhanced dexterity, while proper sizing ensures comfort. Cleaning methods depend on the material, with silicone gloves being particularly easy to clean. Despite advertised heat resistance ratings, silicone and neoprene gloves perform well, holding less carryover heat than leather gloves. However, leather gloves offer unique protections, like cut-proof Kevlar. Choose wisely to enjoy a safer and more efficient grilling experience.
This is such good advice! And it gives me comfort to know another writer who doesn’t write systematically same amount of time each day.
This list is outdated most of the items are unavailable now
We currently have 10 of the top selling gloves in the pile for testing to update this article.
Thanks for sharing. I appreciate the way you talk about things to pay attention to when choosing barbecue gloves. It was very helpful to me. thank you!