Grill Gloves Are What Your BBQ Setup Is Missing—We Tested 24 Pairs

Our Takeaway

Our top pick, Grill Heat Aid BBQ Gloves, withstood incredible temperatures and looked like new after testing. For those who prefer leather to synthetic fibers, we recommend the Pit Boss Heavy Duty BBQ Grilling Gloves, which are super sturdy yet supple enough to pick up a grill grate or flip a burger with a spatula.

How to Pick the Right Grill Gloves

Design

The best grill gloves do more than protect your hands. They should also be so comfortable and flexible that you’ll actually want to wear them every time you work around a hot grill or oven. If they’re unwieldy or limit your dexterity, they’re more likely to disappear into the back of a drawer where they have no hope of providing protection.

If you’re the household grill master and enjoy fine-tuning your technique, you might want gloves that specifically fit your hand size. You’re also likely to appreciate long gloves with protective cuffs that let you reach across the grill without fear of a burn. Less confident grillers may appreciate these features also, yet prefer gloves with a universal fit so that they can pass off the job—and gloves—when needed.

Material

Our favorite grill gloves typically feature an outer synthetic or leather layer as their protective material. Shells made from heat-resistant aramid fibers have become popular for their durability and comfort. They often have silicone in key places that help when grabbing and holding small or slick objects. An inner cotton-based liner adds breathability, making your hands less likely to sweat, and feels inviting directly against your skin.

Waterproof grill gloves typically opt for a rubber, like neoprene, as their heat-resistant shell, again with silicone grips and a soft inner liner. Although silicone and neoprene protect your hands from heat, these materials can become hot—and stay that way. You may need to wait a few minutes after stepping away from the grill before they cool enough that you can remove them safely.

Leather has long been a popular material for protective gloves. It resists heat and provides grip without synthetic add-ons, and it cools fairly quickly after direct contact with a hot pan or grill grate. Leather gloves can start stiff but usually become more flexible the longer you use them.

Care

Grilling can be a hot, dirty job, often happening at the height of summer and spreading grease and ash—not to mention stains from meat juices and marinades—to your grill gloves. Keeping your grill setup clean goes a long way toward keeping your gloves clean too.

When the time comes to wash up, different grill glove materials have different needs, so read the specific instructions for the gloves you buy. Beyond that, they need minimal care to stay in prime shape. Leather conditioner can keep leather gloves supple and flexible. Gloves with silicone areas will last longer if they’re stored in a cool place away from direct sunlight. Keeping all gloves dry between uses and cleanings helps with their longevity as well.

Heat Resistance

Since the primary goal is to protect your hands from heat and flames, pay attention to the heat resistance of the gloves you’ll wear while grilling. Some maximum temperature ratings seem overkill for home-grilling use, but you could hold such an extremely hot object for just a couple of seconds with the gloves on. In reality, that level of protection gives you longer hold times at lower temperatures.

Every one of the grill gloves from this roundup let us hold the handle of a preheated cast iron pan for at least 10 seconds during our tests. We recorded even longer hold times for objects that radiated less heat, like smoker grates and kebab skewers.

The Leftovers: Other Grill Gloves We Tested

Although we liked the fit of Comsmart BBQ Gloves, the silicone pads developed some mild browning when briefly lifting a pizza stone, which made us concerned about the life span despite strong performance during testing. They ship simply rolled up in a clear plastic bag, with no indication of maximum temperature or cleaning instructions, information that would be helpful when gifting these gloves.

We struggled with the sizing of Kitchen Perfection Smoker Oven Gloves, with a pair marked XL decidedly oversized even for someone with extra-large hands and a one-size-fits-all pair teetering on too large for most people. They also seemed bulky and thick, making it challenging to grip small items. Despite this, they protected hands from the heat of a grill or oven and had a cozy feel.

The Ooni Pizza Gloves gave plenty of coverage in testing, reaching halfway to the elbows, yet in the palm and fingers, they felt a bit large on average-sized hands. The suede material seemed thick, making it difficult to slip gloved fingers between the hot grates of a grill to pick it up. Still, once gripped, nothing slipped and the gloves gave full protection from the grill’s heat.

Common Questions

Do I really need to use grill gloves?

It seems irrefutably safe that you need oven mitts to remove hot objects from the oven, but less obvious that you'd need grill gloves. However, many people decide they need grill gloves only after an accidental burn, which makes a proactive attitude a smart one. A lot of successful grilling happens at 350°F and higher, temperatures at which you wouldn’t reach for a pan of cookies without something protecting your hand. Even if you grab most of your grilled items with a spatula or tongs, gloves can protect your skin as you reach across open flames for that succulent chunk of fish that flaked onto the grill grate.

What is the best way to clean grill gloves?

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the best approach to cleaning your specific pair of gloves. This often varies depending on the materials used. Some can go in the washing machine or dishwasher, some are best suds and rinsed under a hot-water tap, and others just want to be wiped with a damp cloth. Stubborn stains may need a couple of washes to come clean. Most grill gloves need to hang dry, so plan on air-drying time between cleaning and your next grilled meal.

How often should I replace my grill gloves?

Heat-resistant material and reinforced or seamless stitching make grill gloves sturdy, and reinforced cuffs, palms, and fingertips add to their longevity. When the gloves start to show excessive wear, tears, or heat damage, it’s time to replace them. Inspect your gloves occasionally, looking for frayed seams or loose threads that could lead to further damage. Check for tears and holes that compromise the gloves’ integrity. Regularly cleaning off stains and food particles, especially sugary or greasy ones, can also extend the life span of grill gloves.

Why Take Our Word for It?

Julie Laing has been a writer and editor for 25-plus years, focusing on original recipes, kitchen tools, and the stories around them. She is the author of “The Complete Guide to Pickling,” the Flathead Beacon food columnist, and a reviewer and recipe developer for numerous other publications. Like many people, she bought her first grill gloves only after burning a hand. She now loves having kitchen gloves and wears a heat-resistant pair when grilling and smoking, baking bread, and stretching homemade mozzarella, as well as protective ones when slicing on a mandoline, shucking oysters, and deseeding chilies.