I Tested 8 Highly Rated Grill Gloves—These 4 Can Handle the Heat

For the last few years, I've been buying a new pair of grill gloves every season. Every pair has either been left out in the elements and ruined or “borrowed” for our fire pit, never to be seen again. I’ve run through quite a few pairs just testing smoker and grill recipes (I helped test all the recipes in The Best Grilling Cookbook Ever Written by Two Idiots). This summer, I made it my mission to find grill gloves that I loved and that would last more than a few months. 

Grill glove lingo can make it overwhelming to buy a set, even if you’re a seasoned pro like me. You may find yourself lost in heat resistance ratings and material choices before even considering if you like the cuff length or grip pattern. I tested out eight pairs of grill gloves in a variety of materials, shapes, and price points to find four pairs that promise to be long-lasting, whether you’re new to grilling or about to start a barbecue business. 

The Winners, at a Glance

Made with a blend of heat-resistant aramid and cotton, the Blackstone Griddle Gloves were easy to get off and on, even in a hurry. The smartly placed silicone design gripped hot and heavy pans while also allowing for dexterity, even with tight tongs. They also have a decently long cuff to protect forearms. 

Like the Blackstone gloves, these gloves use a silicone design to help with grip and heat resistance. While the polyester material wasn’t as comfortable as others, it does make these gloves machine-washable. Priced around $10 a pair, these gloves are excellent if you’re just building out your grilling kit and need heat protection. 

Waterproof gloves are ideal if you’re prone to leaving your gloves out at the grill or you want to handle your pulled pork and brisket while it’s still hot. The Grill Armor Gloves leave something to be desired in the dexterity department, but they still have great grip over a hot grill. 

Leather grill gloves have a rugged appeal for their durability and comfort, but can be bulky and hard to clean. Of the three leather gloves I tested, these were the most flexible, even on smaller hands, while still being comfortable over hot lump charcoal. These gloves would be just as welcome around a fire pit or wood-burning stove as they are at the grill—aka the pair most likely to disappear to my home fire pit.  

The Tests

• High Heat Cast Iron Pans Test: I heated several cast iron pans to 500ºF for 30 minutes and then used the grill gloves to move the pans from the oven to the stovetop while hot. I also counted how long I could comfortably grasp the hot pan handles. (Yes, this was a great opportunity to re-season a few of my skillets.) 
• Open Charcoal Grill Test: After starting a chimney’s worth of lump charcoal and filling my kettle charcoal grill, I tested how long I could hold my hands over the charcoal—maintaining a temperature between 450ºF and 500ºF. With the charcoal still hot, I tested how easily and comfortably I could use tongs to pick up hot pieces of charcoal and move them across the grill grate. 
• General Use and Cleanup Tests: Beyond noting how quickly the gloves were to put on and take off, I also spot-cleaned, hand- or machine-washed the gloves as recommended by the manufacturer. 

What We Learned

Every Material Is Heat-Resistant to Some Extent 

While many product descriptions will tout their heat-resistance ratings—“can withstand up to 1472ºF” or “extreme heat resistance!”— the reality is that no grill glove is heatproof. Even gloves made with aramid, the same material used in firefighter suits, are more or less heat-tolerant depending on their construction and design. For example, the Blackstone Griddle Gloves and Grill Armor Gloves are made with aramid and silicone, which helps with grip, yet the Grill Armor gloves had more heat transfer in cast iron grill testing, resulting in a shorter hold time. Surprisingly, the polyester Comsmart BBQ Gloves I tested had a longer hold time than the Grill Armor Gloves thanks to the coverage of their silicone pattern. 

Silicone is most often used to give aramid and other materials a grippy texture, but it does a poor job of insulating, causing hot spots. I observed in testing that wider silicone patterns distributed this heat better than small patterns and aided in heat resistance when used practically. Again, the Blackstone Griddle Gloves and Grill Armor Gloves are good examples of this—the Blackstone’s large patches of silicone helped with grip and heat distribution, while the Grill Armor’s tiny details created uncomfortable hot spots under the silicone pattern. 

Leather and neoprene were two outliers in materials. Both are used for their heat resistance but can struggle with heat distribution, creating uncomfortable hot spots that don’t cool quickly after you remove them. Some grillers might prefer this material for durability and comfort. 

Fit and Grip Were the Most Important Factors 

Grilling requires quick reflexes, so gloves that fit well and are easy to put on will be the most helpful over heat, no matter their heat-resistance rating. Glove fit varies quite a bit depending on the material. Knit gloves, like those made from aramid, cotton, or polyester, like Blackstone Griddle Gloves and Comsmart BBQ Gloves, have a nice tight fit around the fingers but a smaller wrist opening. This makes them slower to slip on but more nimble to use. Most leather gloves have large openings that make donning them easier. However, for some grill gloves, like the Ooni Pizza Oven Gloves and Williams Sonoma Leather Grilling Glove, additional bulk in the fingers and cuff made them awkward when gripping small tongs or thermometer probes. Neoprene gloves are the biggest and bulkiest, but also the only waterproof option. 

Knit gloves are the best option for most grillers because of their fit and silicone grip. In testing, I noticed that the silicone grip on both sides made the gloves ambidextrous, which makes things easier if you’re rushing to pull one on! 

Grill Gloves Will Show Wear and Tear  

Only two of the gloves tested (Grill Armor Gloves and Comsmart BBQ Gloves) are machine-washable. None of the leather gloves should be washed, and one brand even recommends dry cleaning. Singeing and discoloration on both the knit and leather gloves were very minimal during testing, and they don’t impact the gloves' usefulness. Don’t stress if you find a pair of gloves that fits your hands and style of grilling, but can’t be machine-washed—some marks and stains are signs of their usefulness. 

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Pair of Grill Gloves 

When it comes to all-purpose grill gloves, look for aramid gloves with a large silicone pattern on both sides of the glove. A minimum cuff length of five inches is the best to protect your wrists and forearms. 

For barbecue enthusiasts who want to be able to handle hot meat like pulled pork and brisket, neoprene gloves work best. Leather is great for open-fire cooking, as the gloves are easy to put on and have longer cuffs. Be prepared for a bulky fit with both neoprene and leather gloves. 

Our Favorite Grill Gloves 

What we liked: A double-sided silicone grip evenly distributes heat and creates a secure gripping surface. These knit aramid and cotton gloves have a tidy fit that makes them extremely comfortable, with the best heat resistance of any brand I tested. 

What we didn’t like: Blackstone recommends dry cleaning only, but the silicone area is easy to wipe clean. Spot cleaning worked well on the few finger tips that got smudged with grease while seasoning the cast iron skillet. 

Key Specs

• Materials: Aramid, silicone, cotton
• Total length: 7 inches
• Cuff length: 5.5 inches
• Palm width: 5.75 inches
• Heat resistance rating: 500ºF
• Care instructions: Dry cleaning preferred; spot clean with damp towel, air dry. 

What we liked: These inexpensive gloves outperformed other aramid-made knit gloves in heat resistance and grip. They were easy to put on and take off and are machine-washable. You could easily stock up on these gloves for $10 a pair.

What we didn’t like: The polyester material isn’t nearly as comfortable as the aramid or blended knit gloves. 

Key Specs

• Materials: Ployster, silicone
• Total length: 13.5 inches 
• Cuff length: 5 inches
• Palm width: 6 inches
• Heat resistance rating: 1472ºF
• Care instructions: Machine-wash gentle; air dry

What we liked: If you’re looking for a pair of gloves that you can use to shred hot meat, these neoprene gloves are for you. The material is easy to clean and has a sturdy grip when moving heavy, hot skillets or sheet pans. 

What we didn’t like: Neoprene gloves are bulky and a bit inflexible. If you find your hands swimming in these, consider layering a pair of knit gloves inside, which will make the fit more secure and help with heat distribution. 

Key Specs

• Materials: Neoprene rubber, cotton liner
• Total length: 14 inches
• Cuff length: 6 inches
• Palm width: 7 inches
• Heat resistance rating: 932ºF
• Care instructions: Wash outsides with warm, soapy water; air dry

What we liked: Made with supple leather and a soft cotton lining, these gloves are extremely comfortable, but without the same bulkiness as the other leather gloves I tested. They let me hold onto hot pans with ease and had enough flexibility in the fingers for handling tongs over the open fire. 

What we didn’t like: Leather gloves aren’t washable and should be stored out of the elements. They didn’t have the same heat resistance as other gloves I tested. 

Key Specs

• Materials: Leather, cotton, 
• Total length: 15.4 inches
• Cuff length: 7 inches
• Palm width: 5.5 inches
• Heat resistance rating: 550ºF to 1000°F
• Care instructions: Wash outsides with warm, soapy water; air dry

The Competition

• Weber Premium Gloves: There was a lot to like about these gloves from Weber, and the fit and materials should have made them a winning pair. However, the silicone design wasn’t as grippy as others, and the gloves aren’t interchangeable as the grip is only on one side. These were the only aramid gloves that discolored during charcoal testing.  
• Ooni Pizza Oven Gloves: These were great leather gloves, but they didn’t have the same fingertip grip as my favorite pair. They were great for handling the hot cast iron pans, but not so much for moving charcoal around with tongs. 
• Williams Sonoma Leather Grilling Glove: Like the Ooni gloves, these gloves did a good job with heat resistance thanks to the leather, but they were the longest and bulkiest of the three leather pairs I tested. 
• Grill Armor Gloves: These gloves struggled in the hot skillet and hot charcoal tests, getting very hot beneath the silicone design. They were comfortable and easy to clean, though. 

FAQs

What can you use grill gloves for besides grilling?

A good pair of grill gloves can also double as oven mitts to move hot pans to and from the oven. You can also use them as heat protection, along with tongs, in fireplaces, wood-burning stoves, and around a fire pit. Picking up burning wood with grill gloves is not recommended! 

Are grill gloves heat-resistant? 

Yes, all grill gloves are heat-resistant to some extent. Aramid, neoprene, and leather are common heat-resistant materials used in grill glove design. It is important to remember that heat resistance is not the same as heat-proof and that grill gloves should be used with other tools and precautions to prevent burns. 

How do you clean grill gloves?

Most grill gloves can be spot cleaned using a sponge and mild dish soap. For leather, spot clean only with a damp towel. Air dry all grill gloves to help them keep their shape. 

Why We’re the Experts

• Meghan Splawn is a food writer and recipe developer who has worked in food media since 2006. 
• She worked for 10 years in the test kitchen with Alton Brown.
• Meghan was the recipe director for The Grill Dad for several years, including as the recipe tester and organizer for his best-selling book, The Best Grilling Cookbook Ever Written by Two Idiots. 
• For this story, Meghan reseasoned four of her cast iron skillets while heating her home kitchen up during a heatwave in July. There were many popsicles involved in testing, as there were grill gloves.