The Best BBQ Gloves in 2020

Grilling, barbecuing, firepit roasting….whatever your fancy, cooking outdoors is a human pastime. No matter where you’re from, every culture has an outdoor cooking tradition. Meats, vegetables, and even fruits can be roasted, smoked, charred, and grilled. But the one drawback to all of these activities is without adequate protection for your hands, you could be in a world of hurt.

We’ve all been there – striking up the grill when all of a sudden, a spark lands squarely on your hand or forearm. Your beer goes flying, expletives let loose, and your mother-in-law chalks up yet another characteristic she hates about you for the week. It’s a lose-lose proposition, but one that can easily be rectified with a reliable pair of BBQ gloves.

Good BBQ gloves are good due first and foremost to their material. Synthetic gloves, made from a neoprene or silicone exterior combined with a rayon or cotton lining, are great for handling hot pans, pots, grates or grills. Suede or leather gloves are sturdy options for moving charcoal or even managing hot chimney starters.

Newer gloves tend to be made of Nomex-based fabric or Kevlar with silicone pads worked in. These types of gloves are very flexible and known for their dexterity. And finally, there are 100% silicone gloves. Heat resistant silicone gloves are very safe and also quite easy to clean. This is a plus after a long day at the grill.

Before clicking that buy button on a new pair of BBQ gloves, there are several things to consider. Just because the color scheme matches your new bathing trunks doesn’t make the glove the right fit for you (although that is a nice added value for sure).   

What to Look for When Buying BBQ Gloves

It is not uncommon to learn as a young man or woman that grills are hot. Fireplaces are hot, outdoor stoves are hot, and cooking pots are hot. These are all things we pick up at some point in our youth and quickly realize – that’s hot! So why would anyone attempt to grill or place their hands near hot surfaces without protection? Believe it or not, many do, and many of us have learned the hard way. 

In this article, we’ve done the intensive research so you don’t have to learn the hard way. Let’s get into the key features to look for – the first thing you need to be aware of is the length. Now, this is a personal taste for many. BBQ gloves, in general, are longer (the range in which they cover your arms moving up from your hands) than regular gloves.

This is because heat and fire sparks don’t discriminate when it comes to inflicting damage to your skin. Look for a glove that extends up your arm a considerable way. Again, up to the shoulder might be a bit excessive, but do give the length some thought when perusing different models. The National Fire Protection Association has more information on general safety when grilling.

Second is heat resistance; this area receives a considerable amount of debate. To an outsider, if I told you glove X could resist up to 932 degrees Fahrenheit while glove Y could only resist up to 475 degrees Fahrenheit, which would you choose? You’d naturally go for the one resistant up to 932 degrees. Yet, unless you are handling burning logs or plan on holding scalding hot skillets for a minute at a time, gloves with extreme heat resistance aren’t necessarily the “go-to” pick every time.

For most grilling and outdoor cooking, being resistant to heat from 400 degrees Fahrenheit on up is fine. This is what you need to protect your hands and skin while working over typical charcoal, gas, or wood-burning high heat. If, however, you are getting into some more serious “heat-related situations,” upgrade as needed.

Third is the material; some are better at withstanding extreme heat, while others are waterproof and slip-resistant. There are also gloves that are rip-resistant, and those that can be easily cleaned by simply throwing them into the dishwasher. Cleaning BBQ gloves can be a chore, as many are not all that amenable to a rough and tumble washing machine.

Some, however, were fabricated with this in mind, and you’ll see later on with our BBQ glove reviews which ones can stand the test of a heavy washing. For the others, a simple manual clean is suggested, and it’s nothing overly laborious at that.   

The Best BBQ Gloves in 2020 

Now to the fun part – actual gloves! The world is awash in excellent BBQ glove options. They come in a wide array of materials, lengths, and each have their strong points. We’ve broken down our top eight choices here, and it wasn’t easy. But these are some of the best gloves on the market and a great addition for any grilling fanatic.

Kitchen Perfection Set of Silicone Smoker Oven Gloves

One happy customer said they were able to smoke a turkey on Thanksgiving using these gloves with absolutely no heat transfer. The high-grade silicone layering, according to most reviewers, works like a charm. In fact, these gloves are resistant to up to 500 degrees and fit large, small, and every hand in between.

Another plus with this pair is the lifetime guarantee plus a full sixty days, money-back guarantee if you don’t feel these smoker oven gloves are up to par. These are an ideal complement to fireplace, charcoal, barbecue grills as well as gas. 

Like it? Click here to buy.

GEEKHOM Grilling Gloves

Fabricated from BPA-free silicone and heat resistant up to 446 degrees, the inner heat-resistant cotton layer is great at moisture wicking and the outer silicone layer maximizes heat protection. This glove features a non-slip design, so you never need to worry about untimely spills or tumbles when picking up anything near the grill.

One reviewer noted she was able to pull pots out of an extraordinarily hot smokebox that has destroyed gloves made of other materials in the past. The only negative review on this pair was the inside of the glove is white and stains easily. But hey, you’re grilling, stains are a part of the process!

To learn more about these gloves, click here.

WZQH 16 Inches, 932 Fahrenheit, Leather Forge Welding Gloves

Yes, the word “welding” is in the title. But no, you don’t need to be a welder to purchase these gloves. These 16-inch gloves are so effective, in addition to prepping 15 burgers on a Saturday afternoon, you can also weld and survive sparks that would sear through your skin. Designed to withstand a jaw-dropping 932 degrees, this pair from WZQH can do anything – fireplace cooking, baking, grilling, and yes, welding.

A couple online reviewers commented that they have overly large hands, and the “one size” does fit all in this case. Another reviewer was a blacksmith, and he used these gloves both on the weekends grilling as well as during the week at his blacksmith shop. The outermost layer is a genuine cowhide with a high-temperature, air-isolated aluminum foil and flame retardant inner cloth layer.

To see pricing, click here.

JIESUO Silicone BBQ Grill Gloves, Kitchen Heat Resistant Oven Mitts

One of the coolest names on this list, JIESUO has long been recognized as a leader in the BBQ gloves arena. One look at these gloves and they scream resistant. Extra-long by design, the surface is fabricated of a heat resistant and anti-skidding silicone, while the inner, cotton liner features excellent sweat absorption allowing your hands to remain dry and comfortable, no matter how hot it gets.

These silicone gloves are water, stain, and also anti-odor proof. The last point is an interesting one. Not all BBQ gloves can claim to be anti-odor. In fact, the technology that underpins something being anti-odor is quite complex. While these won’t protect you against extreme welding temperatures, anything up to 500 degrees is no problem for JIESUO.

To see the latest reviews, click here.

Sunrich BBQ Grill Gloves 1472 Extreme Heat Resistant Barbecue Grilling Gloves

Remember when we talked earlier about folks who were heat resistant fanatics? Look no further because these BBQ gloves from Sunrich have taken heat resistance to a whole new level. EN407 certified against thermal risks, these gloves were additionally awarded with the highest resistance level (EN388). While you might not need anything even close to being 1,472 degrees resistant, this three-layer glove still brings it.

The Sunrich glove features dean aramid fiber (ultra-high-strength) and is also 14 inches long. Pulling meat right off the grill, transporting scalding pots and pans, and turning logs in an active campfire are all possible with this pair. As one reviewer commented, “we got these for melting/molding HDPE plastic, and they handled the extreme heat well.” She wasn’t even thinking about grilling apparently, and still went for these gloves!

Ready to buy? Click here.

JH Heat Resistant Oven Glove

With double silicone coating and reversible for the right or left hand, these grilling gloves from JH are EN407 certified and heat resistant up to 932 degrees. Their two-layer, patented “super-grip” surface is an industry leader in terms of keeping things in your grasp and not shattered or worse on your floor. On the inside, these JH gloves feature a cotton liner that allows for exceptional air permeability and great comfort.

But, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the best part about these gloves – the colors. No other glove combines beautiful pink hues with baby blue, black and turquoise. Functional and great looking all in one glove!  

To learn more, click here.

YUXIER Hot BBQ Grill Gloves 

With a superhero look and Spiderman attitude, these gloves are heat resistant at a level that only a couple other gloves on this list can boast – 1,472 degrees. It’s no wonder there is superhero imagery; this is superhero level resistance. These gloves are perfect for baking, grilling, cooking, broiling, and handling scorching pans, pots, and other cookware.

Another plus with these is their extra length in arm protection. Measuring nearly 14 inches in length, this pair is also straightforward to clean. Simply pop them in the washer, and there is no issue with shrinkage or discoloration. They’ll come out spidey-clean, just what you need for that next round at the grill!  

Check out the latest reviews on these gloves here.

MagneCHEF Heat Resistant Silicone BBQ Gloves

Anytime a Pit Master, or multiple Pit Masters at that, recommend a product, you’re in a favorable position. A Pit Master from Memphis BBQ commented, “These are the best things since sliced bread. I’m done with all those other gloves.”

Wow, glowing words, no doubt about it. The magnet comment refers to a magnet on each glove that if you need to take the gloves off immediately in an emergency due to heat, you simply click them together and slide them off. You don’t have to worry about trying to peel one hot glove off while the other glove is scolding at the same time. A perfect option for baking, smoking, frying, or grilling, the MagneCHEF gloves were invented by a firefighter so you know you’re in safe company. 

Love it? Click here to buy.

To Sum it Up…

An essential staple for any grill lover is a BBQ glove. Safety first, because without a hand (or two), your grilling days are numbered. When shopping for BBQ gloves, we discussed the importance of length; it should cover a substantial part of your forearm but also be flexible enough to not inhibit your dexterity. 

If you’re looking for extreme heat resistance, you’ll find it in some of these gloves, but it isn’t a necessity because most of our grilling needs don’t require resistance up to 1,400 degrees. Glove material is varied, and the importance here is to weigh the pros and cons of something being waterproof, slip-resistant, rip-resistant, and easily washable. Few gloves excel superbly at all three, so it’s essential to define what you’re seeking and shop accordingly. 

There are eight fantastic options here. If you can’t find a good barbecue glove in this bunch we’re not sure what to tell you. Perhaps a sushi hobby or something involving little heat is more appropriate – we’ll give you the last word on that.