Oven Gloves

Walton Lifestyle Oven Gloves

€19.95

If you’re going for a Martha Stewart look in the kitchen, these are probably not for you, what with all the fluorescent pink and green going on. Lurid colours aside, this is an okay product that will do the job without much fuss. With a span of just under one metre, these are the longest of the oven gloves we reviewed, and the extra 20cm might give you slightly more control. The padding is on the thin side, although it is probably thick enough to protect you from the hottest of casserole dishes. They are pretty expensive, coming in at nearly four times the price of the cheapest option reviewed.

Verdict:It works at a cost

Star rating:***

Orla Kiely Oven Gloves

€32.50

Does Kate Middleton use oven gloves? Probably not, but if she did, we’re pretty sure she’d insist on these. They are the most tasteful of the oven gloves we tried, are perfectly functional and come with a well regarded designer’s name on the label. But at what cost? We’re not in Celtic Tiger land any more and couldn’t justify spending this kind of money on such a basic product. These are six times dearer than the Tesco gloves and do exactly the same job. They would make a good house-warming gift, but do you want to be the person who gives oven gloves as a present?

Verdict:Designer? Really?

Star rating: **

Tesco Oven Gloves

€5.50

These are six times cheaper than the dearest gloves we tried and while they might not have a fancy brand name behind them, that hardly matters when all you want them to do is help you take stuff out of the oven. They have the same span as the Le Creuset gloves and the padding is thick. They are, perhaps, a little twee, with their fake country kitchen charm, but that might appeal to some tastes. While the cream colour looks nice now, it won’t be long before it starts to look kind of filthy. The mitts are quite small, so if you have Pat Jennings-size hands, you might want to look elsewhere.

Verdict:Cheap

Star rating: ****

Sterck Oven Mitt

€14.50

Once we had finished using this cheery – and comparatively cheap – mitt as a makeshift glove puppet we were able to use it for its intended purpose and were suitably impressed. This single mitt is gleaming white with bright blue, green, red and orange polka dots. Its singleton status gives it greater flexibility than its rivals as it can be used to grasp metal saucepan handles and roasting dishes alike. It might not be entirely practical for some people who might struggle to get things from the oven with one hand. We’re not sure white is a good colour for an oven mitt as it will inevitably attract splashes of oil and will, we fear, start to look grubby fairly quickly.

Verdict:Cheap(ish) and cheerful

Star rating: ***

Le Creuset Double Oven Gloves

€27.50

These gloves from a company that makes the world’s finest casserole dishes set the standard for all oven gloves. While expensive, they are best. They offer serious protection with padding on both the front and the back, a fire-resistant fabric, four pouches and added Teflon to keep it cleaner for longer. They span 88cm, which is as long as most people will need. While considerably dearer than the cheapest option, they are a lot better and may work out to be good value in the long run. The rough texture of the material make these gloves non-slip, which will reduce the chances of kitchen mishaps.

Verdict:Very good, very expensive

Star rating: ****