Gray Extra-Long Silicone Mitts

This is the grey mitt with the extra inch. At 14.7 inches the cuff covers the forearm rather than stopping at the wrist, which is the difference between clearing a hot oven rack and touching it. The colour stays as unobtrusive as the shorter version, so nothing about the kitchen changes except the reach.

The extra length pays off in specific situations, and they are common ones: a roasting tin at the back of a full oven, a heavy dish on a low shelf, a tray you have to tilt to get out. In each case the forearm passes closer to the rack than the hand does, and a shorter cuff leaves that skin exposed at exactly the wrong moment.

The construction is a moulded BPA-free silicone shell with a ridged grip pattern on the palm and fingers, over a quilted cotton liner. The ridges do the holding, the cotton does the insulating. Heavier loads are where that division shows: a smooth glove on a glazed base is a slip waiting to happen, whatever it is rated to.

Mid-grey is the most forgiving neutral available for a kitchen textile. It does not look grubby like cream and it does not show the pale heat-marks that appear near the thumb on black silicone. The shell wipes clean with warm soapy water, and the pair takes a machine cycle when the liner needs one.

The short version

• Extra-long 14.7-inch cuff protects the forearm on deep reaches
• Neutral grey that stays discreet on a hook or rail
• Ridged silicone palm for heavy tins and glazed dishes
• Quilted cotton liner supplies the insulation and comfort
• Wipe the shell clean or machine wash the pair

Who it suits

Specification