It all started with a glove company wanting some promotion. They offered to send me some heat resistant gloves if I’d just write a blog post about them. When I asked instead for a way to purchase them online, they directed me to Amazon. At almost $36 per pair, these gloves weren’t cheap and buying a single glove wasn’t an option, so I went looking for others. That’s where I found the Pit Mitt. At just $14.99 per glove (on the day of purchase) and a claim that it protects your hand at temperatures up to 475 degrees, I had one shipped over in time to make some barbecue.
I should note that I consider Steven Raichlen’s insulated food gloves ideal for handling hot barbecue. However, they are rubber and will melt if used on hot metal or if they come into direct contact with fire. They’re perfect for pulling pork or lifting a whole brisket and wash easily with soap and water. That can’t be said for the Pit Mitt, so you kinda need both.
The Pit Mitt is made of aramid fiber, the same stuff that they use to make Kevlar. I didn’t really care why it worked, I just wanted to start picking up hot things. I warmed my oven to 475, opened it up and grabbed one of the racks. After a full minute I was just starting to feel some discomfort. Now I was ready to play with fire. I usually keep a sturdy stick near the firebox to stoke the coals and move burning logs around. While I wasn’t about to touch any hot coals, the Pit Mitt allowed me to put my hand into the flames and to pick up a burning log. The sleeve portion of the glove was long enough to also protect my wrist. I can’t say much about how it will perform over its lifespan, but the Pit Mitt was a solid performer on day one.
