Oven mitts or cotton tea towel(s). (Any cheaters out there)?

[Mrs-M]

Any cheaters out there (besides myself) who like to cut corners to save time (and be lazy) by using a tea towel or towels instead of proper oven mitts when transferring hot pots and things in and out of the oven?

I just cheated and grabbed one of my tea towels a few minutes ago. One of these days I'm going to burn myself (and good). Maybe then I'll learn.

[iris lily]

I reject the either/or dichotomy.

I hate oven mitts and would never use one. I've got hot pad holders that I love. There are two of them, knitted by my freind, and what I love about them is that they are light and bendable yet they provide a thick padding. All of the commercial hot pad holders I've used don't bend wel; they are just bulky things.

In a pinch I will use a dishtowel,

[goldensmom]

This is not a commercial but...............after burning my hands too many times I tried an 'Ove-Glove'. I like so much that I got another one. They are rated for up to 500 degrees. I've used them for pans up to 475 degrees so far with no problem. I find them not so bulky and soft like a regular knit glove. No more burns for me.

[Mrs-M]

Good morning Iris and Goldensmom! :) Iris, I have two pretty sets (pairs) of hot pads and those too (if sitting in with the clean folded teas in the drawer) get overlooked. Laziness on my part plain and simple. (Shame on me).

Goldensmom. I'll have to Google "Ove-Glove". I'm thinking that if I had a kitchen setup with a special place to hang say a set (pair) of proper oven mitts or pads, then I'd use them whenever I needed them, but the standby of grabbing what's ready and out- like my teas draped over the door handle of my oven always seem to be my first choice. Hard habits (bad habits) are so hard to break.

[sweetana3]

I have four ugly and well used hot pads that I use. Somewhere there is a fancy oven mit but as you can tell, I cannot find it.

[treehugger]

I don't think it's necessarily right or wrong to use one or the other. Just like most things in our homes, whatever works for you is fine. However, I do know (from experience, of course), that using a towel that's at all damp will lead to burns very quickly (water conducts heat quicly). Ouch! So, do be careful.

[Mrs-M]

Hi Sweetana3 and Treehugger! It's strange, I have such a beautiful and pretty collection of teas and pads and mitts, yet I always keep them hidden away in my linen drawer. One would think I'd be proud and excited to show them off! :) maybe this is the kick in the pants I need to turn things around...

TH. So right about damp/wet teas/towels! I've actually grabbed hot things with a damp cloth before and it's only takes a second to realize- oh-oh!

[bae]

I don't ever use gloves, but keep a stack of hot pads handy. I have had a couple of burns result from using a handy tea-towel or kitchen-towel, when the towel was a bit damp, and allowed heat to rapidly transfer to my hand.

[Mrs-M]

Hi Bae. Hot pads really are great. I just finished pulling out one set of mine and setting them off to the side. Enough is enough.

[Gina]

Why do you consider it 'cheating'? Anything that keeps your hands from burning is fair game. In a pinch I've even used the pulled down long sleeves of the sweatshirt I was wearing. Shrug.

I'm not sure - I might have tossed the last of the 'official' kitchen mits. Of course one or two might be hiding in the nooks of the laundry room.

There is no right nor wrong way to do anything, unless you are hurting yourself or someone else.

[Wildflower]

I never use my oven mitts. I find them kind of clumsey and awkward to use. I usually use pot holder pads, but in a pinch I will use a tea towel. I always make sure it is dry though. Got burnt really bad one time when I used a damp one. Duh!! :|(

[Mrs-M]

Hi Gina. Silly of me I know. :) Maybe I think of it as cheating because we domestic queens know there are special items available (mitts, hot pads) to use for just such a thing, yet some of us choose to roll the dice and gamble on pulling off yet another successful "hot pot" in and out maneuver! Cheating in the sense of being too lazy to open up the drawer right beside my oven and pull out my mitts or hot pads! :laff:

Wildflower. I was laughing just know thinking to myself, "we're just so darn old-fashioned"!!! :D

[Mrs-M]

Gina. Just noticed your sweatshirt comment! Now that's living life dangerously!!! :)

[Gina]

Cheating in the sense of being too lazy to open up the drawer right beside my oven and pull out my mitts or hot pads!
Using things in alternate ways is neither lazy nor cheating - it is however both expedient and creative. I guess I don't much worry about the 'right way' of doing things anymore, but do 'what works'. ;)

Using the sleeves of sweatshirt doesnt happen too often cuz it's usually too warm here to wear them - and that is only for things not all that hot. :)

[Mrs-M]

Originally posted by Gina.
Using things in alternate ways is neither lazy nor cheating - it is however both expedient and creative. I guess I don't much worry about the 'right way' of doing things anymore, but do 'what works'.I totally agree! And I'm right behind you on the not worrying part anymore too. :)

[loosechickens]

About four or five years ago, one afternoon, I took an old towel, cut out as many about 9 1/2 in squares as I could out of it, stacked three together, sewed a narrow seam around all but a few inches, used that space to turn them right side out, then sewed the open space shut, and sewed around each one about 3/8 in from the edge.....that towel made five hot pads, that I've used ever since. The towel was 100% cotton, the three layers is just right for keeping the heat from coming through, the finished hotpads are about 9 x 9, and now, this many years later, they are as good as new, and probably will last another five or six years, at which point I'll sacrifice our oldest towel and an hour or so and make another set, which should last my lifetime (if these don't).

Hate oven mitts, and never use the hand or dish towel for this purpose. Don't think I've ever "bought" a hotpad either, because this set of homemade ones is, I think, the fourth set I've made in the past thirty years or so.

[Mrs-M]

That's an awesome idea LC! I happen to have several old- worn out towels kicking around right now that would make for great hot pads! Excellent tip on leaving enough free stitching space for a right-side out turnaround! Food for thought this is. :)

[Gardenarian]

My daughter has one of those little potholder looms, so I have an unending supply of potholders - and it always makes me feel good to use something she created. (we really need a little "heart" emoticon here!)

[Mrs-M]

Hi Gardenarian. The little potholder loom sounds darling, as does your collection of handmade potholder pads. My weakness (the older I get) tends to lie in tea towels and linens.

[loosechickens]

Mrs-M.....it shouldn't really be "old worn-out" towels, because the pieces really need to still have nice nap of terrycloth, etc., for three layers to protect sufficiently from the heat, (although perhaps you could use four or more layers of a truly worn-out and thin towel).

the one I used was still in relatively good shape......

[Mrs-M]

Hi LC. Yeah, big sigh..., I pulled those two old towels out earlier today and after taking a quick look at them said to myself, "well, these are no good for hot pads, there's no nap left on either of them". So rags they will be!