Welding gloves as Grill Gloves and Fireplace Mitts
Protect your hands from sparks and heat
I’ve used welding gloves as grill gloves for years when we lived in a house and had gas and two charcoal grills outside. I first got the idea watching Alton Brown’s TV show. My favorite application was on the charcoal grill. When using the chimney starter (another really cool tool) with these gloves there was little concern when embers would pop out of the chimney and I felt secure enough to lift the hot grill out or to do any work with my hands close to the coals.
Another really good use was in our fireplace. Even with fireplace tools, bare hands got uncomfortably hot when manipulating logs in a blazing fire to ensure even burning, or to put a fresh log on carefully. With my welding gloves I could take my time placing a fresh log on the pile or spreading coals out evenly or even piling them onto our fireplace grill for some yakitori. I’ve seen people use oven mitts at the grill but as many are made of cloth, flying embers would concern me with charcoal. Likewise we have silicon oven mitts in the kitchen that I find much less comfortable than the welding gloves with its articulated fingers.
Finally the cost. I’m not a welder and have never used them for actual welding, but I can say from 7 years experience that the Harbor Freight split cowhide gloves which are 3 pair for $9.99, are perfectly serviceable and have lasted me at least two seasons when grilling four to five times a week.
10/10/16Leather Welding Gloves 3 Pr. ($10) Available from Harbor Freight
