Latex or Latex-Free? How to Pick the Best Kitchen Gloves

A restaurant dish pit is hot, greasy and hard on hands, and anyone who has done a long shift there knows what a good pair of gloves is worth. At a home sink the job is smaller, but the same things matter: a grip that holds a wet glass, a cuff that keeps water out, a lining that does not stick to damp skin, and a material your skin can live with.

This guide covers reusable dishwashing gloves for the sink. It does not cover heat-resistant gloves for the grill, which have their own guide to the best grill glove. Because latex matters to many people, each pick below says what its listing states about latex, and we say so when a listing is unclear.

Julia’s earns a commission on purchases made through links on this page, at no cost to you. Recommendations are based on what a restaurant kitchen looks for, product specifications, verified buyer reports and the independent review we name. We have not used these products ourselves.

Quick verdict: which kitchen gloves to buy

Five kitchen gloves at a glance

Five picks side by side, one for each kind of buyer, with what each listing states about the material. All nine gloves are reviewed below.

Product images from Amazon. Material and latex details are as stated on each listing and can change; check the package if you have an allergy.

Our picks for the best kitchen gloves

We split these by what they are made of, since that decides most of the rest. Four of the nine contain latex or natural rubber, and each write-up says which. Many of these listings come from third-party sellers and give little detail, so we say where that is the case.

How to choose kitchen gloves

1. Start with the material

Natural rubber and latex are stretchy and grippy, and they are out if you avoid latex. PVC, or vinyl, is the common latex-free option. Nitrile and neoprene are synthetic rubbers, generally sold as heavier options. Many household gloves blend materials, so read the fine print.

2. If you have a latex allergy, treat listings as a starting point

We report what each listing states, and listings can be wrong, as the mixed Playtex wording shows. Check the package and ask your doctor about what is safe for you. We make no medical claims about any of these gloves.

3. Look for a drip cuff if you wash deep pots

Water running down a raised arm into the glove is the most common complaint. A folded or double cuff catches it. GearLab marked several gloves down for having no drip lip.

4. Choose a lining you like

Flocked cotton is the usual lining, soft and easy to pull on with damp hands. Unlined gloves can feel clammy. Turn gloves inside out to dry when you can, so the lining does not stay damp. Rinse them well after greasy jobs.

5. Check the grip and size

Textured fingertips matter most for wet glasses. Sizes vary from pack to pack, so note whether a listing is small, medium or large before you buy, because many of these are sold one size to a listing.

Keeping a pair going

Keep separate pairs for the sink and for bathroom or oven cleaning. Wash the outside with soap and water, as Playtex advises, then dry them over a tap or hung up. Replace them once you find a split, because a small hole lets in hot water. Keep sharp knives out of the soapy water, which is safer for your hands and for the gloves.

How we picked these nine pairs

We looked for reusable gloves that name dishwashing or kitchen use, from makers we could identify, in stock from a new offer on Amazon. We read each listing for its material and latex statement and compared those against GearLab’s cleaning glove review, which covers Casabella, Playtex, Mr. Clean and Tusko. Searches for other independent tests turned up mostly affiliate lists, which we did not rely on.

Spontex, Marigold, If You Care, Soft Scrub and Bamllum rest on their listings alone. We have not used any of these gloves ourselves. A CPSC recall search by brand name found no glove recalls; the Playtex recalls we saw concern baby products and were not related to gloves.

Kitchen glove questions, answered

What are the best gloves for washing dishes?

For most people who can wear latex, a lined latex glove with a drip cuff, such as the Casabella. If you avoid latex, start with a lined vinyl pair such as Mr. Clean Bliss.

Are dishwashing gloves latex-free?

Some are and some are not. Mr. Clean Bliss, Soft Scrub, Tusko, Spontex neoprene and Bamllum say they are latex-free. Casabella, Playtex Living, If You Care and Marigold contain latex or natural rubber.

Do gloves protect hands from hot water?

Playtex’s listing and Marigold’s single-pair listing mention protection from hot water. They are not heat-rated tools, though, so do not grab hot pans with them. For that, see our guide to the best pot holders.

How often should you replace dish gloves?

When they split, stay smelly after washing or lose their grip. Makers do not give a fixed schedule, and it depends on how often you use them.

Can you wash dishwashing gloves?

Yes. Wash the outside with soap and water and let them air dry. One Spontex lined pair lists machine washing at 30°C, but check your own pair’s instructions.

Our final pick for the kitchen sink

Related guide: Best food handling gloves.

Buy the Casabella if latex is fine for you, and the Mr. Clean Bliss or Soft Scrub if it is not. Pair them with a cloth from our guide to the best dish cloths and a good dish soap. If you would rather leave the dishes to us, Julia’s is at 5402 N Highway 6 in Houston: call to order.