Silicone, Iron, Wood or Cork? The Best Trivets for Hot Pots

Mexican food is often served straight from the vessel it was cooked in. A cazuela of frijoles charros comes to the table still bubbling, a cast iron skillet of fajitas arrives sizzling, a Dutch oven of pozole sits in the middle so everyone can ladle their own, and a stone molcajete heated for a bubbling dish of grilled meat and salsa stays hot long after it reaches the table. Every one of those needs something between it and the table, and that is the job of a trivet.

Trivets come in silicone, cast iron, wood and cork, and some expand to fit a casserole or two pots side by side. They differ in how much heat the maker says they can take, how big they are, and how easy they are to clean. This guide compares seven of them, with the heat limits each maker states, so you can match one to the pots you actually bring to the table.

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Quick verdict: which trivet to buy

The table below compares our five standouts. All seven trivets are reviewed in full after it, followed by how to choose one and answers to common questions.

Five trivets compared

One pick for each kind of table, with the material and heat limit each maker or listing states.

Product images from Amazon. Heat limits are only those the maker or listing states; many wood, cork and cast iron trivets give none.

Our picks for the best trivets

These seven trivets cover the four common materials. Silicone is flexible, grips the table and usually comes with a stated heat limit. Cast iron is heavy and nearly indestructible. Wood and cork look warm on a dinner table and stay cool to the touch. Each pick says who it suits, what the maker states, and one honest reason to skip it.

Silicone, cast iron, wood or cork: the best type of trivet

Silicone is the most practical all-rounder. It grips the table, is easy to wash, often doubles as a pot holder, and is the material most likely to come with a stated heat limit, usually in the 428°F to 464°F range for the picks here. Thin pads insulate less, so a very hot, heavy pot may still warm the surface beneath.

Cast iron is heavy, stable and almost indestructible. It lifts the pot off the table on its pattern or feet. Look for rubber feet or enamel, since bare iron can scratch and rust. Our guide to the best cast iron trivet covers that style in depth.

Wood looks the best on a dinner table and stays cool to the touch. It needs hand washing and should be kept dry. Few wood trivets state a heat limit.

Cork is soft, light and insulating, kind to fine tables and quiet when you set a pot down. It stains more easily and only wipes clean.

How to choose a trivet for your table

Size. Measure the base of your biggest serving vessel. A 7- to 8-inch trivet fits a saucepan, a small cazuela or a skillet base; a Dutch oven or large cazuela needs about 10 inches; a roasting pan or griddle needs a mat like the 16 x 12-inch Walfos or an expanding trivet. Our guide to the best Dutch oven lists the sizes of common pots.

Stated heat limit. If you plan to set down pans straight from a hot oven or a high flame, choose a trivet with a stated rating, such as the silicone picks here. Where a maker gives no figure, we say so.

Thickness and lift. A thicker trivet, or one with ridges or feet, keeps more heat away from the table. Thin silicone pads are fine for a saucepan but may not fully insulate under a heavy cast iron pot, as Joseph Joseph itself warns.

Grip. Silicone and rubber feet stop a trivet from sliding when you set a pot down or ladle from it. Wood, cork and enameled cast iron rely on weight or friction.

Care. Silicone usually goes in the dishwasher. Wood and cork are hand-wash or wipe only.

Number of pieces. Count how many hot dishes go on your table at once. Sets of two or four make family-style meals easier.

How we chose these seven trivets

We started from what a Mexican kitchen brings to the table hot: cast iron skillets of fajitas, clay cazuelas of beans, Dutch ovens of pozole and birria, and stone molcajetes. We then looked for silicone, cast iron, wood and cork trivets sold on Amazon in the United States from identifiable makers, and checked each one’s stock with Amazon’s product data before writing. Materials, sizes, heat limits and care come from each maker’s listing; where a listing does not state a heat limit, a non-slip base or care, we say “not stated”. We deliberately chose different trivets from those in our cast iron trivet guide, so the two pages complement each other. We left out Le Creuset’s enameled cast iron trivets, which were nearly sold out when we checked, and an expandable metal trivet whose listing rated it heat safe only to 212°F. We did not find a trivet from OXO, as opposed to a silicone pot holder, or from Kitchen Supreme in stock. We did not use these trivets for this guide, and we have not cited published equipment reviews from Wirecutter or Serious Eats, because we did not read them for this page.

Trivet questions, answered

What is the best type of trivet?

For most kitchens, silicone: it grips, washes easily and usually comes with a stated heat limit. Choose cast iron for heavy pots and durability, and wood or cork for a good-looking dinner table.

What is the best kitchen trivet for hot pans from the oven?

A silicone trivet with a stated heat rating, such as the Joseph Joseph Stretch (464°F) or the Walfos large mats (450°F), or a heavy cast iron trivet. Wood and cork in this guide give no heat limit.

Can I put a hot cast iron skillet on a silicone trivet?

Yes, within the maker’s stated limit, but thin pads may not fully insulate under a very hot, heavy pan. On delicate wood furniture, use a thicker trivet or one with feet. Our best cast iron skillet guide covers how those pans hold heat.

What size trivet do I need?

Choose one close to the size of your pot’s base, so the pot sits steady. Eight inches suits most saucepans and skillets; 10 inches or more suits a Dutch oven; large pans need a mat or an expanding trivet.

Can a trivet double as a pot holder?

Many silicone trivets can. Q’s INN and Walfos say their pads work as pot holders. For gripping hot handles, a dedicated pot holder is still safer; see our guide to the best pot holders.

Our pick for a hot pot on the table

Buy the Joseph Joseph Stretch if you want one trivet that adapts to any pot. Choose the Q’s INN set for a full table, the Walfos mats for big pans and appliances, the Tramontina for heavy-duty cast iron, and the Ironwood Gourmet Venetian for a wood trivet that looks good with dinner.

Serving straight from the pan is part of the fun of Mexican food. Our guide to the best fajita skillet covers the sizzling platters that most need a trivet, and the best molcajete guide covers the stone bowl that holds salsa at the table.

Protecting stone counters? See our guide to the best trivets for quartz countertops.

And if you would rather let someone else bring the sizzling skillet tonight, see the menu or call to order.