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The Best Barbecue Basting Brushes

When you're standing over a hot grill, you want to work quickly and efficiently. Which barbecue basting brush is precise, comfortable, and easy to use?

Editor&aposs Note:UpdateApril 2021

The design of our favorite barbecue basting brush, the OXO Good Grips Grilling Basting Brush, has changed slightly, but we like the new brush just as much as the original. For more details, see below.

Top Pick

  • Comfort
  • Control
  • Coverage
  • Neatness
  • Durability
  • Ease of Use

WinnerOXO Good Grips Grilling Basting Brush

With 106 bristles, this basting brush picked up an impressive volume of sauce. It’s a little heavier than we’d prefer, but it’s still easy to maneuver. Its wide head is great for providing quick and even coverage on larger items, though it’s a touch less precise when applying sauce to the nooks and crannies of chicken pieces. As with many of the other brushes we tested, its bristles are heat resistant to a high temperature, but its handle is not—it melted when we rested it against the side of the grill.

Model Number: 11309300

Weight: 5 3/4 oz

Material: Glass-filled nylon, TPE

Handle Length: 11.5 in

Bristle Length: 1.5 in

Sauce Picked Up: 1 1/8 oz

Brush Head Width: 2.2 in

Number of Bristles: 106

Bristles Heat-Resistant to: 600°F

Price at Time of Testing: $12.99

  • Comfort
  • Control
  • Coverage
  • Neatness
  • Durability
  • Ease of Use

With 106 bristles, this basting brush picked up an impressive volume of sauce. It’s a little heavier than we’d prefer, but it’s still easy to maneuver. Its wide head is great for providing quick and even coverage on larger items, though it’s a touch less precise when applying sauce to the nooks and crannies of chicken pieces. As with many of the other brushes we tested, its bristles are heat resistant to a high temperature, but its handle is not—it melted when we rested it against the side of the grill.

Model Number: 11309300

Weight: 5 3/4 oz

Material: Glass-filled nylon, TPE

Handle Length: 11.5 in

Bristle Length: 1.5 in

Sauce Picked Up: 1 1/8 oz

Brush Head Width: 2.2 in

Number of Bristles: 106

Bristles Heat-Resistant to: 600°F

Price at Time of Testing: $12.99

What You Need to Know

Long-handled barbecue basting brushes allow you to safely apply oil or sauce to food on the grill without burning your fingers. The winning brush from our last testing, the Elizabeth Karmel Super Silicone Angled BBQ Brush, has silicone bristles, which we found work better and are more durable than nylon or boar’s hair. Manufacturers seem to agree, as there are now many more models featuring silicone bristles on the market. So we went back to take another look, testing our old winner against five new silicone brushes.

To get a sense of how much barbecue sauce the brushes could hold, we weighed them dry, plunged them into a bowl of barbecue sauce, and then weighed them again; we did this three times with each brush and averaged the results. We gauged the brushes’ dexterity by painting both lines and circles of barbecue sauce on parchment paper. We evaluated the heat resistance of both the bristles and the handles and tested how durable and how prone to staining and odor retention the brushes were. Then we put them to work painting barbecue sauce onto chicken legs for grilling.

All of the brushes got the job done eventually, but some were easier than others to use. Handle length was important; we found that 12 inches was just about perfect. Any shorter and our hands got too close to the heat; any longer and we sacrificed control. Handle material also mattered. The silicone bristles were heat-resistant between 480 and 600 degrees (even the low end was sufficient), but the handles were not; we subtracted points for plastic handles that melted after more than a minute of contact with the grill and metal handles that got uncomfortably hot.

a tester smells a basting brush
We used barbecue sauce to test how well the brushes absorb and distribute liquids. Then we washed them and asked cooks to give them the smell test to see if they could detect any residual odors.

In general, the more bristles a brush had, the better its capacity to retain and distribute sauce and oil. Brushes that had fewer than 50 bristles were usually narrower, too, and thus less capable of covering foods quickly. That said, the brush with the most bristles was, if anything, a bit too wide, forfeiting the ability to detail corners or irregular surfaces as a result. And the bristles themselves had to be at least an inch and a half long—shorter bristles limited coverage and were less dexterous, making it more difficult to negotiate curves and corners.

a tester paints circles onto parchment using barbecue sauce and a basting brush
To test their balance, which affects dexterity, and to evaluate how evenly each brush is able to distribute sauces, we used them to paint barbecue sauce on parchment paper and then compared the brush strokes.

In the end, we still preferred our old winner, the Elizabeth Karmel Super Silicone Angled BBQ Brush, which offered the perfect balance of control and fast coverage. It was light, agile, and precise, and the slight angle of the brush head made for safe, effortless maneuvering over the hot fire, allowing us to paint all the nooks and crannies of the chicken legs without decorating the grill as well.

  • Measure each handle
  • Measure and count bristles
  • Calculate how much sauce each brush can hold
  • Paint barbecue sauce on parchment paper
  • Evaluate heat resistance
  • Brush barbecue sauce on chicken
  • Brush olive oil on bread

  • Long heat-resistant handles
  • Long and plentiful bristles
  • Angled head
  • Streamlined shape
03:29

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Everything We Tested

Good 3 Stars out of 3.
Fair 2 Stars out of 3.
Poor 1 Star out of 3.

Highly Recommended

  • Comfort
  • Control
  • Coverage
  • Neatness
  • Durability
  • Ease of Use

WinnerOXO Good Grips Grilling Basting Brush

With 106 bristles, this basting brush picked up an impressive volume of sauce. It’s a little heavier than we’d prefer, but it’s still easy to maneuver. Its wide head is great for providing quick and even coverage on larger items, though it’s a touch less precise when applying sauce to the nooks and crannies of chicken pieces. As with many of the other brushes we tested, its bristles are heat resistant to a high temperature, but its handle is not—it melted when we rested it against the side of the grill.

Model Number: 11309300

Weight: 5 3/4 oz

Material: Glass-filled nylon, TPE

Handle Length: 11.5 in

Bristle Length: 1.5 in

Sauce Picked Up: 1 1/8 oz

Brush Head Width: 2.2 in

Number of Bristles: 106

Bristles Heat-Resistant to: 600°F

Price at Time of Testing: $12.99

  • Comfort
  • Control
  • Coverage
  • Neatness
  • Durability
  • Ease of Use

With 106 bristles, this basting brush picked up an impressive volume of sauce. It’s a little heavier than we’d prefer, but it’s still easy to maneuver. Its wide head is great for providing quick and even coverage on larger items, though it’s a touch less precise when applying sauce to the nooks and crannies of chicken pieces. As with many of the other brushes we tested, its bristles are heat resistant to a high temperature, but its handle is not—it melted when we rested it against the side of the grill.

Model Number: 11309300

Weight: 5 3/4 oz

Material: Glass-filled nylon, TPE

Handle Length: 11.5 in

Bristle Length: 1.5 in

Sauce Picked Up: 1 1/8 oz

Brush Head Width: 2.2 in

Number of Bristles: 106

Bristles Heat-Resistant to: 600°F

Price at Time of Testing: $12.99

Recommended with reservations

  • Comfort
  • Control
  • Coverage
  • Neatness
  • Durability
  • Ease of Use

Le Creuset Revolution Basting Brush

The wood handle on this brush was the only one to remain intact and relatively comfortable to use after it was left in contact with the heated grill for 2 minutes. The brush picked up a good volume of sauce with its 87 bristles, but those bristles were the shortest in our lineup, making it harder to round corners and cover larger territory quickly.

Model Number: SKUVB311

Weight: 2.33 oz

Material: Wood, silicone

Handle Length: 8.5 in

Bristle Length: 1 to 1.33 in

Sauce Picked Up: 0.5 oz

Brush Head Width: 2.25 in

Number of Bristles: 87

Bristles Heat-Resistant to: 480°F

Price at Time of Testing: $14.95

  • Comfort
  • Control
  • Coverage
  • Neatness
  • Durability
  • Ease of Use

The wood handle on this brush was the only one to remain intact and relatively comfortable to use after it was left in contact with the heated grill for 2 minutes. The brush picked up a good volume of sauce with its 87 bristles, but those bristles were the shortest in our lineup, making it harder to round corners and cover larger territory quickly.

Model Number: SKUVB311

Weight: 2.33 oz

Material: Wood, silicone

Handle Length: 8.5 in

Bristle Length: 1 to 1.33 in

Sauce Picked Up: 0.5 oz

Brush Head Width: 2.25 in

Number of Bristles: 87

Bristles Heat-Resistant to: 480°F

Price at Time of Testing: $14.95

Not Recommended

  • Comfort
  • Control
  • Coverage
  • Neatness
  • Durability
  • Ease of Use

Weber Original Silicone Basting Brush

This brush’s bristles were plenty long, allowing for fluid sweeping motions, but they were floppy, and there weren’t quite enough of them; as a result, brushstrokes felt less controlled and splashed the sauce and oil a little more. It was also hard to cover larger areas quickly. And while the plastic handle was also a good length, it melted right into the bristles when the brush was left in a skillet of barbecue sauce on the grill.

Model Number: 6661

Weight: 3.25 oz

Material: Silicone, plastic

Handle Length: 11.25 in

Bristle Length: 1.75 in

Sauce Picked Up: 0.33 oz

Brush Head Width: 1.5 in

Number of Bristles: 45

Bristles Heat-Resistant to: 600°F

Price at Time of Testing: $8.99

  • Comfort
  • Control
  • Coverage
  • Neatness
  • Durability
  • Ease of Use

This brush’s bristles were plenty long, allowing for fluid sweeping motions, but they were floppy, and there weren’t quite enough of them; as a result, brushstrokes felt less controlled and splashed the sauce and oil a little more. It was also hard to cover larger areas quickly. And while the plastic handle was also a good length, it melted right into the bristles when the brush was left in a skillet of barbecue sauce on the grill.

Model Number: 6661

Weight: 3.25 oz

Material: Silicone, plastic

Handle Length: 11.25 in

Bristle Length: 1.75 in

Sauce Picked Up: 0.33 oz

Brush Head Width: 1.5 in

Number of Bristles: 45

Bristles Heat-Resistant to: 600°F

Price at Time of Testing: $8.99

  • Comfort
  • Control
  • Coverage
  • Neatness
  • Durability
  • Ease of Use

Norpro Silicone BBQ Basting Brush with Stainless Steel Handle

This brush had just 45 long bristles—not enough to provide precise control or quick coverage. Worse, its metal handle was short and heavy and became very hot to the touch when left next to the grill.

Model Number: 2017

Weight: 6.25 oz

Material: Silicone, stainless steel

Handle Length: 10.5 in

Bristle Length: 1.75 in

Sauce Picked Up: 0.33 oz

Brush Head Width: 1.5 in

Number of Bristles: 45

Bristles Heat-Resistant to: 500°F

Price at Time of Testing: $11.04

  • Comfort
  • Control
  • Coverage
  • Neatness
  • Durability
  • Ease of Use

This brush had just 45 long bristles—not enough to provide precise control or quick coverage. Worse, its metal handle was short and heavy and became very hot to the touch when left next to the grill.

Model Number: 2017

Weight: 6.25 oz

Material: Silicone, stainless steel

Handle Length: 10.5 in

Bristle Length: 1.75 in

Sauce Picked Up: 0.33 oz

Brush Head Width: 1.5 in

Number of Bristles: 45

Bristles Heat-Resistant to: 500°F

Price at Time of Testing: $11.04

  • Comfort
  • Control
  • Coverage
  • Neatness
  • Durability
  • Ease of Use

Broil King Basting Brush Silicone

The 22 measly short, flat bristles of this brush made it a very blunt instrument indeed, offering little in the way of agility, precision, or coverage. With the longest, heaviest handle in the lineup, it kept our fingers away from the flames but was unwieldy and awkward to maneuver.

Model Number: 64013

Weight: 8.63 oz

Material: Bakelite, stainless steel, silicone

Handle Length: 14.5 in

Bristle Length: 1.25 in

Sauce Picked Up: 0.33 oz

Brush Head Width: 1.75 in

Number of Bristles: 22

Bristles Heat-Resistant to: 500°F

Price at Time of Testing: $8.49

  • Comfort
  • Control
  • Coverage
  • Neatness
  • Durability
  • Ease of Use

The 22 measly short, flat bristles of this brush made it a very blunt instrument indeed, offering little in the way of agility, precision, or coverage. With the longest, heaviest handle in the lineup, it kept our fingers away from the flames but was unwieldy and awkward to maneuver.

Model Number: 64013

Weight: 8.63 oz

Material: Bakelite, stainless steel, silicone

Handle Length: 14.5 in

Bristle Length: 1.25 in

Sauce Picked Up: 0.33 oz

Brush Head Width: 1.75 in

Number of Bristles: 22

Bristles Heat-Resistant to: 500°F

Price at Time of Testing: $8.49

Discontinued

  • Comfort
  • Control
  • Coverage
  • Neatness
  • Durability
  • Ease of Use

Elizabeth Karmel Super Silicone Angled BBQ Brush

With plenty of long bristles and a head fixed at a slight angle to the 12-inch handle, this brush quickly coated chicken with sauce and bread with oil. While its head was slightly narrower than the runner-up’s and thus offered slightly less coverage on a single stroke, this brush was nimbler and more precise as a result; it excelled at basting areas of chicken that were hard to reach without dripping too much sauce all over the grill. Our only gripe? The handle melted a little when left touching the side of the grill.

Model Number: 60500

Weight: 3.25 oz

Material: Silicone, polypropylene, thermoplastic rubber

Handle Length: 12 in

Bristle Length: 1.5 in

Sauce Picked Up: 0.33 oz

Brush Head Width: 1.75 in

Number of Bristles: 77

Bristles Heat-Resistant to: 500°F

  • Comfort
  • Control
  • Coverage
  • Neatness
  • Durability
  • Ease of Use

With plenty of long bristles and a head fixed at a slight angle to the 12-inch handle, this brush quickly coated chicken with sauce and bread with oil. While its head was slightly narrower than the runner-up’s and thus offered slightly less coverage on a single stroke, this brush was nimbler and more precise as a result; it excelled at basting areas of chicken that were hard to reach without dripping too much sauce all over the grill. Our only gripe? The handle melted a little when left touching the side of the grill.

Model Number: 60500

Weight: 3.25 oz

Material: Silicone, polypropylene, thermoplastic rubber

Handle Length: 12 in

Bristle Length: 1.5 in

Sauce Picked Up: 0.33 oz

Brush Head Width: 1.75 in

Number of Bristles: 77

Bristles Heat-Resistant to: 500°F

*All products reviewed by America’s Test Kitchen are independently chosen, researched, and reviewed by our editors. We buy products for testing at retail locations and do not accept unsolicited samples for testing. We list suggested sources for recommended products as a convenience to our readers but do not endorse specific retailers. When you choose to purchase our editorial recommendations from the links we provide, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices are subject to change.

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The mission of America’s Test Kitchen Reviews is to find the best equipment and ingredients for the home cook through rigorous, hands-on testing. We stand behind our winners so much that we even put our seal of approval on them. Have a question or suggestion? Send us an email at atkreviews@americastestkitchen.com. We appreciate your feedback!

The Expert

Author: Miye Bromberg

byMiye Bromberg

Senior Editor, ATK Reviews

Miye is a senior editor for ATK Reviews. She covers bread, booze, and blades.

Miye Bromberg is a senior editor for ATK Reviews. Areas of specialization include bread, booze, and blades. A native of New York, she now lives in Kentucky, where she spends her free time thinking about film, tending her garden, and traveling long distances to eat dosas.

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