Splatter screens for safer, cleaner cooking

Any professional chef can attest to the dangers of frying with oil. Many chefs have arms marked with burns and countless clothes ruined by oil stains. The truth is that popping, boiling oil is simply hard to avoid when cooking certain foods, unless, of course, you’ve got a splatter screen. These simple and oft-overlooked tools make frying at extremely high heats worry free. Splatter screens are also a must-have for households with children and pets that might find themselves in range of rogue oil bubbles. So get that chicken crispy at no cost to anyone’s safety. Here’s what to look for when buying a splatter screen.

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A solid and standard splatter screen is usually made of stainless steel with a handle that stays cool but withstands high heat. These come in different sizes, so you’ll want to buy one that matches your pan. It’s safer to err on the side of too large, since larger splatter screens can usually balance on smaller pans. You can also purchase a set of screens to have one in every pan size. Try to find a splatter screen that is dishwasher safe, since it can be difficult to handwash fine mesh effectively.

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Many splatter screens are designed as multi-purpose tools. They can function as sieves, cooling racks, and drain boards for drying dishes. Multi-purpose splatter screens are sometimes made from silicone, which is softer than stainless steel but can still handle extreme temperatures. 

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If you own pans of several sizes but only want to invest in one splatter guard, there are some that have inner rings that fit securely on differently sized pans. These one-size-fits-all screens are super convenient especially for less spacious kitchens.