When you are cooking food that splatters cleaning can be a pain. Frying bacon and other grease-spattering food can leave stains and an oily mist over your walls, counters, and surrounding floor. Simmering sauces can be even messier.
Covering the pan with a lid would trap the steam inside the pan, making your food soggy.
Fortunately, there is a kitchen helper that can provide the protection needed for your cooking area. The splatter shield for the stove is designed to block hot oil from popping and keep your hands and face safe from nasty oil burns. This innovative kitchen utensil also protects your stove and counters from greasy stains and greatly helps reduce the clean-up afterward.
Oil splatter guards are designed to let the steam out so you can achieve crispy and crunchy foods.
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1. Stainless Steel Splatter Screen
This type of splash guard has a sturdy rim and wire mesh screen inside it. It is a durable, rust-resistant, and long-lasting item.
The fine wire mesh blocks most spatter while letting all the steam escape, which keeps fried food crispy. You can see through the mesh and monitor the cooking process.
Some splatter screens have a metal handle that can get hot, so you need to use potholders or oven mitts. Most newer models have a handle coated with silicone that stays cool to the touch making cooking safer.
Stainless steel splatter screens don’t perfectly block grease splatter, but they do reduce mess and cut down cleaning time.
A stainless steel splatter screen can be hand-washed with a sponge or dishwashing brush and degreasing soap. It may take some elbow grease to remove greasy residue from the mesh. Place the utensil in the sink and press a sponge or cleaning brush against the screen. Rinse under running water and dry. Store it in the drawer until the next use. It can also be dishwasher cleaned.
U.S. Kitchen Supply 13″ Stainless Steel Fine Mesh Splatter Screen (Amazon)
2. Foldable Splatter Guard
This splatter shield prevents hot oil from splattering across your kitchen backsplash and the rest of the stove.
The panels can be made of stainless steel or aluminum with a non-stick surface for easier cleaning.
However, this guard can’t completely protect the surrounding area because of a long handle poking out. When purchasing, make sure that the walls are high enough to block oil splatters.
Wash the panels with a soapy sponge when needed and let them air dry.
When not in use the panels can be folded up flat and stored in the sink drawer.
3. Universal Stainless Steel Splash Guard
This universal splatter shield has an outer stainless-steel frame with groves and a tight micro-mesh screen in the center. The metal rim prevents scorching of the edge of the screen, making the product more durable.
This splatter guard provides a convenient way to minimize grease splatter. It blocks more oil splatters than fully open splatter screens.
Due to the universal lid design, it covers several different sizes of frying and doesn’t fall off like standard splatter screens.
Thanks to its space-saving design, it easily fits in the dishwasher and your kitchen drawer.
Related products: Splatter Screen Guard by FOXEL (Solid construction, folding handle, but beware of sharp edges).
4. Silicone Splatter Guard
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This type of grease splatter shield is made of food-grade and heat-resistant silicone that can withstand temperatures from -148 to 445 degrees Fahrenheit. The rubber handle keeps your hands away from the heat.
Its smart design prevents unexpected oil pops while letting most of the steam flow out. It doesn’t let all the steam escape like a metal screen but it catches most of the oil splatters, limiting the mess better than wire mesh.
Sometimes condensation can accumulate underside of the screen. Carefully pick the screen to prevent the condensation from dripping back into the hot oil.
When cooking at a very high temperature the silicone cover can get limp from the heat. Also, do not expose this cover to an open flame or place it on a hot stove burner.
Cleaning the silicone splatter screen is very simple with dish soap and a sponge. It is easier to wash by hand than metal screens, but you also have the option to just throw it in the dishwasher.
Related products: Silicone Splatter Screen Pan Cover by iOrange
5. Silicone Splatter Screen with Metal Reinforced Frame
This silicone splatter screen has a metal ring around the edge which keeps the shape of the silicone.
Two small handles on the sides give you a firm grip when using it for different purposes. This versatile item works great for draining water from the pasta.
It is easy to clean up and store as there is no long handle to get in the way. Use kitchen gloves when you are touching it while in use as steam can burn your hands.
Related products: Splatter Guard by Kuhn Rikon and Silicone Splatter Screen by Beckon Ware.
6. FryWall Silicone Splatter Protector
The Frywall is a flexible piece of silicone designed to rest against the inside rim of your round pans when you deep-fry, simmer, or sauté. It is made of silicone that is heat resistant up to 450°F. Frywall stops splatters, preventing grease from splashing everywhere.
You can reach into the pan to stir or turn the food you’re cooking without removing the anti-splatter shield. It can be used either on gas or electric stovetops and works great for simmering sauces. The Frywall is high enough to keep the splatters from getting onto the stovetop or counter.
Extremely high heat can damage silicone. Make sure that the bottom of the Frywall is not touching the bottom of the pan and is not submerged in hot oil.
It doesn’t provide 100% protection and some droplets can burn your hands or leave marks on your stovetop if the oil pops high enough. If you are frying something on very high heat, silicone may collapse slightly, allowing some oil splatters to find their way out. However, the Frywall splatter protector helps block up to 90% of unwanted splashes, saving you a lot of cleaning. It is certainly worth using and provides at least the same level of protection as a mesh screen.
To protect efficiently it needs to fit well, so make sure to carefully measure the diameter of your pan and buy the appropriate size of grease protector. Be sure you have put it before the pan gets hot.
Washing this grease splatter by hand is not convenient because silicone is floppy by nature, and the piece can be coated with oil. You can wipe it down with paper towels first to remove any leftover food and then put it in the dishwasher on the bottom rack.
Dry the Frywall anti-splatter with a towel or let it air dry before storing. It folds up and doesn’t take up much space. You can also wrap it up with a rubber band to make it more compact for storage.
Frywall Set of 2 Silicone Splatter and Spill Stoppers on QVC I YouTube video by QVCtv
The Long Handles vs Knobs
A long handle makes cooking safe, especially when it is coated with silicone. The rubber handle offers a good grip and it remains cool enough to be grabbed without a potholder. But when it comes to splatter guards, a long handle has some downsides. Splatter guards with long handles can be difficult to store. The exception is foldable handles that can easily be stacked making the tool more compact. A folding handle allows for easy storage. The foldable handle also ensures that splatter guards will fit in the dishwasher. (Stainless Steel Splatter Screen Guard by TedGem).
A splatter shield with metal knobs fits nicely in your kitchen cabinet. The knob in the middle doesn’t interfere with other pans and pots on your stove. Metal knobs get very hot, so make sure to use kitchen gloves or a potholder when removing the hot anti-splatter from the pan. Rubber knobs stay cool to the touch. (Splatter Screen for Frying Pan by Kristie’s Kitchen). The splatter guards with knobs work well for covering two-handle frying pans.
Some splatter shields have a U-shaped handle in the middle that can be positioned to lay flat for a more space-saving design. (Stabil Splatter Screen by IKEA).
Final Words
The cheaper versions of splatter guards are flimsy, and paying a little more for a good quality product will pay off in the long run.
Stainless steel screens are sturdier and will last longer than silicone ones. On the other hand, the silicone splatter guards are much easier to wash than the metal mesh.
The silicone splatter shields work better for simmering soups or sauces, while metal screens are a better option for frying as they allow moisture to escape and the food comes out crispy.
You can’t see through a metal screen, while you can’t monitor the cooking process when using a silicone splatter screen.
Silicone looks cleaner and more eye-appealing, while metal loses its initial shine and can get brownish over time due to food that got crusted onto the wire mesh.
A universal stainless steel splash guard is a great idea, but the currently available product needs improving.
So, you need to make the decision depending on your personal preferences. It would be a good idea to have both stainless steel and silicone splatter guards and use them interchangeably, depending on the food you want to cook.
