10 Best Basting Brushes (Review) In 2021
- The Best Bashing Brush
- 1. M KITCHEN WORLD Silicone Basting Brush for BBQ, Pastry & Oil
- 2. Cuisinart GreenGourmet Bamboo Basting Brush
- 3. RWM Stainless Steel & Silicone Basting Brush Set
- 4. Cuisinart Curve Handle Silicone Basting Brush
- 5. Carlisle Sparta Round Basting & Pastry Brush with Boar Bristles
- 6. Kitchen Joy's Teal Silicone Basting Brush
- 7. YIKATU 6-Piece Silicone Pastry Brush & Spatula Set
- 8. Boao 4-Piece Beech Hardwood Handle Pastry Brushes
- 9. Consevisen Silicone Basting Pastry Brush Set With Storage Pouch
- 10. Saizone Natural Bristle Basting Brush
While most people associate brushes with painting, whether something professional or done alongside friends with a glass of wine and not much of a clue, they are also perfect for the kitchen, just a little different. The best basting brush is something that anyone who knows their way around a kitchen has used before, but while they’re already converts, don’t you think it’s time you joined the party too?
Alongside your frying pans, cheese graters, cutting boards, and measuring jugs, basting brushes are a versatile choice ideal for a wide range of kitchen duties. From BBQ-ing to baking, along with everything in between, they are something which anyone who wants more control in the kitchen should look out for.
With a range of designs that are just as effective as one another, the best basting brushes provide everything you need to bring out the flavor and enjoy that sleek glaze. Whether wood or silicone, you can rely on a basting brush to make your kitchen adventures easier than ever, to cement yourself as the one to go to for cooking advice.
The Best Bashing Brush
1. M KITCHEN WORLD Silicone Basting Brush for BBQ, Pastry & Oil




Key Features
2 colors
Silicone brush
Prevents bacteria and mold buildup
Bristles won’t break
Heat resistant to 445-degrees Fahrenheit
Lightweight handle
Coming at you fast with a range of excellent uses suitable for all your basting needs, the M KITCHEN WORLD Silicone Basting Brush for BBQ, Pastry & Oil is our best choice pick for the best basting brushes. It is highly heat resistant and can survive temperatures up to 445F, while the durable bristles make it something you can rely on for years, although not with too-aggressive scrubbing. Unlike bristle brush hair, you won’t get any nasty surprises in your food, while the lightweight handle makes it easy to grip. The silicone holds a sufficient amount of liquid, too, so you can lather your meat up like the best of them.
Pros
Won’t leave hair in your food
Won’t melt, discolor, shrink
Holds generous amount of liquid
Lifetime guarantee
Cons
Bristles may fall off from aggressive scrubbing
Smaller than the pictures let on
2. Cuisinart GreenGourmet Bamboo Basting Brush

Key Features
Sturdy wooden handle
Safe for nonstick cookware
Natural oil finish
Fully renewable resource
Gourmet design and quality construction
Lifetime warranty
The Cuisinart GreenGourmet Bamboo Basting Brush boasts a sturdy wooden handle that gives you the confidence that this is something that will get you through your toughest basting adventures. It is safe for nonstick cookware and also constructed from a renewable resource, so you can feel you’re giving back while also spreading a range of substances with ease, although some hairs may fall out while using it. Ideal as a pastry brush, it’s also relatively easy to clean, but don’t put it in the dishwasher, and you can enjoy lots of neat, gourmet dishes that will feel you’re treating yourself to restaurant quality.
Pros
Eco-friendly design
Easy to use
Spreads butter and sauce evenly
Neater compared to some silicone brushes
Cons
Not suitable for the dishwasher
Some hairs may fall out when using it
3. RWM Stainless Steel & Silicone Basting Brush Set



Key Features
Ideal for BBQs and home cooking
Helps bring out more flavor
Polished stainless steel handle
Non-shedding bristles
Removable silicone brush heads
Dishwasher safe cleaning
Sleek and stylish, the RWM Stainless Steel & Silicone Basting Brush Set is perfect for BBQs and home cooking, and it enables you to bring out more flavor than you ever imagined. The silicone bristles means you don’t need to worry about shedding, while the removable head means you can switch between for convenience and prevent cross-contamination, but these heads might fall off too easily. It also comes with a convenient hanging hook for simple storage, and it’s dishwasher safe, but make sure you dry it with a towel immediately to prevent rusting and help it maintain its quality.
Pros
Convenient hanging hook
Ideal length and weight
Additional set of brush heads included
Heat resistant to 55-degrees F
Cons
Will rust if not dried quickly enough
Tips come off a little too easily
4. Cuisinart Curve Handle Silicone Basting Brush



Key Features
Soft-grip ergonomic handle
Designed to lie flat on countertop
Heat-resistant to 425-degrees Fahrenheit
Safe for non-stick cookware
Dishwasher safe
Convenient hanging hoop
There’s plenty to love about the Cuisinart Curve Handle Silicone Basting Brush. It’s comfortable, it’s effective, it’s safe for cookware, and it’s easy to store wherever you prefer. The silicone bristles are heat resistant and dishwasher safe, and they also make it exceptionally easy to apply marinades and sauces to your favorite foods. The unique curved design helps reduce (although not eliminate) mess, which is always a bonus. However, you may find the head falls off a little too easily, and this is far from ideal, and if you’re planning on creating a veritable feast for the entire neighborhood, it may not be large enough.
Pros
Easy to store
Reduced mess
Easy to apply marinades and sauces
Durable construction
Cons
Head falls off a little too easily
May not be large enough for bigger demands
5. Carlisle Sparta Round Basting & Pastry Brush with Boar Bristles






Key Features
Boar and nylon bristle combination
Epoxy set
Sturdy wooden handle
Ergonomic shape
Hanging holes for easy storage
Prevents build-up of bacteria
A premium pick for the premium chef, the Carlisle Sparta Round Basting & Pastry Brush with Boar Bristles is a superb choice for professionals but also anyone who feels that quality utensils are the final piece of the puzzle to take your cooking skills to the next level. It combines durable boar and nylon bristles with an epoxy set that helps to reduce the buildup of bacteria, and the wooden handle also guarantees long life. The ergonomic shape takes the strain out of excessive basting demands, but the handle is weirdly long, and this might not be ideal if you’re working in a tight kitchen space.
Pros
Withstand temperatures up to 500-degree F
Durable construction
Water-resistant bristles
12-inches long
Cons
Some may not need such a long handle
Some hairs might fall out while basting
6. Kitchen Joy’s Teal Silicone Basting Brush




Key Features
Suitable for pastries, grilling, BBQ
Durable BPA-free silicone bristles
Easy to clean
Dishwasher safe
Heat resistant to 500-degrees Fahrenheit
5 year guarantee
The Kitchen Joy’s Teal Silicone Basting Brush gives you a lot to write home about. For pastries, grilling, and BBQs, there are few that stand up to it, giving you marvelous versatility that will take the stress out of mammoth food prep. It’s easy to clean, and the durable BPA-free bristles are reliable. These bristles are also heat resistant to 500F, and it also comes with a comforting five-year guarantee. Despite this, the bristles bend a little too easily with thick sauces, which could be a little frustrating and while it’s useful, a few more bristle rows could take it to the next echelon of quality.
Pros
Ergonomic design
Won’t shrink, melt, or discolor
Odor-free
Lightweight design
Cons
Bristle bend easily with thicker sauces
Would be more effective with more bristle rows
7. YIKATU 6-Piece Silicone Pastry Brush & Spatula Set



Key Features
Premium silicone construction
High-temperature resistance
One-piece ergonomic design
Perfect for pasting and basting
Dishwasher safe, easy to maintain
Multipack convenience
If you’re looking for the best value for your basting-slash-pastry brush, the YIKATU 6-Piece Silicone Pastry Brush & Spatula Set is exactly what you need. It covers all bases, giving you something for any kitchen job, and with a one-piece design, you can rely on both brushes and spatulas sturdiness. There is also high-temperature resistance, and the bristles won’t shed like nylon bristles would, while the entire thing is easy to maintain. Still, the bristles are too thin for heavier sauces, and although the multipack is convenient, not everyone will need all six items for their cooking demands.
Pros
High textile strength
Non-shedding
Convenient hanging loop for storage
Comfortable and lightweight
Cons
Bristles are a little too thin
You may not need all six items
8. Boao 4-Piece Beech Hardwood Handle Pastry Brushes




Key Features
2 brush size options
Oil and butter brush
Natural materials
Easy to clean and maintain
Durable construction
Contoured design for lasting comfort
Offering two brush size options, the Boao 4-Piece Beech Hardwood Handle Pastry Brushes are a great shout if you’re looking for an effective oil and butter pastry brush. It is constructed of natural materials rather than silicone, and this provides durability while also ensuring they are easy to clean and maintain. The contoured design makes it comfortable to use for extended periods, but as you likely expect by now, the bristles can shed into food, and casual chefs may not see the need to use all four brushes, no matter how ambitious they get in the kitchen. However, this could be the trigger that forces you to try.
Pros
Handle hold for hanging convenience
4-pack
Long-lasting beech handle
Suitable for a range of basting demands
Cons
Bristle may shed into food
You may not need have the need for all four brushes
9. Consevisen Silicone Basting Pastry Brush Set With Storage Pouch



Key Features
Multiple pack size options
Temperature resistant up to 446-degrees Fahrenheit
One-piece ergonomic design
5×17 bristles for reliable sauce/marinade retention
Easy to spread sauce, mix, and more
Dishwasher safe
The Consevisen Silicone Basting Pastry Brush Set With Storage Pouch has something for all household sizes. There are multiple pack options to suit you, and each boasts a one-piece ergonomic design that makes any basting demand convenient. There is an impressive 85 total bristles, with five rows of 17, meaning you can spread sauce, mix and more with ease, although they can still feel a little flimsy for professionals. The silicone bristles mean there’s no shedding, but you might find that sauce gets stuck between them, which can make cleaning a little trickier compared to other available products.
Pros
Easy to clean
Bristles do not stay greasy
Non-shedding
Different colors to prevent cross-contamination
Cons
Bristles feel a little too flimsy
Some sauce may get caught in between bristle rows
10. Saizone Natural Bristle Basting Brush





Key Features
High-quality construction
Durable design
Suitable for a range of kitchen demands
Heat-resistant beech wood
Natural boar bristles hold moist liquid
Flat design for easy basting
The Saizone Natural Bristle Basting Brush is an obvious budget pick that offers as much as you need. The high-quality construction means it has a durable design, and this is further enforced by being constructed of heat-resistant beech wood However, it isn’t as sturdy as we’d like if you’re too aggressive with it. The natural boar bristles hold most of the liquid to guarantee fast and efficient basting, and the flat design allows you to spread as much as you need at once for even distribution. As far as basting brushes go, it is versatile, being suitable for baking as well as regular grilling and other kitchen adventures. But the bristles might fall out into the food, so keep this in mind.
Pros
Handle hoop for convenient storage
Dishwasher safe and easy to clean
Resistant to 500-degree Fahrenheit
Ideal for baking as well as basting
Cons
Bristles may fall out into food
Not as sturdy as you might expect
Features To Consider With Basting Brushes
Choosing the best basting brush is not as simple as selecting your favorite color or the biggest design. Instead, there are several factors you must consider beforehand to ensure you choose the perfect product for your needs, whether you need a baster brush everyday, or only remember that you have it when you have guests coming over.
Brush Width
The brush width may not seem so important, but if you want to baste your food efficiently and make sure you can unlock the flavor at every part, it's an essential thing to consider. The wider the brush, the more area you can baste at once, and this ensures you can baste the meat or pastries evenly, which will make them more delicious and make them look more professional.
Typically, wooden basting brushes with the boar bristle design are slimmer compared to silicone models, although you can find some wooden options that are wide. Silicone models often come with replaceable heads or even multipacks, which include a variety of widths to provide optimal flexibility for your basting needs.
Wider heads are ideal for bigger demands, whereas the smaller heads will be suitable for your delicate baking needs, so bear this in mind when choosing, as anything too wide or too slim could make your experience more frustrating than you want it to be.
Dishwasher Safe
Dishwasher safety is an excellent way to guarantee the continued quality and safety of your basting brush. However, despite there being plenty of advancements in cooking tools and the technology behind them, people are still unsure whether specific items are dishwasher safe.
The good news is that both wooden and silicone basting brushes are dishwasher safe. This is convenient for speeding up the cleanup process once you're finished, and it can also ensure a real deep clean that elbow grease doesn't always provide.
The design of these brushes means they won't melt or rot when exposed to water, which means they can handle a cycle in the dishwasher. However, not all dishwashers boast the supreme power that you expect, so you may need to go over them once more before putting them away to loosen and remove any food stuck between the bristles, especially with the silicone models.
Design
Basting brush designs seem simple enough, and it is certainly an excellent example of If it ain't broke, why fix it? However, you still might feel passionate about how the brush looks, especially if you have a kitchen aesthetic that you want to maintain.
Primarily, though, there are only a few things that will stand out as different. These are the size, material, and shape. The shape is something to think about if you're using your basting brush for a long time, as the more ergonomic it is, the more comfortable it will be. The size will also have a role to play, and even if you feel you need the biggest basting brush, (because why not?) this isn't always the best idea.
The size can impact storage options. Something too big will be a hassle to keep in the drawer and take up extra space on a countertop, even if it makes it easier to baste large foods. However, there is a way around this. Many basting brushes come with holes at the bottom of the handle which you can use to hang from the wall if you're short on drawer space.
Heat Resistance
As you're likely to be cooking near high heats, it's vital that your basting brush offers high heat resistance to overcome the risk of potential damage. Again, we have some excellent news for you. Because of the makeup of such products, these basting brushes can withstand high temperatures. This means they won't melt when exposed to BBQ flame if you need to top up the marinade, nor will they melt if you accidentally leave them a little too close to the stove.
Both silicone and wooden basting brushes are capable of this, so you'll have one fewer thing to worry about in the kitchen. Typically, they can withstand temperatures of up to 450-degrees Fahrenheit, although some claim to handle up to 500-degrees. You probably don't want to test that claim, but you'll likely feel confident enough that you can expose it to some serious heats with no issues.
Material
When choosing the best basting brush, you'll have two material choices. These are wood with a boar bristle head and silicone. Wooden brushes are closer to pastry brushes that you use for egg wash, whereas silicone brushes are ideal for marinating and working with heavier sauces.
Consider which one you would use most and go for it. Both offer plenty of benefits, including easy or use and lightweight design, but they also come with some negatives. The head may often fall off silicone brushes, while the boar bristles can shed away and end up in your food. Such factors can balance them out, though, meaning that it will regularly come down to which you prefer.
Basting Brush FAQ
Q: What's the difference between a pastry brush and a basting brush?
Really, nothing. For many people, a pastry brush and basting brush are exactly the same in terms of functionality, even if there may be a few differences between them. Primarily, you would consider a pastry brush to use boar bristles with a wooden handle, whereas a basting brush will have silicone bristles with a plastic handle.
Other than this, though, the differences are negligible. However, you can still identify specifics that set them apart. If we're going to be particular about semantics and definitions (which to be fair, we love to do), a basting brush is designed solely for basting meat, fish, poultry, and similar raw meats. Functionality vise it takes up a roll of turkey baster.
Conversely, pastry brushes are suitable for just that: pastry. You use a pastry brush to glaze egg wash on the top of a pie to give it that sleek shine that makes the pastry look so appetizing, and a pastry brush is better for doing this.
Pastry brushes are also smaller compared to basting brushes, and this enables you to use them to seal the edges of smaller food types, including dumplings, ravioli, or empanadas. Compared to doing this by hand, it is much less messy, which can minimize clean up and make your food prep efficient.
Q: Are silicone basting brushes better than bristles?
We can't say which type of brush is 'better' than the other, as this will come down to what you prefer and what you need to use the brush for. However, we can provide a little useful insight that can help you make your decision and maybe decide which design is the best one for you.
If you're looking for a marinating solution, a silicone basting brush is your best option. The silicone bristles will allow the sauce, especially heavy sauce, to cling to the bristles without falling off or bending them. This makes your marinating ventures more efficient and also allows you to cover as much of the food as you can with no problems.
Silicone bristles also won't fall off and get into the food. Which is convenient, and they are also easier to clean. As silicone bristles will not stick together, you can wipe away leftover food, sauce, and oil easily, which is not always possible with hair bristles, which often requires a considerable soak to be sure.
This means you prevent the risk of cross-contamination when working with multiple types of food. You don't want to catch salmonella from an insufficiently cleaned brush, which is why the silicone option is the way to go.
However, wooden brushes with hair bristles still provide several benefits. They are more durable compared to their silicone counterparts, and they also look nicer. Again, it depends on the reason you want to use the basting brush. For pastry prep, a wooden product with regular bristles is ideal, but for heavy-duty basting, the silicone option is much more effective and convenient.
Sources
Pastry brush - Wikipedia
Pastry Brush versus Silicone Brush - Cooks Illustrated
Difference Between Pastry Brush and Basting Brush - Kitchenistic