Buying guide for best splatter screens
No matter how often you clean your stovetop, it gets dirty again far too quickly. Whether you’re frying up bacon or simmering pasta sauce, you’re bound to undo all your hard work in a hurry. A splatter screen can help keep the grease and sauce in the pan where it belongs and off your stovetop.
A splatter screen is a tool that is placed on top of a pan to keep the cooking food from splattering onto the burners. It can be used with almost any type of food, but it’s most important when you’re frying greasy food in a shallow skillet.
Keeping grease in the pan isn’t just about cleanliness – it’s also a matter of safety. An uncovered pan can splatter grease that can burn your hands or wrists or anyone else who passes through the kitchen. It can also spit grease onto your clothes and damage or ruin them. A cooktop with grease splatters is not only unsightly but it’s also a safety hazard, putting you at risk of a grease fire.
Your safety, time, and budget are important, and Best Reviews can help protect them all. Finding the most effective splatter screen will keep your kitchen safe and cut down your cleaning time. Finding the best price makes your money go further. If you’re ready to buy, check out our top recommendations. If you’re not sure what kind is best for you, keep reading.
Key considerations
Style
Flat disk: Most splatter screens are round mesh and designed to lie across the top of a pan. The flat surface traps the grease inside the pan and prevents it from landing on the stovetop or your hands. This style typically features a handle that lets you easily remove the screen if you need to stir or add ingredients.
Collar: A less common style resembles a wide collar. It keeps splatters off the cooktop by adding height to the pan’s walls. Grease lands on the silicone rather than the cooktop. The open top doesn’t entirely prevent food from landing on the stove, but it does allow you to add ingredients and stir your pot more easily. These splatter guards are less versatile than flat screens because the bottom must fit the pan pretty precisely for it to do its job.
Splatter screen features
Size: A splatter screen can only work if it covers the entire pan. Make sure the screen you purchase isn’t too small to protect the whole opening. Some screens come in multipacks with sizes that fit different pans. Others have multiple ridges to help them stay in place on pans of various standard sizes.
Mesh: Some splatter screens are made of fine metal mesh. This style makes it easy to see what you’re cooking. It also allows moisture to escape more easily, so it’s a good choice if watery dishes are a challenge for you. However, the mesh is thin, so it can clog and break more easily than other materials. It’s also more prone to rusting if you put it in the dishwasher. You should usually wash these screens by hand.
Pierced metal: Other screens are made of a solid sheet of metal with small holes spaced across the sheet to let moisture pass through. These screens tend to let less grease escape than mesh styles and can often be washed in the dishwasher. However, you can’t see the food as easily, and this type of screen is more likely to hold moisture in your pan. This can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on what you’re cooking.
Silicone: Some splatter screens resemble a silicone disk attached to a handle. These offer many of the same benefits as metal screens, but unlike metal, silicone is nonskid, so it’s less likely to slip off your pan and make a mess. Silicone can’t rust, so it’s dishwasher safe, too. The silicone collar, called a Frywall, protects your stove by essentially making the pan deeper. Grease lands on the silicone rather than the stove. You can add ingredients and stir the food without removing the collar, but the design doesn’t completely stop all splatters. The collar must also fit the pan well in order to be effective.
Handle: The handle on a splatter screen might seem like an afterthought, but it’s a critical piece of the tool. A handle made entirely of metal could burn your hand. Look for a screen with insulated handles that that won’t conduct heat. Those screens that have a handle with a high-grade silicone covering can be transferred to the oven, which is useful if you need to put a cast iron pan in the oven to finish cooking. A folding handle can make this awkwardly shaped tool much easier to store.
- Feet: As much as you want to keep the splatter screen on the pan, you’ll have to remove it to stir, season, or add ingredients. A screen that is totally flat can transfer grease and sauce to your counter when you lay it down. Look for a screen with feet that keep the greasy surface from touching the counter.
Expert Tip
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Splatter screen prices
Inexpensive
The price of splatter screens and splatter screen sets depends upon quality and function. The least expensive steel screens cost less than $10. At this price point, the screens are made of mesh, and some have legs, but you’ll rarely find insulated handles. Expect to hand-wash splatter screens of this quality.
Mid-range
These splatter screens, as well as some cheaper sets, range from $10 to $15. Screens at this price may be mesh or solid. They should have feet to protect your counter, and many have insulated handles. You might have to wash some by hand; others are dishwasher safe.
Expensive
The best screens cost around $20. At this price, you can find your choice of fine mesh, solid metal, or silicone. Most handles should be insulated, and many handles fold for convenient storage.
Did you know?
The Frywall splatter screen alternative got its start on the hit TV show Shark Tank.
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Tips
Try a 12-inch splatter screen. If you’re not sure what size to get, and you’re not in the market for a set, most cooks say that this size is the most useful and versatile.
Use the splatter screen to strain or drain cooking pans. It makes a good substitute for a colander in a pinch.
Look for a splatter screen you can hang up. If you’re short on storage space, some splatter screens have a handle that allows for hanging.
- Use the screen to prevent spatters in the oven, too. Check to see if your model is oven safe and has an upper temperature limit.
Other products we considered
There were a number of contenders for our favorite splatter screens. One unique product we found intriguing was the ExcelSteel Silicone Splatter Screen. Made from cheerful red silicone, this screen fits a variety of pan sizes and stays in place, thanks to its nonslip texture. It has a heat-resistant handle pad, but the manufacturer does recommend washing it by hand. If you can’t settle on a size, you might want to consider the BitimexHome Splatter Guard Set. Each of the three screens is made of tightly woven stainless steel mesh that traps grease but allows steam through. All have thick plastic handles that stay cooler than metal. The U.S. Kitchen Supply Splatter Screen combines the best features of several styles. It has a fine mesh screen in the center, with a wide solid border that includes ridges to fit several common pan sizes, and the nonslip handle folds for storage.
FAQ
Q. Why do some customers have problems with screens warping?
A. Some splatter screens just aren’t made very well, but even good ones have their limits. Several manufacturers recommend not using screens in ovens heated above 350°F. On high heat, many cooktops can reach temperatures around 500°F, well above the stated limit. You might have better results if you use your screen on burners at medium temperatures or slightly above. And this is a safer temperature for frying anyway. Frying on high for an extended period increases the risk of excessive grease splattering, not to mention burning your food.
Q. Is a metal or silicone splatter screen better?
A. It’s a matter of preference, and it can also depend on what you’re cooking. Many people start with an inexpensive mesh screen, then switch to silicone when they find some grease still escapes the mesh. Some people like silicone because it’s easier to clean, but others don’t like the way their dinner turns out – more steamed than fried. If you plan to use a screen with vegetables or sauces, a silicone screen might be a better choice. But if you mostly plan to fry meat, you’re probably better off with metal. Look for quality stainless steel and avoid aluminum, which discolors relatively easily.
Q. How can I tell which side of my screen is supposed to face up?
A. Since many screens have different designs, it can be tricky to figure out at first, but if you don’t, you risk getting your counter dirty. If your screen has long wires that come together like a V, those are the feet that will keep the grease off your counter. Make sure they’re on the top of the screen when it’s on your pan, and they rest on the counter when you remove it. If your model has ridged, concentric rings, those ridges will keep your screen in place on various sizes of pans. Make sure they are facing down to keep the screen in its proper place as the food cooks.
