Raise your hand if you’re tired of wiping down your stove and countertops every time you cook. Whether you’re sautéing vegetables, stir-frying tofu, or searing a ribeye, splatter is an annoying and inevitable part of the process. There’s no shortage of products that claim to combat splatter, including vertical guards that completely surround pans, and the more traditional covers that do a good job keeping splatter at bay, but tend to trap moisture. The best splatter screens should help to contain flying grease and oil droplets, without taking up unnecessary space or impacting your cooking results.
When deciding which splatter screen to purchase, start by taking an inventory of the pans you use most. To be effective, your new splatter screen should fit to the edge of your favorite frying pan, braiser, or dutch oven.
A fine-mesh stainless steel screen will do the best job of trapping the majority of splatter, but often times need to be hand-washed. However, the fine-mesh screens below were chosen because they offer hassle-free, dishwasher-safe cleanup. For most jobs, a basic flat, circular screen is sufficient, but if you like to cook thick cuts of meat, you might want one with a domed shape for extra clearance. If you’re looking for versatility, some screens are reinforced so they can serve other purposes.
Cooking is never mess-free, but the best splatter screens will help keep your surfaces keep relatively clean, so you can spend more time at the table and less time worrying about greasy countertops.
1The Best Overall Splatter Screen: Homestia 13-Inch Grease Splatter Screen
- Available in 10-inch, 11.5-inch, and 13-inch sizes, as well as a set of three
In a departure from traditional splatter screen designs, Homestia has totally eliminated the side handle for a minimal, streamlined look. Thanks to a hinged tab placed in the center, the screen can be lifted easily, but collapses completely so it can be stored just about anywhere. But it takes more than aesthetics to be the overall best. The stainless steel mesh is fine enough to keep most droplets inside your cooking vessel, but still allows steam to vent out so you get crispy, browned results. No matter what you end up cooking, cleanup is a breeze thanks to the dishwasher-safe design. Best yet, the Homestia comes in three different sizes suitable for the most common pan, and all are sold in a bundle for under $18.
2.2. The Best For Pan-Roasting: Excelsteel Stainless Steel 13-Inch Round Splatter Screen
- Available in one size only (13 inches)
Bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts are some of the best foods to brown in a hot pan — and also among the messiest. Unfortunately, due to the low design of some pans, the chicken can often sit higher than the edges of the pan, making a splatter screen obsolete when it would be most helpful. ExcelSteel had this very problem in mind when they developed their domed splatter screen. Available in a 13-inch diameter with a 5-inch dome, it offers a generous amount of clearance for cooking or browning larger foods, including roasts and whole vegetables. The stainless steel dome is durable so you can enjoy your screen for years without worrying about it getting warped. The handle is made from stay-cool plastic and the entire screen can go into the dishwasher for easy cleaning. Between uses, the domed design can hang from its built-in hanging loop, or easily nest with prep bowls. While this only comes in one, 13-inch size, you can also get a square version of this screen in a 12.5-inch size to accommodate square pans.
3The Best Splurge: Bergkoch 13-Inch Grease Splatter Screen
- Available in 11.5-inch, 13-inch, and 15-inch sizes
If you’re someone who can’t stand the thought of purchasing a one-trick-pony for your kitchen, consider this versatile splatter screen from Bergkoch. While it might be a bit more costly than others on this list, this screen features a reinforced fine-mesh surface that function as a splatter screen, but it can also be used as a strainer, steamer, and cooling rack. It's also available in three sizes to fit to any pan. In fact, the 15-inch size is one of the widest splatter screens you’ll find. Nearly 2,500 Amazon reviewers sing the praises of this kitchen tool, calling it "high-quality" and "heavy duty." It even comes with a lifetime warranty.
Since containing a mess is the ultimate goal with a splatter screen, Bergkoch designed feet into the reinforced side of the screen so it can rest cleanly on your countertop when it’s time to flip or stir your recipe. It also comes with a sturdy, heat-resistant plastic handle for safe and stable use. Like the other fine mesh stainless steel models here, anything that gets splattered or cooked-onto the screen is no match for the dishwasher.
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