This Oxo Brush Is One of the Most Durable Kitchen Tools I Own, and It’s Only $11

A basting brush is easily one of the most fun kitchen tools that I own. I thoroughly enjoy the feeling of painting a cut of meat with Sriracha and honey, or an apple pie crust with a mixture of egg and milk. 

There are several different styles of basting brush, with bristles made from either silicone, nylon, or boar hair. And while people have professed that nylon and boar bristle basting brushes are far superior, I must disagree: My silicone version has always served me well. 

I’ve been using this Oxo silicone basting brush (in the small size) for about five years. The bristles glide across both meat and pastry dough smoothly, and it's easy to rinse clean or pop in the dishwasher. For just $11 on Amazon, this tool is an inexpensive kitchen investment that you’ll reach for again and again. 

To buy: OXO Good Grips Silicone Basting & Pastry Brush, $11 at amazon.com 

I typically use the Oxo silicone basting brush for two tasks that come up frequently in my kitchen: Applying marinades to meat and egg washes to pastry. The bristles retain liquid, whether its soy sauce, honey, or hot sauce, without leaving a trail of drips behind on the counter. 

I especially appreciate that the center bristles cling on to gloopy strands of egg, which are particularly tricky to clean — in fact, it almost holds on too well. When I’m applying an egg wash to pie crust, the egg doesn’t splatter or drip off the pastry, but it does take a few extra strokes to make sure the egg is applied evenly.

That isn’t to say that is a downside to this pastry brush. It’s not so much an excessive effort as it is keeping an eye out to make sure that egg wash isn’t applied in patches, something you would need to do anyway. And because the bristles of this pastry brush will never fall out or clump together, it’s all the more worth it. 

There’s one other task at which this basting brush excels: It spreads olive or vegetable oil around a frying pan or a cake pan. The silicone doesn't harm the integrity of the pan, and while I could use a paper towel or even my fingers, the basting brush nearly eliminates any messy cleanup afterward. The brushes are heat-resistant, too, so oil can be applied to the pan when it's hot. 

If you’ve been looking for a durable basting and pastry brush that won’t experience much wear and tear and cuts down significantly on mess, the Oxo silicone version is for you. At just $11, it's an affordable and practical addition to your kitchen tool collection. 

At the time of publishing, the price was $11.