Heat resistant brush suggestion

[travelfar]

I am looking for a good basting/pastry brush. I would appreciate any suggestions but particularly for a particular brush.

I would like a brush that is

- heat resistant for applying butter to a hot crepe pan.
- good at holding sauces well for basting BBQ
- good for applying washes to baked goods.

The main choices would be either natural boar bristle or silicone. As I understand it, natural bristle brushes may loose their bristles in the food while silicone brushes are not good at holding a large volume of liquid. Are there any exceptions to these rules?

How do both brush types hold up against heat. I would hate to have burnt hair or melted silicone.

If you like a particular brand or model, please let me know.

Thank you

 

[Margaux]

Years ago, we used synthetic paint brushes. No mas. I would recommend a silicone brush, one with tiny holes in the bristles. They hold your sauces, and are impervious to average high heat. Silicone won't likely melt in normal conditions.

 

[forty_caliber]

We bought a Zyliss brand silicone brush at the grocery store a while back. It works pretty well. It has a silicone "grid" in the middle between the bristles that hold the liquid.

.40

 

[Selkie]

I prefer a good quality 2" natural bristle paint brush. It's less expensive, holds more sauce, etc., doesn't melt and has a high temperature resistance (although I can't imagine why anyone would need a brush that requires high temperature resistance since things such as basting is done at a relatively low temperature, and use as a pastry brush is done at room temperature. They also do a far better job at spreading butter, sauce, etc. than silicone!

I use two brushes: one for sauces and one strictly for pastry. I also rinse them under warm soapy water as soon as I'm through with them. They've lasted me about 28 years. Not bad for about a $2.50 investment.

 

[Selkie]

...heat resistant for applying butter to a hot crepe pan.

In order to save yourself from washing a brush... any brush, warm your crepe pan (don't crank the heat up to high!), apply your butter, then use a quarter of a paper towel sheet wadded into an applicator to spread the butter, and then turn up the heat. Toss the paper applicator into the trash. No muss, no fuss!

 

[Andy M.]

We bought a Zyliss brand silicone brush at the grocery store a while back. It works pretty well. It has a silicone "grid" in the middle between the bristles that hold the liquid.

.40

I saw this brush recommended on TV just the other day for its combination of ability to hold lots of liquid and heat resistance.

 

[4meandthem]

I have a Kitchenaid brand silcone brush I bought at Home Goods.I love it.I was tired of going through bristle brushes when they went stale.

 

[Selkie]

The only bristles I've had go bad are kitchen basting brushes. Every single one I've seen (friends and family BBQs) are cheap cr*p purchased in the housewares dept. A good quality paint brush won't shed.

 

[travelfar]

Thank you for your suggestions. I am leaning towards the Zyliss silicone brush. Thanks for the link. I may also go the paper towel route for the crepes - perhaps just hold the towel with tongs as an applicator.

Cheers

 

[MostlyWater]

We have a couple of silicone brushes, i don't know the brand name, and they work and wash just great. I think i even got one in a dollar store.

 

[gage]

test kitchen tested brushes and oxo won - I bought two different sizes and they do work really well. Gage

 

[justplainbill]

I have a variety (1", 2", and 3"of Ateco brand brushes. Just used the 3" to baste my ribs with a honey vinegar mix. I use them regularly for washing my bread doughs. They're great and carry more coating material to where you want it than any silicon brush I've used.

 

[Joshatdot]

Le Creuset Silicone Brushes