This Costco Find Will Finally Stop Oil Splatters From Wrecking Your Kitchen

Home cooks, you might want to keep an eye out the next time you're shopping at Costco. Social media user and Costco super-enthusiast, @costcohotfinds, recently revealed a find of simple kitchen hardware at the warehouse club; something that might interest you if you're not a fan of cleaning up oil after frying food.

The discovery was foldable splatter guards, which are flat, circular pieces of fine metal mesh rimmed with silicone that you can place over a pan while pan or deep-frying food. The splatter guards keep oil from popping off your food and onto your stove's surface (or your skin, for that matter), while the handle folds neatly inwards for easy storage. These come in a set of two (a 12.9-inch and a 10.3-inch) to accommodate multiple pan sizes, they're dishwasher safe, and at her location were retailing for $24.99. Frying food almost always guarantees oil spraying over everything in the vicinity; splatter guards help avoid most of the mess.

If you end up purchasing the pair, just remember that they do require regular maintenance like any other kitchen tool. The pores between the mesh are tiny and can clog up with grease and food particles even after a single use. The ones at Costco are advertised as being dishwasher-safe, so you can try running them through a cycle every time you use them, but the fine mesh on splatter guards can get clogged pretty easily and sometimes need a bit of extra care.

In that case, you'll want to give your guard a once-over in the sink using soap, water, and a brush with bristles. That should loosen up the grease and particulates stuck in the holes, and allow air, smoke, and steam to move through it again during your next cooking session. If your splatter screen is still black and grimy in spots, a sprinkle of baking soda should help as a gentle abrasive. Splatter guards are particularly good if you're searing something at high heat (like steak, for example) because the oil tends to pop quite a bit during these scenarios. They don't prevent smoke from getting through, so keep that in mind.