Experienced bakers and pastry chefs know that egg wash is the secret to a beautiful golden-brown pie crust. To get beautiful color, sealed edges, and a shiny finish, reach for the pastry brush. A longtime staple of commercial kitchens, the humble pastry brush, also known as a basting brush, has a place in home kitchens, too.
Pastry brushes come in a variety of styles and materials, including boar bristle, silicone, and nylon. Sarah Kieffer, founder of The Vanilla Bean Blog and author of “100 Cookies,” says that she prefers a natural bristle brush because it holds whatever liquid she’s using (egg wash, cream, water) better and brushes on more evenly; silicone tends to drip quickly off the bristles and can cause a slight mess. Kate McDermott, James Beard-nominated author of “Art of Pie” and “Pie Camp,” also uses a boar bristle brush from a hardware store, mostly to brush off extra flour. She prefers to use a silicone brush when applying liquid, referring to it as her “sloshy brush.”
Best Overall
OXO Good Grips Pastry Brush
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- Dishwasher safe
- Soft grip is easy to hold
- Angled head prevents bristles from touching countertop
- Bristles can sometimes shed
OXO is a brand known for its affordable, durable products. This pastry brush is no exception, with its slip-resistant, grippy handle designed for maximum comfort. In addition, the sealed base keeps food and liquid from accumulating and causing bacterial growth.
Beyond the intuitive design of the handle, the head is also smartly crafted. The natural boar bristles are pliable with thick bristles that hold enough liquid for basting large batches of cherry turnovers but are not so thick that the brush is stiff, ruining delicate pastry designs. The angled head keeps the brush elevated so bristles do not touch the countertop, even when we set the brush down during testing. The slight angle also means brushing harder-to-reach areas, like the edges, nooks, and crannies of an Instagram-worthy woven pie crust, is easier to do. Best of all, unlike many natural hair bristle brushes, it’s dishwasher safe.
Price at time of publish: $17
Handle: Plastic | Bristles: Natural boar hair | Size: 1.5 x 8.5 inches
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Best Natural Bristles
Tezzorio Set of 2 Pastry Brushes
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- Thick bristles
- Nylon ferrules won’t rust
- Set includes two different sizes
- Bristles can sometimes shed
- Hand-wash only
This reasonably priced set includes two pastry brushes with natural boar hair bristles. One advantage of boar hair is its ability to hold a lot of liquid while allowing for an even application. Another feature of these brushes is the ferrules (the part that holds the bristles to the handle of the brush). Many brushes use ferrules constructed of cheap metal, which can rust or tarnish. This model uses water-resistant plastic nylon, which ensures that with proper care, these brushes will last you for years.
In testing, we liked the heft of the Tezzorio’s varnished wooden handle, and we found the flat, paintbrush-style shape offers maximum coverage for tasks like applying egg wash, buttering a pan, or soaking a cake in simple syrup. The soft bristles had just the right amount of density for applying an even coating of liquid without tearing delicate doughs or crusts.
Price at time of publish: $16 per set
Handle: Wood with nylon ferrules | Bristles: Natural boar hair | Size: 1 x 7.75 inches, 1.5 x 8 inches
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Best Silicone
OXO Good Grips Silicone Basting and Pastry Brush
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- Center hole bristles help hold liquid
- Soft grip is easy to hold
- Silicone bristles don’t shed
- Silicone doesn’t hold as much liquid as boar bristle
- Not good for delicate or detail work
OXO ranked as our best overall brush, so it’s no surprise this model is the best silicone brush we tested. Like the natural bristle brush, OXO’s silicone counterpart comes with a soft, easy-to-grip handle and an angled head that allows you to easily coat your food, whether it’s a buttery pastry or barbecue ribs.
Silicone bristles have several advantages: The silicone is heat resistant and won’t shed hairs like a natural bristle brush is prone to do. It’s also easier to clean than natural hair brushes. But one of its most significant disadvantages is that it doesn’t retain liquid as well as boar bristle. OXO tries to remedy this by adding a row of flat, perforated bristles to the center of its brush. These center bristles did help this brush hold more liquid than the other silicone brushes we tested, though the retention still does not match that of a natural bristle brush. Still, this model is an excellent choice if you want an easy-to-clean, heat-resistant brush.
Price at time of publish: $11
Handle: Plastic | Bristles: Silicone | Size: 1.5 x 8 inches
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Best Nylon
Carlisle Sparta Galaxy Nylon Pastry Brush
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- One piece handle easy to clean
- Bristles don’t fall out
- Bristles retain fluid
- Not dishwasher safe
- Not heat resistant
- Stiff bristles
If you’re tired of picking natural bristle hair off your pastries but find your silicone brush doesn’t hold enough liquid, a nylon brush might be your best bet. The Carlisle Galaxy Nylon Pastry Brush is made of plastic with nylon bristles epoxy-set into the ferrules. Unlike boar hair bristles, the nylon bristles are durable and won’t fall out. The bristles also retain liquid similarly to boar hair and are way more effective in brushing egg wash and liquids than a silicone brush.
One potential drawback? Nylon brushes have stiffer bristles, so if you’re doing delicate pastry work or are a little too heavy-handed with your brush strokes, you might damage or tear your dough. Also, unlike natural or silicone bristles, nylon is not heat resistant. But if you’re looking for the clean-up convenience of a silicone brush with the brushing capabilities of a natural hair brush, the Carlisle pastry brush is a great choice.
Price at time of publish: $17
Handle: Plastic | Bristles: Nylon | Size: 1.5 x 6.75 inches
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Best Round
Winco Round Pastry and Basting Brush
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- Round brush holds a lot of liquid
- Shape is ideal for detail work
- Bristles are medium-soft and not too stiff
- Hand-wash only
- Longer brush is harder to store
The size and shape of Winco’s pastry brush make it ideal for both pastry work and basting. Its rounded shape allows it to fit into the small, crimped corners of a pie crust, while the firmness of the bristles lets you apply an egg wash without ruining your design. The bristle density is a nice balance, thick enough to hold a lot of liquid (more than a flat brush) but not too rigid for more delicate jobs.
Our testers liked the long handle, which was handy for keeping hot surfaces safely at arm’s length. The downside is that the brush is a little harder to store, as it takes up more space in the kitchen cabinet. But with its versatile design and excellent liquid retention, the Winco is a great option.
Price at time of publish: $9
Handle: Wood with plastic ferrule | Bristles: Boar hair | Size: 1 x 11.75 inches
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Best Small
Williams Sonoma Walnut Pastry Brush
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- Small handle allows for good detail work
- Natural bristles hold lots of liquid
- Wooden handle comfortable to hold
- Expensive
- Hand-wash only
The smooth walnut handle on this Williams Sonoma pastry brush looks handsome and provides a firm yet comfortable grip for tasks like brushing a little cream over a hand pie’s edges for the ultimate seal. The natural boar bristles provide soft, thorough brush strokes on even the most delicate pastries, and its compact size makes storage a breeze.
Our testers liked the painterly feel of this model; its shape made it easy to maneuver and control, and testers with smaller hands felt that it was more comfortable for them to use. Like other natural bristle models, hand-washing with warm, soapy water best preserves its beauty and utility.
Price at time of publish: $19
Handle: Wood with metal ferrule | Bristles: Natural boar hair | Size: 1 x 8 inches
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Best Plastic Handle
Carlisle Sparta Meteor Basting Brush
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- Handle hook keeps brush from falling into bowl
- Thick bristles hold lots of liquid
- One-piece handle is easy to clean
- Large handle and hook take up more storage space
- Wide brush makes delicate brushwork difficult
- Hand-wash only
Carlisle’s Sparta Meteor pastry brush is made for utility, with a plastic handle for easy cleaning and a built-in hook that allows you to hang it directly on the side of your bowl (no more fishing your brush out of your egg wash). The thick, dense bristles hold a lot of liquid, but the soft bristles ensure even coverage without damaging your dough.
The thicker, wider brush does make delicate detail work more difficult. But that means it also holds more liquid, which is great if you are making a lot of pastries at once, like individual hand pies or turnovers.
Price at time of publish: $17
Handle: Plastic | Bristles: Natural boar hair | Size: 2 x 9.75 inches
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Final Verdict
The OXO Good Grips 1.5-Inch Pastry Brush is our top choice for pastry brushes. It has all the advantages of a natural boar-hair brush, with the design detail of an angled head and the added bonus of being dishwasher safe. The silicone bristles of the OXO Good Grips Silicone Basting and Pastry Brush are very versatile and can withstand high heat, though they may not be as gentle on delicate doughs as natural bristles.
How We Tested
We sent these products to be tested in the home kitchen of Irvin Lin. Irvin spent weeks working with the pastry brushes, brushing egg wash on pie dough, puff pastry, and phyllo dough, and testing the nylon and silicone brushes with marinades and sauces. He tested for durability, shedding bristles, how comfortable the brush was, ease of cleaning, and how well they held and brushed liquid. Afterward, he rated each brush on its design, performance, durability, and overall value.
What to Look for When Buying a Pastry Brush
Bristle Material
Bristles play a large part in how effective a pastry brush is in picking up and spreading liquids on your baked goods. You want bristles pliable for even coverage but do not damage your delicate pastries. Stiffer bristles can tear paper-thin phyllo dough, while very soft bristles are hard to control and may grab too much liquid. There are three materials most pastry brushes are made from, and each has its niche spot in pastry prep.
Boar Hair
This natural bristle is by far the preferred material for professional chefs. They absorb liquids well and are supple enough to smoothly glaze any pastry yet dense enough to soak a cake in syrup. They work well whether the liquid is thick and viscous or thin and runny, and drippage is almost non-existent. The disadvantage of this material is the possibility of bristle shedding over time, and most must be hand-washed.
Nylon
Bristles made of nylon offer the pliability of natural brushes without the danger of shedding, but they do not hold liquid as well. Nylon is adept at spreading thicker liquids, like glazes or barbecue sauces, but can be stiffer than natural bristles, causing the brush to tear delicate pastries. They hold liquid better than silicone and are an excellent compromise if you want something that does not shed but allows better absorption.
Silicone
Silicone brushes have thicker silicone bristles and are better for basting meats than brushing pastries. Silicone is usually heat-resistant, odor-resistant, and dishwasher-safe. Typically, silicone models have larger bristles and less of them than the other materials, which causes thinner liquids to drip right off. They’re agile with thicker sauces and marinades and can often be used while grilling or roasting at high heat. The bristles are secure and will not shed into your food. Look for silicone brushes that have a flat inner bristle with perforations. These inside bristles help to hold the liquid more efficiently than the thin bristles.
Handle Material
Pastry brush handles come in three materials: wood, some version of plastic, and metal.
Wood handles offer a firm grip and are often found with natural bristle brushes. When considering a wooden handle, look for a grip that will sit comfortably in your hand, and consider how you will use it. If you’re grilling and basting, a longer handle is needed, but shorter handles offer more precision for buttering delicate puff pastry. Additionally, wood handles usually aren’t dishwasher safe.
Plastic handles offer the convenience of being easier to clean and are often, but not always, dishwasher-safe. Plastic handles’ other advantages are that they’re usually grippier than other choices. Bristles on these types of handles are often molded into the handle, eliminating issues with bacterial growth, and they tend to be longer lasting than other models.
Less common are brushes with metal handles. They tend to be more expensive and are slippery to grip.
Size
Choosing the right tool for the job means taking into account the size. Bristles under 2 inches tend to provide the best combination of coverage and versatility. Longer bristles can reach all the crevices on pastries, such as fruit tarts, but can be hard to maneuver when a more delicate touch is necessary. Shorter bristles lack the swoosh factor of their larger counterparts and cover less area, but they can aid in detailed work and are the optimal choice for smaller pastries or doughs.
In addition to bristle length, an important consideration is the density of the brush head. Denser bristles can grab more liquid, keeping reloads less frequent. But denser bristles often lead to a stiffer brush, so it can be a tradeoff.
FAQs
How do you clean a pastry brush?
The first thing to do is to read the manufacturer’s instructions. Beyond that, it’s all about the bristles you choose. Silicone models generally need a quick rinse to remove thick liquids but then can go into the dishwasher. Natural and most nylon models need more care. If you opt for boar hair bristles, a quick soak in lemon juice and dish soap will break up any accumulated liquid. Then, hand-wash and dry them for maximum durability. Nylon is slightly less labor-intensive. A quick hand wash in warm, soapy water should do the trick. Debris left on brushes can harden or turn rancid, so be sure to wash your brushes after each use.
When should you replace your pastry brush?
Again, this depends on your model. It’s easy to tell when a natural bristle brush needs to be replaced—if it’s shedding, it’s time. If your brush smells even after washing, it’s time for a new brush. Odors and stains can accumulate, and you don’t want to impart that to your pastries.
Silicone and nylon tend to last longer than natural boar hair, but they can become stained or even melt if used repeatedly in high-heat situations. Look at the degradation of the bristles to know when it’s time for a new brush.
What else can a pastry brush be used for?
Before we even get into the versatility conversation, designate your brushes for the tasks you use them for to prevent cross-contamination. Don’t brush egg wash on a pie with the same brush you used to baste barbecue sauce on a rack of ribs.
Beyond preventing cross-contamination, there are several tasks you can accomplish with a pastry brush. Sealing dough edges, applying egg wash, decorating cakes, greasing pans, brushing cake crumbs off of cake layers, and glazing are the most common baking tasks, but here are a few lesser-known jobs the pastry brush can tackle: removing extra seasoning on proteins, brushing excess flour from your work area or pans, removing citrus peel from zesters, cleaning errant coffee grounds from grinders or makers, and soaking cakes with syrups.
