Best aprons – on test
Read the BBC Good Food review of our top five cook’s aprons. We’ve found the most durable, stylish and practical buys for the home kitchen, including canvas, denim and cotton versions.
Most comfortable apron
Dawson Denim mercantile apron
This stylish striped apron covers the knees to offer great protection. It’s easy to adjust and the pockets sit at a good height. It also has an added breast pocket, plus a long thin pocket for knives or pens at the bottom – this is a well-thought out design that doesn’t skimp on the comfort factor. A great gift for serious cooks keen on a 1950s workwear aesthetic.
Available from Dawson Denim (£110).
Best apron for outdoor cooking
Carhartt duck apron
This heavy-duty canvas apron is not strictly speaking a kitchen product, but its durability means it’s well-suited to tasks involving messy ingredients, charcoal cooking or home brewing and butchery. It’s one of the larger aprons we tested, so may be better for tall cooks, but it is adjustable. There are lots of pockets, too, so it could double as a gardening apron and it's machine washable.
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Available from Ruff 'n' Tuff (£36.95).
Most stylish apron
Backyard canvas apron
This hand-crafted apron is beautiful and practical. With leather straps and heavy cotton canvas, it can be personalised for gifting. It comes in different sizes and colours, and can be further customised to suit your purposes. Pockets can also be redesigned, although we found they sat at a good height. The crossover strap design across the back means you don’t feel hemmed in. Overall verdict – an apron with style and substance.
Available from Backyard Denim (£125).
Best everyday apron
Ally Capellino for Tate canvas apron
This canvas apron occupies a happy middle ground between modish, hard-wearing workwear aprons and more breathable fabric kitchen aprons, with the dark colour and the fact it's machine washable ensuring that it's still practical for everyday cooking. The lightweight canvas makes it comfortable, too, along with an adjustable neck strap.
Available from Tate (£40).
Most durable apron
Sandqvist Ekstedt apron
This durable canvas apron from Swedish brand Sandqvist comes in heavy 18oz cotton canvas with leather details. It’s versatile enough to be used as a workwear apron and has a stylish barista vibe. The pockets are big, deep and accessible and the apron isn’t too long.
Available from Sandqvist (£95).
Buyer's advice
Why buy
A good apron is an invaluable kitchen friend. It’ll save your clothes from splashes and stains, and the right choice will last you years. It can also be used to store tools and gadgets, like knives, pens, timers and whatever else you may carry in your foodie arsenal.
What to buy
Aprons come in all shapes and sizes, from novelty prints to old school wipe-clean plastic numbers. Our apron of choice in the BBC Good Food test kitchen is butcher's stripe cotton aprons for their combination of breathability and durability. Some people may prefer lightweight cotton that hangs more loosely on the body, but fashionable workwear aprons can also be used for gardening, DIY and handiwork.
What we looked for
Size: We looked for aprons that could be adjusted to fit people of all heights.
Pockets: Aprons with pockets are practical – as long as the pockets can be accessed easily.
Comfort: We wore the aprons in our test kitchen to score them on comfort. An apron that feels cumbersome and bulky will only get in the way.
Durability: We looked for materials that could withstand wear and tear from everyday use.
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This review was last updated in March 2018. If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@bbc.com.
Do you always use an apron when cooking? We’d like to hear your product choices.
