what is a trivet

A trivet is a flat, heat-resistant object that acts as a buffer between hot cookware and the more delicate kitchen surface you want to protect. It is usually placed between a serving dish or bowl and a dining table to protect the table from heat damage. Trivets are a heat-resistant barrier that allows you to place hot-out-of-the-oven dishes onto your wooden table or countertop to cool and serve without worrying about marring your furniture. They can be made from a variety of materials such as metal, wood, ceramic, fabric, silicone, or cork. Trivets can also be used for aesthetic purposes, which means that they are the ideal balance between practicality and aesthetics. Some trivets might be no thicker than a coaster that you might use to set down your hot cup of coffee or tea, while others have legs that raise up the protective surface a bit, much like a cooling rack, so that you can get some air circulating underneath that hot pot. Trivets can also be used in cooking, for example, trivet racks are often used when roasting meat in an oven to enable the meat joint to be held above the direct heat of the roasting pan and allow the juices of the joint to drip into the roasting pan for the subsequent making of gravy. In addition, trivets are used in pressure cookers to elevate foods above the cooking liquid.