I have tried them with and without the Insulbrite, and I prefer it with and a layer of warm and natural.

I seldom buy any. I use all kinds of leftover pieces/recycled, and also layer two or more pieces of batting between two cotton or denim pieces.

Yes, mike'sgirl, it is pricey, but it is 60" wide, and you could get 6 cuts across at 10"X 10" each for less than $4.00. Actually, you can probably get it cheaper at Hancock's if they still carry it. The silence cloth is just a suggestion, because it only takes one layer, but warm and natural, insulbrite and some of the other suggestions here work well too. I knew a lady who never used anything but old terry cloth towels for batting to make pot holders, and she wouldn't think of using anything else.

I use 3 layers of W&N. everyone loves them. I do a 9 patch for the top. I use a decorative stitch on all the seams & I use a binding around it. A little more work. But they make great gifts

My mom used to use a couple of layers of my dad's old insulated long johns and it worked find as batting in hot pads! Good way to recycle.

I agree with Lori S I personally like old towels and have never burned my fingers yet on taking anything out of the oven I do not like sewing with insulbrite really dulls the needles and besides I like using scraps

I stack my potholder like this: outside fabric top, cotton batting, insulbrite, cotton batting and bottom fabric.. makes for a stiffer pot holder and Quilts nice then I bind it..... I don't use dish towels or hand towels because one day I grabbed one that was damp and oh boy did the heat go right through to my hand... you could use the dish towels as the fabric to use but I would still use insulbrite and the cotton batting... I wouldn't use poly batting because with hot dishes it could MELT. and the new mattress pads are mostly Poly fill now Too..

Cost wise, I think the idea of using 2 layers of batting or an old bath towel sounds so much better.

I have made several pot holders, as gifts and I do use it. I don't want to take a chance that someone might get burned. Better to be safe in my opinion.

I have never used it,never will.They are just potholders! If you make nice ones for friends chances are they wont really use them,they will be their "display"ones. Same at my house,I don't use my pretty ones.The ones I use just get batting or flannel in them.