best bet

An All-Purpose Sponge That’s Better Than Your Average Scotch-Brite

Sticking your fingers through the eyes and mouth gives you a great grip.
Sticking your fingers through the eyes and mouth gives you a great grip. Photo: Bobby Doherty/New York Magazine

The Goal: Find an all-purpose sponge that’s tough on grease, gentle on glass, and doesn’t get that weird smell after a few uses

The Verdict: The Scrub Mommy’s ($30 for eight at QVC.com) patented ResoFoam side retains 75 percent more soap and water than your average Scotch-Brite and still won’t lock in funky odors for as long as two months. On the opposite side, its German-engineered FlexTexture (first introduced by Scrub Daddy of Shark Tank fame) turns soft in warm water for the fine china and hardens in cold for caked-on grease. And though the emoji shape may look a little As Seen on TV, sticking your fingers through the eyes and mouth gives you a great grip inside deep cups and bowls.

*This article appears in the May 2, 2016 issue of New York Magazine.

A Better All-Purpose Sponge