We scrubbed a lot of dishes

Four hands with dishwashing gloves on them holding sudsy sponges.

Ruthie Darling/NYT Wirecutter

A sponge is the backbone of any functioning home kitchen. And after six weeks of swishing, scrubbing, and scouring many, many sinks’ worth of dishes, we can assure you: Not all sponges are created equal.

The 4 best sponges→

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Plus: The best dish soap

Three bottle of dish soap pictured with soapy bowls, sponges and rubber gloves.

Marki Williams/NYT Wirecutter

Of the 35 soaps we tested, one bottle rose to the top as the best choice for hand-washing dishes. It cuts through grease quickly, dispenses easily from the bottle, and is fragrance- and dye-free.

A sponge’s best friend→

What’s new at Wirecutter

A person wearing a pair of black nylons in front of a pink background.

It’s black tight season

How to find the best pairs that won’t run after a single wear→

A neatly set West Elm Anton Solid Wood Dining Table with two white chairs.

The best dining tables

Our recommendations are lovely settings for eating, hosting, and even bill-paying→

A paring knife, kitchen scale, and reusable kitchen bags on an orange and green background

7 cheap(ish) things to step up your meal prep

Whatever your reason for prepping ahead, these tools should help→

Your daily deal: Perfect wide-leg jeans

AMO Frida, wide-leg jeans in the color honey on a blue background

AMO Denim

These flawlessly constructed, flowing jeans scream luxe. With a high waist, supple fabric, and generous, full-length volume, this pair won full marks with our curvy and straight-hipped testers alike.

We found them for more than half off right now→

One last thing: Can this spray really replace all your surface cleaners and disinfectants?

A composite image showing the full Force of Nature Starter Kit on the left and a hand pouring an activator capsule into the base on the right. The right side features a light blue background with a pattern of checkmarks and "X" symbols.

NYT Wirecutter

This trending kit includes everything you need to make your own cleaning solution on demand — one that can allegedly replace both your surface cleaners and household disinfectants. But does it really deliver on streak-free shine and one-bottle simplicity?

We tried it→

A weekly nudge to keep everything in your home squeaky clean from Wirecutter's experts.

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