I bought this $12 scrubber and it’s a game-changer for cleaning cast iron pans

There's no denying that cast iron pans offer some of the best cooking results out there. These virtually indestructible pans can hit and maintain incredibly high temperatures that will give an unrivaled sear on any steak or salmon fillet, and when you treat them well, they'll develop a natural seasoning that provides a non-stick finish.

If you've invested in one of the best cast iron skillets though, you'll know how easy it can be to mistreat your pan and damage its natural coating. That's why, despite testing this cookware for years and writing about how to clean cast iron skillets , I sometimes default to my non-stick as an easy option that can go through the dishwasher. That is, until I invested in this $12 cast iron chainmail scrubber from Amazon , which has made cleaning my cast iron so much easier.

Mythrojan Cast Iron Chainmail Scrubber: was $17.95 now $12.22 @ Amazon
The Mythrojan Cast Iron Chainmail Scrubber uses rust-free stainless steel, meaning you'll never have to replace it. It's ideal for cleaning skillets without scratching their coating, and is easy to store thanks to its keychain-style hanging ring.

How do chainmail scrubbers work?

Cast iron-obsessives love chainmail scrubbers because they're great at removing baked-on grease and residue without being too abrasive for your cast iron's seasoning. I'm guilty of cooking tacos or risotto in my cast iron pan and then leaving it out to sit overnight, where my sauce becomes dried onto my pan. Once it's dried or baked on, your residue is super tricky to remove with a sponge, and while I know I should never use wire wool on my cast iron, I must admit that I've had to use it in the past to dislodge particularly tricky spots.

Wire wool is too abrasive to clean cast iron thanks to the fine fibers which can scratch away even the most trusty of seasonings. By contrast, a chainmail scrubber is made of interlinked, smooth cast iron rings. These can shift stubborn, burnt-on marks that scrubbing brushes and sponges just can't dislodge, and because the links are much larger than wire will, they won't damage your pan.

I've also had success when using this scrubber on my steel cookware, although it can't go anywhere near sensitive nonstick.

3 reasons to use a chainmail scrubber

1. It's enjoyable to use

I have to admit, the swooshing of my chainmail as I wipe it around the base of my pan with some hot water is very satisfying. Plus, it fits my 7”x7” cast iron skillet perfectly.

Although I love cooking with cast iron, the dread of having to carefully clean it used to put me off the idea. Since buying a chainmail scrubber though, I've simply swiped it around the base of my pan with some hot water to dislodge tricky patches before using a sponge to pick up grease and clean handles and the underside of the pan. Then, all there's left to do is dry the pan and rub in a little neutral oil to keep it well-seasoned.

2. It keeps cast iron in top condition

One major positive of using a chainmail scrubber over time is that it can smooth out the surface of your pan, giving it a longer lifespan than simply using a sponge. It also means you won't need to use any soap to lift out difficult spots, so it'll save you from possibly damaging your hard-won coating because of cooking mishaps.

3. It will last forever

One major perk of this product is that it's super easy to clean. While you can't put your cast iron through the dishwasher, you can put this in to keep it sanitary, and because it's made of rust-free stainless steel, it won't become old and crusty over time. I hang mine next to my sink using its keychain-style ring.

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• Does an induction cooktop work with cast iron pans? Here’s what the experts say
• What I wish I knew before buying a cast iron skillet
• Cast iron vs enameled cast iron skillet — which is better?