January 07, 2025

Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Retailers

As a former restaurant chef, current recipe developer, and onetime dishwasher, former senior editor Kiki Aranita knows what makes a good sponge. While she typically dedicates separate sponges for different tasks, she recently set out to find the best sponge that will tackle every surface from dishes and glassware to countertops and bathroom tiles. “If a sponge started off strong but fell apart after two weeks of constant scrubbing, it didn’t make this list,” Kiki explains. Of the nine sponges she tested, five made the cut (and she got two more recommendations from a chef/restaurateur and bar expert).

Also on the site: Contributor Cheryl Kramer Kaye investigated whether CBN (cannabinol) can help you sleep; Hannah Bronfman talked to us about how she’d redo her baby registry after her second kid, including this blackout tent that’s helped her coordinate two different sleep schedules; and if your kids are ill prepared for the cold wave hitting many of us, here’s the best cold-weather gear for kids. 

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I received this strange object as a stocking stuffer, and now it lives on my desk 24/7. The GoDonut is a simple phone stand made from durable TPU. But don’t let its funky shape throw you off: It can hold your smartphone or a tablet, and the minimal design makes it easy to bring with you. Whether working from home, catching a flight, or heading to a coffee shop, I use mine every day because it allows my iPhone to become another screen. It’s especially great for making FaceTime calls or watching YouTube videos. —Rachael Griffiths, junior writer