It's not enough to have the finest cookware; you must also care for it in a way that keeps it in the finest condition. When looking for advice, naturally the first place we turned was to Ina Garten. The Barefoot Contessa has had an indelible impact on how we cook and use our kitchens. Now she's reshaping the way we clean.
When cleaning a kitchen or dishes, Garten shared on her list of favorite kitchen equipment that she swears by Williams Sonoma's pop-up sponges. You might be thinking, 'a sponge is a sponge,' but there is more than meets the eye with these yellow cleaning aids. They are highly absorbent, all-natural, and gentle on cookware. The founder of Williams Sonoma discovered them on a trip across Europe decades ago, and he knew he had to bring them back to the States.
However, the most interesting part of these sponges is what they will do for your kitchen storage; they allow you to store six sponges in the space of one. Whey dry, they compress down into a thin flat rectangle. When immersed in water, they expand to the full size. If you're confused, reference the product image: the sponges on the left are the full-sized sponges, while the graham-cracker-like rectangles on the right are the dry sponges.
These fluffy, compressible sponges are some of the most absorbent on the market, easy to store, and all-natural. With Ina Garten's endorsement, it really can't get any better.
Better yet, these sponges are an economical choice because of how durable they are. As opposed to a typical kitchen sponge, which needs to be replaced often, Garten's favorites can simply be run through the dishwasher to return to their original condition.
If you want to be even more like Garten in the kitchen, here are a few more of her favorite products.
Alongside its 50-watt motor (designed to give this juicer incredible power), we love its built-in stainless steel strainer that catches pits and pulp, ensuring smooth and pulp-free juice every time. It's also notably easy to clean, making your washing-up experience hassle-free after the juicing is done.
This Garten-approved 10-piece set features knives with triple-riveted synthetic polypropylene handles that resist fading, discoloration, heat, and impact. The blades are precisely laser-cut and stamped for superior quality and value.
This stainless steel knife sharpener applies a traditional 20-degree edge (or a finer 15-degree edge) for precision slicing. It's got the chef's seal of approval, so it's certainly good enough for us.
If it's good enough for The Barefoot Contessa, it works for us. Besides, these sponges speak for themselves. We dare say we're even looking forward to cleaning.
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I’ve ditched my usual mop, dusters and scrubbers for this compact Joseph Joseph cleaning system – it's great for bathroomsStreamline your cleaning system and save space with this all-in-one kit
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Inside Shea McGee's Summit Estate – an elegant mountainside project that blends grand architecture with hushed cozy interiorsShea McGee has mixed the old and new by creating a sophisticated chalet-inspired property that sits right at the heart of the mountains
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Ina Garten uses this multi-purpose basket to bring order to her East Hampton kitchen – it's Vietnamese-designed and currently under $34The Barefoot Contessa shared the specific basket she swears by to keep her kitchen organized – it's now at one of the lowest prices we've seen
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Ina Garten's spring dining table challenges design conventions – she's mixed 'things up thoughtfully' (and it's so easy to recreate)The Barefoot Contessa's tablescape features mixed and matched chairs, colorful napkins, and gorgeous floral arrangements for a unique seasonal set-up
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Ina Garten's kitchen bowl set allows you to 'prep, mix, and bake like a pro' – it includes every size you could ever need (for under $49)
The Barefoot Contessa's bowl set has influenced culinary habits since 1905 – they're ultra-strong and nest inside one another for space-saving storage.
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Ina Garten depends on this iconic stand mixer for perfect recipes in her East Hamptons kitchen – it's on sale now for under $350The Barefoot Contessa is loyal to the KitchenAid Artisan stand mixer – a beloved model that counts Jennifer Garner and Selena Gomez among its users
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Ina Garten's countertop lamps have changed how I look at kitchen lighting – they're warm, ambient, and surprisingly practical
The Barefoot Contessa's East Hampton kitchen has long served as a design inspiration point, but her unique lighting is the most intelligent feature to date
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This Ina Garten-approved scale is a reliable way to measure ingredients – it looks sleek on every countertop (and is under $53)
The best appliances are those that make recipes easy while looking beautiful in the process – this is the case with Garten's go-to scales
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This sturdy measuring cup is a staple of Ina Garten's countertops – it's an 'icon of cuisine' available for under $10This highly resistant kitchen essential has made cooking easier since 1915 – today, it's loved by the Barefoot Contessa herself
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Ina Garten says you should replace your vegetable peeler once a year – she uses this $14 essential every time'They're very cheap, so you can just throw them out and buy new ones': Garten renews this essential every year – and at this price, we can understand why
