I Tried More than a Dozen Dish Brushes — This Is My New Favorite

Over the years, I’ve washed my dishes with all kinds of tools — sponges, brushes, plain dishcloths — but in all of my testing, I’ve found that no product is more effective or efficient than the dish wand, a humble scrubber with an extended handle that also holds and dispenses soap. The ultimate dishwashing companion.

I always keep a dish wand next to my sink, but until now I haven’t done much thinking about which one works the best. In all truth, I just buy whatever I stumble upon at the grocery store. But my trusty dish wand has seen better days, and rather than replacing it with the same one I always do, I decided to do some testing. (I couldn’t call myself a true Kitchn contributor if I didn’t!) So, I gathered up as many dish wands as I could find and I got to work. Here’s how it went.

How I Chose the Dish Wands

First, I had to decide on a definition of a dish wand. After talking to my editor, we decided that a dish wand is any dish-washing tool with a long handle that contains soap. We decided that, if it didn’t have soap, it was a dish brush. And guess what? I tested those too!

Once we settled that, I scoped out Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Home Depot for options with the highest ratings and best reviews. I also read through magazines and websites to get an idea of what other respected publications recommended before ordering the products I wanted to test.

I didn’t want to miss out on underdog products or new ones that hadn’t been rated highly yet, so I also polled people I trusted to find out about their favorite dish wands. I ended up with more than a dozen dish wands and dish brushes.

How I Tested the Dish Wands

I’ve tested lots of products in my time, and this process was relatively easy — simply because I do dishes at least a few times every day. For a week, I set all the dish wands I was testing next to my sink, then alternated through them every time I washed dishes by hand, making note of what I liked and didn’t like.

I judged the dish wands on a couple of important factors: price, design (how they looked and how easy they were to hold, plus any special features), and overall effectiveness (how well they did the job). If a dish wand was hard to use or didn’t work well, I gave it two more chances, then put it away. The last few remaining dish wands by my sink were the clear winners.

Best Overall : Full Circle Suds Up Soap Dispensing Dish Brush

I’m in love with this dish wand, and I completely understand why Amazon reviewers have given it a near-perfect rating. First of all, it looks so cute — I love the bamboo handle and lime green accent color. It’s also way easier to fill with soap than other similar styles. The brush is ultra-sturdy, so it can handle the toughest messes, and it’s bigger than other brushes I’ve used, so washing feels more efficient. My favorite part is that the handle is wide enough so that the brush can stand up next to your sink (or inside of it if needed). This means that any excess moisture can drip from the brush after you use it.

My *only* complaint is that the handle is a little girthy, so if you have really small hands, it may be hard to use. But I actually liked that it gave me more to grip onto.

Best Dishwand with a Sponge Head: Scotch-Brite Heavy Duty Scrub Dots Dishwand

Most of the wands I tried were the sponge kind, the same style I’ve always used. Among the fabric, regular cellulose, and more textured scrubbers, I found Scotch-Brite’s — which has a slightly abrasive layer — works the best. I love that it’s gentle enough to handle delicate teacups but abrasive and durable enough to scrub baked-on lasagna from a casserole dish. The scrubber also has “scrub dots” on it to add extra texture, which makes tackling those tough jobs go even faster. The head is just the right size for everyday dishwashing, the actual wand feels good in my hands, and the dispenser is easy to fill (that’s really not always the case with soap dish wands). If you’re looking for a classic, inexpensive dish wand for everyday use, it doesn’t get much better than this.

Best Dish Brush: Joseph Joseph Edge Dish Brush

Personally, I prefer dish wands that dispense soap. If you already have a long handle, why not make it more functional? If you aren’t of the same persuasion as me, then I’m 100% confident you’ll fall in love with the Joseph Joseph Edge Dish Brush. The soft bristles flex perfectly inside mugs and cups, but they’re sturdy enough to scrub away day-old food crust on plates and bowls. If you need more power, the brush has a scraper on the other side, so you can chip away at burnt-on bits on pots and pans. The best part, in my opinion, is the overall design of the brush. The inside of the handle features a non-slip “resting point,” so you can set it on the edge of the sink and let it drip down after a cleaning session. If you don’t need a handle that dispenses soap, this is the way to go.

Do you use a dish wand? We want to hear all about it! Tell us which one is your favorite in the comments below!