The Ringer Chainmail Pot Scrubber

Your cast iron skillet gets a tiny suit of armor, except this one fights dinner residue. The Ringer is an 8-by-6-inch sheet of stainless steel chainmail that scrubs away stuck-on food with warm water. It makes particular sense for the cook who loves a cast iron skillet but has considerably less affection for cleaning it.

The useful detail is the construction: the rings are machine-soldered, rather than hand-crimped. This is a flexible metal scrubber, not a sponge with a gritty side, and it’s designed to remove stubborn bits while being gentle on cast iron seasoning. There’s no need to turn skillet cleanup into a battle with a crusty sponge.

It also works on stainless steel cookware, baking sheets, and casserole dishes, so it doesn’t need to live a one-pan life. When the scrubber itself needs cleaning, it goes in the dishwasher. A nicely practical gift for someone whose favorite pan is heavy enough to count as exercise.