Food & Drink

This Is the Best 49 Cents You Can Possibly Spend at IKEA

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Many of the items I’ve brought home from IKEA were never on my original list. You know how it goes: You plan a trip to pick up that bed frame, or a new plant stand, or a dining table, and then as you weave through the store you see a cute wine glass, or a fun little fake plant, or a smart storage bin and you think What’s the harm in adding this to my cart? And then you get to check-out and your total is triple what you thought it’d be — but it’s too late because you’ve already imagined sipping rosé out of that glass, and putting your fake plant on your work-from-home desk, and organizing all the things with that storage bin.

That’s exactly how I first came to know IKEA’s ANTAGEN dish brush. As I was in the kitchenwares section, I saw the simple, brightly colored brushes and thought I could use a few of these! Little did I know that this chance encounter would lead to a lifelong love affair.

Why I Love IKEA’s 49-Cent Dish Brushes

I first picked a few of these dish brushes up years ago, and now they always earn a spot on my list. Why do I love these brushes so much? For starters, they are 49 cents each, so as far as impulse IKEA purchases go, they don’t contribute too much to that triple-what-you-expected-check-out moment. But don’t let the low price tag fool you into thinking these brushes are cheap: They’re surprisingly sturdy and can stand up to vigorous scrubbing. The bristles are firm, and the scraper edge helps loosen stuck-on food.

And let’s talk about the handle. It feels perfectly comfortable in my hand — not too big or too small — and it’s long enough to reach into jars and tall glasses and deep pots. There’s also a little opening at the end of the handle so you can hang it upside down when you’re done with it if you have a little rail or hook over your sink, which I appreciate because it lets any excess water drain out of it and it gets it up and off your precious countertop space.

When the brushes are getting a little gross, I just toss them in the dishwasher for a cleaning (they’re dishwasher-safe!). And when it comes time to retire them entirely from dish duty, they get a second life in our bathroom — they make great scrubbies for cleaning shower grout and floor tile — before being tossed for good.

Buy: ANTAGEN Dish Brush, $0.49

I’ve dabbled in other dish brushes over the years, trying different brands here and there just to see if I’m missing out on something better, but nothing stacks up to my beloved IKEA brushes. And I’m not the only person who loves these — the brushes have a 4.7 rating on IKEA’s website, with reviews titled “best dish scrubber!” and “always buy when in IKEA.”

What’s your best IKEA impulse buy? Let us know in the comments!

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