I love using my cast iron cookware. I have a ritual for caring for it, and it retains a superb non-stick finish even after many decades of use. All cookware adds something to food, and I would rather that something be iron (an essential nutrient) than Teflon™ or some other petrochemical-derived plastic. Cast iron also lasts much longer than polymer nonstick surfaces, and doesn’t have to be babied with non-metal utensils (more microplastics!). Ironware is also compatible with our induction cooktops.
I was never really happy using any of the usual assortment of scrubbers on my cast iron, however. Steel wool for dishes is usually infused with detergent, which isn’t great for ironware. Most scrubbers are designed to be soft so that they don’t destroy nonstick, and even the harshest scrubbers seem to be designed to have a short life and then be thrown away — not great when you’re an island dweller.
A few years ago, I learned about woven stainless steel or chain mail scrubbers. They’re sheets of woven-together rings of stainless steel. They’re tough and long-lasting (I still have the original I bought 3-4 years ago) and do a great job of cleaning my ironware of even baked-on foodstuffs. They’re easy to clean and don’t damage the finish of my precious heirloom irons.
—2p