There are two simple tools that I use in my kitchen almost every day. One is a brush from Mexico with very thick natural bristles. It works great to clean out a cast iron steel pan. I don’t use it for anything else. The other one is a Japanese vegetable brush. It also has natural bristles which have a great feel to them. Both brushes are made of only two materials – the bristle and a steel wire. It can hardly get any simpler than that.

Japanese Vegetable Brush

The bristles are made out of coir, the fiber from the outer shell of a coconut. Coir is also used to manufacture robes, doormats and mattresses.

Japanese Natural Bristle Vegetable Brush

The Mexican brush is less elegant, but just as effective. The bristles are made out of roots.

Mexican Natural Bristle Kitchen Brush

Natural Bristle Kitchen Brush from Mexico