Silicone basting brush. I will never go back.

I am usually drawn to the old-world look of the old-school kitchen gadgets. Take the basting brush. I like the way the old wooden handles and natural bristles look. But, I have never been a fan of how hard they are to clean. The bristles retain a greasy feeling, and eventually, even with hand washing, a bit of rust develops around the metal part.

I happened to be in a Crate & Barrel store, and happened to have a gift card with me, so I picked up a few little gadgets, including this silicone basting brush. It was super inexpensive and came in cute colors, so I snagged a red one to try. I will never turn back. The material can withstand very high temps, and cleans up in super-hot water with lots of soap and never feel greasy. It actually holds quite a bit of sauce in it's "bristles" so it's ideal for mopping ribs or chicken on the grill. If you haven't made the leap to silicone, start here. For the price of a latté, you will have a handy little kitchen helper that does its job very well.