Reliable Appliances

My Whirlpool Duet front-loading washing machine uses about half the water and detergent a top-loader does, and it has twice the load capacity of my old machine. The settings let me launder duvets, pillows, and even hand-wash-only garments.
Siobhan Budnitz
Baltimore, Maryland
 
My steam cleaner has various attachments that I can affix to the end of a hose coming off the water-filled, wheel-mounted base. It takes care of the grease under the stovetop and the grime on the toilet bowl. And it has enough power to clean the entire kitchen floor―without chemicals.
John Torrey
Austin, Texas
 
My Roomba robotic vacuum cleaner does an unbelievable job of getting under the bed and into other areas that I'd have to move furniture to access.
Sharon Naylor
Madison, New Jersey
 
The cordless ScumBuster, made by Black & Decker, runs on a rechargeable battery and scrubs all sorts of surfaces―from tubs and sinks to carpets and furniture. It's easy on the hands, and it's waterproof.
Karen Volkman
Seattle, Washington
 

Dirt-Defying Breakthroughs

My favorite cleaning tool is Goo Gone, a liquid that removes sticky residue. Among other things, it's useful for dissolving gum stuck to the bottoms of shoes.
Mia Gonzales
San Diego, California
 
The handy scraper from the Pampered Chef removes food quickly and easily, and I also use it to scrape stuck-on goop from walls, floors, and the stove. It's great for removing wallpaper, too.
Tracy Billington
Perry, Michigan
 
My rubber-bristled broom gathers everything on my floor, and it's easy to rinse off. It's the only broom I've ever used that picks up all the beach sand from tile floors.
Connie Harbor
Birmingham, Alabama
 
The Clorox Bleach Pen is great for cleaning pesky stains and grout without bleaching the entire counter.
Kristie Gulbrandson
Lincoln, California
 
The sponges with long soap-dispenser handles are fingernail-friendly, and they save my hands from chapping.
Cindy Ford
Minneapolis, Minnesota
 
I hate scrubbing pots and pans. I keep two cans of Bar Keepers Friend cleansing powder in my house at all times. I sprinkle the powder in my damp cookware and walk away. They shine without scrubbing.
Lynda Devor
Kerhonkson, New York
 
An ostrich-feather duster has "fingers" that wrap themselves around my keepsakes, eliminating the need to move them. Dust adheres to the feathers, then the whole thing shakes clean.
Jane Kepple Johnson
Albert Lea, Minnesota