Krisler Carborundum Sponge Nano Emery Sponges Caspian Stone Pot Clean Brush Rust Eraser Grit Scouring Pads Pot Cleaning Pads with Carborundum Washing Kitchen Cleaner Tool 8pc

Why I reached for these pads

A weekend of deep-cleaning gave me the perfect excuse to put the Krisler carborundum sponges through their paces. I was staring at a stack of stainless pans with scorched bottoms, a sink with tea stains and rust specks, and a couple of baking sheets that had collected years of polymerized grease. These pads promise serious abrasive power with just water, so I put away the detergents and chemicals and committed to using them as intended.

What they are

Each pad is a brown, roughly 0.4-inch-thick scouring block made with silicon carbide (carborundum). In hand, they feel like a flexible sanding sponge—gritty, a touch crumbly on the edges, and just pliable enough to conform to curved surfaces. They come in a pack of eight, which I appreciated once I realized they’re consumables; you’ll go through them as you tackle heavy jobs.

The main pitch is simple: wet the pad, wet the surface, and scrub. No detergent needed. In practice, that’s mostly true, though I’ll share a few technique tweaks that helped me get better results and control scratching.

Performance on common kitchen jobs

• Stainless steel pots and pans: This is where the Krisler pads shine. On the exteriors of my pans, they lifted browned, baked-on residue that previous scrubs and pastes couldn’t touch. With light-to-moderate pressure and steady passes, I brought a six-year-old saucepan from dingy to nearly new. On interiors, I worked carefully—staying with the grain and keeping everything well-lubricated with water—because these pads can leave micro-scratches. I did see a subtle satin finish afterward where it had previously been more polished. If you’re aiming for showroom gloss, that’s a trade-off; if you’re aiming for clean and even, it’s a win.

• Stainless sink and fixtures: The pads erased tea stains and oxidized specks almost immediately. I also used a trimmed strip to get into the tiny crevices around my faucet base. The trick here is to scrub along the direction of the sink’s brushed grain. Cross-grain strokes are more noticeable.

• Baking sheets (aluminum): I improved a couple of well-used sheets from “permanently brown” to “respectably clean,” but not to factory-new. The pads cut through polymerized oils and dark streaks, yet older, deep discoloration remained faintly visible. Expect a matte, uniformly clean surface rather than a mirror finish. If your sheets are hard-anodized, proceed with caution; any abrasive can haze that surface.

• Cast iron (bare): I spot-removed rust on an older skillet and then immediately re-seasoned. The pads perform well for de-rusting and removing stubborn bits, but don’t linger on edges where enamel might meet iron on enameled pieces. I wouldn’t use them on glossy enamel at all.

• Grills: I tried a quick pass on stainless grates. The pads worked, but not efficiently; they load up fast with carbon and wear down at the edges on sharp grill bars. For full grate cleanups, I’d prefer a stiffer, dedicated grill tool. For spot cleaning, these are fine.

I intentionally avoided nonstick, delicate plastics, decorative coatings, soft wood, high-polish chrome, and glass cooktops. These pads are aggressive. If you have to ask “will this scratch,” test a hidden spot first or skip it.

Technique tips that matter

• Keep it wet: Water is both lubricant and carrier for the abrasive slurry. Re-wet frequently. Dry scrubbing increases scratch risk and isn’t necessary.

• Light pressure first: Let the abrasive do the work. If you need more bite, increase pressure incrementally. Starting too aggressive can leave unnecessary scratching, especially on stainless.

• Work with the grain: On brushed stainless sinks and pans, align your strokes with the existing grain so any micro-abrasion blends in.

• Rinse the pad often: The pads clog with the black residue they remove. If you don’t rinse, you’ll smear that gunk around and reduce cutting action. I kept a small bowl of water nearby and swished the pad every minute or so.

• Rotate sides and cut to size: I cut one pad into quarters for tight areas and to keep fresh edges available. Rotating to a clean face maintains performance.

• Control the slurry: The gray-black slurry will travel. I set a towel or mat to catch run-off and wiped surfaces clean between passes to see progress.

• Finish and dry: After scrubbing, rinse thoroughly, wipe dry, and, for bare iron or carbon steel, re-season immediately to prevent flash rust.

If you want a bit more glide without losing effectiveness, a drop of dish soap in your rinse water helps. But water-only does work and keeps things simple.

Scratch risk and finish control

These pads are essentially flexible sanders. Used carefully, they’re excellent for restoring a uniform, satin-clean look on metals. Used carelessly, they’ll etch. On my stainless pieces, the result ranged from “indistinguishable from original brushed finish” (sink walls) to “slightly more matte than before” (pan interiors). I never saw gouges, but I did see uniform micro-scratches under strong light.

I would not use these on:
- Nonstick or ceramic-coated cookware
- Glossy enamel
- Highly polished or plated metals (chrome, nickel)
- Plastic/acrylic
- Glass cooktops or delicate glassware

For stone, tile, and grout, proceed cautiously. On unglazed surfaces, they can be effective; on glazed ceramic, they can haze the shine.

Ergonomics and user experience

Each pad is thin and very grippy when wet, which gives good feedback as you scrub. They’re easy to hold, but I occasionally wished for a thicker block or a small holder to keep my fingers out of the slurry. Unlike steel wool, they don’t snag skin, and I never felt needle-like fibers. I didn’t need gloves, but they’re a good idea if you’re doing a long session.

The pads shed a little at the edges, especially on sharp corners, but it’s minor. They also dry stiff, which I actually like—it keeps them flat for the next use. Just don’t store them sitting in water; they soften and break down faster that way.

Durability and value

These are not forever sponges. On heavy jobs, I used one pad per project (one for a sink refresh, one for the worst pan, one for both baking sheets). Lighter touch-ups only ate up a fraction of a pad. They do thin out and can tear if you catch a corner on something sharp. Given the performance, I’m fine treating them as consumables. The eight-pack format makes sense for how they’re used.

If I could change anything, I’d ask for two improvements: a thicker variant for big flat surfaces, and a labeled grit or grit options. Knowing whether you’re working with a “medium” versus “fine” cut would help match the pad to the task.

Cleaning without chemicals

I appreciate that I can skip caustic oven sprays and harsh powders for most of these tasks. Water and mechanical abrasion got me where I wanted to go. Of course, the tradeoff is effort—you’ll still need some elbow grease—and the aftermath of slurry to manage. But if you’re trying to reduce chemical use in the kitchen while actually getting metal surfaces clean, these pads fit neatly into that routine.

Who will get the most from them

• People with stainless steel sinks and cookware who don’t mind a satin finish
• Home cooks who periodically restore baking sheets and pot bottoms
• Landlords, property managers, or anyone tackling move-out cleanup on metal fixtures
• DIYers needing a small, controllable abrasive for rust spots on tools or outdoor gear

If your world is full of delicate coatings, high-polish finishes, or you’re seeking “no-scratch” solutions, these aren’t the right match.

The bottom line

The Krisler carborundum sponges earn a spot in my cleaning kit because they do what a lot of gentler products can’t: remove stubborn, oxidized, baked-on messes quickly with just water. They will leave micro-scratches if you’re careless, and they wear down with use, so treat them as consumables and use smart technique—wet, light pressure, with the grain, and frequent rinsing.

Recommendation: I recommend these pads for tough cleaning on real metal surfaces—stainless sinks, stainless or aluminum cookware exteriors, bare cast iron (with re-seasoning), and similar tasks—provided you’re okay with a satin finish and mindful of where abrasives don’t belong. They won’t replace a soft sponge for everyday dishes, and they’re not for delicate coatings, but for periodic restoration and stubborn cleanup, they’re efficient, affordable, and reliably effective.