The Scotch-Brite Heavy Duty scrub sponge works great on my toughest messes. I use for the scrubbing side to get the baked on, brown bits off my bakeware and pans. I use the sponge side for the soft side for regular cleaning. I can't use a plain sponge anymore-- I have to use my Scotch-Brite!
These sponges are really good for getting baked on food off pots and pans without too much effort. In most cases I didn't need to soak the pots either. The sponges clean up pretty well afterwards so you can use them many times over.