Best Dish Drying Racks

We’ve researched tons of different dish drying racks and separated them into 6 categories for you to browse below.

Things to Consider

• Material: Stainless Steel, Aluminum, Bamboo? Either way, rust or mold is unacceptable.
• Size: What type and quantity of dishes are you wanting to dry on the rack? How many people live in your household?
• Storage: Where can you put the rack when it’s not in use?
• Mold: Dish racks that make it more difficult for water and gunk to stick around in crevices help prevent mold growth. However, material of the rack the leading prevention factor for mold.

Avoid Wood Dish Racks

They’re pretty, at first. However, as we’ve seen with other products that are made out of wood and spend their time in a wet environment – looking at you, bamboo shower benches – you end up with more maintenance than you bargained for.

Bamboo notoriously requires constant cleaning and treatment when continuously exposed to wet environments. Teak is another possibility, and typically has fewer mold issues than bamboo, but it also needs oil a few times per year.

Neither bamboo nor teak retain their original finish without oiling, so while they initially look pretty, they won’t continue to look that way unless you take the time to maintain them.

Do you really want to be oiling your dish rack? Didn’t think so.

Best Dish Racks

Every dish rack has its drawbacks, and everyone’s needs are different, so for that reason, we have categorized a variety of dish racks that might be a good solution for your specific kitchen arrangement and family.

Click a link to skip to a section that interests you.

---

Best All-Around Dish Drying Rack

 

There are a ton of different designs to consider, but our main concerns are:

• No water on the counter.
• No rust.
• Capable of holding a variety of dishes.
• Large enought to handle enough dishes for a family of 4 cooking and eating dinner.

Getting water on the counter is virtually unavoidable, but we’d like our dish rack to catch as much as possible and drain easily. That means having enough slope for water to not collect on dishes or sit on the drain tray.

We’ve included many different categories in our contents section for you to pick, but our favorite all-around models assume you have about a 20″ x 20″ area to dedicate to your dish drying rack. There is some flexibility as the racks can be adjusted or rearranged.

Our all-around favorite dish rack, the full-size Simplehuman dish rack, can drain from the long or short side, has sensible cup post spacing, no rust concerns, and drains properly.

Here is a quick list of the Simplehuman Dish Rack’s features.

• Drip Tray with Swivel Spout
• Optional Rubber Feet
• Wine Glass Rack
• Extendable Drip Tray – Pulls out below cup holder.
• Utensil Holder
• Stainless Steel
• Dimensions: 22″ L x 20″ W x 14.3″ H (height with wine rack)

There are downsides to each and every drying rack we’ve researched, and the Simplehuman drying rack performs one task really well: getting water away from your dishes and into the sink. It doesn’t have the highest capacity and will require you to dry the drainage spout, but at least the dishes are dry.

The cup holders are reasonably spaced, and you can fit a cup on each one. This is superior to the Polder model below, our second choice, which has 6 cup posts that are spaced too tightly and can only realistically hold 3 cups at a time.

The utensil holder sits inside the rack’s drying area, whereas the Polder model below has it sitting outside. You also have to be careful about putting too much weight on one side of the utensil holder as it will tilt. These are a few negatives, but we think this rack has it where it counts.

The estimated capacity numbers we’ve determined mean that you can fit all those items on the rack at once. So you would have no trouble washing and drying all the dishes after dinner for a family of 4 to 6, even with multiple dishes per individual.

Why Pick the Runner-up Rack?

• You don’t need a wine glass rack.
• You have extra counter space for the removeable drying tray.
• The drain spout sits at about 1.5 inches above the countertop on the Polder rack, whereas the Simplehuman is at 1.1 inches.

More About the Polder Rack Capacity

Our capacity estimates give you a rough idea for what you can fit on this rack, but you could use some of the space we’ve allocated for cups for something else. On the main rack, the utensil holder does not interfere with the storage area on the rack, unlike the Simplehuman rack, so the area next to the plates could be used for anything. Based on our 4″ diameter cups, we were able to fit 8 cups in this area with no trouble.

The additional removable tray can hold roughly 8 cups with 4-inch diameter rims.

Simplehuman Vs. Polder Dish Rack

The Simplehuman rack, while being our first choice, might not serve everyone’s needs. The Polder dish rack can simply hold more stuff. If you have a large family or like having dinner parties, then you’re going to want the extra capacity.

We have a few complaints about the Polder rack:

• It doesn’t drain well.
• 3 of the 6 cups posts are unusable when the others are occupied. You might fit shot glasses on them.
• Water can’t drain off the removable tray as there is no slope. Even if there were, water would cling to the raised pillars.

If you can prop up one side of the rack then you can improve the drainage, but there isn’t really anything you can do for the removable tray. The rim of your glasses will still be surrounded by water when sitting on the tray, and this reduces the airflow under the glass. There’s not really any sort of workaround to this, so the tray allows you to drip dry the cups, but you will have to follow up with a towel. At least it reduces the water you’ll have to soak up with a towel.

We’re not sure what improvement the extra removable tray offers over merely putting your dishes on a towel.

We’ve got one last product in this category that’s super affordable and made of aluminum, so there’s no chance of rust.

The Miusco does a lot of things right, and it’s a solid choice if you like this style of rack that has a swivel spout for draining into the sink. Aluminum is an excellent material for a dish rack as it won’t rust. Our only major complaint with this model is the board for setting dishes on doesn’t have great spacing for the drain holes. Water tends to just sit on top.

The spacing of the cup posts is another issue, just like a majority of the dish racks with cup posts, since you won’t be able to fit larger (normal?) cups side-by-side and will have to skip a post. It’s not a deal breaker, but it’s one of those details that the Simplehuman rack gets right and most others don’t.

The plate rack is excellent and one of the best features of this rack. The slots keep the plates in place better than the more minimal designs.

Utensils are the area that this rack doesn’t handle so well. The holders do have holes in the bottom, but as you can see they also just sit on top of the drain board along with the other dishes. They are situated over drain holes, but water tends to stick around.

This rack, unlike the Simplehuman, doesn’t have walls around the rack itself, so water does splash out more than it does with the Simplehuman rack. You’re likely to be splashing water anyway as it’s unavoidable when washing dishes, so this isn’t that big of a deal.

Lastly, the drain spout has very little clearance. The least of the 3 models in this category. You can set the rack’s legs on top of your sink, but that messes with the angle of the drain. Avoid this rack if you have a high lip on your sink. For most people, this isn’t much of an issue since it’s usually custom countertop or sink installations that have higher lips.

Best Compact Dish Drying Rack

 

Having limited storage space doesn’t mean you have to leave your dish rack on the counter. We’ve found the best rack that is also compact enough to be stored away when not in use.

There are a few different types of racks in this category that can be called compact, but without a doubt being able to fold up up your drying rack to about an inch thick is super compact. That’s why our first choice in this category is the Miusco folding drying rack. The catch with this rack is that there’s no drip tray, so you need to put a dish towel under the rack.

If you don’t like this we’ve suggested a few alternative models below the Miusco that approach “compactness” in a different way.

The top of this rack can hold about 8 plates depending on thickness and size, more if they’re not so thick. Cups can sit on the bottom tier and could be arranged to fit about 7 if you let some of the cups hang off the edge. You definitely have enough space for dishes for a 2-person household, but there isn’t room for larger dishes such as pots or pans.

If this is too simple and you’re looking for something that’s compact yet still catches water, then check out the two options below.

The distance between the counter and the drain spout is 1.25 inches with the rubber feet attached. That’s about 0.15 inches higher than the full-size model. Not much, but it helps if you have a lip around your sink.

The capacity is more suited for an individual or family of 2. There is no wine rack with this model, but you can use the interior of the rack for wine glasses without an issue.

Regarding durability, drainage, and space, this is one of the best racks you’ll find that catches water and drains it back into your sink. There are tons of compact racks, such as the Miusco above, that don’t catch water. They’re the more compact choice, but you will have to clean up more water.

Just in case you’re doubting Simplehuman’s quality, they even give a 5-year warranty with these dish racks. That’s really hard to beat.

The area this drying rack occupies is almost as much as the full-size models we looked at in the Best All-Around section, but you can collapse this rack down to 4 inches thick and easily slide it in a cabinet.

The utensil holder is relatively small, but manageable if you need something compact.

When you set this next to your sink you will need to be sure the drain overhangs the sink. There isn’t a spout, like the Simplehuman rack, but rather an opening that water can pour out of. The rack’s legs sit far enough back from the drain opening that you shouldn’t have an issue letting it overhang.

The grate can be easily popped out for cleaning.

The capacity numbers we listed for the Kohler rack are a rough estimate. If you are using the wine rack, then that takes up some space that could otherwise be used for standard cups and plates. You can even lean plates against the sides and take advantage of the bottom grate.

The wine rack can also accommodate martini glasses or Bordeaux wine glasses, but you won’t be able to hang as many.

Best High-Capacity Dish Drying Rack

Higher capacity dish drying racks are usually racks that have several tiers. They don’t take up more counter space than most of the standard models, but they are much taller. That means you likely won’t be able to fit these under your cabinets, especially with plates sitting on them.

So be sure to pay attention to the height measurements to make sure your kitchen can accommodate these taller racks.

Zojila produces excellent quality kitchen equipment that you wouldn’t be surprised to find in a restaurant kitchen. The Patagonia is a versatile rack that is great for most tableware, but you might find its slim width doesn’t hold large pots or pans easily.

Our capacity estimates assume you have the wine rack loaded and are using the utensil tray. Our only complaint about this rack is that the utensil tray doesn’t hold its contents upright, and instead, everything will be laying down. Piling up silverware won’t help it dry quickly, but it’s better than nothing. The tray does have drain holes on the bottom.

It would have been nice for this to have a utensil holder that mounts on either side of the rack, but, alas, it doesn’t.

Our cup count assumes you put 3.5″ diameter glasses on the bottom two shelves, with the utensil tray in place, and have 3 wine glasses on the hanging rack.

If you’re thinking about buying the Simplehuman rack, don’t forget that your plates are going to add to the height. You can expect about 6 to 7 inches in additional height with 10.5″ diameter plates on top. That gives a total height of 31 inches.

This rack has a ton of space. You can change the height of the bottom tier to fit your sink area.

Our capacity estimates assume that you put the shown quantity of dishes on the rack at the same time. As you can see, this is one of the largest racks we’ve reviewed. This style of rack doesn’t usually have much space for utensils, but you can always use one of the tiers for holding utensils if needed.

Be sure to measure your sink space carefully, especially your available vertical space. Plates will stick out above the height of the rack by about 3 inches for a 10.5-inch diameter plate.

Best Drying Rack for a Sink with a High Lip

 

Drying racks with drain spouts aren’t tall enough to reach over sinks with a high lip. This problem isn’t common but does happen for some custom sink installations.

For these situations, you should consider a roll-up drying rack or another type of over-the-sink drying rack.

Check out our recommendations in the Best Over-The-Sink Drying Rack section or the High Capacity Drying Rack section. We’ve also picked out a few of the best options here in this section.

If those don’t work for you, then any drying rack that uses a drip tray instead of draining back into the sink is also an option.

You can expect a 10.5″ diameter plate to stick out about 3 inches above the top of the rack’s height. Keep that in mind if you plan on putting this rack under your cabinets.

The top of the rack is exclusively for plates or bowls. The bottom tier can be used for large spoons or spatulas. Our capacity estimates are made using 3.5″ diameter cups and 10.5″ plates. Cups come in many different shapes and sizes, but this gives you a rough idea for what you can expect.

Cutlery can be packed tightly in the holder, and you can squeeze more in than we stated above, but that’s up to you.

Roll-up racks are the simplest dish drying rack you can buy. There’s not much that can go wrong with these things either. Some of the roll-up racks have steel rods that slide into the silicone (or rubber) strips, and eventually, they slide out, which can be annoying. That’s not a problem with the Surpahs rack as the rods are integrated into the silicone coating.

As long as the length is enough to fit over your sink there shouldn’t be any problems with using this type of rack on any sink. It’s the most versatile product on our list.

Roll-up racks don’t hold a ton of dishes, but they might just work for you.

Best Over-the-Sink Dish Drying Rack

 

There are a few different types of Over-the-Sink dish drying racks, and we’ve selected one of each type to review here.

Polder also makes one of the models we reviews in the Best All-Around Drying Rack section above, and we think this Over-Sink drying rack is a good option as well. There are a ton of cheap products in this category that use steel that eventually rusts. This rack is stainless steel and shouldn’t give you any problems.

These types of racks save you counter space and quickly dispose of dripping water. If you have a sink with a high lip, then these are also a great choice.

You won’t find an Over-the-Sink rack that will hold as much as a countertop type, but they’re a great solution in certain situations.

This rack is big. This is the largest type of Over-the-Sink rack you’ll find, and they can hold a ton of dishes. If you don’t have much cabinet space, then these can also be used to store your dishes. You don’t even have to put your dishes away after washing them!

Be sure to account for the height of your plates on the top rack and make sure there’s nothing above your sink that’s in the way. You can expect plates to stick out 4 to 4 inches above the height of this rack.

There isn’t any adjustability regarding the width, so measure your sink and be sure this will fit.

This is one of the best roll-up drying racks you can buy. We’ve included it in a few sections, and it fits in here as well. It’s the simplest drying rack you can buy and takes up the least amount of space when stored away.

The catch it that it just doesn’t hold as much as most of the other types of racks we’ve reviewed here. One advantage the Polder In-Sink rack above has over a roll-up rack is that you can lean plates against the side of the rack/sink. Most of the In-Sink racks have designated plate holders. This just doesn’t exist on a roll-up rack.

Roll-up racks work well for drying bowls, cups, or other small dishes. They’re not suited for drying plates.

Best Dish Drying Rack for Wine or Cocktail Glasses

 

In this section, we’re looking at drying racks that are made to fit many types of stemware. Whether in your kitchen or wet bar, there’s a rack that will work for you.

Stemware is usually hanged from the base for storage or for drying purposes. However, we’re also going to look at countertop drying racks that work well for stemware.

This drying rack by polder could also be used to store your glasses. The base is non-skid and should stay securely in place. You could put this rack in a cabinet or leave it on the counter.

We like to avoid single-purpose kitchen tools, but if you have space, then this is a great way to store wine glass or martini glasses. If you have a wet bar with some counter space, then these are a simple solution. But below we’ve also included some racks that can be mounted under cabinets.

This stemware rack can be used for drying as well. You can purchase a pad to go under it or just use a dish towel. This rack has a high capacity and takes up quite a bit of counter space. If you have the room to dedicate to it, then it’s a good option.

This drying rack by OXO is a nice option if you don’t care for hanging your glasses. You can position the glasses with the posts in such a way that you can fit more glasses than our capacity number, but this just gives you a rough idea of what to expect.

Many of the hanging racks aren’t actually meant for drying, but rather just for storage. This rack has the water tray to catch and drops and is deep enough to give the glasses room to breathe and dry faster.