Put Away Your Kitchen Towel—We Tested 27 Dish Drying Racks To Find the Best Ones

Our Takeaway

For a large-capacity, durable drying rack that can hold everything from heavy pots to delicate stemware, we recommend the Simplehuman Steel Frame Dish Rack. If you prefer natural materials, have minimal counter space, or just hand wash a few pieces and run the bulk through a dishwasher, check out the Bambüsi Bamboo Folding Dish Rack.

How to Pick the Right Dish Drying Rack

Size

The available space next to your sink plays the biggest role in dish rack choice. Setting a drying rack on an adjacent counter can be inconvenient if not messy. Many dish racks have spouts that drain directly into the sink but may not rotate or close.

Standalone sinks are good candidates for a roll-up drying rack if they have a rim to support its edges and a large enough basin, since the rack will cover part of the sink while in use. A narrow sink-side counter may be enough for a folding or compact rack that can be packed away when not needed. If a rack will sit on the counter full time, especially in lieu of an automatic dishwasher, you may want a multitiered or expandable model.

Design

We’ve moved past the era of cheap-looking wire drying racks to widely varying designs, each with pros and cons depending on your needs. Collapsible racks with an angled back and shelf work well if you’re mainly slotting in plates but clumsily balance bowls and saucepans. Flat racks may hold the most cookware but require strategic stacking when mixing flat, wide, and deep items. Two-level racks may offer maximum overall square footage but minimal clearance for the bottom tray.

Many drying racks come with thoughtful features. If you’re a wine drinker, we recommend choosing a design with a holder that keeps fragile stemmed wine glasses out of the general mix. If your kitchen utensils have bulky handles, we recommend checking that these and your nightly flatware will fit in the utensil holder.

Materials

Most drying racks have sturdy frames and easy-to-clean surfaces. Stainless steel and aluminum are among the most common frame materials and are often coated where they will rest against the dishware to prevent scratches. Drip trays and utensil cups usually rely on plastic and silicone. Many racks have silicone or rubber feet so that they stand steadily on the counter. You can also find dish racks made of natural materials, typically bamboo or teak, for their water resistance.

Care

Even if you only use it with clean dishes, a drying rack can still become dirty over time. The best racks, like good kitchen sponge holders, have effective drainage systems that keep stagnant water from collecting at the base. Look for easy access to corners where grime can build up, and check that add-ons like utensil holders have adequate drainage.

A rack might dry out quickly and completely between uses but still should be washed and air dried regularly. Some models have dishwasher-safe components, like the utensil holder or drain mat, but most are best washed by hand. Bamboo and wooden racks benefit from an occasional rub with food-safe mineral oil.

About Our Tests

We tested 27 dish racks, most of them designed to sit on a countertop but some that bridge a kitchen sink. The various models were made of metal, plastic, or bamboo; some had multiple tiers or expanded, and others collapsed, folded, or rolled up for easy storage. We used them to hand wash dishes, filling them to capacity with dishes and cooking gear both small and large. After two hours and again the following morning, we checked how well the contents air dried.

Each dish drying rack was rated on the following attributes:

• Design: Is it made from high-quality materials? Does it have antimicrobial properties? Is it best for compact or spacious areas, and does it extend or collapse? How much room is there to arrange and stack dishes?
• Ease of Use: Is the drying rack easy to assemble? Is it easy to add and remove kitchenware? Do items shift or fall over?
• Performance: Does the rack have a utensil cup, wine glass hanger, or other extra features? Do any items dry better or more quickly than others? Does the drainage spout or tray control water?
• Durability: Is the dish drying rack sturdily constructed? Did it show any damage during testing?
• Ease of Cleaning: Is the drying rack easy to clean? How often does it need to be cleaned?

The Leftovers: Other Dish Drying Racks We Tested

The Chef’n DishGarden has a unique round design that let us shift the utensil holders and arrange dishes in almost any combination imaginable during tests. The drain spout can be closed when not in use, making the rack easier to store. At 13 inches in diameter, we found it a bit small for household use but the perfect size for a camper during a weeklong trip.

Similarly, the Yamazaki Two-Tier Wire Dish Rack has a basket-like top deck, tall legs that leave space for a second layer of dishes below it, and hooks for hanging utensils and scrub brushes. It corrals plenty of items but needs a spacious countertop. In tests, we found water on the counter regardless of placement. Another over-the-sink option, the Seropy Roll Up Dish Rack, resists bacterial buildup but won’t provide traction—so the rack relies on the silicone end caps to keep everything in place.

Common Questions

Do I need a dish drying rack?

The long list of kitchen things you should never put in your dishwasher ranges from certain plastics to insulated mugs. Some items just won’t get clean unless hand scrubbed, like graters and narrow-necked bottles. Even if you own dishwasher-friendly kitchenware, how many times have you found standing water on inverted coffee mugs, along lid rims, and collected in poorly angled bowls at the end of a cycle?

You can simply spread out a dish towel and pile clean dishes on it—but that may not be as ideal as you think. Researchers have found that the dirtiest thing in your kitchen is likely a kitchen towel.

How do you clean a dish drying rack?

Many drying racks must be hand washed, and even those that can go in the dishwasher often mesh awkwardly with their dividers. Fortunately, cleaning a dish rack is easy: Empty the rack and sink; wipe down the rack with a soapy dishcloth, giving corners that collect scum extra attention; and then rinse it down and return it to the counter to air dry. Because a dish rack encourages air circulation that dries dishes quickly, the rack itself dries in no time. A quick wipe-down followed by a sanitizing spray every few days can help delay buildup.

You should also regularly clean the mat or surface beneath the rack. The best way to wash a dish drying mat depends on its material. After you clean a wood or bamboo dish rack, consider a protective oil rubdown.

What is the best way to store a dish drying rack?

The dish rack’s design determines the best way to store it. Once emptied and completely dry, roll-up mats can be tucked into a drawer. Foldable racks might slide into a cupboard with vertical dividers or behind a countertop appliance.

A large fixed rack may have needed assembly upon arrival, but you likely won’t want to take it apart between uses. It’s best simply stored in place. Although you might consider it an eyesore, you’re more likely to hand wash morning coffee cups and kids’ snack plates than piling them in the sink. An empty dish rack can also drain rinsed fruit or air dry a just-cleaned pizza stone.

Why Take Our Word for It?

Julie Laing has been a writer and editor for 25-plus years, focusing on original recipes, kitchen tools, and the stories around them. She is the author of “The Complete Guide to Pickling,” the Flathead Beacon food columnist, and a reviewer and recipe developer for numerous other publications. She hasn’t owned a dishwasher for more than 20 years, washing by hand every dish and kitchen tool she uses. A custom-built drying rack mounted above her sink holds everyday dishware, but she’s perfected (mostly) the art of arranging all other pots, pans, containers, and utensils so that they air dry instead of needing towel treatment.