Clear That Sink of Dirty Dishes Fast With These Editor-Recommended Dish Racks

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Even if you have the luxury of a dishwasher, a dish rack next to your sink is a must-have. It’s a convenient spot to air dry your hand-wash-only silver, your nice knives, or that bulky baking sheet that doesn’t fit in the dishwasher. While it can be tempting to use a dishcloth to dry dishes, air drying on a rack is the most hygienic way to get the job done—and it requires even less effort. (Kitchen towels can hold bacteria that you don’t want to rub all over your clean plates and bowls.)

The good news is that whether you have a small kitchen with limited counter space or a larger one with plenty, there’s a dish rack designed to suit your needs. We’ve rounded up the best dish racks for kitchens and dish collections of all kinds, plus some advice on how to find the right one for you.

Looking for more ways to upgrade your kitchen? Check out our picks for the best kitchen carts, countertop compost bins, and oven mitts.

The Best Dish Racks

• Best Overall: KitchenAid Full-Size Dish Rack

• Best Value: Rubbermaid Dish Drainer

• Best Space-Saving: Cuisinart Stainless Steel Dish Drying Rack

• Best Collapsible: Oxo Good Grips Aluminum Fold Flat Dish Drying Rack

• Best Expandable: Kitsure Large Dish Drying Rack

What to Consider

Counter Space

As you might guess, dish racks come in multiple sizes, from double racks designed to hold cookware and dishes to small and portable options. If you don’t have a dishwasher, you may want to go with the largest dish rack your counter can accommodate.

But even with a dishwasher, some cookware isn’t dishwasher-safe, and it’s nice to have a dedicated spot for things to dry rather than set them on a damp bacterial-filled kitchen towel. If you’re low on counter space an over-the-sink or in-sink dish rack may be the best solution.

Design and Material

Many dish racks these days are foldable so they can easily be stowed away when not in use. One of our favorites is the Oxo Good Grips dish rack, which works as a one-tier drying mat or as a two-tier rack when you expand it. Some drying racks are made from plastic and fold up to fit in a cupboard or kitchen cabinet.

Hard materials like stainless steel are sturdy and easy to clean, but may rust over time if not properly cared for—make sure you clean your stainless steel dish rack as soon as you notice build-up to avoid rusting. Silicone is a good choice for the mat portion of your drying rack since it’s softer on the edges of your dishes than hard plastic or metal.

We don’t recommend bamboo or wooden drying racks because they stay wet for a long time, sometimes only drying out for portions of the day. Water seeps into these porous materials and dries slowly, leaving plenty of opportunity for mold to grow.

Features

There are basic dish racks, like the classic Rubbermaid option we write about below, and dish racks that are cleverly designed to store specific items. For example, if you often dry multiple coffee mugs or wine glasses that require hooks, you may prioritize a thorough organization system. Or if there’s a toddler at home and you’re frequently washing small items, you may want to choose a dish rack with more utility baskets.

If you plan on keeping your dish rack on the counter at all times, we strongly recommend dish racks with drainage spouts that lead into your sink. These typically don’t remove all of the water from the rack, but they help prevent moisture from collecting beneath the rack, which can let mold grow, warp your countertops, or just start to smell bad.

How We Selected

The original author of this guide, Elizabeth Briskin, is a private chef who’s no stranger to a sink full of dishes. Even as a pro, she says, there are always kitchen gadgets and tools that you use so frequently, it’s easier to hand-wash them instead of popping them into the dishwasher and waiting for the cycle to complete. Then there are items that aren’t dishwasher-safe—in particular, knives and cast-iron cookware should always be washed by hand and dried well to avoid rust.

We used product research and Briskin’s hands-on testing to determine which dish racks are best for kitchens small, large, and in between. We prioritized dish drying racks that play nice with limited counter space, leave plenty of air flow for drying, and are made of easy-to-clean materials.

Full-Size Dish Rack

KitchenAid makes a high-quality dish rack that’s both spacious and durable. It’s made from rust-resistant stainless steel with a slanted, removable plastic water reservoir with a drainage spout. Another plus is that the flatware caddy has adjustable compartments and can be removed for easy emptying and cleaning. This dish rack is a great all-around choice if you like the look of stainless steel and need ample storage for cutlery and kitchen utensils.

Dish Drainer

This option from Rubbermaid takes the cake as the best dish rack for budget shoppers. It holds up to 13 plates and is deep enough for wider items like soup bowls or pots. There’s even a removable utensil cup for cutlery and it has grippy raised feet to prevent it from sliding. Another plus is that it's antimicrobial-treated, but no drain mat is a disappointment.

Stainless Steel Dish Drying Rack

If you’re set on a stainless steel dish rack but have less counter space than the KitchenAid above occupies, this smaller model from Cuisinart is a good fit.

It’s designed similarly to the stainless steel KitchenAid, and while it has less storage for utensils, it adds a dedicated rack for wine glasses. We also appreciate the rubberized feet and glass holders. The only drawback is that the water mat below is narrow and just shy of covering the entire rack.

Good Grips Aluminum Fold Flat Dish Drying Rack

Made with a rustproof aluminum frame, this lightweight dish rack from Oxo is super portable for stowing under the sink or even taking on a camping trip. The simple design can accommodate versatile dishes, whether it’s a stack of dinner plates, travel mugs, or a heavy fry pan.

It even comes with a small removable utensil holder for those knives, spoons, and forks so they don’t take up space horizontally. When the time comes to put it away, simply fold it down and stick it under the sink. You can also use it as a drying mat, leaving it collapsed and using the small ridges to fit more dishes at once.

Large Dish Drying Rack

This dish rack expands up to 27 inches to hold a ton of plates, pots, lids, and pans. There’s a wide utensil holder at one end, which includes a wooden section specifically for holding up knives. It has a drainage spout, too.

We also appreciate the silicone caps on the feet that prevent the dish rack from sliding around, especially because pots and pans can be heavy. The downside to this dish rack is that there’s less space for drying glasses.

Classic Large Rust-Resistant Dish Rack

A classic dish rack like this durable one from Farberware is generally the best option for drying lots of pots and pans, especially if you use a dishwasher for daily dishes. It has three compartments for plates, mugs, and flatware, plus an oversized angled drain board.

The design is basic and there isn’t a ton of utensil storage, but its capacity for cookware is tough to beat. It’s also plastic so it won’t rust, which is especially important if there’s a lot of water dripping off large items.

Compact Kitchen Dish Drying Rack

Compact dish racks are lightweight and ideal for apartment living. This one from Simplehuman is beautifully designed and has a fingerprint-resistant coating, a nice look for something that always sits on your countertop.

For added benefit, its swivel spout can be maneuvered from side to side, so no matter where you place the dish rack it drains directly in the sink. The hooks on the side are great for slotting in tall spoons and spatulas, and the low dividers make this rack amenable to dishes of all shapes and sizes.

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