Delish editors handpick every product we feature. We may earn commission from the links on this page.
Don’t get us wrong, we love cooking at home. But you know what we don’t love? All the dirty dishes that come with it. While some people have the luxury of owning a dishwasher and dishwasher-safe kitchen gear, for those who lack either or both, washing dishes by hand can be a real pain.
Unless you’re the type of bionic superhero who washes and dries their dishes all at once, chances are a dish rack is exactly what your kitchen needs to streamline your clean-up process. Not sure where to start? We’ve done all the dirty work to find who makes the best dish drying rack for every kitchen and lifestyle. From the most hygienic to the safest dish racks, read on for our top picks.
Before you get to scrubbing, check out our cleaning hacks for doing the dishes.
Our Top Picks
- Best Dish Drying Rack: KitchenAid Full Size Dish Rack
- Best Budget Dish Drying Rack: Rubbermaid Antimicrobial Dish Rack
- Best Splurge Dish Drying Rack: simplehuman Steel Frame Dish Rack
- Best Dish Drying Rack for Small Spaces: Surpahs Over the Sink Multipurpose Roll-Up Dish Drying Rack
- Best Dish Drying Rack for Pots and Pans: X-Cosrack Dish Drying Rack Stainless Steel Dish Drainer
- Best Over-Sink Dish Drying Rack: Simple Houseware Over Sink Countertop Dish Drainer Drying Rack
How We Picked These Products
To find the best dish drying racks, we turned to the Internet—because after all, why wouldn’t you get the scoop on dish drainers from the folks who own them? After pinpointing the most popular dish racks on the market, we analyzed each option based on a variety of important factors, including ease of use and assembly, price, availability, durability, and customer reviews. These are the best dish drying racks you can buy in 2022.
KitchenAid Full Size Dish Rack
Pros
- Versatile and durable
- Lifetime warranty
Cons
- May rust over time
From regular dinnerware like plates, bowls, and cups to a small collection of pots and pans, the KitchenAid Full Size Dish Rack has a large enough capacity to handle it all. This multi-functional model’s sturdy design includes a removable self-draining tray, soft feet to prevent scratches on your counter, and a removable utensil holder. Plus, it can drain over your sink or on your counter for optimal versatility.
Among the 16,000-plus reviews on Amazon, one verified buyer called this “a great product, everything they said in the description.” Although some users complain that it can rust over time, the product's lifetime warranty should cover these issues.
Rubbermaid Antimicrobial Dish Rack
Pros
- Stable enough for stoneware
- Affordable
Cons
- Utensil caddy isn’t secure
- Lacks drain board
The Rubbermaid Antimicrobial Dish Rack is kind of like the person every mom wants her kid to date: Stable, functional, and reliable. No, it’s not the fanciest (or the most rust-resistant) of the bunch, but it’s lightweight, drains well, and offers 13 slots and plenty of depth, so it won’t buckle under the weight of your stoneware dishes.
According to one verified purchaser at Walmart, it's “the perfect size for larger glasses and dinner plates. However, the basket for flatware is small and not secure." This quality budget option also lacks a drain tray, but you can opt to spare that extra expense (and we recommend the Rubbermaid Universal Drain Board if you do).
It arguably makes up for any deficits, however, with hygienic design, which includes built-in Microban antimicrobial product protection that fights the growth of stain and odor-causing bacteria, so your dish drainer and dishes continue to look and smell fresh as a daisy.
simplehuman Steel Frame Dish Rack
Pros
- Efficient drainage system
- 5-year warranty
Cons
- Fragile wire feet
- Pricey
Boasting a flatware holder and a silicone-capped wire rack and integrated wine glass holders that won’t scratch or chip your dishes or glassware, your organization dreams are about to come true with the sleek and efficient simplehuman Steel Frame Dish Rack.
We were especially impressed by the innovative drainage system—the removable drip tray at its base has an anti-residue, hydrophilic coating that causes excess water to spread and is equipped with a swiveling spout to ensure the water flows directly into your sink, not onto your countertop.
Per one of this drainer’s 11,200-plus reviewers: “We originally bought this dish rack in 2013… We were very happy with it until one of the wire feet broke off… This is the one and only dish rack that works for us and we will keep buying it despite its flaws. It works great, looks great, and now has a 5-year warranty.”
Surpahs Over the Sink Multipurpose Roll-Up Dish Drying Rack
Pros
- Lifetime warranty
- Dishwasher-safe and rust-resistant
Cons
- Not for pots and pans
- Doesn’t fit all sinks
Whether you don’t have enough counter space for a full-size rack or you’re seeking a second drainer to pull double-duty, we think you’ll like the Surpahs Over the Sink Multipurpose Roll-Up Dish Drying Rack. Compatible with sinks up to 19.5 inches wide, this silicone-wrapped steel rack rolls up for easy storage and is dishwasher-safe, oil- and rust-resistant, BPA-free, and heat resistant up to 400°F.
With a whopping 26,400 reviews and counting, one of its many happy buyers raved: “I installed a huge, 9-inch-deep, one-basin sink and putting my dish drain in the sink didn't work. I needed something to lift it off the bottom of the sink so the dishes I just washed didn't keep getting wet in my dish drain as I used the rest of the sink."
Though its large capacity can safely accommodate glassware, it’s not great for pots and pans—however, it does come with a stellar lifetime warranty!
X-Cosrack Dish Drying Rack Stainless Steel Dish Drainer
Pros
- User-friendly
- Great customer service
Cons
- Pricey
- Screwdriver required
If you’ve been on a treasure hunt for the perfect rack to dry your pots and pans, X marks the spot—for the X-Cosrack Dish Drying Rack Stainless Steel Dish Drainer, that is! This adjustable, three-tier, stainless steel dish rack comes with a stainless steel flatware caddy, three removable plastic drainboards, four adjustable feet, and five stainless steel hooks with accompanying hardware. As fashionable as it is functional, this sleek black drainer is coated to prevent rust, discoloration, and chips and scratches on your dishes and drinking glasses.
And if that’s not enough to convince you, the nearly 1,000 Amazon reviews might—one verified purchaser declared “The way this product came was great… The assembly was very easy and only required a [screwdriver]."
Simple Houseware Over Sink Countertop Dish Drainer Drying Rack
Pros
- Affordable
- Easy to store
Cons
- Lacks silverware and glassware attachments
Perfect for small spaces or those who don’t want a puddle of standing water on their countertops, the aptly-named Simple Houseware Over Sink Countertop Dish Drainer Drying Rack is just that—simple. It may not come equipped with silverware or glassware attachments like other models, but this option makes up for its shortcomings by being a breeze to store, having a durable stainless steel construction, and boasting the capacity to hold plenty of kitchen gear.
Among the 7,300-plus reviews, one verified buyer said their household can’t get enough of this drainer, noting that it's used "multiple times a day" and is handy for "holding the various frying pans, and other pots and pans and lids that can't be put into the dishwasher."
Do I need a drying rack if I have a dishwasher?
Yes! Whether you’re just doing a quick rinse between dishwasher loads (after all, who really deep-cleans their colander every time they drain their pasta or rinse their greens?) or need someplace to let fresh-from-the-dishwasher plates drip dry, a dish drying rack is a necessity for every kitchen.
You could be saving yourself from pesky kitchen germs. As Fort Meade, Maryland registered dietitian Nancy J. Reed, LDN, RDN advised WebMD readers to dry their dishes before putting them away to prevent bacteria growth, but also warned that “At home, it's always better to air dry your dishes than to use a dish towel, because a dish towel can harbor all sorts of bacteria. You wipe your hands with it, you use it to dry the counter, and then you use it to dry the dishes!”
To ensure your dish rack remains in sanitary and peak drying condition, make sure you keep it clean, too. Drying off your dish rack after each use and giving it a good scrub-down can help prevent germs, rust, and other grime from setting up shop, which is why it’s important to keep in mind the materials of each dish drying rack you consider. Because they’re often dishwasher-safe, stainless steel options are sturdier and easier to sanitize. However, if you’re not diligent about drying it off (or even sometimes if you are), some stainless steel models may rust over time. Meanwhile, silicone, bamboo, and plastic are lightweight and easy to store and move around, but can’t withstand as much weight and usually require hand washing.
Restaurants Offer Major Discounts In Response To McDonald's Snack Wrap Return
The Worst Things Health Inspectors Have Seen
I Tried McDonald's Snack Wrap After Its Decade-Long Hiatus
The Internet Is Freaking Out Over Popsicle Pregnancy Reveal
