In my Brooklyn apartment, I had exactly 9.5 inches of counter space next to the sink. Watching anyone cook in that kitchen was like watching some sort of freak choreography: chopping on a small cutting board placed inside the sink and balancing bowls on top of burners. No dishwasher either, but I wasn’t giving up those precious 9.5 inches to a clunky dish drainer. We went for an over-the-sink wood version instead and it was a lifesaver—often doubling as an extra surface.
Here are the 10 best space-saving dish racks for freeing up the counter.
Above: The Umbra Sinkin Mini Dish Rack in black and nickel is designed to be used inside the sink (but can also pair with a tray for the countertop). It’s $9.99 on Amazon and also available for €12 at Merci in Paris. Above: The RigTig Dishy Dish Rack is designed by Stelton as a two-in-one product—washing-up bowl and dish rack—for small kitchens. It also includes a drain board and cutlery compartment; $56 at Scandinavian Design Center. (You can also find the rack on Food52 in grey or green, though it’s currently out of stock.) Above: From Japanese housewares company Yamazaki, the Tower Wire Basket Sink Drainer is designed to sit at the edge of the sink (note the built-in drainage system on the bottom) or set into larger sinks on the side; $49 at Amazon. Above: The Polder Compact Stainless-Steel Dish Rack with Utensil Holder is $29.99 at Amazon. Above: Another solution from Yamazaki, the Tower Dish Drainer is a modeled after a washing up tub but has groves for keeping plates, bowls, and cups organized and a compartment for cutlery. It’s $28.99 at Overstock. Above: The Hay Dish Drainer Rack can be used alone or paired with a different tray, dish, or tea towel for tight spaces; $29.30 at Finnish Design Shop. The full set, including the tray seen here, is available through Hay and earned a spot on our list of full size countertop dish drainers. Above: The Tornillo Wooden Dish Rack is made from tornillo, a South American hardwood, and hooks onto the edges of the sink; $115 from A Détacher. Above: The simple Oggi Dish Drainer 3-Pc Set is made of stainless steel; $21.99 at Target. Above: The Vintage Draining Rack makes use of vertical space with two levels of stacking and a section for cutlery; £45 at Garden Trading. Above: The Muji Stainless Steel Basket Sliding Type has an extension that fits to the sink; $38 at Muji. Above: The Yamazaki Tower Sink Drainer fits across the sink (it expands or contracts to fit different sizes) and is made of heavy plastic. It comes with two removable compartments for utensils and the whole thing can be used to rinse vegetables after washing; $35 AUD at Father Rabbit. Above: The Made by Design Over-the-Sink Wire Dish Rack adjusts to different sink sizes and can be fitted across or lengthwise over the sink; $12 in white or black at Target. For more dish drainers see our posts:
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