10 Best Dish Drying Racks in 2022 (Chef-Reviewed)

Drying dishes is often a hassle, but a dish-drying rack can save time and make your kitchen look cleaner and organized. Air drying is a great alternative to drying your dishes by hand. With health and convenience in mind, here are some factors to take into consideration when trying to find the perfect dish-drying rack. 

If you want to equip your kitchen with a dish drying rack, the size of your kitchen and the number of dishes you have should both play a large role in your choice. A large dish-drying rack in a small kitchen will make your space look cluttered or full, if it can even fit at all!

We would advise opting for smaller dish drying racks if you have a small kitchen or only one or two people live in your home. A large rack will just take up unnecessary space that can be better used for other kitchen utensils.

On the other hand, a small rack won't have enough space for bigger families. You may find yourself having to hand dry dishes to make space for new ones. If you have a lot of space in your kitchen you can look at the larger dish racks, but if space is still a concern consider racks with multiple tiers. Instead of the rack spreading out, it can spread up!

The material matters just as much as size. Will it rust? Will it be strong enough to hold my heavy-duty pots and pans? You can answer this by noting the material it uses.

Bamboo is a great addition to your kitchen. While wood can have bacterial issues, bamboo will not as it is naturally antibacterial. Bamboo more sustainable than traditional wood due to how quickly it grows, while also being much stronger than conventional wood racks. 

Bamboo also isn’t damaged by water, so it is a better choice for your kitchen than conventional materials. If any mold does appear, it can be easily removed. Some bamboo racks have a more natural bamboo. Other manufactures heat or steam the bamboo, which helps prevent it from being damaged by water even further.

Stainless steel is great for dish drying racks. In the US, the quality of stainless steel is usually shown by a series of numbers. You will commonly see things like 18/8 or 18/10 in item descriptions. These numbers refer to first, the amount of chromium present, and second, the amount of nickel. 

We would advise looking for stainless steel that is 18/8—18 percent chromium and 8 percent nickel. This is also sometimes known as 304 stainless steel. Thankfully, this is one of the most common forms of stainless steel so it isn't hard to find! It offers great resistance against rust and corrosion, and as your dish rack will frequently be covered in water, this is important.

Stainless steel is also a very strong material and will be able to hold the weight of your pots and pans. Rust can be a problem in kitchens for appliances, especially with metallic utensils and gadgets. Stainless steel (or dish drying racks with an anti-rust coat) will prevent this.

Plastic is ideal for smaller or compact dish racks and for small family homes. Plastic dish drying racks are made out of plastic that is safe to be used with food, so neither rust nor potentially harmful chemicals will come into contact with your dishes!

You will have a wider variety of color options with plastic than with racks made from bamboo, wood, or any metals. If you want to color coordinate your rack with your kitchen, then plastic is the way to go. Plastic racks are also very easy to clean and some can go even go in the dishwasher!

Plastic racks are often made into a more enclosed shape, however. This prevents air from circulating and can make it harder for water to evaporate. Be sure to choose a dish drying rack with enough open space to drain the water effectively. You can find this out by looking at the design or reading reviews.

You want to look for a dish rack that has nicely round corners and fewer (or no) tight corners or crevices where water or gunk can get trapped.

Plastic dish racks are easy to assemble and fast to clean. They often come fully assembled or in separate parts that easily slot together. You can be sure that a plastic rack will be sturdy and ready to use straight out of the box.

Cleaning your dish rack can be done by simply washing it with a light detergent or as mentioned before, a trip in the dishwasher. This makes it ideal for studio apartments or a single-person household. 

The problem, however, is that mold or discoloration can become a problem over time. Make sure you keep on top of cleaning your plastic rack and that you don't allow water to accumulate and sit inside. Also, keep in mind that thin plastic parts with lots of slots tend to be harder to clean since they have tight corners and are harder to get to.

Some bamboo racks may need a little assembly, depending on their design. They usually entail slotting rods into pre-drilled spaces, so assembly should be pretty straightforward! It's always worth checking reviews to see how previous purchasers have managed with assembling their purchases.

The key to mold prevention is controlling the amount of moisture on the wood. Since bamboo isn’t damaged by water, it's ideal for people who don't have time to spend hours cleaning their dishwashing rack. Simply wipe down any excess water puddles at the base, and you're good to go!

Stainless steel dish drying racks are sturdy and strong. They're ideal for people who love to cook and have heavy utensils such as stoneware. Some of the larger steel racks may require some complex assembly, especially those with multiple racks or sit over your sink. Again, look at reviews if you require more information than the product description gives.

When it comes to cleaning your dish rack, though, it might be more time-consuming than you thought. Stainless steel dish racks often need to be disassembled and dipped into bleach for optimal hygiene. They often have lots of small wires and corners, but a scourer or brush will make short work of cleaning them.

We've covered size and material, but what about shape and features? These factors are also vital to consider when shopping.

A multi-tier rack is perfect for anyone who washes dishes regularly. They offer lots of drying space without taking up all of your counter space. Racks with multiple tiers usually have specific spaces for different types of dishes or pots and pans.

Many multi-tier racks feature slotted plate holders so that your plates and bowls won't rattle around or fall. Another great feature is to have mug or cup holders on the side, since these will help optimize the space you have. You can also find racks with pots for flatware, too!

If you want to avoid using a towel or drying mat for your dishes, a drying rack with a bottom dish drainer may be perfect for you. Sometimes these are built into the rack, but more often they are a separate, slanted tray that encourages excess water to run down the tray where it will flow back into the sink.

You can look for dish drainers that have moveable spouts as this will ensure that no matter what your kitchen layout is, you can direct the water into your sink. Removable trays are also a good idea as you can easily wipe away any water that doesn't drain.

Something else to consider is what you want to do with your rack when it's not in use. If you have a large enough kitchen and like the look of your dish rack, then you may be happy to leave it on the counter regardless of whether it's being used or not.

However, if space is at a premium or you just want to keep your kitchen tidy, then look for dish racks that are easy to move and can be folded down. Some dish racks can fold flat and be easily stored in cupboards or under your sink. You can even get dish racks that double as cupboard racks for dry plates.

Here is a list of the best dish drying racks. Factors we considered when picking these products include their size, weight, material, and what family size they would best suit.

*Please note that these products were chosen after extensive research by mybest writers. The choices are not necessarily affiliated with or recommended by Jim Quast. For more on our selection process, check out our content policy.

Your kitchen is much more than just a good dish drying rack. Make it even better with these great products!

Author: Mart-Mari Jansen van Vuren

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