12 Best Dish Racks | The Strategist

Oct 14, 2024

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The Strategist’s carefully chosen and rigorously vetted flagship shopping guides. Learn about our methodology here, and find all our Best in Class guides here.

I love my dish rack deeply — perhaps surprising, given that this is a purchase many people make without thinking twice. But not all are created equal. There’s the more obvious difference in quality between one with a sturdy structure built from long-lasting materials and a dinky model you happen to throw in your cart when wandering the kitchen aisle of a home-goods store. But there are also more personal factors to consider. Do you need a larger, more-open rack because you don’t have a dishwasher in your apartment? Do you want one with designated space for the delicate wineglasses you use weekly? Do you have more height clearance than width clearance next to your sink? Do you have no clearance at all?

In compiling this list of the best dish racks, I consulted recipe developers (these people go through a lot of dishes) and professional organizers. I also asked Strategist staffers about their own (including writer Ambar Pardilla, who worked on a previous version of this story and tested out several herself). The main brand in the space is Yamazaki, known for its durable and sturdy frames, so you’ll see several of its models on this list. But their racks are on the pricier side, so if you don’t want to spend so much — or if you’re generally looking for something different, like a folding rack or drying mat — we have plenty of other options. Read on to find the perfect fit for your own space. And if you’re interested in organizing more of your kitchen, read our guides to the best food storage containers and magnetic knife racks too.

Update on August 29, 2024: Updated prices and checked stock for all products.

Water-resistant materials are key for obvious reasons. Steel (sometimes finished with a powder coating to prevent rust) is a good bet. Plastic and silicone are cheaper and hold up well, too. (Silicone is particularly lightweight and often used for flexible dish racks you roll and store away, then pull out as needed.) And while Lisa Zaslow, owner of Gotham Organizers, warns that you should stay away from wood and bamboo, as they’re more prone to warping and damage, there are two picks (our best overall and best less expensive) that feature wood-wrapped handles. I’ve found that if the detail is small enough as with these, the wood should be totally fine.

Here, I’ve listed the features that make each dish rack stand out, like particular compartments for various dishes and tools, swivel spouts, and drain boards.

You want a dish rack that fits on your countertop, so I’ve listed the height, width, and depth. If you’ll be putting it underneath a cabinet, you’ll want to consider some extra clearance for placing and removing dishes too.

Material: Steel, wood, resin | Design: Handles, removable utensil holder, removable drain board | Size: 7.87” x 18.5” x 13.19”

I’ve owned my Yamazaki for about five years, and it’s still in great shape. I’m lucky enough to have a dishwasher in my apartment, but I still hand-wash a lot: wooden utensils and cutting boards, knives, delicate glassware, and anything I’ll need more immediately (like the carafe for my coffee maker) than I run a dishwasher cycle. This dish rack handles it all. It’s incredibly sturdy with firm wires and high sides that comfortably fit taller and heavier items. There’s a curved row for plates, plus plenty of space for oddly shaped items and post-dinner-party crowding. The utensil holder is perforated on the bottom to let it drain — and if it ever does get grimy (this only happens once in a while), I just take it out and give it a light scrub. I actually don’t use my removable bottom tray (I have a countertop that can handle water, and I prefer to wipe it down a couple times a day rather than deal with that extra piece), but if you keep it, it’s lightweight to lift up and rinse off, with no tight corners that are difficult to clean. The dish rack has wood-wrapped handles that are comfortable to grip for maneuvering (and it’s just a touch of wood, so in my experience they haven’t been damaged at all over time).

It also needs to be said: This thing is prettier than any other dish rack on the market. For something that sits out on your counter at all times, that’s no small deal. “Just look at it!” says recipe developer and cookbook author Anna Stockwell, who owns one. “It’s the best-looking dish rack you’ve ever seen, isn’t it?”

Material: Steel, wood, resin | Design: Handles, removable utensil holder, removable drain board | Size: 16.5” x 12” x 5.5”

If you love the aesthetic of our best overall pick but find its steep price to be a barrier, consider this similar one from Tomorotec. It comes recommended by Alexandra Shytsman, recipe developer and founder of The New Baguette, who specifically searched for a Yamazaki dupe after her old Ikea model rusted. It’s a bit smaller overall, and though the utensil holder also has drain holes, it comes with two compartments instead of three. Other than that, Shytsman praises the not-too-tall plate slots — so you can dry off other tableware comfortably as well — and the easy-to-clean bottom tray.

Material: Steel | Design: Removable swivel spout and utensil holder, capped plate holders, glassware frame and hooks, fingerprint-proof finish | Size: 11.5” x 22.3” x 20.2”

While this Simplehuman is the most expensive model on this list, it comes with some truly standout features. Zaslow even dubbed it “the Rolls-Royce of dish racks.” It has a utensil holder with three compartments, hooks for drinking glasses, and a dedicated rack to hold wineglasses upside down. Perhaps most useful of all, though, is the swivel spout, which funnels excess water into your sink without making a mess so nothing pools and gets grimy. (This is also featured on the slightly cheaper, more compact version.)

Aside from the bells and whistles, it’s generally well made. Strategist writer Lauren Ro has owned hers for five years and says it still works and looks great. She loves how its box shape allows the rack to “accommodate a bunch of dishes, no matter how high you pile everything,” she says. Pardilla expresses the same sentiment, noting how the silicone-capped prongs keep large platters and sheet pans in place. And “though the hooks for drinkware on one side are small, I’ve never worried about bigger mugs falling off,” she says. Pardilla adds that items dry particularly quickly, thanks to the clearance underneath the frame. “It really feels like the brand thought of everything in making this rack,” she says.

Material: Aluminum | Design: Retractable swivel spout, drainboard, removable utensil holder | Size: 9.9” x 11.8” x 16.5”

For a cheaper dish rack with a drain spout, look no further than this Tomoretec model (same maker as the affordable Yamazaki dupe above). When cookbook author Hadley Su was fed up with water pooling underneath her basic metal version, her search for a replacement that featured a drain spout was nonnegotiable. She ended up with this, and has been pleased. The spout guides “large amounts of water into the sink,” she says. “A few smaller puddles sometimes escape the drainage system, but they stay contained within the tray instead of soaking our counter.” Though it’s compact, Su says it still “gets a lot done in a little space,” holding larger pans, along with multiple coffee cups, bowls, and silverware at a time. Plus, she notes, the metal is sturdy and rustproof, and the rack doesn’t get top-heavy.

Material: Steel, resin | Design: Removable rotating spout and utensil holder | Size: 6.69” x 16.54” x 9.06”

For those who don’t have much counter space, this super-compact Yamazaki model might be the answer. It’s as attractive as the larger one — just with much smaller dimensions. Still, recipe developer and writer Rebecca Firkser manages to fit everything she needs to in it, including a Dutch oven, plates, cups, and a coffee pot. It’s also just as sturdy; Firkser says hers has held up through regular washes (of the utensil holder, base, spout, and accompanying stopper) and wipes (of the wired rack). Plus it has the benefit of a swivel spout, though Firkser warns it needs to be propped up at a slight angle on one side in order for the water to drain fully. (She does this by slipping two deli-cup lids underneath the feet.)

Material: Steel, resin, silicone | Design: Rotating swivel, removable drain board, and utensil holder, hooks to hang supplies | Size: 13” x 16.1” x 8.7”

If you have lots of height to spare (meaning you aren’t hindered by wall cabinets surrounding your sink), consider this two-tier dish rack from Yamazaki. Both professional organizer Britnee Tanner and recipe developer and cookbook author Jessie Sheehan love it, with Tanner noting the “thoughtfully designed” space-saving features. The overall shape can fit into a tighter space without sacrificing drying ability, she says. The second tier features side hooks designed for odd-shaped utensils or a sponge wand, and the lower level comes with a removable draining board and spout. Yamazaki’s quality is just as impressive here as with their other models. Sheehan says this dish rack is strong; she’s even put a heavy Le Creuset pot on the top tier. “Sturdy, streamlined, simple, and sophisticated, this is the dish rack to end all dish racks,” she says.

Material: Metal | Design: Utensil and soap holders, hooks for cups, top tier specifically for plates | Size: 20.5” x 26.8” (expands to 34.6” x 12.4”)

If you’ve always wanted one of those European-style racks that sits above the sink and drains straight into it, this a great option. It comes recommended by Gracie Bensimon, founder of Gracie Baked, whose most dreaded chore used to be washing and wiping down her old one. It would “just get so gross” from standing dishwater, she says. But this freestanding rack changed everything, leaving her with “no countertop wasted and no watery mess to clean up later,” she says, thanks to the fact that excess water drips mostly right into the sink. Plus you can expand the rack’s width for a precise fit, from a minimum of 26.8 to a maximum of 34.6 inches. (But pay close attention to the height if you have cabinets. You’ll need 20.5 inches as well as clearance for the tops of dishes sticking up.) Overall the storage is plentiful with a spot for soaps and sponges, a section that’s plates-specific, and hooks to hold cups. The drawback, Bensimon warns, is that you don’t have much space for pots and pans. But she doesn’t mind: After cleaning those bigger items, she leaves them on the stovetop to dry.

Material: Steel, silicone | Design: Perforated edges, removable utensil holder, becomes trivet and colander | Size: 20.5” x 12.25” (when opened), 20.3” x 3 (when closed)

While the freestanding rack above is a more permanent setup, this dish rack from Food52’s Five Two line is meant to be laid out over your sink opening and then rolled and stored away when not in use. It’s a favorite of Brittany Nims, former associate director of e-commerce partnerships and business development at Vox Media. The rack does its dish-drying job admirably, she says, even featuring a removable, perforated caddy for flatware. Nims likes it for quick rinses and washing up after small meals, though the company says it’s sturdy enough to hold heavy pots, too. A bonus: You can also use it as a trivet (it’s heat-safe up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit), a produce-rinsing station, and even an extra stretch of countertop.

Material: Steel | Design: Nonslip rubber arms, removable utensil holder, low-profile | Size: 4” x 15” x 12” (expands to 21”)

At its most compact, this dish rack is 12 inches long — but can be expanded all the way up to 21 inches. You simply pull the handles outwards, which at any length, act as a balancing mechanism to place the unit directly over the sink so dishes can dry without causing excess water to pool your countertop. The rack itself is decidedly minimalist — but Heidi Lee, founder of the home-organization service Prune + Pare, appreciates that. It’s “functional but not fussy,” she says. She likes that it doesn’t even come with a drip tray since previous models she has owned get moldy over the years. She notes, too, that there’s an option to upgrade the included plastic utensil holder to this matching steel one.

Material: Metal, silicone | Design: Removable drain board and two utensil holders, hooks to hold glasses | Size: 12.4” x 14.57” x 12.99”

While this rack takes up a fair amount of counter space when fully splayed out, none of it is wasted. “You get a good deal of storage,” Pardilla says. The top easily holds plates and glasses from a four-person dinner, plus hooks for wine glasses that are “strong enough to cradle the most delicate stems,” she says. And the two silverware canisters — which you can attach to each end of the top shelf — are cleverly situated outside the drying rack, ensuring that there’s enough ventilation for everything to air dry properly,

Then, when not in use, this dish rack can be disassembled, folded up, and stored away. And in contrast to other foldable options, professional organizer Caroline Solomon says, this one comes with its own drip tray, which doubles as a place to dry glassware and cookware and cleans easily because of its shallow, grill-like grooves. “This is the dish rack you wish you bought first before the other dinky versions,” she says.

Material: Steel with an acrylic lacquer coating | Design: Collapsible with two tiers | Size: 9” x 11.38” x 18.88”

If extras like a drip tray and silverware caddy are less important to you (or you’re simply on the hunt for a more budget-friendly foldable rack than the Brabantia and OXO above), consider the Kvot dish drainer from Ikea. While all you get is the steel-wire frame, it’s still plenty functional. Recipe developer, food stylist, and cookbook author Melina Hammer has had hers for more than a decade, and it’s still going strong — even given the massive amount of dishes she does in her line of work.

She considers the under-$15 rack a score for how much fits on its two tiers. “It’s not unusual for it to balance a tower sculpture: first a neat row of plates, followed by mixing bowls or a couple of saucepans, then sometimes — if I’ve been batch-making sauces or pastry doughs — food-processor pieces, along with a constant variety of Tupperware, a few jars, and silverware.” (She repurposed a utensil holder from another rack since the Kvot doesn’t come with one.) The hinged V-shape holds tableware in a tidy row, and there’s enough space to spread things out so that high-ticket items (like her Danish mid-century steak knives) don’t touch anything else. Plus it doesn’t look cumbersome on the counter.

Material: Polypropylene, microfiber | Design: Removable rack, drying mat, and utensil holder | Size: 2” 13.5” x 8”

If you don’t want to keep a dish rack out on your countertop permanently (and the over-the-sink models above don’t appeal), this mat lays out on the counter and then rolls neatly away when finished. (You secure it closed with an attached tie.) “It’s nice having something that isn’t too specific, meaning that only certain dishes fit in certain spots,” says food stylist Drew Aichele. With this, he can lay them out in whatever configuration works best — though there’s also a handy detachable plate frame with slots on the ends to slide over the edge of the mat and keep it in place. The mat itself is made from layers of microfiber, foam, and mesh that Pardilla says absorb water well and don’t leave dishes wet for very long. The only notable downside is that it doesn’t come with a utensil holder. “Forks, knives, and spoons can pile up,” she says. “But it’s a fair exchange for something so space-saving.”

• Drew Aichele, food stylist• Gracie Bensimon, founder of Gracie Baked• Rebecca Firkser, recipe developer and writer• Melina Hammer, recipe developer, food stylist, and cookbook author• Heidi Lee, founder of Prune + Pare• Brittany Nims, former associate director of e-commerce partnerships and business development at Vox Media• Lauren Ro, Strategist writer• Brittany Nims, former associate director of e-commerce partnerships and business development at Vox Media• Lauren Ro, Strategist writer• Jessie Sheehan, recipe developer and cookbook author• Alexandra Shytsman, recipe developer and founder of The New Baguette• Caroline Solomon, professional organizer• Anna Stockwell, recipe developer and cookbook author• Hadley Su, cookbook author• Britnee Tanner, professional organizer• Emma Wartzman, Strategist kitchen-and-dining writer• Lisa Zaslow, owner of Gotham Organizers

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