If you don’t own a dishwasher, you need somewhere to rest your dishes while they dry—and setting them face-down on a towel simply isn’t space-efficient (or sanitary). And if you do own a dishwasher, there are always a few pieces that you feel better hand-washing, like wine glasses and cookware. Plus, sometimes your dishes don't come out of the dishwasher quite dry enough.
A dish drying rack is an easy solution to all these woes. Because dish drying racks come in an array of styles, you can easily find one that’s as expansive or small space-friendly as you want it to be. Nowadays, quality dish drying racks abound—and many of them are surprisingly stylish.
Here, the best dish drying racks for every type of kitchen.
Best Overall
PremiumRacks Professional Dish Rack
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Durable, customizable, and efficient, the PremiumRacks Professional Dish Rack does it all. It comes with two different drain boards, three cup holder attachments, a utensil holder, a knife holder, and a cutting board attachment, allowing you to get the most out of your dish rack every time you need to use it.
Even better? This dish rack is crafted from high-quality stainless steel, so you won’t have to worry about replacing it for a long time. And given its sleek, space-efficient silhouette, it’ll look pretty great on your countertop, too.
Best Budget
OXO Good Grips Compact Dish Rack
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Amazon
The OXO Good Grips Compact Dish Rack makes the most of its small silhouette. This small space-friendly dish rack only demands 10.3 inches x 13.75 inches of counter space, and its peg-lined design offers plenty of flexibility. Use it to store plates, glasses, and other utensils that need to dry, and rest assured knowing the rack’s ribbed surface will keep your dishes from sitting in a pool of water.
Best Splurge
Simplehuman Steel Frame Dish Rack
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Courtesy of Amazon
The Simplehuman Steel Frame Dish Rack is a durable model that makes it easy to keep your dishes organized. The rack comes with built-in spaces for plates, silverware, and glasses, and its robust stainless steel exterior promises to hold up against rust and discoloration. It’s also fingerprint-proof, so you won’t have to worry about pesky smudges ruining its appeal. Take note that it's on the bulkier side, so probably isn't the best choice for tiny kitchens.
Best for Small Spaces
Chef'n DishGarden Dish Rack
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The Chef'n DishGarden Dish Rack is a smart way to dry dishes in a seriously small space. The key is in the unique shape: Where most dish racks are metal and rectangular, this one is round and plastic, and it doesn’t waste even an inch of space.
The pegs lining its interior are great for housing an array of dishes, and its attachable green cups are designed for flatware. And even though the rack is shaped like a bowl, you don’t have to worry about it collecting water; the rack’s built-in drain spout will ensure that water flows away from your dishes and into your sink.
Best In-Sink
Neat-O Deluxe Chrome-Plated Steel Small Dish Drainer
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Amazon
Don’t have counter space to spare? This steel dish rack can sit inside your sink, allowing you to organize and dry your dishes even when space is limited. It can easily accommodate plates, glasses, and flatware, and its elevated design will ensure water doesn’t pool on any of your dishes. And don't worry if you don't need a dish rack for your sink—this one can sit on your counter too, for all your dish drying needs.
Best Stylish
Yamazaki Home Tosca Dish Drying Rack
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The Yamazaki Home Wood-Handled Dish Rack is one of the most aesthetically-pleasing dish racks around, but it’s also incredibly convenient. Place it on your countertop and the plastic drainage tray will ensure that water is collected in one place, or rest it inside your sink using the handles to keep it from touching the bottom. Made with Japanese minimalism in mind, it's pretty enough to leave out when not in use—and if you buy from Food52, you also have the option of buying in a gorgeous dark gray for even more style.
Best Behind-the-Sink
Ace Teah Dish Drying Rack
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Behind-the-sink dish racks are a clever way to maximize dish drying space even when you don’t have much room on your countertop. Instead of resting in or on your sink, behind-the-sink dish racks sit behind and above it, giving you shelves you wouldn’t otherwise have.
The Ace Teah Dish Drying Rack boasts two shelves, a line of hooks, a flatware cup, a cutting board holder, and even a small corner shelf for your go-to dish soaps. The result is a dish rack that’s large but space-efficient—a worthy investment for people who need more room to dry their dishes, or to store their dishes in general.
Best Double-Decker
Yamazaki Home Double Decker Dish Rack
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Yamazaki Home’s Double Decker Dish Rack gives you plenty of room to store your dishes—and because it boasts a two-tier design, you don’t have to worry about it taking up too much counter space.
Line the top level with plates and flatware, reserve the lower level for glasses and bowls, and dangle other utensils, like strainers and spatulas, off the hooks on the rack’s side. It has surprisingly ample space, and since it’s made by Yamazaki Home you can rest assured knowing it’ll look great in your kitchen, too.
Best Roll-Up
Surpahs Over the Sink Multipurpose Roll-Up Dish Drying Rack
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The Surpahs Roll-Up Drying Rack is really just a small slatted mat you can roll over the top of your sink. Rest it there, and place any dishes that need to dry on top of it—any run-off will drain directly into your sink, cutting down on clean up (and space).
Though it doesn’t come with built-in organization segments, what you sacrifice in orderliness you make up for in space efficiency. When rolled up, this drying rack is 20.5 inches long and a few inches thick, making it incredibly easy to store between uses.
Best Foldable
Bambusi Bamboo Folding Dish Rack
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Amazon
The Folding Bamboo Dish Rack boasts an X-shaped design, which makes it super easy to use and store. Simply unfold it whenever you need to dry a few dishes, and fold it back up when you’re ready to stow it away. The rack’s top shelf is particularly great for storing dishes, and its bottom shelf can accommodate shorter glasses and mugs. Plus, since it’s crafted from bamboo it’s versatile enough to play well with most décor schemes.
Best Collapsible
Madesmart Collapsible Dish Rack
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Madesmart’s Collapsible Dish Rack is a clever little option that adjusts to meet your needs. When you have a lot of plates and silverware to store, stretch the rack up to its maximum two-inch height—the edges will prop up your biggest plates, and they’ll keep your flatware standing. When you only need to dry cups and glasses, compress the rack down until its edges are completely flat. The pegs lining the inside will give your cups and glasses the structure they need, while allowing you to position your drinkware slightly off the rack if need.
Best for Wine Glasses
Kohler Collapsible Wine Glass Drying Rack
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Amazon
The Kohler Wine Glass Drying Rack may not be versatile, but it solves a very real problem: You need a place to dry your wine glasses when you’re done cleaning them. The rack can accommodate six wine glasses at a time, and it won’t demand a ton of counter space. Simply whip it out when you need it, and fold it up when you don’t. Or alternatively, leave it out and use it to store your wine glasses even when you’re not drying them.