Dish drying racks are a necessity for most of us. They usually tend to be bulky and inconvenient. We’ve searched far and wide for the best dish drying rack to help those of us unlucky enough to have tiny kitchens. Innovation is a great thing and we found some great solutions. The Surpahs Over the Sink Multipurpose Roll-Up Dish Drying Rack is the best solution for most of us with space challenges. To learn more continue reading.
Our Number One Pick:
Surpahs Over the Sink Multipurpose Roll-Up Dish Drying Rack
The Surpahs Drying Rack is our pick for the best drying rack because it’s able to roll up to a very small form factor for easy storage, is very versatile in how it can hold dishes for drying, and is just awesomely innovative. Simplicity in industrial design at its finest.
The Surpahs Drying Rack is a step above other similar roll-up drying racks due to it being entirely coated in silicone. Silicone can withstand water and high temperatures flawlessly and it is very grippy. The extra grip makes it far superior to the similar products that have exposed metal.
Another great benefit of being entirely coated in silicone is that the product is much more durable. Roll-up drying racks that only have end caps can have end caps that come off. Also, the metal is completely encapsulated to protect it from rust and wear. Silicone is extremely durable and much better than metal for this purpose but the metal core provides the strength.
One last great benefit is it’s dishwasher safe so you can toss it into your dishwasher worry free.
If you want the ultimate compact dish drying rack you can’t beat this one.
Runner Up:
Fozzils Snap Fold Dishrack
The Fossils Snap Fold Dishrack is an interesting alternative to the Surpahs rack. It folds flat for easy storage in even the slimmest of spots. This could make it more easy to store for some than the Surpah.
It also folds out to be quite versatile. It is great for drying plates, bowls and other dishes. It includes a spot to place silverware and has hooks for hanging more irregular items.
Its biggest downside is it’s fairly small capacity. Depending on your needs this could be the ideal solution. This is why we made it our runner up choice.
One word of caution, some purchases found it to be a very different color than what is pictured. If color isn’t terribly important to you then it’s a great pick for a tiny kitchen drying solution.
Worth Considering:
KOHLER (K-8631-0) Collapsible Drying Rack
The Kohler Collapsible Drying Rack is a more expensive solution than the others but very well thought out and capable.
Depending on your space requirements, the Kohler could be a great choice. As the most capable of the bunch it does take up the most space. It collapses down but it isn’t nearly as compact as the Suprahs or Fozzils.
It includes a wine glass holder, pop out utensil holder and is capable of holding a large amount of dishes, bowls, and glasses as well as a good bit of cutlery and utensils.
A great feature that’s included is a drain that allows water to run off and down the drain. This means you can conveniently place it beside your sink on the counter and it will drain into your sink.
Some users did complain that the drain pan was difficult to remove for cleaning. Others felt it was too bulky. That may be the cause for you if you’re very space restricted. If you have a little bit of extra room to store this rack it truly is a well thought out piece of equipment.
Additional Information:
Things To Keep In Mind
Is it better to air dry or towel dry dishes?
Air drying is always better. Using a towel can spread bacteria from the drying towel to your dishes. If you prefer to dry your dishes by hand you can always use a fresh towel for drying our dishes and utensils.
How do you wash dishes by hand?
Scrape off the majority of the gunk into the trash and rinse the rest of the easily removed bits off in the sink. Stack the rinsed dishes to one side.
Fill the sink with soap and water and place the dishes in the water. One at a time, scrub under hot water any bits that didn’t rinse off.
For glassware, be sure and not place your hand inside. Glasses tend to be much weaker at withstanding internal forces and you could easily cut yourself. Use a good scrubber with a handle to get in them well.
Once cleaned, rinse with hot water and place in the drying rack.
How do you sanitize dishes?
Hot water is the typical method used at home for sanitizing dishes. If you want to step it up but don’t want to rely on a dishwasher you can use the chlorine bleach method as outlined by the National Food Service Management Institute.
Add 1 tablespoon of bleach to 1 gallon of cool water. Be sure your dishes have been cleaned well and all the soap has been removed. Place the dishes in the water and let sit for at least 1 minute. Remove from the bleach water mixture and place in the drying rack to dry. I’d recommend rinsing prior to placing on the drying rack to protect it from the corrosive action of the bleach.
Can you use vinegar to wash dishes?
Some use vinegar as part of their rinse process to get them sparkling clean without water spots. To do so, add a cup of vinegar to a couple gallons of water you use as a final rinse for your dishes. This should get them looking perfect!
What is the best order to wash dishes?
Generally, start with glassware first. Next move on to utensils. Then tackle plates, bowls, etc. After that, move on to serving plates, pots, and pans. You may need to drain and replace your soapy water as you go depending on how messy of a job it is.
Wrapping Up:
Best Dish Drying Rack For Tiny Kitchens
A good dish drying rack is indispensable even for those of us with dishwashers. Some things can’t go in the dishwasher either because they won’t fit or aren’t dishwasher safe. Cast iron is a great example of what NOT to put in your dishwasher. Then there are some of us that are gluttons for punishment and prefer to do things the hard way and feel a sense of accomplishment when we’re done. No matter which camp you fall in or what needs you have, if you have a limited amount of room to work with you’ll want to have the best dish drying rack at your disposal. We hope we’ve helped guide you in the right direction to that end goal. Good luck and happy cooking.