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My kitchen isn’t small, but I still gravitate toward space-saving tools because they make everything feel roomier. During a recent counter-clearing spree, I came across this popular roll-up drying rack. I was skeptical, but because it was on sale for almost half the price, it was a low-enough risk to see if it could replace my behemoth countertop drying rack.
Now, I’m not afraid to put “hand-wash only” items in the dishwasher, but we still end up washing about half our dishes by hand — especially things like mugs or delicate glassware. So I kept my large drying rack on standby, fully expecting to return it to the counter when this slim roll-up rack proved to be inadequate for my needs. To my surprise, it kept up with my household’s demand, but here’s the real secret: It’s extremely easy and satisfying to clear.
You see, I never cleared the drying rack I was using previously. It was basically an extension of my drawers and cabinets — but not in a good way. Pans, mugs, and knives were all tangled together, and clearing the rack felt like unloading an overstuffed dishwasher. I had zero expectation that I would magically become the type of person who clears the drying rack and finally puts the dishes away.
But that’s exactly who I’ve become. I genuinely cannot believe it, but I clear the drying rack in the same mindless way that I clear my kitchen island and counters. I think it must be a combination of the reward of clear horizontal space (because the rack itself is flat) and the fact that nothing can be stuffed between the slats, so it’s easy to clear.
Speaking of, the rack can’t hold plates vertically like traditional drying racks, but this is actually a pro for me and prevents me from falling back into my old routine of storing dishes for long periods of time and creating clutter. If you don’t have a dishwasher where you can air-dry dishes temporarily and absolutely need to, consider this wall mounted drying rack that also doubles as open shelving.
The only temporary negative was when my children would clear their dishes and accidentally splash dirty water on the clean rack if I didn’t stow it away after using. I showed them what was happening, and they learned to make small splashes in the bottom of the sink. As a bonus, now they aren’t splashing water around the faucet anymore and it doesn’t need to be cleaned as often. Win-win! If your sink is shallow and you think this will be an issue for even the adults in your home, keep in mind that it’s super simple to roll the rack out of the way when you need more space in the sink.
I’m generally a pretty optimistic person, but I seriously thought this rack couldn’t keep up, that it would get in my way or get dirty, or that it was simply too small for my kitchen. I was wrong about it all! It’s basically true love now. If you’re feeling as skeptical as I did, I promise this little tool is worth the risk — even when it’s not on sale.
Buy: Attom Tech Home Roll Up Dish Drying Rack, $15.89 (originally $29.99)
