Stainless Steel Dish Rack

Welcome to this site.  Here we hope to provide useful information that will guide you in your journey in finding a stainless steel dish rack to suit your needs. 

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There are several types of dish racks on the market.  Most, these days, are made from plastics while some are still made from wood.  They serve well, but many people don't like the way plastic or wood gets grimy over time, and they worry that you can't put the parts in a dishwasher to clean them.  They might be top rack safe, but not all of the parts may fit on the top rack.  Another thing is that plastics can crack and break, as can wood.  They will look raggedy before they are ready to be discarded, so you end up living with a rack that works well but looks terrible, ruining your entire kitchen decor.  Stainless steel is what the name implies.  Steel is durable because it is a metal alloy of steel.  Stainless means that it is an alloy that won't rust and doesn't stain easily.  Stainless steel is an expensive metal, so anything made from it will be pricier than plastics, but stainless steel dish racks will last longer and be tougher and longer lasting than the plastic or wooden ones.

There are many different forms that are available in dish racks.  There are the traditional one layer type where there is a slotted tray for the dishes and a flat area for cups, usually with a utensil holder attachment adjacent to the flat area.  There are "double decker" designs which place the slotted dish holder section above the flat cup and glass area.  These are more space efficient for smaller areas and less of a footprint on your counter top.  There are also wall mounted and wall adjacent designs which even can include a towel hanger.  Inside-the-sink stainless steel dish racks are ideal for when your counter space is at an absolute premium.  They have the added benefit of not needing to be dumped out since they drain directly into the sink.  Frame dish racks are simply a tray design that contain the organizer wire pieces within a huge steel tray design.  Many reviewers appreciate the simple elegance of this design, and note that some of them come with flip down attachments for holding cups on the sides.  Drainage systems that funnel the water back into the sink are a better design than the ones that require the user to empty the dish rack and physically dump the water into the sink.  Believe it or not some designs require this, so investigate the particular rack that you are interested in and pay attention to the reviews that many sites include.

Small inside-the-sink racks can work great for smaller half sinks which usually seem to be wasted anyway.  It provides real function for the previously little used half sink and enables you to clear your counter top for good.  The stainless steel material is long lasting and can withstand being constantly wet.

Folding racks are handy if you desire a dish rack for special occasions and may not need one every day.  Simply fold it up when it is dry and empty and pack it away for the next occasion when you will have plenty of dishes and utensils that need to air dry.

Expandable dish rack units are great for those who may not have many dishes on a daily basis but on special occasions and holiday parties the need to hold more dishes and utensils is present.  Simply expand it out to hold many more than you usually require, and when finished it reduces back into a smaller form factor, using less space.

Make sure that any dish rack that you are interested in has rounded and non sharp edges, and that the welds are secure and solid.  Look for spouts that direct the water back into the sink for counter top models.  Pay particular attention to small details like utensil holders, to make sure that they are not shoddy and that they match the quality of the rest of the rack.  Sometimes this is a weak link that you must be aware of before you buy.

Finally, rubber coated stainless steel or steel racks are sometimes a choice that some people make, since the soft texture is more agreeable for something that touches their fine china.  While it is true that the shine of stainless steel looks "richer", if you can make the color of the rubber coating work with your decor, this may be the perfect option for you. 

Some well known brands to look for are Simplehuman, American Standard, Polder, Endurance, Zojila RSVP, Better Housewares, Rubbermaid, and Kohler.