If you don’t have a dishwasher, a drying rack is a kitchen essential. I had a love-hate relationship with the OXO one I relied on for three years: The crevices would collect water, and before you know it, they’d start to look, well, a little bit moldy. I felt like I was constantly cleaning the thing, just so I could have some peace of mind about the plates I was eating off of. When I moved into my boyfriend’s place, which luckily has a dishwasher, I called it quits with my old Container Store purchase and decided to try something that would require less maintenance. Dorai Home recently launched its Over the Sink Dish Pad—I wanted to give it a go.
As soon as it was out of the box, I was surprised by just how heavy the product was. The thick slab at the end is made out of diatomaceous earth, Dorai’s go-to material (the brand has used it for bath mats, sink caddies, and more). The naturally occurring mineral has antimicrobial properties, but most important, it dries superfast. From my own testing, water drips get absorbed in about a minute. The rest of the rack consists of silicone pieces: a grated cover that wraps around the pad and a series of slats that allows the surface to stretch to 19 inches.
Over the Sink Dish Pad + Stone Sink Caddy Bundle
Dorai Home
$120
$105
When the diatomaceous earth is situated on the countertop, just next to the sink, the rest of the rack can be effortlessly rolled out across the basin, creating a stable surface for even the wobbliest of cups without soaking up any precious countertop space. While I’ve yet to set our heavy Dutch oven on top of the silicone-wrapped iron rods, the brand touts on its website that it can withstand the weight. What’s more, the cream-colored base and slate silicone blend right in with the splashes of gray veining in our white countertop.
Other than topping the rack with wet dishes, I love to use it as a platform for my strainer. There’s something about having a few more inches between my fresh pasta and the bottom of the sink that brings me comfort. The slats also come in handy for propping up baking sheets and cutting boards—no need to sacrifice the whole mat as they dry!
Here’s the thing about diatomaceous earth: Because it’s a porous material, bits of food and stains can show up pretty quickly. Luckily, Dorai sets customers up for success by including a small, round piece of sandpaper. When you notice a mild stain or scuff, get the product damp and then gently “wet sand” off any marks. I use the same method on my Dorai sink caddy, which arguably gets grimier from soap spillage, and it takes mere seconds to get it looking in tip-top shape again.
