Are you talking about runnels (grooves) or a slope? I think the latter would work better with quartz.

I've never been a big user of dishracks except for when I had no dishwasher. Lately, I've been doing a lot of fiddly cooking requiring handwashing. I found these things for another thread about dishracks and ended up buying them. I don't keep the dishrack out most of the time. I don't like having it in the way. The grass (also comes in white) is amazing for small, drippy things, and the mat is a great little roll up thing. They go with my counters.

They also make this grid, which rolls up, but sits over your sink.

My needs have altered in four years so I bought a cool dishrack. You might look for something that looks good on your counter before you decide to make a permanent installation.

Except for your wood handled knives, all of your handwash items can go into a really good DW with no issues. And it would be a much better investment than a permanent alteration to your counter that not everyone is going to be thrilled with.

I wanted runnels, but in the end did not get them. My fabricator wasnt excited about it, and I ended up with Marble, which I was worried wouldnt hold up as well with all the extra edges of the runnels. Maybe in my next kitchen.

Um. No. LWO, lots of things can go in a dishwasher, but I have a lot that do not want to be immersed or scoured and don't ever belong in a dishwasher. Furthermore, I have some things I use several times a day, and even if I ran the DW every time I used them, they wouldn't be done in time to use again.

Some handwashing is often necessary in a well used kitchen.

nadianyc:

This will involve top polishing quartz after the drain rack, no matter its configuration, is machined. A fabricator would sooner stick his face in a waterjet; it would be less painful than the customer relations nightmare he would be inviting.

Thanks everyone for the input. Really appreciate it. No way I would ever put my Le Creuset or cast iron pots in the dishwasher and I use them multiple times a day. So no runnels but yes to the cool foldable silicone racks.

I have the same drying habits as you. One tip for the iron stuff: just stick it on the stove for a minute or two. Done.

But even though I'm a single bowl kind of gal, I've been looking at double bowl options because of this. There are also single bowl options with basket inserts. My favorite at this stage is a Blanco silgranit cascade sink. It has two levels rather than two bowls, so you can still use it for cookie sheets and the like. I would give you the URL but I'm on an iPad and already lost this post once when I tried to do that! I did manage to cut and paste this other sink:

http://www.homeclick.com/houzer-nvs-5200-novus-undermount-single-bowl-kitchen-sink/p-524214.aspx

I've also seen sinks with integrated runnels.

Here's the Blanco sink:
http://www.blancoamerica.com/inter/kt/HeilerPPMKatalog/hlr-system/USA/Sinks_Bowls/BLANCOPRECIS_Cascade/441525_PRE_CASC_CD_GL-640.jpg

I've never had any issues with any enameled cast iron going through the DW, and I have some pieces that are 25 years old. :) In fact, I eliminated any wood handled tools that couldn't go through the DW to have my tools better serve my needs rather than me pampering them.

I admit that I have not tried it, but I would not put cast iron in the dishwasher. It can rust, and soap removes the seasoning, and the seasoning is what makes cast iron non-stick. I also wouldn't put good knives in the dishwasher whether the handles are wood or not. It dulls them. I also prefer wood cutting boards, which are more sanitary than plastic (surprising but true), and they cannot go in the dishwasher either--loosens the glue.

Here is a link that might be useful: Real Simple list things you can and cannot put in dw

NOOOOOO! Not "cast iron". (faint) Enameled cast iron. Like the LeCreuset or Lodge cookers in the bright reds or blues. :)

Yeah, I still have my grandmother's cast iron skillet that I trot out occasionally and use, but it's the one exception to my rule that everything I cook with goes through the DW.

Enameled cast iron is also on the no dishwasher list according to real simple. I admit that I never use the one enameled cast iron pot I have because it is so heavy and mine was a gift and not a size I use anyway.

I would not put my Le Creuset stuff in the DW....I actually like washing them by hand.

Actually I do not mind washing anything by hand occasionally, there is something about it that I enjoy...weird I know!

I almost killed my hubby when he offered to clean up the kitchen one night. I was ecstatic until the next morning when I realized that he put my generations-old speckled enamel coated little bitty iron skillet in the dishwasher. Yes it rusted where the enamel coating had been scratched off years ago. I was able to re-season it after WEEKS of working on it. Hubby was threatened within an inch of his life if he ever even thought about doing that again. All my cookware and knives gets handwashed...at least when I clean the kitchen...which of course is all the time now...gee thanks My Love!!!

Yeah, I don't mind hand-washing either. Just can't imagine putting my enameled cast iron in the dishwasher-plus the one I use most often is 7 quarts and would take up the majority of a dishwasher rack.
CRL-Have you tried Epicurean or Paper Source cutting boards? I'm obsessed. I have about 15 of them in different sizes. Made with compressed wood fibers and dishwasher safe but easy on knives. They're available at Williams-Sonoma and Sur La Table.