A couple of thoughts:

If you hand wash stuff, then you still need a drain rack. The runnels don't replace the rack. They replace the drain board/mat thingy (that the rack sits on) that slopes toward, and drains into the sink.

I have very, very little counter space (only a couple feet on either side of my sink), so I was worried about losing work space to the runnels. But the runnels are interesting. They are totally flat on top, and widely spaced, so that I don't lose any work area at all. I can put the blender or food processor on them. I can make a peanut butter sandwich directly on them. I can put a plastic chopping mat on them, and then chop food. So no loss of work space for me at all (but then I don't have a dish rack on them--that would certainly take up work space).

Do they fit the overall "look" of your kitchen? You say you are worried how they will look, which sort of sounds like you just aren't in love with runnels. I suspect that most of us who chose them were really into "the look" of them. I just think they are so so cool! They add such a funky, unique detail that one doesn't see very often on a kitchen counter. Most folks who come in my kitchen like to pet them.

I adore my runnels. I use them daily, starting with the morning when I put the silverware basket from the dishwasher on them (to drip as I unload it). Throughout the day I use it as a place to rest a colander of wet fruits and veggies. I also put colanders of pasta there to drain. And parts of my coffee press. Stuff like that. And I dry them off before making the peanut butter sandwich.

Hope that helps a bit...

:-)

francy

ps just make sure your fabricator knows how to do them properly. Mine didn't, and mine don't drain very well. But I still adore them!

Can I see a photo?

We have what I call Petite Runnels on one side of our sink. We got them for all the reasons bayareafrancy lists: draining produce; placing colanders, etc. We put a cutting board on top of it if we want to use that area as workspace (which we find we often do!).

On the other side of our sink we have a dishdrain, which is a large, carved out area from the countertop with a slope down to the sink. Our (always out) dishrack sits on it. We LOVE having our dishrack sit on something which encourages water to flow down to the sink, not sit in puddles. This is really petty, but it's a lot prettier than a (soggy) towel under the dishrack or a rubber mat.

But I think bayareafrancy put it best when she wrote that those of us who have them really wanted them and think they're cool and handy. I'm not sure it's worth talking yourself into. Yes, I think they're awfully handy, but if you think it'll get in your way them maybe you should listen to that voice.

Good luck!

Pictures? Did you say pictures? Oh yippee, I love posting pictures! :-)
(Note: kitchen is in various stages of construction, and counter is sometimes oiled, sometimes unoiled.)

I have baby runnels like rm. They are runnelettes. Just 12 inches long.

Runnels should be ROUND (and smooth) on the bottom for water to flow. Mine are wonky and "wrong" but still pretty cute!

Wine glasses don't tip or wobble at all.

Hope that helps!

francy