I too didn't want to leave a dish rack out. My sink has a full bottom grid. I've been fine so far drying large items (cutting boards, sheet pans, pots) at one end of the sink on this grid. I dry smaller hand-washed items on the top rack of the dishwasher. I load the top rack back to front, and there's usually enough room for drying at the front. So far it's worked fine. The best rack is no rack.

The larest group will be using the rack in the dishwasher. You could use that rack since it's likely right next to the sink. For things like one of a kinds that get washed and replaced for the next user, immediate drying works fine once you make it part of your routine. Just like the washing part already is. Time yourself when drying. You'll be surprised at the small amount of your time it actually takes. And once you know this the 'chore' is diminished to its proper importance.

Most things go in the dishwasher here but for the things that don't I use a thick towel folded in half to set the dishes on to dry. Once they are dry I put them away and hang the towel in the laundry room so it can dry.

I've never found a rack that actually works for me.

I have the same roll-up mat that yeh-yeh has and it's great (I got it at BB&B). I also own a microfiber mat, which works very well but I find it difficult to keep it folded for storage, whereas the roll-up mat fits perfectly in the tip-out sink front.

Frequent topic here. The one yeh_yeh posted above is very popular. Somebody used a piece of PVC tubing under sink to store it rolled up.

I also have the roll out mat and love it.

Why some buy sinks like Stages or Prolific with integral racks that sit in there and can be stowed.

Perhaps I'm just strange but I cannot understand why anyone needs a dish drying rack when there is a dishwasher next to the sink.

For the few things that get hand washed, I just put down a big dish towel, let them sit for a few minutes and then put them away.

Dish drying racks, to me, are so 1955.

I do the same as sjhockeyfan325. I bought my roll up rack on amazon.

In a very small kitchen like mine the roll out drying rack is very handy for more things than actually drying dishes. When I do wash something by hand most times I dry right away and put away. I use my roll out mat with a cutting board on top while it's over part of the sink for extra cutting area, washing fruits and vegetables and they can dry while doing other things without having to take out another item like a strainer, putting hot pans on and it can be used as a trivet for hot cookie sheets. It gives me a little extra workspace. The best part is it takes up very little space when storing.

I wash pots and pans twice a day that fill up the drying rack. We have a Wright soapstone sink and SS counters with runnels. The rack is always on the counter.

We always have a lot of handwashed dishes that don't go in the dishwasher: tupperwares with bpa, Teflon, my son's lunch box, and his plastic dinnerware. We use the roll up one too and love it. We have a minimalist white kitchen with carerra counters, and we leave it out all the time. It looks like it was designed for our kitchen.

I understand the advice to just use the dishwasher, but I don't see how everyone fits everything in the dishwasher every time. I am a from scratch cook, for a two adult, two small children household. I run the dishwasher once after lunch for breakfast and lunch dishes and once after supper. Even with running it twice, I still almost always have a few, to several pieces to hand wash. How does everyone have room for everything in one dishwasher? Do I just make more dishes than most? (full disclosure: I'm NOT a clean-as-you-go cook, so after supper I have all the dirty dishes from prep and eating to wash.)

To answer your question, OP, I am a dish drainer user, and this is how it works for me. A few hand wash only items like my good knives or narrow mouth glass milk jugs (that don't get clean in the dishwasher) accumulate through the day beside the sink. After supper I wash those items and the dishwasher overflow by hand and have my dish drainer stacked up with clean dishes. I'm also in the air dry camp, so I leave those items to dry all night. In the morning I put the dishwasher and the air dried dishes away, and stow away the drainer under the sink, leaving my sink drainboard clear until after supper. Where your situation may differ is if you have an open concept home and don't want your drainer on display, even for a few hours in the evening. HTH!

I actually use my Ikea Boholmen colander to drain dishes -- it holds a surprising amount, like a couple of salad plates and glasses, cereal bowls. silverware. it is always on the sink (although, not always full of dishes!) I also have a silicone mat with little pyramid shapes on it if I need more drying room.

You might like this for something to fit in the sink:

http://www.amazon.com/Umbra-Sinkin-In-Sink-Dish-Rack/dp/B005M8YX1W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1463628410&sr=8-1&keywords=in+sink+dish+drainer

Or this: http://www.amazon.com/Dish-Drying-Counter-Expandable-Drainer/dp/B00VXMGZHG/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1463628410&sr=8-4&keywords=in+sink+dish+drainer

I too have the roll up drying rack. Be careful to check the measurements of your sink. The first one I bought from Lowes was too short. I slide the pots and pans I am soaking overnight under the rack which leaves the rest of the sink useable.

I am a drainer. Always have something that can't go in the DW after every meal. Love, love, love the roll up rack, which I learned about here. I roll it up and rinse it daily, and every few days, when there's room, I roll it up and put it in the top rack of the DW to sterilize it. It stores under the sink on end, rubber band around it. Takes 2" of space.

I have the same roll-up rack that yeh-yeh has and I LOVE it. It is so versatile. I wash pots on it rather than breaking my back leaning into the sink to wash them; I hand my counter rag on it to dry; and of course, overflow pots and glasses.

The dish rack I have I also really love. Just got it recently. It's small but amazingly versatile. I've called OXO and begged them to make a larger version of it. I bought a flatware drying caddy (below) as well, and a rubber mat for dog food/water bowls to go under it. It has a lip around the edge so water can't run off of it onto the counter. best dish drying setup I've ever had.

OXO Dish Rack

Slowly over the last two years I have replaced everything in my kitchen that couldn't go into the dishwasher…

I've wondered about that OXO drainer, tibbrex. Glad to hear that it works!

I use my dishwasher as a drying rack when I hand wash dishes. It holds a lot; you can stack them on top of each other, and then just leave the door ajar a foot or so while they dry.

I have my sink full of dirty dishes while cooking, so would never think of using sink space for drying clean dishes, too much mess in there until the final counter/sink scrub and dry down after all the clean dishes are in the dishwasher racks drying.

I love my drying mats. Been using them for years now.

Sherri, I LOVE It, and it goes in the dishwasher, although it's easy to clean by hand and doesn't take up the room in the dishwasher. The Guzzini flatware drying caddy also goes in the DW.

I use a silicon drying mat. LOVE IT! I can also use it as a giant trivet.

silicone mat

Oh, I like the silicon drying mat. Yes, do NOT put really hot things on other drying mats. I learned that the hard way!

If you have the space, I highly recommend putting in a 2nd DW, to use for this reason: as a drying rack.

We hand wash a bunch of stuff: big pots/bowls/knives, etc.

And I'm not the kind to wipe/dry/put away right away, so when I designed my kitchen, I knew it was vital for a 2nd DW as the only solution to get rid of the countertop drying rack.

Benefit: after parties, I get to run both DWs at the same time.

Amanda

My wife also likes the roll out ss matte...in combination with husband using a dishtowel.

Another roll up mat lover here! If it gets gunky, I throw it in the DW.

Just bought one to try, looking forward to getting it.

I just purchased this, and I love it.

http://www.containerstore.com/s/kitchen/sink-area/dish-racks-drainers/in-sink-dish-rack/123d?productId=11001516

I've been using this chrome Rubbermaid placed on my runnels for 2.5 years and it still look good.

http://www.amazon.com/Rubbermaid-6032-AR-CHROM-Dish-Drainer/dp/B000QRCP6E

Funny, I've been using a chrome Rubbermaid like this on my current counter and it looks terrible. It rusts out quite often. I use a brillo pad to refresh it, but my experience with this product is not good... sometimes $10 is not a long-term solution. But perhaps you've got a good one and I've gotten the "lemon," quadesl!

Mine still looks fine, cheap enough to replace.