Is it worth buying a dish drainer?

Not too long ago, before dishwashers started to dominate our kitchens, washing dishes and pots was part of everyday life. Because of this, dish drains could be found in every kitchen – either hung or placed on the kitchen countertop. It turns out that dish drainers are quite useful as they often help with putting away frequently used mugs or dishes that cannot be washed in the dishwasher.

Why should you use a dish drainer?

During daily cooking, do you often use the sink? Even if you have a dishwasher at home, you surely find yourself hand washing single kitchen utensils, plates, or pots. If you don’t want to place wet items on the kitchen countertop, and a dish drainer is not present in your kitchen, you don’t have time to dry dishes every time, it means you need a dish drainer. This seemingly unremarkable accessory allows you to conveniently store freshly washed dishes or cutlery, but you can also place wet pots or pans on it.

Sink with a drainer or a separate drainer?

When equipping your kitchen, you can choose from many sink models, including those with a drainer in the form of a countertop, usually with grooves, where you can comfortably place the dishes you are washing, pots, or vegetables prepared for cooking. However, a separate dish drainer would be a much more convenient solution. Why? Well, it's simply more versatile.

Drainer for the kitchen countertop?

Many of us have favorite mugs or glasses that we use several times a day. Therefore, instead of putting them in the dishwasher, we usually wash them by the sink. And here comes the problem - what to do with the wet dish? Of course, you can wipe it and store it in the cabinet, but definitely, a quicker and easier solution would be to set it on a drainer. Water can freely drain from the dish, and your favorite mug will be ready for reuse.

The second scenario where drainers for sinks are definitely useful is hand washing delicate porcelain cups, crystal glasses, or hand-painted plates. In every home, there are items that should not be washed in a dishwasher. Silver or plated cutlery or the set of kitchen knives used regularly when cooking also stand up better to hand washing. That’s why it’s worth having a functional dish drainer on your kitchen countertop.

When choosing a model placed on the countertop, make sure it has a special "drawer" for water to drip into from washing. Additionally, there should be separate containers for cutlery and possibly dispensers for soap and dishwashing liquid.

Choosing the right dish drainer for the kitchen

If we have convinced you about the necessity of having a dish drainer, it is worth considering which drainer to choose to best meet your expectations. In the market of kitchen accessories, you can find drains of various sizes. If you often wash by hand in the sink, choose a large model that will allow you to freely place all washed dishes. If you wash less frequently, and you also have a small kitchen, a smaller dish drainer mounted above the sink will be more appropriate.

Many stores' offers also include drainers installed directly on the sink. If you have a large double-bowl sink at home, a good choice would be a drainer located directly above the sink compartment. Thanks to such a solution, water will easily drain into the waste hole. Additionally, placing the drainer on the sink saves space on the kitchen countertop. Such a drainer also works well with a single-bowl sink, but in that case, it needs to be slightly smaller; corner models may be a good option.

Plastic drainer or stainless steel?

When choosing a dish drainer, you should consider not only its size but also what it will be made of. The most popular models are made of materials resistant to moisture and scratches, and their advantage is the ability to choose from many available colors. However, if you care about a particularly elegant solution, choose a stainless steel drainer.

Stainless kitchen accessories always look excellent; they are not only stylish but also practically indestructible. Resistant to high temperatures, mechanical damage, and the action of detergents. They fit both kitchens equipped with a large sink and those where the sink is installed in a small cabinet. Check our proposals for dish drainers and choose the one that best fits your kitchen.