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I’ve had a love-hate relationship with my dish drying rack for the last three years: The crevices inevitably collected water, and before you know it, they’d start to look moldy. I was constantly cleaning the thing just so I could have some peace of mind about the plates I was eating off of. So when I moved into my boyfriend’s place a couple weeks ago and was blessed with access to a dishwasher, I called it quits with my sink companion. I wasn’t ready to totally give up on a rack—I still prefer to hand-wash certain pieces—but this time, I wanted something lower maintenance. Then Dorai Home reached out about its new Over the Sink Dish Pad—I had to give it a go.
As soon as it was out of the box, I was surprised by just how heavy the product was. I credit the thick slab on one end, which is made out of diatomaceous earth, Dorai’s go-to material (it also shows up on its 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 reliably absorb in about a minute, a big improvement from my previous purchase. The rest of the rack consists of silicone pieces: a gridded cover that wraps around the pad attached to a roll of slats that can stretch up to 19 inches over your sink. Unlike Food52’s similar drying rack, this one doesn’t feature a pocket for cutlery, so it’s still best used in combination with a dishwasher.
Over the Sink Dish Pad and Stone Sink Caddy Bundle
Over the Sink Dish Pad + Stone Sink Caddy Bundle
Dorai Home
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. It did keep even the wobbliest of cups stable, though, all without taking up any precious countertop space. What’s more, the cream colorway blends in with our countertop.
Other than topping the rack with wet dishes, I love to use the slats 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. They also come in handy for drying bigger cookware like baking sheets and cutting boards—no need to sacrifice space on the mat side.
I’m no longer worried about mold, but here’s the thing about diatomaceous earth: Because it’s a porous material, stains can show up pretty quickly. Luckily, Dorai doesn’t try to deny it. In fact, the brand includes a small piece of sandpaper in your order. When you notice a mild stain or scuff, you simply get the pad damp and gently 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.