If You're Short on Counter Space, This Clever Dish Drying Mat

It's editor-approved and on sale.

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Food & Wine / Amazon

Whether you’re cleaning delicate stemmed glassware, don't want to damage your razor-sharp knife blades, or simply lack a dishwasher in your kitchen, getting your hands in soapy water and scrubbing is a necessary chore. But that doesn't mean that you need to dry everything by hand, too.

A better solution is to use a dish drying mat, which provides a safe place for dishes and glassware, but doesn't take up as much counter space as a large rack. Our editors went on the prowl, researching to find the best dish drying mats based on material, absorbency, size, and design, and right now, one of our top picks is on sale for almost 40% off at Amazon.

Amazon

To buy: Umbra Udry Rack and Dish Drying Mat, $14 (originally $22) at amazon.com

Umbra's dish drying mat and rack is a two-for-one combo. It includes a microfiber mat that soaks up water, keeping your counter dry and drip-free, and a BPA-free plastic rack with 19 slots to hold plates, a utensil caddy, and a nifty little stand that you can hang four stemware glasses safely on to air dry. The rack is adjustable to accommodate a variety of items, including large pots, cutting boards, and more. Or you can remove it altogether and use just the mat if need be.

While the mat and rack are compact, measuring only 18- by 24- by 10.75-inches, there are times when you'll want to store it to free up counter space. Typical dish-drying racks are clunky and take up room, so you find yourself trying to find a spot in any cupboard to shove it out of sight. Not this one! Simply fold the mat in half and secure it with the attached elastic strap — the rack should fit neatly inside.

This combo hit the mark with our editors since it offers the best of both worlds of a mat and drying rack in a space-saving package. We liked that the rack's vertical parts can be detached and that it folds to conserve precious cupboard space, too.

It has earned the praise of Amazon shoppers, with over 8,800 five-star ratings, thanks to its compact size and design. One reviewer wrote, "This is far more than just a drying mat, the dish holder that you can use anywhere on the mat helps organize and space what you’ve washed." They added, "It's also very easy to fold up and put away."

Another bought this as a wedding gift for a friend and decided to buy one to use themselves. They wrote, "It's very compact and makes the counters look so much more clean."

Imagine no more soaking-wet hand towels or clunky dish racks. Snatch up our favorite drying rack and mat combo for $14 at Amazon right now and save that precious counter space in your kitchen.

At the time of publishing the price was $14.