This Aesthetic Dish Rack Solved My Limited Counter Space Problem

Between our microwave and the massive espresso machine I had to have, countertop real estate is a hot commodity in our kitchen. Food prep can be a nightmare. Breakfast-making and lunchbox packing alone is an engineering feat that involves stacked cutting boards and precariously placed breakfast appliances. Downsizing our ancient and unnecessarily enormous dish rack has been a game changer. I managed to find a new dish rack that can hold a circus tent worth of cookware, blend in without becoming another eyesore, and become mobile when necessary. The Yamazaki Dish Rack ($87) is a small kitchen work horse worth every single penny.

Yamazaki Dish Rack

From

$87

$87 at Amazon

Inspired by Scandinavian design and "small space living" in Japan, this dish rack is an aesthetic dream. Its white, coated-steel frame and lacquer-coated wooden handles are the perfect balance of minimalism and warmth. I never thought I'd say this about a dish rack, but it looks beautiful on my kitchen counter.

While it's fairly petite in size, it can hold a surprising amount of dishes, thanks to the removable cutlery holder and strategically-molded steel frame. My favorite feature is the tall draining tray that doesn't need to be kept by the sink for overflow. Instead, I can tuck it back in a corner while dishes are drying or move it off of the counter entirely if I need more space. I was afraid that the water build-up would be annoying to have to constantly lift and dump every time the dishes dry, but the water that does accumulate tends to just evaporate. I simply wipe the tray down occasionally to keep it clean. Overall, the dish rack is surprisingly low maintenance.

All praise aside, there's no getting around the fact that this is a pricey dish rack. At nearly $100, some may balk at the idea of forking over so much for something so simple. I get it. But investing in a more attractive and utilitarian version of an everyday household item can be a worthy upgrade if you can swing it. I've spotted less expensive versions, but I can't speak to their quality. I have been impressed by this dish rack's materials, which haven't rusted or accumulated mildew with use.

I love how clean and crisp the white version looks, especially with my kitchen's white cabinets, but you can also purchase a gorgeous gray version of the Yamazaki Dish Rack on the brand's website.

This dish rack is perfect for someone with limited counter space who is also a sucker for intentional design and aesthetics. Since it's a splurge, it may not be the best choice if you need to delegate your kitchen budget to other things like cookware. If you're looking for a beautiful, well-made, compact, and mobile dish rack and are willing to spend, you'll love this one.

The Yamazaki Dish Rack is available on Amazon, Yamazaki, The Container Store, and Bed Bath & Beyond.

Angela Elias is a contributing editor for POPSUGAR Shopping. In her former roles at POPSUGAR, she led the relaunch of its Latine identity and family-focused verticals, directed its Home vertical, and hosted shopping segments for "POPSUGAR Now" on TV Guide Network and video content for brands like Pier 1 and Walgreens. She has nearly 15 years of experience working in the lifestyle space as a writer, editor, content strategist, director, on-camera talent, and publicist.