\n<\/p>\n
We independently select these products\u2014if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Thank god for all of the bars, restaurants, and markets, because if it weren\u2019t a seriously fun town with access to great food and killer ingredients, the drawbacks of living in New York City apartments might be too much for the aspiring home chef. Consider the dishwasher \u2014 or, if you\u2019re like a lot of New Yorkers, the lack thereof. However, while not a dishwasher sucks (big time), there are lots of things you can get to lessen the pain. I\u2019m talking about a killer sponge, sink caddy, and, of course, a good dish rack<\/a>. Whether it\u2019s after a party or an involved cooking project, you\u2019re eventually going to be staring down the barrel of an intimidating pile of dirty dishes that for some reason (you have a date coming over, your parents are visiting, you finally decided to stop GrubHub-ing every one of your meals) need to get done ASAP. <\/em>And, when this day inevitably comes, you\u2019ll be glad you invested in a good dish rack. Oh, what\u2019s that? You don\u2019t already have a dish rack<\/a> that\u2019s perfect for small countertops, is easy to clean, and <\/em>looks chic enough to be in a suburban kitchen with an island and a perpetually full fruit bowl? Well, it\u2019s your lucky day, since I\u2019ve found the perfect dish rack for small spaces: the KitchenAid Compact Stainless Steel Dish Rack<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The KitchenAid Compact Stainless Steel Dish Rack<\/a> is great for a number of reasons, but my favorite part about it is that it\u2019s actually compact \u2014 in other words, it\u2019s not just in the name. It measures at 15 inches by 13.25 inches, which fits snugly next to my small apartment sink, while still leaving me room to access my toaster and microwave that are tucked into the corner. And, despite its relatively small footprint, the dish rack can accommodate a surprisingly large amount of plates, bowls, utensils, and glasses. It\u2019s also made using heavy-duty, satin-coated, rust-resistant wires, and features soft, rubberized feet which keeps my countertop free of scratches. (Or, at least doesn\u2019t add to the scratches that are already there.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Another reason I love this dish rack is because it makes my kitchen look way<\/em> nicer than it actually is. The clean lines, stainless steel, and grey accents look clean and match every kitchen aesthetic. Plus, unlike a lot of dish racks i\u2019ve used in the past, this one<\/a> actually drains, and doesn\u2019t just pool up and get gross over time. However, if you want to clean it, it\u2019s pretty easy to take apart, since the utensil rack is removable (and customizable) and the tray slides right out. I also find myself using the rubberized prongs that allow drinking glasses to drain over the sink (what I call the \u201ccoffee mug holders\u201d) way more than I thought I would.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n If you\u2019re fed up with your dollar store dish rack \u2014 or if you\u2019re just dreading having to clean the draining tray and want to save yourself the hassle \u2014 the KitchenAid Compact Stainless Steel Dish Rack<\/a> is a huge upgrade. It\u2019s great for small spaces and has enough room to tackle large piles of dishes at once. That means no more having to hand-dry dishes or leave them in the sink for days at a time to, ahem, \u201csoak.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n