Dish drying racks and sink caddies: how to choose

First, decide where it will go

Each spot calls for a different product:

• On the countertop: dish racks and caddies for sponges and brushes. Quick to set up, but they take up counter space.
• Over the sink: racks that rest on the edges of the basin. They free up the counter, but depend on the width and rim of your sink.
• Inside the sink basin: suction-cup holders for the sponge and dishcloth, which leave less room for large pots.
• In the under-sink cabinet: rolling caddies for bottles and cleaning supplies.

What to measure before you buy

• The clear depth of the countertop to the wall or backsplash, and the free width next to the sink.
• The clear height under the upper cabinets: add the height of your tallest plate standing upright to the height of the rack.
• The faucet's swing, spout height and handles, which must stay free to use.
• The width and rim of the sink basin, if anything is going in it or over it.
• Drainage: a tray you empty yourself, or a spout or slope that sends water back into the basin.
• Under the sink: clear interior width, depth and height, allowing for the P-trap, pipes, garbage disposal and hinges.

Dish drying racks for the countertop

A fixed rack stays out all the time; an expandable one only takes up its full area when you need it. Check how the water drains too: into a tray that needs emptying, or through a spout into the basin.

The Joseph Joseph Extend Steel 85153 is an expandable dish rack. Closed, it measures 353 mm (about 13.9 in) wide, 310 mm (12.2 in) deep and 167 mm (6.6 in) high; expanded, the depth grows to 515 mm (20.3 in). Its spout has 3 positions and must sit over the basin, which decides which side of the sink it can go on. It comes with a movable silverware holder with knife slots, disassembles for cleaning and should be washed and dried by hand, according to the manufacturer. Plates add height, so check it against your upper cabinets.

• Joseph Joseph Extend Steel 85153 · gray expandable dish rack

Sink caddies for sponges, brushes and dishcloths

• Brabantia SinkSide 117503, for the countertop: 190 mm (7.5 in) wide, 85 mm (3.3 in) long and 115 mm (4.5 in) high. Water collects in a removable silicone tray that needs emptying; the manufacturer permits dishwasher cleaning.
• Joseph Joseph Surface 85112, for the countertop: 180 × 128 × 125 mm (about 7.1 × 5.0 × 4.9 in, width × depth × height), with compartments for bottles and brushes and a support for sponges. Its sloping base is not a drain connected to the sink.
• Brabantia SinkSide 302466, inside the basin: 171 mm (6.7 in) long, 127 mm (5.0 in) wide and 106 mm (4.2 in) high, with a suction cup and an open base. The suction cup may not hold on coated, textured or sloping surfaces, or a raised rim.

These heights are for the empty caddy; brushes and bottles stick up above them.

• Brabantia SinkSide 117503 · dark gray countertop organizer
• Joseph Joseph Surface 85112 · large stainless steel sink organizer
• Brabantia SinkSide 302466 · dark gray in-sink organizer

Rolling caddies for the under-sink cabinet

The Joseph Joseph rolling caddies group cleaning supplies and pull out toward the door (width × depth × height):

• 8500022, narrow Stone caddy: 168 × 462 × 112 mm (about 6.6 × 18.2 × 4.4 in).
• 8500002, large Stone caddy: 305 × 465 × 110 mm (about 12.0 × 18.3 × 4.3 in), with a divider and a front compartment for sponges and cloths.
• 8500001, Stone caddy with 2 tiers, needs assembly: 200 × 470 × 335 mm (about 7.9 × 18.5 × 13.2 in).
• CupboardStore 85197: only the height of the empty caddy, 112 mm (4.4 in), is given.

For the three Stone models, neither a maximum load nor the height with bottles loaded is given.

• Joseph Joseph 8500022 · narrow Stone wheeled cleaning caddy
• Joseph Joseph 8500002 · large Stone wheeled cleaning caddy
• Joseph Joseph 8500001 · two-tier Stone wheeled storage caddy
• Joseph Joseph CupboardStore 85197 · rolling cleaning supply organizer

How to choose the right size

Manufacturers list outside dimensions, not a number of plates. After your biggest hand-washing session on a typical day, set everything that needs to dry at the same time on a dish towel, plates upright, and measure the area it covers. Compare it with each model's footprint, leaving room for pots. If the amount varies a lot, an expandable rack keeps the counter clear the rest of the time. For caddies, measure your dish soap bottle, your brush and your tallest bottles.

Common buying mistakes

• Forgetting the height with plates under the upper cabinets.
• Mixing up closed and expanded dimensions.
• Not planning where the water goes: a tray needs emptying, and a spout must sit over the basin.
• Assuming a suction cup will hold in any sink.
• Assuming the material prevents rust or is dishwasher safe when the manufacturer does not say so for that variant.
• Thinking the brushes, cloths or bottles in the photos are included.

Quick checklist before you buy

• Location decided: countertop, over or inside the basin, or under the sink.
• Countertop depth, clear height and faucet swing measured.
• Closed and expanded dimensions compared with the space available.
• Drainage sorted: tray, spout into the basin or open base.
• Under the sink: clear space and obstacles noted.
• Care instructions from the manufacturer: hand wash or dishwasher.
• Exact variant: color, finish and model number.

Sources consulted

• Joseph Joseph Extend Steel 85153, 353 × 310 mm cerrado — Joseph Joseph
• Brabantia SinkSide 117503, 190 × 85 × 115 mm — Brabantia
• Joseph Joseph Surface 85112, 180 × 128 × 125 mm — Joseph Joseph
• Brabantia SinkSide 302466, 171 × 127 × 106 mm — Brabantia
• Joseph Joseph 8500022, 168 × 462 × 112 mm — Joseph Joseph
• Joseph Joseph 8500002, 305 × 465 × 110 mm — Joseph Joseph
• Joseph Joseph 8500001, 200 × 470 × 335 mm — Joseph Joseph
• Joseph Joseph CupboardStore 85197, 112 mm de alto — Joseph Joseph