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No matter how you play it, a dish rack will never be a beautiful object. And I would know because, as a stylist, it’s always the first item I hide when photographing a kitchen. Even the more modern ones out there, like Yamazaki’s Tosca model, still look clunky and take up precious counter space. But I have recently seen the light, and it is Food52’s Over-the-Sink Dish Drying Rack. I spotted it at a friend’s apartment and immediately noted that it’s good-looking and space-saving. The unobtrusive rack lays flat over your sink, and when you’re done with your dishes, you can roll it up and stash it in a drawer. 

My apartment-dwelling self had to have one. As soon as I unrolled it over my own sink, I realized its superpowers. It does more than just dry your dishes; you can drain washed lettuce leaves and even use it as a cooling rack for freshly baked cookies because it’s heat-safe up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit. Another fun fact? The last slot is a little wider, to fit pot lids, rolling pins, or dish towels. 

While I wouldn’t call it tiny (it’s 20.5-by-12.25 inches when rolled out), it won’t hold as much as your traditional dish rack, so it’s probably best suited for people who aren’t doing a family’s worth of dishes or for those with a dishwasher who hand-wash dishes on occasion. There’s certainly room for a few glasses, a bowl, and many utensils to dry at once, but you might need someone on hand-drying duty if you’re cleaning up from a large dinner party. 

But the real question is: How will you make use of all that extra counter space?