Dish racks are definitely worth the investment if you consider the old-school way of drying your dishes over today’s dishwasher option. It can cut down on your electricity bills and reduce your carbon footprint, thereby, serving as an eco-friendly option as well. Today’s dish racks for drying washed dishes come with improvised solutions and you don’t have to necessarily feel concerned about traditional dish rack problems like occupying too much space, collecting drip water, and using stale damp towels below the racks. Dish racks available in today’s market are designed for convenience combined with aesthetics. They are available in different features, designs, and materials. Today we are going to take a look at the pros and cons of using wooden dish racks and stainless steel dish racks.
· Wooden Dish Racks: Pros and Cons
Choosing a wooden dish drying rack gives a classic look to your kitchen with a touch of Nature if you’re into earthy elements and want to add a rustic motif to your cooking space. They inherently look elegant with the wooden finish and can complement a neutral look. If your kitchen’s interior design sports neutral shades and vibes, a wooden dish rack would blend in very nicely.
Let’s take a look at the pros of choosing a wooden dish rack:
· Eco-friendly: Wooden dish racks are mostly made from bamboo wood which is often sustainably sourced. It is also renewable. Once disposed of, it’s not difficult to repurpose or recycle because of the natural material.
· Sturdiness: The wooden dish racks are sturdy in built. They can carry a lot of weight if the rack is ergonomically designed for holding enough dishes, which modern racks often are. They come in various capacities with multi-level storage, cutlery storage and for storing a combination of differently shaped items.
· Foldable: Most wooden racks come with a unique X-shaped design and are foldable. This enables them to be quickly removed from their place and kept out of sight when guests come over.
Let’s see what the cons of using a wooden dish rack are:
· Low life span: Wood inherently has a lower life span than other materials like stainless steel, silicone or plastic. The rack’s wooden frame is susceptible to molds and water stains over time, as wood absorbs moisture. This can create a hindrance when choosing a wooden dish drying rack for a long period option.
· Difficult to maintain: A bamboo wood rack would require some care and oil treatment to maintain its shine and clean wooden look over time. If you’re not willing to invest some effort in this regard, you may think twice before investing in a wooden drying rack.
· Collects dirt easily: The nature of wood makes it susceptible to accumulating dirt and grime over time. It is a natural, absorbent surface, so it can get dirty easily. Sometimes cleaning this up would require some time and effort. Although they can be cleaned with mild soap and water, frequent washing can again affect the longevity of the rack.
· Bulky and occupies counter space: Although aesthetically pleasing it may look, if you have limited kitchen space, a wooden rack can seem to occupy more space and if it doesn’t come with a draining board, you may have to get drying mats or absorbent clothes to prevent water accumulation.
· Stainless Steel Dish Racks: Pros and Cons
Stainless steel racks also come in beautiful and aesthetically pleasing designs. They usually have a wider range of designs available in terms of flexibility in storage, size, mounting type, finishes, adaptability and customization as compared to wooden dish racks. Some of them combine silicone parts for more functionality.
Let’s take a look at the pros of having a stainless steel dish rack:
· Longevity: Stainless steel has a long life when it comes to serving its purpose. It is rust resistant so it endures a long life span.
· Customization and variety: Stainless steel racks come in a variety of designs. You can choose a small over-the-sink design if you want to save on kitchen space or have limited counter space. There are wired varieties that can be mounted using the wall space and freeing up any other space the rack would have occupied. Wall-mounted steel racks can be placed above the sink to avoid the use of drying mats. Some of them are collapsible, so it’s easy to fold and remove them from sight after use.
· Easy to clean: Stainless steel dish racks are easy to clean. Some of them can be totally disassembled for cleaning purposes. Cleaning separate parts of the rack make it an easy process. Stainless steel racks are also dishwasher friendly in most cases.
Now let’s see what the cons of a stainless steel drying rack are:
· Oxidation: Although rust-proof, stainless steel can oxidize like any other metal, especially if it’s not made from high-grade stainless steel.
· Fixed designs can consume space: Some stainless steel racks need to be installed permanently and this causes a lack of flexibility when it comes to moving them. Some of them have fixed dimensions and are not customizable according to your sink or counter space dimensions. This can restrict your choice while buying a rack even though it may have other features that you’d like to have.
A dish drying rack can be a perfect utility item in your kitchen. Whether you choose a wooden dish rack or a stainless steel one, make sure you consider factors like ease of loading/unloading of dishes, space constraints, detachable parts, the volume of dishes, etc. Today dish racks are available in combination materials too, like stainless steel with silicone or nylon coating and also wood with steel parts. You can get a variety of choices for dish racks or draining boards from the best brands at Homesmiths.
