# Counter pad to drain your dishes on--why? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 21, 2014, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counter-pad-to-drain-your-dishes-on-why/691316 "2014-06-21T19:20:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counter-pad-to-drain-your-dishes-on-why/691316/1 "2014-06-21T19:20:02Z")
[This](http://smile.amazon.com/The-OriginalTM-Microfiber-Absorbent-Multipurpose/dp/B004M0P34M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403378026&sr=8-1&keywords=dish+draining+pad)is what I’m talking about, but you see them everywhere for a lot less than $16. I ask: why? How is this better than just laying your dishes on top of a dish towel? To me, the fact that it absorbs water just means that it will take a while to dry. And where will you dry it? If your dishes are that wet, or that delicate, use \*\*two \*\*dish towels and then you can hang them to dry wherever you hang your dishtowels. This seems to belong in the same category as the [paper towel holders](http://smile.amazon.com/simplehuman-Quick-Paper-Holder-Stainless/dp/B00068M52C/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1403378209&sr=8-7&keywords=paper+towel+holder) that stand on the counter. If you’re going to stand the holder on the counter with the roll of paper towels on it, why not just stand the roll of paper towels on the counter? It doesn’t save space. These are the kinds of things that I ponder in my quiet life. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counter-pad-to-drain-your-dishes-on-why/691316/2 "2014-06-21T19:23:25Z")
I find a paper towel holder jolly useful. It protects the paper roll from damp patches on the counter, stops the roll falling over and makes it easier to pull towels off the roll (especially if you’re in a hurry to clear up a spill!) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counter-pad-to-drain-your-dishes-on-why/691316/3 "2014-06-21T19:34:31Z")
what a bizarre product. What’s wrong with a standard dish rack and tray that drains the water into the sink? Why on earth would someone want a pad to soak up the water? That’s just odd. There’s not that much water dripping off dishes anyhow. Let it go into the sink and don’t worry about it. Every home I’ve ever been in had the standard Rubber Maid dish rack (in several color choices). [http://www.walmart.com/ip/Rubbermaid-4-Piece-Antimicrobial-Sink-Set-Red/12521795](http://www.walmart.com/ip/Rubbermaid-4-Piece-Antimicrobial-Sink-Set-Red/12521795) ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counter-pad-to-drain-your-dishes-on-why/691316/4 "2014-06-21T20:03:04Z")
> [@glee](#): > > I find a paper towel holder jolly useful. > > It protects the paper roll from damp patches on the counter, stops the roll falling over and makes it easier to pull towels off the roll (especially if you’re in a hurry to clear up a spill!) Exactly. I also have one of those pads that go under the dish drain. Actually, I have three so I can rotate them. Why? Because my dish drain doesn’t sit on a counter, [it sits on an extension of our stainless steel sink](https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=191966810813919), and water spots can actually ruin it. I’ve found that using towels (which I did before I discovered these wonderful bad boys) didn’t solve the problem of keeping water off the stainless steel, they just got saturated and therefore didn’t protect it from water at all, whereas these do the job quite nicely. To each their own, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counter-pad-to-drain-your-dishes-on-why/691316/5 "2014-06-21T20:05:35Z")
\ I guess I learned some stuff. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counter-pad-to-drain-your-dishes-on-why/691316/6 "2014-06-21T20:17:55Z")
People have sinks that get ruined by water drops. OK, I guess I learned something too. What a strange world we live in. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counter-pad-to-drain-your-dishes-on-why/691316/7 "2014-06-21T20:59:19Z")
I’ve always thought those mats were silly, too. When we have items that are hand-washed rather than put in the dishwasher, I’ll lay out a towel, either under the rack if there are a lot of things, or just on the counter for one or two items. In my studio, I put my washed tools into a dish rack that has a drain board under it. I don’t need a thick, soggy mat to deal with, thankyouverymuch! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counter-pad-to-drain-your-dishes-on-why/691316/8 "2014-06-21T23:35:49Z")
It’s for counter tops that are not next to the sink. the product has to absorb the water draining off. If you have a party and want to wash a lot of dishes then you need more places to set them down. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counter-pad-to-drain-your-dishes-on-why/691316/9 "2014-06-21T23:41:28Z")
Plus the honeycomb-style padding allows air up into your glasses so they don’t “dry” with a lot of moisture left up inside the glass (like happens with dish towels) and pads them nicely so you don’t have to worry about delicate glassware. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2014, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counter-pad-to-drain-your-dishes-on-why/691316/10 "2014-06-22T02:20:53Z")
#1 I’ve never heard of. #2 is fine, but often you have to use a second hand to hold it steady, so I get why it’s not necessary. I have a hanging one. > [@aceplace57](#): > > what a bizarre product. What’s wrong with a standard dish rack and tray that drains the water into the sink? Why on earth would someone want a pad to soak up the water? That’s just odd. > > There’s not that much water dripping off dishes anyhow. Let it go into the sink and don’t worry about it. > > Every home I’ve ever been in had the standard Rubber Maid dish rack (in several color choices). > [Robot or human?](http://www.walmart.com/ip/Rubbermaid-4-Piece-Antimicrobial-Sink-Set-Red/12521795) Do most people, who don’t have fancy granite countertops, have a sink that lies flush with the counter? I have a stainless steel sink and it’s about 8mm above the tile counter. The dish rack here (looks like) it slopes down and doesn’t have a rim on that side. That’s worthless for me. I suppose I could raise it, but it’s not big enough to care. I put a couple paper towels folded to soak up drippage, and change it when needed (not too often). ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2014, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counter-pad-to-drain-your-dishes-on-why/691316/11 "2014-06-22T02:33:52Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > what a bizarre product. What’s wrong with a standard dish rack and tray that drains the water into the sink? Why on earth would someone want a pad to soak up the water? That’s just odd. > > There’s not that much water dripping off dishes anyhow. Let it go into the sink and don’t worry about it. > > Every home I’ve ever been in had the standard Rubber Maid dish rack (in several color choices). > [Robot or human?](http://www.walmart.com/ip/Rubbermaid-4-Piece-Antimicrobial-Sink-Set-Red/12521795) Not us. I have limited counter and cabinet space and don’t want to give it up to using and storing a dish rack. The thick pad absorbs water and actually dries very quickly. Most of my pots and pans are hand wash only, so I’d go through a lot of soaking wet dish towels to dry them on. One pad is much larger and absorbs more water, so the counter stays drier. After I use it it folds neatly away. Plus, I can make it fit the space I have on my counter by scrunching it or folding up a corner. Dish racks can’t do that. Got mine at costco and love it. So much better than using dish towels. > [@FairyChatMom](#): > > I’ve always thought those mats were silly, too. When we have items that are hand-washed rather than put in the dishwasher, I’ll lay out a towel, either under the rack if there are a lot of things, or just on the counter for one or two items. In my studio, I put my washed tools into a dish rack that has a drain board under it. I don’t need a thick, soggy mat to deal with, thankyouverymuch! 😃 Doesn’t take long to dry at all. Wash up the dishes after dinner. By bedtime (or next day…) dishes and pad are dry. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2014, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counter-pad-to-drain-your-dishes-on-why/691316/12 "2014-06-22T02:43:54Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > #1 I’ve never heard of. #2 is fine, but often you have to use a second hand to hold it steady, so I get why it’s not necessary. I have a hanging one. > > Do most people, who don’t have fancy granite countertops, have a sink that lies flush with the counter? I have a stainless steel sink and it’s about 8mm above the tile counter. The dish rack here (looks like) it slopes down and doesn’t have a rim on that side. That’s worthless for me. I suppose I could raise it, but it’s not big enough to care. I put a couple paper towels folded to soak up drippage, and change it when needed (not too often). My sink has a rim above the countertop. No problem draining water off the draining board with the lip on the rim. You ever try it? ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2014, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counter-pad-to-drain-your-dishes-on-why/691316/13 "2014-06-22T04:28:08Z")
Also, you can get those standing paper towel holders that allow you to pull off a sheet with just one hand. Those things are the bomb. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2014, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counter-pad-to-drain-your-dishes-on-why/691316/14 "2014-06-22T04:33:36Z")
I have a dish rack and a drying pad. I don’t like the plastic drain things and the pad works better than dish towels. My paper towel rack is magnetically attached to the fridge. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2014, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counter-pad-to-drain-your-dishes-on-why/691316/15 "2014-06-22T06:50:30Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > the pad works better than dish towels. And that’s the bottom line. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2014, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counter-pad-to-drain-your-dishes-on-why/691316/16 "2014-06-22T06:52:53Z")
> [@faithfool](#): > > Also, you can get those standing paper towel holders that allow you to pull off a sheet with just one hand. Those things are the bomb. With a kind of light ratcheting resistance? We have a mounted version on our Ikea tiny kitchen island and LOVE it. It’s securely attached, making it easier to tear the paper towel. The countertop model we had before had a tendency to get pulled along a bit (or a lot) with the paper towel. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2014, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counter-pad-to-drain-your-dishes-on-why/691316/17 "2014-06-22T11:31:13Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > \ > > I guess I learned some stuff. Hey, you started an interesting thread with useful discussion. Be happy! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2014, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counter-pad-to-drain-your-dishes-on-why/691316/18 "2014-06-22T12:09:15Z")
I have a 20% off coupon from Bed, Bath & Beyond burning a hole in my purse… may have to make a trip over there today. If this thread isn’t License to Shop, I don’t know what is. 🙂 I didn’t realize the padded thingies dried so fast even while lying flat on the counter under dishes. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2014, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counter-pad-to-drain-your-dishes-on-why/691316/19 "2014-06-22T12:14:24Z")
> [@zweisamkeit](#): > > With a kind of light ratcheting resistance? We have a mounted version on our Ikea tiny kitchen island and LOVE it. It’s securely attached, making it easier to tear the paper towel. The countertop model we had before had a tendency to get pulled along a bit (or a lot) with the paper towel. I’m not sure, but ours does t budge an inch when you pull on it. I think we got it at Big Lots for less than $6. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2014, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counter-pad-to-drain-your-dishes-on-why/691316/20 "2014-06-22T12:49:37Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > [This](http://smile.amazon.com/The-OriginalTM-Microfiber-Absorbent-Multipurpose/dp/B004M0P34M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403378026&sr=8-1&keywords=dish+draining+pad)is what I’m talking about, but you see them everywhere for a lot less than $16. I ask: why? How is this better than just laying your dishes on top of a dish towel? They look to be better in an office situation where they get cleaned at the end of the day. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/counter-pad-to-drain-your-dishes-on-why/691316.md?page=2)