I Love My Dish Drying Mat

1. A dish drying mat can be easily folded and put away. It is far less bulky than a dish drainer of any type.
2. It offers a nice padded surface that the dishes slightly sink into, making them unlikely to tip over.
3. The dish drying mat will not scratch counter tops or leave rust marks like some dish drainers.
4. The dish drying mat is large and holds a good deal of dishes.
5. No more water dripping off the counter, across the cabinet doors, and onto the floor. The mat absorbs it all.
6. A dish drying mat can be used under a conventional dish drainer to catch run off.
7. The dish drying mat dries quickly for your next round of dish washing.
8. The dish drying mat is for more than dishes. (Keep reading below.)
9. Unlike bulky dish drainers, a dish drying mat can be easily washed in your washing machine. (See washing directions below.)

Besides drying dishes on the countertop, a dish drying mat is handy for other purposes.

1. Draining and Drying Freshly Washed Fruits and Vegetables

When I'm washing veggies for a salad, I don't like that puddle of water that accumulates on the countertop. I used to place the wet foods on top of dish towels, but if I was washing a lot of produce, I might have to change the towel two or three times. The microfiber dish drying mat can hold a lot of water. I've loaded up lots of fruits and vegetables without any water leaking out.

The mat is also slightly cushioned, so the fruits and vegetables sink down a tad, just enough to keep them from rolling off the counter and onto the floor. In the photo, you can see some lucious summer peaches and some zesty peppers I've just washed and laid to dry on my mat.

If you do use the drying mat for drying produce, be sure to wash it often so that no food residue is left to get on clean dishes later. I normally just flip it over if I switch to holding dishes. Then I give it a wash in the next load of dish towels.

2. Protecting Countertops from Hot Pans

I discovered this use quite by accident. Some kind friends dropped by with a casserole to share and put it onto my empty dish drying mat that hadn't yet been folded and put away.

The official manufacturer's instructions say not to use the dish drying mat as a hot pad. It's not designed for that purpose. But with common sense, you use it for warm items that have cooled a bit.

3. Non-skid Surface 

Because my dish drying mat is often sitting on the counter, I discovered this third unconventional use. A dish drying mat makes a wonderful foundation for a kitchen work surface such as a cutting board, a baking sheet, or a mixing bowl. I love the slight cushion and traction that it offers.