In the days before dishwashers, homemakers fashioned their own drainboards for drying dishes by spreading a kitchen towel on the countertop and placing wet dishes on the towel. Another option was to purchase a dishdrying rack and place it in the second sink or on the countertop and hope the water made it to the sink before damaging the countertop.

Drainboard Kitchen Sink Advantages

Dishwashers changed the way most of us wash dishes, but not in all cases. Even though dishwashing appliances are in most homes, it is better to wash crystal glasses, for example, by hand. Drainboard kitchen sinks are ideal if you have many fragile items that need to be handwashed. The smooth or ribbed sloped surface of the drainboard channels water directly into the sink. Drainboard sinks come in all of the materials that sinks come in, including stainless steel and Corian.

Not only is the drainboard an ideal place for drying your hand-washables such as wine glasses, plastic containers, or pots and pans, a drainboard is also the perfect place to set a hot pan. If you have ever struggled with draining water off spaghetti with no safe place to rest the heavy pot, you know the value of an integrated and hardy drainboard.

A drainboard kitchen sink is also a convenient place to put a cutting board for food preparation. Peelings and refuse can easily be pushed from the drainboard into the garbage disposal. If young children or inexperienced assistants help with food preparation, a drainboard kitchen sink is the place for your helper to be. You will worry less about your helper damaging an expensive countertop if his enthusiastic efforts result in wayward slices with a sharp knife.

Drainboard Kitchen Sink Disadvantages

The major disadvantage of a drainboard kitchen sink is that the drainboard will take away some of the usual countertop space.

Also, if the drainboard is ribbed, the grooves will need to be carefully cleaned with a toothbrush or other soft-bristled brush. This is especially necessary after cleaning or preparing meats such as poultry or pork.

In addition, a drainboard kitchen sink usually costs more than a standard model, and trendy top-mount styles are limited.

Updated March 11, 2018.