I've Tried Dozens of Dish Drying Mats, and This Is the Only One That Hasn't Gotten Grimy

I’ve been writing about drinks for five years, which means I’ve done a lot of learning on the job. While studying the fundamentals and chatting with experts have been essential, I found there’s no better (or more fun) way to learn about drinks than sipping them. 

And there’s nothing I enjoy more than drinking these drinks out of glassware I love. After years of curating a glassware collection I can get behind, it’s a priority of mine to actually use them — and keep them intact and sparkling clean in the process. Most of my favorite coupes, flutes, and aperitif glasses are not dishwasher-safe, which means I’m rinsing and drying drinking vessels almost constantly.

I’ve tested out countless drying mats, many of which were wobbly, sending my delicate drinkware toppling over. Others quickly collected grime, never drying fully, and needed constant washing to prevent mold and bacteria from building up. That was until I came across these silicone, quick-drying dish mats at Amazon.

Talented Kitchen Self-Draining Silicone Dish Drying Mat

For less than $15, this is a convenient solution that completely calmed my countertop chaos. The 15- by 8-inch pad is ridged and self-draining, so all I have to do is place it next to my sink, set my just-washed drinkware on top, and let it work its magic. 

Unlike most drying mats which are made from microfiber or terry materials, this rubbery alternative is strong and grippy. I love that it doesn’t slide around on my counter and holds my fragile glasses securely in place so I don’t have to worry about any of them breaking. 

The waterproof pad can be easily cleaned with a wet wipe or in the dishwasher and is incredibly durable, despite its small size. It can comfortably dry four to five wine glasses or six narrow Champagne flutes at a time in my experience. While I most often use it for glassware, it’s also a great place to dry ramekins, utensils, and other smaller dishware. I even rest sponges and dish scrubbers on it to keep the kitchen counter dry as I’m cleaning up.

While most drying mats live in a perpetually damp state, this silicone option drains quickly and self-dries in a snap. This ensures my dishes dry swiftly without left-behind water spots or drops. And when I’m done using the mat, its flexible material makes it easy to roll up and store away in any kitchen drawer or cabinet.

This tool from Talented Kitchen is a handy way to avoid grimy dish mats, broken glasses, and damp countertops. For $15, it has saved my priceless glassware time and time again, and now it will save yours, too. 

Shop My Favorite Glassware Picks: 

Flower Vintage Wavy Petals Wave Glass Coupes

The Wine Savant Crystal Ribbed Collins Glasses

Physkoa Colored Wine Glasses

JoyJolt Champagne Flutes

At the time of publishing, the price was $15.