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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Important kitchen sink poll

138 replies

noblegiraffe · 03/05/2021 15:52

Really dredging the bottom of the barrel with lockdown conversation topics, I was discussing with a friend how we'd been looking round a house and the draining board was on the wrong side of the kitchen sink. It was on the left, which is stupid, because most people will want to use their right hand to take the wet crockery and put it on the draining board, particularly as it is slippery, and having the draining board on the right is the most efficient way to do this.

My friend insisted that their draining board was on the left, but not only that, all draining boards they had ever known were on the left and that this was fine.

So which side should the draining board be on by rights?

YABU: Left hand side
YANBU: Right hand side (obviously)

OP posts:
littlemisskt · 03/05/2021 15:55

Current house is right but we have had some on the left.

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 03/05/2021 15:58

And left was really annoying and wrong, yes?

OP posts:
Whatsissname · 03/05/2021 15:59

Mine is on the right - but given the build quality of anything in this house I'd say that would make it almost certain the norm is on the left! Grin

Before I moved here, draining board was in the left.

GreenShadow · 03/05/2021 15:59

Old kitchen it was on the left.
Current kitchen (same house following extension), it is on the right.

Genuinely can't say the switch was even registered.

OppsUpsSide · 03/05/2021 16:00

Always had it on the left I think, it’s the side I would want it on

InteriorDesignHell · 03/05/2021 16:00

Ideally they're on both sides so you can pile dirty stuff on one side and drain clean crocks on the other

Boscoforever · 03/05/2021 16:00

I don't have one at all. I have never missed it. Take from that what you will.

pigsDOfly · 03/05/2021 16:01

Mine is on the left.

Don't do a great deal of washing up as I have a dishwasher, but when I do wash up, being right handed, I wash the pan, or whatever, with a sponge in my right hand, rinse it under running water and put it onto the draining board with my left hand.

If the draining board was on the right I'd have to put the sponge down in order to put the pan on the draining board.

MyOctopusFeature · 03/05/2021 16:01

The dishwasher is underneath.

FindMeInTheSunshine · 03/05/2021 16:01

I've had both, and prefer on the right, but couldn't tell you why! I am right handed.

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 03/05/2021 16:08

@Boscoforever

I don't have one at all. I have never missed it. Take from that what you will.
But... where do you put the freshly washed stuff??
OP posts:
Boscoforever · 03/05/2021 16:11

That's what the dishwasher is for,Wink.
I don't like draining boards, and I don't like dishes left drying. Stuff gets rinsed and goes straight in the dishwasher.
I honestly have never missed it.

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 03/05/2021 16:11

@FindMeInTheSunshine

I've had both, and prefer on the right, but couldn't tell you why! I am right handed.
Obviously you prefer it on the right because that is the correct placement. A conveyor belt of dirty stuff from left into the sink then right onto the draining board.
OP posts:
PinkiOcelot · 03/05/2021 16:11

Mine is on the left.

Freecuthbert · 03/05/2021 16:11

My kitchen doesn't even have one, I'd be happy with one either side! What makes it even worse is my worktops are solid wood, so without a draining board it is an absolute pain in the arse doing the washing up.

Freecuthbert · 03/05/2021 16:12

Draining board was on the left in previous house... never bothered me.

OneInEight · 03/05/2021 16:15

Ours is on the left. Never been a problem. I am right handed. If we had more room then would have on both sides - one for the dirty stuff and one for the clean.

RichardMarxisinnocent · 03/05/2021 16:16

@noblegiraffe

And left was really annoying and wrong, yes?
It's only annoying and wrong if you're right handed, it's great for us lefties. Mine is on the right, my DP's on the left, I prefer his. I've lived in houses with it on the left, and others with it on the right, I don't think there is a standard configuration.
DramaAlpaca · 03/05/2021 16:19

Mines on the left and although I'm used to it, as a right hander it's counter intuitive to me. It's my own silly fault though as I told the kitchen fitters to install it that way round Confused

Piggywaspushed · 03/05/2021 16:19

In my local Waitrose someone came in and put in all the self serve tills the wrong way round. It drives everyone mad .

You can buy lhs and rhs draining boards so it depends where they go in the kitchen really. Mine is on the left. The idea is the right hand is doing all the big stuff in the sink.

But I have a dishwasher anyway so the draining board serves very little purpose, other than looking pointlessly bulky and dirty and storage for my frying pan.

Sacreblue · 03/05/2021 16:20

Like pigs mine’s on the left I hold sponge/brush in my right hand so it works for me.

I do however get annoyed at how low the sink is. All tall in this house and the counters and sink could do with being raised a good half foot.

Exhausted4ever · 03/05/2021 16:22

I've never seen one on the right hand side ever

Toddlerteaplease · 03/05/2021 16:28

Mine is on the left. I've never given it a second thought!

PrincessPeachh · 03/05/2021 16:29

Mine is on the right but I’d prefer it on the left. I use my washing up brush with my right hand, I then need to put the brush down and put the dish on the draining board with my right hand. If it was on the left, it would flow a lot easier and no need to keep putting the brush down!

mamabear715 · 03/05/2021 16:32

Mine's on the right but have had left handed ones. It doesn't bother me, tbh.