Disappearing draining boards!

[Innernutshell]

Planning a new small kitchen and I've noticed that a many new sinks no longer have draining boards.

This could be great to give a little bit more worktop space but I wonder about the practicalities.

Do you value yours - or are you happier without?

I have a draining board but rarely use it as I have a dishwasher. The only time i was in a property without a draining board (also had a dishwasher) I would lay a clean tea towel on the side, put things out to drain and then dry up, put away and put both tea towels in the wash / up to dry.
It encouraged me to dry up straightaway as I don't like the idea of things laying round anyway. I think I would survive quiet happily without one....as long as i had a dishwasher. If i really wanted one for occasional use i would get one of these and keep it in a cupboard when not in use
www.procook.co.uk/product/procook-dish-drainer-black1?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIs_e1pq_F4QIVYrftCh15bwohEAQYAyABEgLlLvD_BwE#fo_c=1344&fo_k=f7b22a4bbf79e1eb22f0fe62d3635799&fo_s=gplauk

I will be having a slimline dishwasher [cant wait!] Acurl - so maybe in that case a draining board isn't needed.

I can see how the occasional drainer would be good too as a 'just in case.'

I have a dishwasher too but still need draining board for non stick pans as they don't last long if I put those in dishwasher.

There are a lot of things that don't go through dishwashers so you'll still need somewhere to dry them (Woks, picture printed mugs, kids plastic mugs / plates, lunchboxes, flasks, decent kitchen knives with wood handles). Plus a stainless draining area is useful to put down hot pans for straining etc.

Style over substance to get rid of a draining board in my opinion!

We have a 60cm sink and a couple of plastic tray gizmos for draining boards. There are loads around these days.

The only problem with ours is that our ceramic sink sits proud of the worktop, and it's been hard to find a stand alone drainer that allows for that step up. Apart from that it seems to work well. With a dishwasher you don't need as much draining board as you'd think, and we appreciate having the bigger sink instead. We have a washing up bowl in 2/3 of our sink and the other half is good for draining pots and chopping boards.

No draining board in our two year old new build, but we have a modular Joseph Joseph draining board that does the same job and can be fired in the dishwasher.

I grew up in the US and we never had built in draining boards. We either had plastic dish drying racks, or in a smaller space I used a microfibre drying mat. I could take it out when I needed to do some hand washing, then roll it up and put it away when done.

Thank you for your views - all of which are helpful and thankfully I have some time to consider options.

I've chosen quite a tall tap so although I like the streamlined look and more worktop space am wondering if a sink without a drainer might look odd.

Perhaps roller is right.

We have the grooves cut into our worktop which I think looks sleeker than a metal tray built in. On top of this we then have the actual draining stand.

Ah yes - thats an idea shelly though as mine will have to be a laminate worktop its not an option.

I'm slowly letting the idea of a no drainer go...

Mine is laminate - zenith from Wickes.

There isn't one in my kitchen either. My initial thoughts would be that I wouldn't cope without it, but tbh I barely miss it.
We have a dishwasher, but anything that doesn't go in there is drained in the other side of the double sink or on a tea towel on the side.
I have a beautiful glass drying matt that I use on the worktop as well.

I thought it'd be granite shelley - amazing to do in laminate - looks like you have a neat sink too.

More than ever!

Is zenith like Dekton - the ultrathin solid laminate stuff?

I wouldn’t be without a draining board, or grooves cut into the worktop and I have a dishwasher.
Think about even if you just rinse a cup or a pan

My tiny draining board gives me the rage. I cook from scratch and hand wash pots and pans. I dream of a larger draining board.

Have you seen these from B&Q? Sort of a hybrid. We don't have one but when I was browsing for my hypothetical future kitchen I thought they looked a really clever idea as they have a draining board bit you can put over the second bowl. I don't think I could cope with no drainer as like another pp there are lots of things we don't put in our dishwasher

www.diy.com/romesco-smart-space-sinks

@MySecondBestBroomstick. Yes, it’s the thin solid laminate. We used it as splashback as well as worktop.

@Innernutshell We’ve got a 1.5 sink that’s under mounted so there’s no mess round it. I like it and am very pleased you commented!

I have twin sinks, one for washing the other with a basket inside to drain. No draining board!