Customer Reviews

Zojila 'Rohan' Dish Rack Drainer Utensil holder and Drain board, Stainless Steel Self Draining

5 star:		(58)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

It is a sad commentary on the current state of kitchen design, but this is the only dish drain that doesn't slavishly imitate all of the other crummy "rack on a mat" models out there. The drain part is truly innovative in its simplicity: a gently curved sheet of stainless steel, raised on legs and tilted towards the sink. Water drips from the rack onto the drain, rolls towards the middle, and spills over the edge into the sink. If only the rubber feet were less hard and more sticky, so that the thing wouldn't slide on the counter every time you touch it; if only the rack itself were large enough for the dinner dishes and pots and pans of at least two people; if only the thing were not soooo ridiculously over-priced. It should last forever. I'll continue keep my eyes open for the manufacturer that takes the basic design innovation of this drain and improves on it. If there is a market for dish drains in this price range, someone will surely build a comparable or better one for less. As for now, this is the best I have seen or used.

Update: Ok, I've used this for several months now, and would like to add these comments: First, the utensil holder is so poorly designed that I have replaced it with a cheapo wire basket. Take a good look at the photo of the utensil holder: it is open-sided. It's been a regular source of aggravation for me, as my forks, spoons, and knives would regularly drop out through the open side. You can't see it from the photos, but the steel sides are folde over to form the bottom of the utensil holder, and there is a narrow gap between the bottom and the side in two places. Table knives, and sometimes forks, will slip through the gap between the sides and the bottom and become wedged there. That is simply unacceptable for an appliance that is marketed as high-end design. The utensil holder also slides right off of the end of the dish rack onto the counter or into the sink if you're not careful. My second complaint is that the drain board is too short at the back side. I alluded to this in my initial comment. Even though placed in the wire rack, pots, pans, and lids hang close enough to the edge that they drain directly onto the counter. I mean, what's the point? How much more would an extra half-inch of stainless steel cost? I would demote this to three stars if I could figure out how. It's a good effort, but I maintain that it is waaay over-priced for what it is. Considering the design short-comings, price and shipping, this is not a good value. Too bad it's the best there is.

I needed a larger stainless dish rack and wanted to do away with plastic trays forever. But if you've also been doing dish rack research, you know that a good rack is hard to find! Initially I was drawn to the SimpleHuman line, as I have one of their stainless soft close garbage cans, and LOVE it. But after seeing some of the racks in Target and other stores, I changed my mind due to the amount of plastic accenting their otherwise fine designs.

Enter the Zojila rack. Hoo, it's expensive! But on the plus size, it's spacious (2 adults in my household) enough for a day's worth of dishes, sturdy enough to withstand dish pyramids, clears the counter by 2 inches, drains water as described, is easy to clean, and looks BOTH practical and sophisticated - I mean, how "stunning" can a dish rack look, really? Although I am still waiting for the day when someone comes over and gushes over it, like I would if I saw it in someone else's kitchen for the first time. But I'm a nerd.

I'm very satisfied with my rack and am looking no further. However, a few cons made me give 4 stars instead of 5, mostly having to do with initial set up. Specifically, I had to do some metal fabricating to get the rack properly balanced on the drain board. Further pounding was required to fashion a slope so that water would drain off the board. Also, like another reviewer, I have lost a small glass to the end that has a wide opening - although this can be prevented by moving the utensil rack in front of the opening.

All in all, I am quite pleased and would buy this rack again. Just be ready to receive yours with a rubber hammer.

When my dishwasher broke down I went looking for a nice dish rack until I could get it repaired. My existing dish rack was still good but not at all exciting. I read and re-read the reviews on this dish rack for several weeks before I took the plunge and bought it. It was fairly pricey, and I didn't know if it would be big enough.

It definitely is big enough. I especially like its ability to hold bowls and a pie plate on edge. These were hard to fit into my old dish rack. I can fit all my own dishes for a full day's worth of meals, or invite a friend or two and have room enough.

The rack doesn't take up much room - 13" from sink edge to the other end so if I don't put it away, I still can work around it. The drain board is raised 1" and is on rubber-tipped feet; it stays dry underneath. It slopes decisively toward the front and middle and water always runs off.

It's easy to clean, too. I have hard water, but so far I just have to wipe down the drainboard with a damp dish cloth and the hard water stains go away.

It's listed as unavailable right now but the Zojila web site says they will have more of this in stock in August. I'm very glad I bought this, and at this point don't really care if my dishwasher is ever fixed.

but the dish rack itself is small, has a large space open on the side (I already lost a precious small glass that fell thru and smashed)and just doesn't hold all that much. It seems to be designed for dishes and glasses but I use bowls, and lids, and pots and all kinds of stuff. I prefer the classic style of drainer.

On the other hand, stainless steel is certainly better looking and doesn't grow mold like plastic does and the draining part works quite well as long as I check to be sure it is hanging over the sink first.

Well, I'm embarrassed to gush about a dish drain, yet this aesthically-pleasing and fabulously functional kitchen item inspired me to spring clean my kitchen, which was sorely in need of attention I realized afterwards. My rusty, mildewy Rubbermaid dish drain and drain board were evidently holding me back! :-)

I don't have a dishwasher or a microwave, so I have a lot of pots and pans at mealtime along with the plates for my family of three. I was worried that the rack wouldn't be able to handle the pots at the same time as the plates, but it's not a problem. The design makes efficient use of the space, and I have no trouble managing all the odd shaped items along with the usual plates and glasses.

I can't speak for how long the Zojila dish rack drainer and board will hold up, but it looks like it will have a much longer life than the tacky Rubbermaid models I've used and thrown out in the past. When you calculate the cost and frequency of replacing cheaper models, the Zojila model probably saves money over time.

I'll say this, beyond the $$ savings one gains over frequent replacement of cheap substitutes, it's hard to put a price on having something functional on the counter that's appealing not detracting, and maybe even inspiring! I'm very impressed, and it's quite rare that I say that about consumer products.

i like the way it looks but have already broken a couple of glasses from "incorrect placement", if you don't place the dishes strategically, it tips over and thus things break. That's not very cool and i'm thinking about buying some weights to hold it down. and my stainless steel pan is already gross and spotty from a couple of uses. i need to clean it with some stainless cleaner. either way, i wasn't very impressed with the price and the $10 shipping fee, totaling $60. i'd rather pay $30-40 for the whole package.

First off, this is going to be a product review thrillogy:

Part 1: Dishdrainers and Me: A History of Violence
Part 2: (to be titled after my Zojila 'Rohan' arrives
Part 3: (to be titled and written after I've lived with my Zojila 'Rohan' for a couple of weeks)

Part 1: Dishdrainers and Me: A History of Violence
There are some people who take their dishdrainer out of the cupboard whenever they need it. I don't understand these people. Aren't there always dishes? Oh wait, maybe some people don't need a dishdrainer on the counter at all times. I don't understand those people.

Second, considering the bewildering variety of counter sizes, and sinks, sink materials, and sink disposition relative to the counter, it amazes me the lack of variety in dishdrainer design. Most dishdrainers are fine for most sink/counter setups. However, my sink/counter setup doesn't support a standard "rack on mat" (RoM) approach. The lip of my sink rises about a half inch above the counter, meaning that the water in an RoM will not drain into the sink. It won't drain unless I contrive some kind of wooden ramp, or footies for my RoM, or a system of wood, footies AND towels on the counter. And I tell you true: Tried them all.

So knowing that a standard RoM wouldn't work, I deployed a fashionable bamboo rack in combination with the Mat from an old and obsolete RoM, as well as a piece of wood to angle the setup toward the sink. As well as a towel on the counter to help prevent slippage. However, I encountered severe problems: the bamboo rack did not fit on the mat, the wood moved, and the rack ultimately became unstable. Finally, this Sunday an entire load of dishes slid right back into the sink.

When the newly cleaned dishes slid into the sink, I simply removed all dishes from the ill-fitting bamboo rack, took the rack to post at the top of the back stairs, and I smashed the bamboo rack into a thousand pieces. Even though the impact was wood on wood, I saw sparks come out.

I told my wife that "it just broke." She was at work.

So, today I had a mission: find a dishdrainer that will function properly in the context of a raised-lip sink. Budget was not a consideration. I found the Zojila 'Rohan'. It is clearly named after the Israeli commando unit that it was designed for. The Rohan's sturdy materials, sensible architecture, and sleek appearance make me confident that our long struggle is over! Viva The Rohan!

I got free super saver shipping so Look out for Part 2, coming in 5-9 business days!

Part 2: This is now the Zojila 'Rohan's' Kitchen

Last night the Zojila 'Rohan' welcomed a load of dishes into its steely embrace. The Zojila 'Rohan' cradled a frying pan, grasped a pint glass, a bowl, and several utensils, making it all look effortless. I watched the water on my dishes cascade into the Zojila 'Rohan' stainless steel water-drip tray. I saw the water slide toward the center, pool into a mass, and move into the sink.

I wept.

Next: Part 3: Living with the Zojila 'Rohan'

First off, let's talk about the most important aspect: is it any good? Well, frankly, yes, it's great, both design-wise (look stylish), quality-wise (it's well-made) and practicality-wise (it firmly holds plates in place, has adequate space for glasses, cups, etc., and drains as it promises to). I decided to buy this particular rack because I have a small kitchen and the drainer area next to the sink is too small for pots, pans and plates, etc. With this product, I can place this to the other side of my sink and the water drains away without messing up my sideboards and gives me double the space to dry stuff...Presto!

Secondly, I really should mention Rony at Zojila whose customer service was exceptional. I live in the UK and the first attempt to deliver the package was foiled by the US Potal Service who didn't put it on the plane and sent it back to Zojila. Rony dutifully traipsed again back to the post office to resend through no fault of his own. When I eventually received the package (thanks USPS, yes, "on the plane, there's a clever boy") an item was missing. Rony immediately responded to my concerned email and assured me that a replacement would immediately be sent. Sure enough, I received it (without USPS delay this time!) in good time and safely packaged.

A pleasure to deal with and a fantastic product...I hope the company does well and I would recommend this drainer to anyone.

Aesthetics: The welding is not of the best craftsmanship. There are various bumps from excess metal at the joints of the bars. Of interest, sharp, jagged edges surround the four ports on the tray where the balls of the rack fit in. The unit is made in China, not sure if that's a factor. Meticulous construction is expected from a $70 rack; the result here is rather disappointing. The legs of the tray could be lowered because the rack stands at two inches above ground at its apex. The metal has a silver sheen and is much brighter than it is pictured here. The silverwares basket definitely appears to be an afterthought, looking rather ill-match with the rest of the rack. Nonetheless, I concur with most of the reviews here praising the considerable thoughts and creativity channeled into this humble dish rack. I especially commend these features: the precision slope of the tray to direct excess water, the sweeping wing of the dish holder and the unit's graceful, pleasing overall façade at all angles.

Function: The rack holds plates exceptionally well but has troubles with smaller bowls (e.g. 5" in diameter and 2" in height), which can fall out from any of the four sides. An extra metal bar running across the opening could have remedied the problem. Anticipate some trials and errors to get used to the open design. The rack can definitely hold larger bowls and even a 20" frying pan if they are stacked properly. The rack is easy to clean using a wet sponge or towel, better than any plastic tray. I did not experience the same problems as some of the others with silverwares (e.g. small yogurt spoons) falling out of the basket, which in spite of its unattractive appearance serves its purpose very well.

Overall: The market for quality metal dish rack is underserved but this one is indeed a great start. The design concept is exceptional. However, I wish the manufacturer would have better oversight in its construction.

It is a beautifully designed and very high quality product. It has plenty of room and is very stable on the counter. After seeing it I would've expected to pay much more.