When I saw this, I thought of those with a small getaway cabin. Every apartment, condo or house needs a way to wash dishes, but within space for full-sized dishwashers, some of us have a tendency to pile tableware into sinks in an endless (non-rinse, non-dry) cycle.

Thus the FlashDry(R) from KitchenAid, since discontinued (perhaps due to its outrageous price), but a still a brilliant example of integrated design solutions for small-space living.

The lid doubles as a draining board, and the unit comes with a snap-on cutting board custom-fitted to the top to further enhance the usability of this surface area. It is well-organized inside with a larger-than-average silverware basket, capacity-expanding capabilities for larger and awkwardly-shaped pots or pans.

With room enough too accommodate up to five place settings at a time, this relatively tiny device also uses 50% less water than a typical washer for similarly-sized loads, can run a full cycle in 20 to 30 minutes, and the lid pops open at the end to release internal steam and pressure.