Wall Shelf for Over the Washer, 11.8 or 15.7 in, Aluminum

For a year our detergent lived on top of the washer. Every spin cycle walked it toward the edge, and one bottle of softener eventually went over the back.

This shelf goes on the wall above the machine instead, 5.4 in (13.7 cm) deep, so the machine top stays empty and the bottles stay put. A front lip holds them from sliding off when the drum gets going.

Under the shelf there is a rail. Hangers go on it straight from the dryer, and a towel thrown over it dries without taking up the whole rod. That is the part I did not expect to use every day, and it is the part I would miss now.

The shelf lifts off the wall plate in one piece. Rinse it in the tub, wipe the plate, hang it back. No tools, no unscrewing.

Two widths: 11.8 in (30 cm) and 15.7 in (40 cm). Same 5.4 in depth on both, so measure the gap between the machine and the wall before you pick. Capacity is 66 lb, which is a lot more than a row of bottles weighs.

Mounting: the plate takes screws into studs, or the no-drill adhesive pads if you rent and cannot put holes in the wall. Aluminum alloy, gunmetal finish, so it does not rust in a steamy room.

Best for: a laundry corner where the machine top has become a shelf already, and a wall behind it with room to spare.

Not ideal for: a machine pushed tight against the wall with less than 6 in of clearance, or a hollow interior door, where there is nothing solid for the plate to bite into.

How to choose: measure the free wall width above the machine. Under 13 in, take the 11.8 in shelf. Between 13 and 17 in, take the 15.7 in. Leave the top of the machine clear by at least 20 in so tall bottles still slide out.

In the box: the shelf, the wall plate it hangs on, screws for stud mounting and adhesive pads for the no-drill route. Pick one method, not both.