One of Aldi’s most popular specialbuys, the heated winged airer, is returning to store next week (19th November) for a bargain price of £29.99. However, I’ve recently come across the Beldray Quick Dry Heat Unit and 3 Tier Cover, which might beat Aldi to the punch as the best budget-friendly way to dry your clothes indoors this winter.

I’ve been the proud owner of one of the best heated clothes airers (Lakeland’s Dry: Soon 3 tier heated airer) for almost 10 years now; in that time, I’ve become very attuned to their pros and cons. Yes, they do speed up drying times on clothes, but with some of the cheaper models you have to regularly move your clothes around the bars to achieve the desired result.

While many of the Ideal Home team own and love the Aldi heated airer, they note that this is a big con with the Aldi version. You have to either lay your clothes flat across the bars or be constantly rearranging them to get those quick-drying results. Then there is the other issue: what do you do with the dryer in summer when you don’t need the heating element?

Over the last two years, a new type of heated clothes airer has broken through to fix both of these issues. They use a fabric cover and a ‘heat pod’ to turn an ordinary airer into a quick-drying system during winter, which can be easily packed away during summer when it’s not needed. Right now, Beldrays ‘ version has been reduced from £50 to £33 in the Argos Black Friday sale, and is one of the cheapest you can buy right now.

I’ve yet to test the Beldray heated airer system, but I have used a similar product from Minky when the technology first launched and was impressed by how effective it was. You pop the ventilated cover over your usual tiered clothes airer and then pop the ‘heated pod’, the part that’s like a hair dryer, on the floor underneath the airer. The heated pod pumps out hot air to dry your clothes quickly and evenly, as the heat rises and spreads out under the cover.

I found that this type of system can dry clothes in 2-3 hours, which is reflected in the Beldray Quick Dry Heat Unit reviews: ‘Clothes dry within 2-3 hours depending on thickness and amount on the airer. Great buy!’ wrote one reviewer. ‘I’m so happy with this; great if you don’t have the central heating on. It dried a full airer in 2 hours and warmed the room up, great value for money,’ wrote another.

It isn’t without its downsides; like the Aldi heated airer, the heated pod is noisier, and you have to check it will fit over your existing clothes airer, as one isn’t included with the system. But unlike the Aldi one, you can also order it online right now.

There is a place in the home for both of these types of affordable airers. If you are short on space and looking to speed up drying times as much as possible, I’d give the Beldray system a try. But if you’ll be bothered by the noise, are on a tight budget and don’t have an existing clothes airer, I’d wait for the Aldi one.

Right now is the perfect time to invest in a heated airer with the Black Friday sales kicking off. Here are a couple others I’ve spotted on offer that we’ve tested and loved.

Finding the best bath towels can be a difficult task. I have tried and tested countless towels that go stiff after just one wash, or don’t seem to properly dry you at all, but the right towel can have the biggest impact on your daily life.

While it’s a small item, I’m a big believer in making sure that the basic things we use everyday are those that we invest in. Finding the best, high-quality towels for less will feel like a win and a warm hug every time you step out of the shower – particularly as we enter the coldest months.

Luckily, I’ve done the hard work for you – Rise & Fall’s towels are some of the very best out there, rivalling premium brands for a lot less and their Black Friday sale has started. With 20% off, now is the time to buy.

Rise & Fall’s business model puts luxury first, without the crazy mark ups. I’ve tried their products first hand and can attest to the fact that the quality of the materials is truly top tier, but what sets them apart from other brands is that the prices are much lower.

They partner directly with the best manufacturers and produce small quantities which cuts out waste and inflated mark-ups, so you can get the same high quality as other retailers provide, for a fraction of the cost.

Towels are the area where I think this is the most valuable. No one wants to overspend on towels, but equally, you notice when towels are poor quality. Rise & Fall’s towels are crafted in Turkey from 100% Aegaen cotton and woven using an ‘Aqua-fibro’ process which increases absorbency.

With 20% off, two bath towels are now £36, which is an amazing price for the quality. What I love about Rise & Fall is that they do extended bath towel sizing – there’s nothing worse than a towel that barely wraps around your body.

You can choose between a bath towel, bath sheet and an XL bath sheet, and these are available in 5 different colours.

The move-in bundle, priced at £105.60, is a great option for overhauling your bath towels in one fell swoop. It includes two bath sheets, two bath towels & two hand towels, and works out 15% cheaper than if you were to buy separately.

This would also make a fantastic gift for friends and family who are moving into a new home.

Shop Rise & Fall bath towels

Now is the perfect time for a bathroom refresh – these budget bathroom ideas will provide plenty of inspiration for affordable updates.

The best hosts will know well that detail is everything when it comes to curating a beautiful Christmas table. And one key detail is, of course, your Christmas crackers – and I’ve found a real showstopper. George Home’s Premium Pudding-Shaped Christmas Crackers (£8).

While there’s nothing wrong with your standard Christmas cracker, opting for one of the best Christmas crackers can really help elevate your table. Plus, George Home’s pudding crackers look so fun; they are ideal for creating a playful atmosphere, too.

If you’re in need of a stylish table decoration idea, George Home’s Christmas pudding crackers are not only quirky and unique compared to a standard cracker, but they are incredibly affordable, too. Here’s everything you need to know.

This year, Christmas trends have centred on creating more whimsy at home. Whimsymaxxing has been trending all year, as we seek to make our homes feel like extensions of our interests and personalities. Christmas decorating is no exception this year.

George Home’s Christmas Pudding Crackers jumped out at me firstly because of their unusual style. Instead of having a traditional cracker shape, these are shaped exactly like Christmas puddings. Instead of being ripped apart, these crackers are pulled from the top to reveal the prize instead.

I wouldn’t expect to find anything groundbreaking inside the cracker. It looks like you’ll get fairly standard cracker items such as a whistle, silver dice, and even a trolley key. But I think this is all part of the fun, and a nod to the Christmases of our childhoods – a nice nod to nostalgia.

These pudding crackers are beautifully detailed, and with each pudding wearing its own kitsch bow tie, they are cute enough to make even Scrooge smile. However, if this is not quite to your tastes, I’ve also noticed George Home is selling Pink Premium House Shaped Christmas Crackers – Set of 6 (£8).

If you’ve been a fan of the Scandi Christmas house trend, these crackers are certainly not to be missed. Shaped like little gingerbread houses, these crackers have intricate gold and pink details for a luxe finish.

If, like me, you’ve fallen for quirky, characterful Christmas puds, here are a few more stylish designs that have caught my eye.

If you want to impress your guests at the dinner table this Christmas, George Home’s quirky Christmas crackers are an easy winner.