Best heated clothes airer – 5 top buys for when your washing line is out of action

You’ve probably heard of a heated clothes airer before, and you might’ve wondered if they are actually worth the money. Well, the short answer is yes. Whether you own a tumble dryer or you’ve not got space for one at home, a heated clothes airer will make tackling a pile of wet washing 10 times easier. Not to mention that once your washing line is out of action from October to March, this will prove to be a handy alternative for indoor use, whether in a designated utility room or in your kitchen.

Heated clothes airers, for anyone who doesn’t know, are the same as your normal clothes airer yet once plugged into power, they heat up in order to dry your clothes faster. Yes, this means no crispy towels. Huzzah! It makes for a quicker turnaround if you’ve not got a tumble dryer, or if you have got a tumble dryer, it’s another way to dry smaller loads. It also rids the need to leave wet stuff in your machine if you tumble dry half a load at a time.

Undeniably brilliant for use in the wintertime, when drying clothes on a normal airer is a proven feat thanks to cold air and condensation, a heated clothes airer will probably be something that you’ll soon wonder how you ever lived without. The majority of these airers are foldable, too, so that once you’re done they can be tucked neatly inside a cupboard. Plus, they can be popped up in seconds, and in any place from your kitchen to your utility or bedroom, so long as there’s a socket nearby. Some airers come with a cover to use to speed up drying time, just to make this process a little more seamless.

A brilliant alternative to a tumble dryer, it’s easy to see why heated clothes airers have gained such traction recently. Here, we list the best options on the web to buy now to speed up your laundry routine. Otherwise, if a heated clothes airer isn’t something that you’re in a position to invest in right now, then using one of the best dehumidifiers inside the room where you often air your laundry will definitely help to dry your clothes faster.

The best heated clothes airers you can buy

1. Aldi Easy Home Heated Airer

The best heated clothes airer 

Image credit: Aldi

Rails: 20
Weight: 3kg
Size:  L147 x W54 x H94cm
Foldable? Yes
Cable length: 1.4m

Reasons to buy
– Reasonable price
– Easy to setup
– Lightweight and foldable
– Can be used to dry sheets, towels and clothes

Reasons to avoid
– Large footprint
– Can only hold around 20 pieces of clothing

Offering plenty of space to dry clothes, sheets and towels, this Aldi airer is our best pick for all households. Especially thanks to its budget-friendly price tag, that is. With a total of 20 rails, it offers enough space to dry anything from long garments to pairs of socks and even your luxurious bath towels. Rest assured it’s also lightweight and folds away nice and neat so that you can slot it down the side of your fridge, inside a cupboard or beside your washing machine with ease. Just use it with the fabric cover that comes included, to speed up drying time.

This airer has wings so that you can dry dresses, jumpsuits and trousers without them touching the floor. It’s constructed from sturdy aluminium so that you can even use it to hang heavy wet towels, plus this also means it won’t rust. It’s basic, but rest assured it’ll be there when your tumble dryer isn’t large enough, or so that you needn’t hang wet clothes on your radiators. It’s also ideal for small households with smaller washing loads to tackle.

Buy now: Easy Home Heated Airer, £39.99, Aldi

2. Black + Decker 63099 3-Tier Heated Clothes Airer

The best heated clothes airer for families

Image credit: Black + Decker

Rails: 30
Weight: 5.5kg
Size: H140cm x W73cm x D68cm
Foldable? Yes
Cable length: Not mentioned

Reasons to buy
– Small footprint considering how many clothes it can dry at once
– 3-tiers to dry a 15kg load at one time
– Foldable to a small size

Reasons to avoid
– Couples or single households might want to opt for a smaller airer

This beast of a heated dryer from Black + Decker boasts three tiers and it can hold a 15kg load, thanks to a whopping amount of 30 rails. Simply just lay your wet clothing or towels over each bar and switch this airer on. The heat it produces should help to dry your clothes faster, and once you’re done, it folds flat. It’s great for anyone who often has a lot of washing to do in one go, and it can hold an impressive amount of clothing whilst taking up a small amount of floor space. It’d fit perfectly in a utility room, otherwise you could use it tucked neatly in a corner in your bedroom. As for bedding, you can throw a sheet or duvet cover over the top of this airer and switch it on to do its magic.

This 5.5kg airer is lightweight and foldable to an impressive size once switched off and cold. You can store it underneath furniture, inside a cupboard or slide it in between your large appliances. It’s super easy to use and we can’t think of any reason you shouldn’t buy it, apart from the large (yet understandable) price tag. Just note that if you don’t often have a lot of washing to do,  this might be too large for your needs.

Buy now: Black + Decker 63099 3-Tier Heated Clothes Airer, £109.99, Amazon

3. Dry:Soon Drying Pod

The best heated clothes airer for shirts

Image credit: DrySoon

Rails: 6
Weight: 3.5kg
Size: D62cm x H146cm
Foldable? Yes
Cable length: 1.85m

Reasons to buy
– Won’t leave your clothes super creased
– Small footprint
– Great for thin clothes
– Ideal for using to dry clothes that can’t be tumble dried
– Lightweight and foldable
– Timer function

Reasons to avoid
– Takes 2 hours+ to dry jeans and thicker clothes
– No hooks to secure hangers in place on rails
– Makes noise (although it is quiet)
– Can’t tackle an entire laundry load
– Doesn’t come with hangers

Use this heated clothes airer for drying a smaller load, such as a few shirts or polo tops, with ease. Simply enough, all you need to do is pop your wet clothes on a hanger and then hang them on the bars inside this pod. Zip up the cover and switch it on, then sit back and relax as hot air will circulate inside until your clothes are ready to wear. With enough space for you to hang 12 garments at any one time to dry, this airer can dry lightweight clothing in less than an hour, and thicker clothes such as jeans in around two hours. This might not be the best option for drying an entire load, but it is a great addition to your home if you have a tumble dryer, but don’t like to use it for jeans or certain shirts because it makes them so creased. It’s also great for use on clothes that can’t be tumble dried.

Designed by a laundry expert, this airer should rid the need for you to iron your clothes. Due to its nature, and because it dries your clothes whilst they are on hangers, this should blow the creases right out of your garments. Lightweight and sitting on three legs, it takes up little floor space whilst in use and it’s foldable once your load is dry. It’s made from robust aluminium to stand the test of time, although some reviewers noted that they wish it came with hooks on the rails, to keep their clothes in place whilst drying. Just be warned that, unlike a rack, this airer will make noise when in operation. It is quiet at 52dB, but it’s not silent. Use the handy timer function to set this heated clothes airer for 3 hours. This way you can go about your day rest assured it will switch off in case you forget to unplug it.

Buy now: Dry:Soon Drying Pod, £79.99, Lakeland

4. Homefront Electric Heated Airer Dryer Rack

The best looking heated clothes airer

Image credit: Homefront

Racks: 6
Weight: 7.28kg
Size: H90.5cm x W53.5cm x D36cm
Foldable? No
Cable length: Not listed

Reasons to buy
– Slimline design
– 2m of usable space
– Looks great

Reasons to avoid
– Families will need more rails than this can offer
– Heavy than other models at 7kg+

Check out this smart looking heated clothes airer, that’s brilliant for smaller homes and smaller loads. It offers just six rails to dry your clothes and towels, which means it can be moved from room to room with ease thanks to its compact size. We’d avoid using it for bedding due to its small height, but it is admittedly handy for housing a few items that can’t otherwise be tumble dried if you would rather avoid hanging clothes on your radiators. Oh, and did we mention that it looks great? A far cry from other heated clothes airers, this one isn’t just compact to make it an unobtrusive addition to your home, but its silver finish makes it look luxurious and a little like a heated towel rail you’d find in a posh bathroom, yet on feet.

Thanks to its small size, this airer can be stored underneath a bed or in a cupboard with ease after use. And since it’s made from tough aluminium and ABS plastic, it will definitely last for years of use in your home, whether you’re using it for damp towels or wet clothes. It’s a great option for couples or those who also have a tumble dryer but want something to help juggle the loads.

Buy now: Homefront Electric Heated Airer Dryer Rack, £54.99, Robert Dyas

5. Dry:Soon Deluxe 3-Tier Heated Airer

The best large heated clothes airer

Image credit: Dry:Soon

Racks: 36
Weight: 7.7kg
Size: D70 x L74 x H132.5cm
Foldable? Yes
Cable length: 1.35m

Reasons to buy
– Timer function
– Lots of space for tackling a lot of washing
– Great for families
– Accessories available but sold separately

Reasons to avoid
– Not the best for small homes
– Needs a dedicated space, such as a utility room
– Heavy, which is expected due to its size
– High price tag

Set up this heated clothes airer in your utility room and sit back and marvel at all it can do. This is a heated clothes airer that can tackle a mountain of wet washing, from bedsheets to socks plus pants, shirts and more. Though be warned: it takes up a lot of space when in use, so it’s definitely one to hide away in a utility room as it would easily overwhelm a kitchen. It can offer 21 metres of total useable rack space. A total of 12 racks sit on 3 levels, meaning there are 36 rails in total. Due to its height, this rack can be used to dry bed sheets and fitted sheets, too.

Yes, although sizeable, this heated clothes airer is foldable. Its aluminium frame folds to be 9cm deep to make it easy to store away perhaps in a garage or a cupboard. This is definitely the best heated clothes airer out there if you don’t have a tumble dryer to rely on too, as it will make drying one or two loads doable at one time. It’s ideal for families especially since it offers a timer function so that you can set it and go about your day, worry-free. There are several attachments that you can buy separately, to use along with this airer, including a mesh shelf for drying delicate or smaller items when flat.

Buy now: Dry:Soon Deluxe 3-Tier Heated Airer, £179.99, Lakeland

What to consider when buying a heated clothes airer

Size
Don’t overestimate how large a heated clothes airer can be once unfolded. Before you choose one, think about where it will live when in operation. Remember this needs to be near a plug socket and away from children and pets. For most people, this will be a utility room, so in this case, you might want to consider what available floor space you have whilst still being able to open doors and access your washing machine.

Is it foldable?
This is super important when it comes to storing your heated clothes airer after use. The majority of airers are foldable, for sliding underneath furniture or hiding in a cupboard. The only airer on our list that isn’t foldable is naturally compact in size, so it can still be stored away with ease. Make sure to measure the size of the clothes airer you are considering whilst folded, to check that it fits in the storage space you have in mind.

Construction
The majority of heated clothes airers are made of stainless steel or aluminium, mostly for durability for when trying to dry wet and heavy clothes and towels, but also because this material is anti-rust.

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