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12 best heated clothes airers and drying racks, tried and tested

Save money on energy bills with these top-rated heated clothes airers and drying racks

Zoe Griffin
Monday 13 November 2023 13:44
<p>Heated rails are also gentler on stitching and materials, compared with using a tumble dryer</p>

Heated rails are also gentler on stitching and materials, compared with using a tumble dryer

Our Top Picks

  • Easylife XL heated airer
    Easylife XL heated airer
    Best heated clothes airer overall

    This is one of the bigger airers available. With three tiers and 30 heated rails, it can hold 15kg of laundry, which works out as about two full loads of most standard washing machines.

    IndyBest
    Dunelm heated airer with wings
    Best budget heated clothes airer

    One of the most versatile dryers we tested, Dunelm’s winged heated airer, which costs around 7p an hour to run, can be used with its two wings either folded out or tucked in. This means it takes up less space when not used at full capacity, and we could fold away one of the wings when certain items had dried faster than others.

  • JML Direct
    DriBuddi portable energy-efficient indoor electric clothes dryer
    Best for ease of assembly

    Powered by a 1,200W motor, this pod-style dryer will hold 18 garments (or up to 10kg of clothing) and can be left on for 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 minute time slots, or just switched on and off at will. It’s another dryer that is ridiculously easy to set up – we simply slotted the shaft into the base, then popped the collapsible parasol-like topper, with its six hangers, onto the top. It’s got the same small holes at the top that other pod-style dryers have, and the clever position of the zip at the top allowed us to control the amount of air circulation, which will come in especially handy when drying extra-damp garments. It was one of the quickest dryers when it came to heat-up times and was warm to the touch in just 10 seconds.

    Lakeland
    Dry:Soon deluxe three-tier heated airer and cover
    Best for large amounts of clothes

    This is an efficient pod-style dryer (although it can also be used without the cover) for bigger households keen to dry large amounts of laundry (up to 15kg) in one session. The included accessories bundle covers garment-specific items that transform its capabilities, whether it’s the mesh shelves that are designed for smaller items such as socks and pants that can be laid flat, or the six-peg hanger to keep items in place. We particularly liked the 30-peg mesh shelf with a hanger to air out underwear and delicates.

  • Black+Decker three-tier heated airer
    Black+Decker three-tier heated airer
    Best for families

    Another larger airer, this can handle a full washing machine load of clothes and more. The rails are spaced out more than on other rail-based airer models, which makes arranging clothes over it fast and simple. There’s no struggle to squeeze a top or a pair of trousers into the middle rail, for example, you can simply throw the clothes over it as fast as you can and get on with something else.

    Dry:Soon drying pod
    Dry:Soon drying pod
    Best for quick drying

    This pod-style dryer features a base pole on a tripod and six rails that can hold two items each. Setup wise, it couldn’t be simpler, which is great if you’re lacking in the DIY skills department. Simply attach the two parts of the base pole together, put the bottom end into the base, add three legs, plug in and power on.

  • Amazon
    Homefront electric heated clothes airer
    Best compact, collapsible design

    A slimline dryer that is ideal for smaller homes, this sleek heated garment airer resembles a standard bathroom towel rail, and costs around 3p an hour to operate. It’s incredibly light (weighing just 2.4kg) but will hold the same amount of washing as a 2m-long washing line. Although there’s plenty of room for smaller items, its thicker rails make it particularly suitable for larger pieces, such as towels and sweatshirts, with no risk of the individual rails sagging or popping out of place.

    Aerative heated clothes airer hanger
    Aerative heated clothes airer hanger
    Best for travel

    Weighing just 540g, this packs up easily into a suitcase or a weekend bag, so you can travel light. It’s ideal for short breaks or flights when you want to take hand luggage only.

  • beldray-heated-airer-indybest-review
    Beldray heated airer with wings
    Best value for money

    This affordable option from Beldray is capable of holding up to 15kg of washing across 18 heated bars, but it’s more than £100 cheaper than other models with equal drying capacity.

    Glamhaus heated airer with wings
    Glamhaus 3-tier heated airer with cover
    Best for making clothes feel line-dried and soft

    Drying clothes is a bit like cooking – if you whack up the temperature, your garments will dry faster but they’ll feel slightly crisp on the outside. The GlamHaus heated airer is the answer for anyone who loves the feel of clothes dried outside on the line (who doesn’t?). With the cover on, the air circulating around your garments will be a constant temperature of between 44C and 55C, which is a lot lower than a standard radiator, which is often 70C to 80C.

  • Dry:Soon mini three-tier heated airer
    Lakeland dry:soon mini three tier heated airer and cover bundle
    Best for versatility

    Slightly shorter than the standard and deluxe versions of the Dry:Soon three-tier heated airer, this mini airer is a great option for big families living in smaller homes, where space comes at a premium. The airer can hold exactly the same amount of washing (15kg) as bigger models but within a smaller footprint, and it’s easier on the wallet.

    Minky 12m heated airer
    Minky wing 12m heated airer with cover
    Best budget heated airer with cover

    A cover massively speeds up drying times and is normally an added extra, so we were pleasantly surprised that this £60 Minky heated airer had one included in the box. This is the lowest price we’ve seen for a heated airer that comes with a cover.

If you hate living with laundry draped over your radiators but don’t fancy the running costs of a tumble dryer, you’ll be pleased to hear there is a middle ground.

A heated clothes airer looks like a regular airer, except the rails heat up when you plug the unit into a power socket. It’s estimated these devices cost between 10p to 20p an hour to run, making them cheaper to use than a tumble dryer.

Clothes dry faster over these spaced-out rails than they would on radiators, and the appliances are far kinder on the stitching and material of your garments than tumble dryers, so you’re saving potentially not just on running costs but also the price of replacing clothing ruined by spinning in the dryer.

As heated airers have grown in popularity – it can often be hard to get your hands on one in the winter months – they’ve also evolved greatly in design.

There are ones with wings, large three-tier ones and drying pods aimed at people who are short on space. Some of them have covers to trap hot air inside a confined space, which helps to dry the clothes faster.

The only thing to remember is you need to fully spin your clothes in the washing machine (or drip dry hand-washed items) first, as water and electricity should never mix.

To help you find the best heated clothes airers for your laundry and living space needs, we’ve tested a variety of sizes and shapes. You never know, with one of these appliances in your arsenal, you may even get to see the bottom of your laundry basket, as the devices can help you work your way through piles of dirty clothes quicker.

Running a heated clothes airer cost between an estimated 10p to 20p an hour

How we tested

We tested each heated airer with a full 8kg load of washing, to see if it could hold all the items we needed to dry each day. Often, we do two loads of laundry a day, so we tested the larger airers to see if they could really hold 15kg of washing. We tested their weights by seeing if we could lift or push them one-handed, and we came back to each airer every hour to try to work out which had the fastest drying times.

The best heated clothes airers for 2023 are:

  • Best heated clothes airer overall – Easylife XL heated airer: £109.99, Easylife.co.uk
  • Best budget heated clothes airer – Dunelm heated airer with wings: £40, Dunelm.com
  • Best heated clothes airer for families – Black+Decker three-tier heated airer: £135.99, Amazon.co.uk
  • Best heated clothes airer for quick drying – Dry:Soon drying pod: £69.99, Lakeland.co.uk

Easylife XL heated airer

  • Best: Heated clothes airer overall
  • Dimensions: D 67cm x H 147cm
  • Capacity: Holds up to 15kg of washing
  • How it works: Heat radiates through aluminium rails
  • Drying time settings: Two hours or four hours
  • Why we love it
    • Can hold two full loads of laundry
    • Folds completely flat
    • It’s on wheels
    • It has a timer

This is one of the bigger airers available. With three tiers and 30 heated rails, it can hold 15kg of laundry, which works out as about two full loads of most standard washing machines.

It’s cuboid shaped, so it can be used in a corner without taking up too much space. We like that it folds up completely flat when not in use, so you can store the airer horizontally under a table or sofa, or vertically in a cupboard.

Already assembled in the box, all you have to do is unfold it. That can be done in less than 10 seconds. However, you do have to wait a little longer for clothes to dry on this than you would do on airers that have covers, as not trapping heat near the garment means drying time can be twice as long. One option is to drape your own sheet over the top of the airer – being careful not to cover it completely or you’ll encourage condensation – and that will speed up the process.

This also has a timer, so you don’t waste more electricity than you need, with options for two and four hours. But it’s the only airer we tested with wheels, which were helpful when it came to steering it to a clear drying spot in the corner.

Read our full review of the Easylife XL heated airer

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Dunelm heated airer with wings

  • Best: Budget heated clothes airer
  • Dimensions: W 53.5cm x H 7.5cm x L 97.5cm
  • Capacity: Up to 10kg of washing
  • How it works: Clothes are hung on heated rails
  • Drying time settings: None – you must turn it off manually
  • Why we love it
    • Lightweight aluminium design
    • Can tuck in the wings to save space

One of the most versatile dryers we tested, Dunelm’s winged heated airer, which costs around 7p an hour to run, can be used with its two wings either folded out or tucked in. This means it takes up less space when not used at full capacity, and we could fold away one of the wings when certain items had dried faster than others.

It’s another dryer with an incredibly lightweight aluminium design – we were able to move it using just one hand – and it’s carpet-friendly too, with beam supports instead of separate, carpet-branding feet.

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DriBuddi portable energy-efficient indoor electric clothes dryer

  • Best: For ease of assembly
  • Dimensions: D 62cm x H 164cm
  • Capacity: 18 garments
  • How it works: Warm air circulation through and around clothes
  • Drying time settings: 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 minutes
  • Why we love it
    • Heats up quickly
    • Has a timer
    • Easy setup

Powered by a 1,200W motor, this pod-style dryer will hold 18 garments (or up to 10kg of clothing) and can be left on for 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 minute time slots, or just switched on and off at will. It’s another dryer that is ridiculously easy to set up – we simply slotted the shaft into the base, then popped the collapsible parasol-like topper, with its six hangers, onto the top. It’s got the same small holes at the top that other pod-style dryers have, and the clever position of the zip at the top allowed us to control the amount of air circulation, which will come in especially handy when drying extra-damp garments. It was one of the quickest dryers when it came to heat-up times and was warm to the touch in just 10 seconds.

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Dry:Soon deluxe three-tier heated airer and cover

  • Best: For large amounts of clothes
  • Dimensions: 70cm x 74cm x 132.5cm
  • Capacity: Up to 15kg
  • How it works: Clothes are hung on heated rails while mesh cover locks in heat to aid drying
  • Drying time settings: Manual off and on button or can be set to switch on and off up to 12 hours in advance
  • Why we love it
    • Folds down to just 8cm deep

This is an efficient pod-style dryer (although it can also be used without the cover) for bigger households keen to dry large amounts of laundry (up to 15kg) in one session. The included accessories bundle covers garment-specific items that transform its capabilities, whether it’s the mesh shelves that are designed for smaller items such as socks and pants that can be laid flat, or the six-peg hanger to keep items in place. We particularly liked the 30-peg mesh shelf with a hanger to air out underwear and delicates.

Our advice? Clip the hanger to the bottom of heavier items such as sweaters and dresses to pull them taut and minimise drying times. Although it’s one of the larger dryers in our round-up, its wide, spacious design means easy access to the various racks, and its timer gave us the option to turn it off or on 12 hours in advance. It folds down well when not in use, collapsing to just 8cm deep. We used it both with and without the cover, which also doubles as a storage bag when not in use.

Although the deluxe bundle with accessories included is only available in-store at the moment, the airer alone (£199.99, Lakeland.co.uk) or the airer plus the cover (£224.98, Lakeland.co.uk) are available now. The accessories can also be bought separately.

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Black+Decker three-tier heated airer

  • Best: For families
  • Dimensions: D 68cm x W 73cm x H 140cm
  • Capacity: 15kg
  • How it works: Clothes are hung on heated rails
  • Drying time settings: None – you must turn it off manually
  • Why we love it
    • Large airer
    • Rails are generously spaced
    • Can reach full power in less than a minute

Another larger airer, this can handle a full washing machine load of clothes and more. The rails are spaced out more than on other rail-based airer models, which makes arranging clothes over it fast and simple. There’s no struggle to squeeze a top or a pair of trousers into the middle rail, for example, you can simply throw the clothes over it as fast as you can and get on with something else.

Powered by a 300W motor, drying times are respectable. You don’t have to wait for it to heat up, as this airer can reach full power in less than a minute. Should you need to move it, the lightweight aluminium frame weighs just 4.5kg, making it impressively portable, given its size.

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Dry:Soon drying pod

  • Best: For quick drying
  • Dimensions: D 62cm x H 146cm
  • Capacity: Holds up to 12 items on hangers
  • How it works: Blows hot air through clothes
  • Drying time settings: 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 or 180 minutes
  • Why we love it
    • Compact design
    • Easy setup
    • It has a timer

This pod-style dryer features a base pole on a tripod and six rails that can hold two items each. Setup wise, it couldn’t be simpler, which is great if you’re lacking in the DIY skills department. Simply attach the two parts of the base pole together, put the bottom end into the base, add three legs, plug in and power on.

It truly is compact, taking up less space than a coat rack, and it’s powerful. With the cover on top, the unit heats up to 70C, which means warm air is constantly circulating around your clothes to dry them fast. T-shirts and shirts can dry in just 60 minutes and thicker fabrics, such as jeans, can be mostly dry in two hours. There’s a timer that will automatically shut off power after 30 minutes, three hours or intervals of 30 minutes in between, so you can set it for two hours overnight or before you leave the house without worry it will overheat.

With space for 12 items on hangers, you can dry a mix of items, including smalls, as you can buy sock hangers or underwear hangers to use in one of the 12 holes. The cover gives your garments some privacy as well as fast-drying times.

Read our full review of the Lakeland Dry:Soon drying pod

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Homefront electric heated clothes airer

  • Best: Compact, collapsible design
  • Dimensions: D 36cm x W 53.5cm x H 90.5cm
  • Capacity: Up to 2m of washing
  • How it works: Clothes are hung on heated rails
  • Drying time settings: None – you must turn it off manually
  • Why we love it
    • Lightweight
    • Compact design

A slimline dryer that is ideal for smaller homes, this sleek heated garment airer resembles a standard bathroom towel rail, and costs around 3p an hour to operate. It’s incredibly light (weighing just 2.4kg) but will hold the same amount of washing as a 2m-long washing line. Although there’s plenty of room for smaller items, its thicker rails make it particularly suitable for larger pieces, such as towels and sweatshirts, with no risk of the individual rails sagging or popping out of place.

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Aerative heated clothes airer hanger

  • Best: For travel
  • Dimensions: H 28cm x W 8cm x D 4 cm
  • Capacity: Four clothes pegs for four items or multiple socks
  • How it works: Hang clothes over the hangers and they’ll be dryed through air ducts that enable fast heat dissipation
  • Drying settings: Manual on and off button or eight hour timer with auto shut-off
  • Why we love it
    • Weighs less than 1kg
    • Can be packed in your suitcase
    • Can dry a shirt in 30 minutes
    • Uses UV sterilisation technology

Weighing just 540g, this packs up easily into a suitcase or a weekend bag, so you can travel light. It’s ideal for short breaks or flights when you want to take hand luggage only.

It looks just like a hanger but the two ducts are easily expandable to hold up to four items or a pair of shoes. A patented air distribution system means clothes dry extra fast. During testing, we dried a shirt on this in 30 minutes and a skirt in 15. Even better, it uses UV sterilisation technology to eliminate up to 99.9 per cent of potentially harmful micro-organisms, to make your items extra fresh.

Forgotten to wash your favourite shirt or running low on school uniform? This dryer enables you to do a quick hand wash and have your items ready to wear almost immediately.

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Beldray heated airer with wings

  • Best: Value for money
  • Dimensions: H 72cm x W 54cm x D 148cm
  • Capacity: 15kg
  • How it works: Clothes are hung on heated rails
  • Drying time settings: None – you must turn it off manually
  • Why we love it
    • Can be used with the wings extended or collapsed

This affordable option from Beldray is capable of holding up to 15kg of washing across 18 heated bars, but it’s more than £100 cheaper than other models with equal drying capacity.

We liked that it could be used with the wings extended or collapsed, so we could shorten the length if we only had a small load of washing to dry. Although it’s longer horizontally than the tiered airers we tested, there’s something quite refreshing about its diminutive height. At 72cm, it’s never in your eyeline, so you aren’t constantly reminded of your laundry chores.

The 230W motor contributed towards satisfactory drying times, but this heated airer wasn’t as fast acting as models that came with covers.

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Glamhaus 3-tier heated airer with cover

  • Best: For making clothes feel line-dried and soft
  • Dimensions: H 113cm x W 62cm x D 62cm
  • Capacity: 15kg
  • How it works: Clothes are hung over heated rails and a cover traps in warm air to speed up drying times
  • Drying time settings: None - you must turn it off manually
  • Why we love it
    • Can be collapsed and stored flat

Drying clothes is a bit like cooking – if you whack up the temperature, your garments will dry faster but they’ll feel slightly crisp on the outside. The GlamHaus heated airer is the answer for anyone who loves the feel of clothes dried outside on the line (who doesn’t?). With the cover on, the air circulating around your garments will be a constant temperature of between 44C and 55C, which is a lot lower than a standard radiator, which is often 70C to 80C.

We loved being able to fit a couple of loads of washing on the airer at once. Simply put on the cover and wait for the airer to deliver beautifully floaty garments. We found if we loaded it up early evening, our clothes would be dry by morning. Then we were able to collapse the airer completely flat and store it under our bed. When closed, it’s just 7.5cm in depth, making it a highly practical choice if storage space is tight.

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Lakeland dry:soon mini three tier heated airer and cover bundle

  • Best: For versatility
  • Dimensions: H 113.5cm x W 63cm x D 60cm
  • Capacity: 15kg
  • How it works: Clothes are hung on heated rails while a mesh cover locks in heat to aid drying
  • Drying time settings: Manual off and on button or a timer can be set to switch on and off up to 12 hours in advance
  • Why we love it
    • Compact design for an airer that can hold 15kg
    • The shelves can be folded to save space

Slightly shorter than the standard and deluxe versions of the Dry:Soon three-tier heated airer, this mini airer is a great option for big families living in smaller homes, where space comes at a premium. The airer can hold exactly the same amount of washing (15kg) as bigger models but within a smaller footprint, and it’s easier on the wallet.

It has six fold-out shelves and 13m of drying space to easily accommodate a full load of washing, and then some. But if you don’t have a large load and you want to save even more space, there’s the option of folding out shelves on one side and pushing the folded-in shelves closer to the wall.

Airer covers are normally sold separately but you’ll save £10 if you buy them together in this bundle.

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Minky wing 12m heated airer with cover

  • Best: Budget heated airer with cover
  • Dimensions: H 94cm x W 148 cm x D 54cm
  • Capacity: 16kg
  • How it works: Clothes are hung on heated rails while a mesh cover locks in heat to aid drying
  • Drying time settings: None, you have to manually turn it on and off
  • Why we love it
    • Comes with a cover
    • Can spread delicate items over the larger section to dry
    • Folds up completely flat

A cover massively speeds up drying times and is normally an added extra, so we were pleasantly surprised that this £60 Minky heated airer had one included in the box. This is the lowest price we’ve seen for a heated airer that comes with a cover.

We could easily fit a whole load of washing on the rails, spreading out socks and underwear on the wings and using the main rack for larger items such as towels and dresses. It was also brilliant for drying delicate items such as woollen jumpers, which we spread flat over the larger section, to avoid rail marks denting the material.

A real advantage of this winged airer is that it folds up completely flat, making it a dream to store when not in use. But, at almost 1.5m in length with both wings extended, it does occupy a lot of space when in use.

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Heated clothes airers FAQs

What is the best heated clothes airer?

When it comes to choosing the best heated clothes airer for you, there are a number of factors to consider, including size and price. But, after weeks of testing, the Easylife XL heated airer landed the top spot in this review, thanks to being capacious enough to hold an impressive amount of clothing. For something a little more affordable, turn to Dunelm’s heated airer with wings – it’s £40 yet one of the most versatile dryers we tested.

Are heated clothes airers cheap to run?

Heated clothes airers are cost-effective home appliances that not only speed up the drying time of your clothes but are also more affordable than a tumble dryer.

Heated clothes airers are cheaper to invest in, with many designs available for less than £100, while tumble dryers are much bigger machines that can cost hundreds of pounds.

Depending on the model, operating a tumble dryer can cost from 56p to £1.55 an hour, however, a heated dryer will set you back less than 40p an hour.

Do heated clothes airers cause condensation?

A heated clothes airer gives off heat through the rails, warming up the clothes rather than the room, so it shouldn’t cause condensation on walls or windows. However, putting damp clothes over the rails without a cover could release moisture into the air, which may lead to a risk of damp. For this reason, it’s a good idea to keep your heated airer covered to trap moisture around your garments.

How long does a heated airer take to dry clothes?

Heated airers are slower at drying clothes than tumble dryers but faster than radiators and non-heated airers. Expect cotton, polyester shirts and sports kits to take around six hours to dry while jumpers and heavier fabrics will take around 10. As a rule, your laundry should be dry by morning if you switch it on before bed.

Are heated clothes airers worth it?

If you’re looking for a pocket-friendly and quick way to dry your clothes, a heated clothes airer is worth it. Depending on your budget, you can look to spend anything from £40 to £200, and we’ve catered for every price point here.

The verdict: Heated clothes airers

The Easylife XL heated airer can hold an impressive amount of washing for a good price. It performs similarly to Lakeland’s Dry:Soon deluxe three-tier heated airer, but it is currently cheaper. If you live alone or don’t get through much washing, the best compact airer is the Dry:Soon drying pod because it dries clothes fast.

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