Stop playing around with normal clothes airers; the best heated clothes airers are the way of the world this year.
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If last winter taught us anything, it's that you shouldn't underestimate the magic of a heated clothes airer. But why the fuss? Well, both a time and money-saver in one, think of this as your key to a smarter and faster approach to tackling one of the most fundamental household chores.
If lower energy bills and fast-drying laundry can’t get you on the bandwagon, the fact these machines were sold out for almost the entirety of last winter is a testament to just how good they are. And given that most of us make use of our radiators to mimic almost the exact same thing – especially if you don't have a tumble dryer to hand – having a dedicated space for your clothes to dry that speeds things up makes complete sense. Who wants any dampness caused by radiator drying anyway?
So whether you want to save time, money, energy, or all three (yes, please), take advantage of the fact these nifty inventions are back in stock in the run up to this winter and ride out the rest of the cold weather with a much more seamless home drying system. From larger systems designed for bigger loads to drying pods that create a warm environment of their own for the clothes to dry, we’ve rounded up the best heated clothes airers that you can buy right now.
Skip to: What are the best heated clothes airers to buy in 2024? | How does a heated clothes airer save energy? | What are the benefits of using a heated clothes airer? | Why not simply hang washing on radiators? | Heated clothes airer vs dehumidifier: Which is better? | Are heated clothes airer safe? | How we choose the best heated clothes airers | Shop GQ's edit of the best heated clothes airers…
What are the best heated clothes airers to buy in 2024?
We've gone into more detail about our top heated clothes airer picks a little further down, but we've covered off our favourites in the table below so you can see the difference between the models quickly. We've also got our top five for specific needs at a glance underneath.
Heated Clothes Airer | Drying Capacity | Rough cost To Run | Price |
---|---|---|---|
Dry:Soon Deluxe 3-Tier Heated Airer | 21m/15kg | 10p per hour | £200 |
Black & Decker 3-Tier Heated Clothes Airer | 21m/15kg | 8.4p per hour | £109 |
Abis Smart Wi-Fi Airer | 20.5m/30kg | 4p per hour | £135 |
Dry:Soon Heated Drying Pod Airer | 12 items | 7p per hour | £88 |
Minky Wing 12M Heated Clothes Airer | 12m/10kg | 4p per hour | £60 |
- Best heated clothes airer overall: Dry:Soon Deluxe 3-Tier Heated Airer, £200 at lakeland.co.uk
- Best foldable heated clothes airer: Black & Decker 3-Tier Heated Clothes Airer, £109 at amazon.co.uk
- Best heated clothes airer for travelling: Aerated Heated Clothes Airer Hanger, £75 at amazon.co.uk
- Best larger-capacity winged heated airer: Minky Wing 12m Heated Clothes Airer, £60 at argos.co.uk
- Best drying pod: Dry:Soon Heated Drying Pod Airer, £88 at lakeland.co.uk
How we chose the best heated clothes airers
We try and review all the products we recommend in our GQ Recommends sections, but where that isn't possible, we've looked at a number of different factors to ensure we suggest only the best options. We have curated our list of the best heated clothes airers based on a mixture of customer reviews, their specs, and our experience using various models. We've also selected a variety of options that cover a range of different budgets and sizes to help you select one that best suits your needs. All of our interiors guides and reviews are then edited by Daphne Bugler, who has over five years experience in the interiors sector and writing for GQ.
Heated clothes airers FAQs
Wondering if a heated clothes airer is right for you? These are some of the most commonly asked questions about these household magicians to help you decide if you should be investing.
How does a heated clothes airer save energy?
Through clever design and engineering, a heated clothes airer can cost as little as 2p per hour to run, meaning you’ll be using far less electricity than a clunky, heavy-duty tumble dryer. Some heated airers rely on hot air circulation to dry clothes quickly and evenly, while others simply heat up gently to give you a faster drying time than you’d have with a conventional clotheshorse. Those that come with a fitted cover trap hot air inside, which speeds up the process significantly – but these can be added extras. Look for models with a timer or an auto switch-off mechanism to save you even more money.
What are the benefits of using a heated clothes airer?
Aside from the obvious energy and money saving benefits, there are plenty of other reasons to swap out your tumble dryer for a heated clothes airer. A gently heating clotheshorse protects your garments in a way that a tumble dryer really doesn’t. You’ve only got to look at the amount of lint clogging up your dryer vent to see all the fluffy fibres your clothes are losing with every spin. Some heated clothes airers claim anti-bacterial properties, too, making them kind to both your clothes and your skin. Pod-like heated airers, and larger wardrobe style ones, allow you to hang your damp washing directly onto clothes hangers, which not only saves you time when you come to put your laundry away, but will drastically cut down the need to press your shirts, too. Music to the ears of the ironing-averse.
Why not simply hang washing on radiators?
If you’re going to the trouble of loading your damp washing onto a heated clotheshorse it’s tempting to simply whack the heating up and lay it out on your radiators instead. But this can lead to condensation, damp walls, and eventually peeling paint or peeling wallpaper for repeat offenders – even if you have a radiator-hung airing device. It’s best to give your damp clothes some space away from windows and walls. And you might find you can turn the thermostat down, given your airer’s warming up your room instead, which is yet another benefit of using one.
Heated clothes airer vs dehumidifier: Which is better?
Investing in one of the best dehumidifiers is another purchase you could make to help your clothes dry quicker. In terms of whether or not it's better than a heated airer… it depends. Heated airers will be cheaper to run, but using them could potentially increase the humidity in your room. Dehumidifiers, while more expensive to run on the whole, have the added benefit of reducing the humidity in their surroundings. If you've already got a damp problem in your house, then a dehumidifier might be the better option, as you can kill two birds with one stone.
Are heated clothes airer safe?
The best heated clothes airers are perfectly safe, and can even be left overnight, though many of the better ones have built-in timer modes too. Having said that, you'll probably want to be mindful of having small children in the same room, as the bars on the airers themselves can be quite hot to the touch, so having them set up out of the way will always be best.
Shop GQ's edit of the best heated clothes airers….
These are our top picks for the best heated clothes airers to ensure your clothes dry quickly during the upcoming winter months.