Best heated clothes airers to help you save money this winter
We're always looking for clever ways to help people save money. And with the cost of living crisis causing our bills to soar, we've got a simple solution that will help dry your clothes without the expense of running your tumble dryer or turning your heating on.
Just what is this genius buy? A heated airer.
Yep, these are clever, space-saving gadgets that'll dry your laundry in a matter of hours, thanks to thermostatically-controlled bars. Clever, right?
And it means that you won't have to worry about any of your clothes, sheets or towels having that horrible 'damp' smell if they haven't dried properly.
Keep reading for our round-up of some of the best ones out there now that customers love – some of which have running costs at less than 6p an hour.
Best heated airers to buy for winter
Dry:Soon 3-Tier Heated Airer | £159.99 from Lakeland
The Dry: Soon 3-Tier Standard Heated Airer from Lakeland has been one of the most popular heated airers in recent years. "Amazing – I bought this after a recommendation from a friend and it didn't disappoint! Does a great job drying a full load and no more wet clothes on radiators!!" raved one of the many happy customers who have purchased this must-have.
Made of lightweight aluminium, it holds up to 15kg of laundry on 21 metres of drying space and costs less than 6p an hour to run. Plus, it folds down to only 8cm deep for flat storage.
It's also kinder to clothes than tumble drying and is more efficient (and looks better) than hanging your washing all over your radiators.
It has been designed with folding shelves that you can position whatever way you need – so you can dry everything from T-shirts, underwear, or bigger items over the rungs. You can lay delicate clothes flat so they won't stretch out of shape, and sheets/towels aren't an issue either – you can drape them over the top so they don't drag on the floor.
You can also buy a bundle which includes the airer and a cover (to keep the heat in and speed up the drying process) for £244.98 which is a saving of £15.
Dry:Soon Drying Pod | £99.99 from Lakeland
If you're looking for a small, affordable solution, the £99.99 drying pod may be for you.
We know this looks more like a boxing bag than a drying pod, but it actually gets clothes dry quietly, quickly, and gently. How? The gadget blows hot air (heated up to 70°C) through your clothes.
You can dry up to 12 items at a time – simply put them on hangers and hook them onto the rail at the top.
And, get this, because your clothing is hanging straight it means less ironing which is another brilliant time-saving and bill-reducing bonus. Plus it helps heat the room too, which will also reduce your heating bill.
Any wonder this happy customer is one of the many Drying Pod devotees: "I bought the Dry Soon Drying Pod a couple of months ago. I have found it extremely easy to use. It not only dries the clothes but also heats the room, so I don't have to put the heating on which is a bonus," she wrote. "I have found it much better cost-wise and clothes smell of the fabric softener than putting it in the tumble drier. Saves me money which we all need. I am very happy with my purchase."
Needless to say, the Drying Pod is much gentler on fabric than tumble drying and is a great solution for shirts, blouses, linen clothes and delicate fabrics. It can also dry thicker items like jumpers and denim too.
As for drying time? Lighter clothes will dry in less than an hour and jeans take around two hours. It even has a timer you can set to shut off at three hours.
Dry:Soon Deluxe 3-Tier Heated Airer | £199.99 from Lakeland
If you have a big family and struggle to find room to hang all your washing, let alone have it dry in the time you need, consider investing in this extra large heated airer.
Its running cost is an estimated 10p an hour, and it can hold up to 15kg of washing, with 21m of drying space.
Ideal for bedding too, it's perfect for ensuring your laundry doesn't take up your whole house, while efficiently drying it speedily and economically.
Best of all, when it folds down, it's only 8cm deep, so it won't take up much space, nor add clutter to a busy home.
One happy shopper wrote in their review: "I love this heated airer, wouldn't be without it! We don't own a tumble dryer, so this airer has been an absolute godsend in the cold weather. I usually hang my washing up at night, and everything is dry by morning. So handy!"
Dry:Soon Mini 3-Tier Heated Airer | £129.99 from Lakeland
For those short on space, this mini heated airer ticks every box. Its compact size will save you draping radiators with damp clothes or hanging shirts from door frames.
However, despite its small design it can hold an impressive 15kg of washing, with six fold-out shelves that can dry a whole load of laundry.
Costing just pennies to run, its heated bars are thermostatically controlled so they won't overheat, and it's made from lightweight aluminium, so moving it around won't be a bother either.
An extra accessory we'd recommend buying is the Dry: Soon Mini 3-Tier Heated Airer Cover, which will keep the heat in, speed up drying times and double up a storage bag for your airer too. It's £39.99 and available at Lakeland now.
Dry:Soon Heated Cabinet | £129.99 from Lakeland
If you have guests visiting, it's not always ideal to have your laundry on full display while waiting for it to dry. Which is exactly where this Heated Cabinet will come in handy.
Inside it circulates hot air around your clothes to quickly dry them, which can be hung on the two rails, all discreetly hidden with the fabric cover.
Costing just 41p and hour to run, it boasts has a powerful 1200W fan, which heats air up to around 65˚C
It can hold up to 12 items of clothing, but you can also utilise the rails with a clothes peg hanger if you want smaller items such as underwear and socks to dry quicker too. It also folds flat for easy storage.
If you needed more convincing, this customer sung its praises for its efficiency and easy of use: "With all this cold weather, this is a miracle worker, drying all your clothes that otherwise can’t be dried successfully. Can’t recommend it enough. Just Brilliant!"
Two-Tier Heated Airer | £75 from Dunelm
Costing approximately 7p an hour this sturdy, aluminium, heated airer can handle up to 10kg of washing and has 13m of drying space.
It also folds up easily so that you can store it in a cupboard when you're not using it.
As with all the heated airers, as well as saving on tumble drying costs, this will warm up the room you're sitting in so you also won't need to turn the radiator on if this is in the living room while you're watching TV.
Top tip: to keep the heat in, cover it with an old sheet or duvet cover which is what this satisfied user suggested.
"You will have to give it a few hours to dry your washing, cover your dryer with a duvet cover or a sheet to hold in the heat and don’t overload it, it uses very little electric so that’s another bonus for the winter months, I’m happy with it," the customer wrote.
It's a no-brainer.
Portable Heated Clothes Airer with Wings | £69.99 from Robert Dyas
Robert Dyas' top-rated design is a low-wattage gadget that'll cost around 12p an hour to run. "Fabulous item," one customer said. "I bought this airer for indoor drying, it’s amazing, a load dries so quickly and cheap to run."
That's what we like to hear...
Made from aluminium, it has anti-slip feet and it's lightweight enough to move to wherever you need it.
But remember it'll be a nice source of extra heat so it's good to keep in a room you spend a lot of time in so you don't need to turn the radiator on.
It can handle 15kg of washing and, with 18 heated bars to choose from, it has loads of space for drying all sorts of things.
Heated Airer with Wings | £40 from Dunelm
"I wish I had one of these for every member of my family or five (three teenagers)! Except we share one and it works a complete charm. Brilliant, brilliant product," reads just one of the reviews, though it echoes the sentiment of the others.
Designed with fold-out wings for extra drying space, this heated airer allows you to dry your clothes quickly and has a running cost of approximately 7p an hour.
It can take up to 10kg of washing and offers a 12m drying space. Plus it features an illuminated on/off switch, which is also great if you're trying to not switch on too many lights in your home.
Easy Home Heated Airer | £39.99 from Aldi - back in stock soon
It's very affordable price tag and over 500 five-star reviews really makes this Aldi design stand out from the rest.
All 20 bars of the airer are heated for quality drying of clothes, towels and bedding – meaning it's a great option for a family (or someone with a lot of clothes).
Its lightweight foldable design means that it can be stored away easily in between uses and won't take up space in your home. "I've wanted one of these for a while so was pleased to find one at such a good price. Invaluable in cold and rainy weather," said one review.
3-Tier Heated Indoor Clothes Airer | £100 from John Lewis & Partners - back in stock soon
This design proved so popular it has already sold out before and John Lewis restocked it so we're hopeful this will happen again soon.
The indoor airer heats up the aluminium alloy to 40-50°C, meaning your clothing will be nice and toasty in no time. And, needless to say, it'll cost mere pennies to use.
It has three tiers and four hooks, perfect for slippers, socks and underwear, while each shelf can hold up to a maximum weight of 5kg, so you don't need to worry about overloading it.
In fact, one customer said it can hold the whole wash load for a household of four, while another described it as a "life saver". "I bought this as was struggling to dry clothes without a tumble dryer and I am so glad that I did. It heats up really quickly and dries clothes within a matter of hours. It fits a lot of clothes on the rail and even with the rail not on heat I find that the clothes dry faster than other rails. Well done John Lewis – I am so happy I bought this!"
Easy Home Heated Clothes Airer | £89.99 from Aldi - back in stock soon
Aldi's affordable foldable design makes it easy to store away when not in use. Plus, a two-way switch can be used to control a heated area which will dry your clothes in a matter of minutes and can help conserve energy.
And it has a load of useful extras which make this a brilliant buy. It comes with a cover so you don't have to purchase that separately. It also has a shoe-rack (no more soggy trainers); mesh shelves for those more delicate items; and it has some peg hangers, too.
So it'll be no surprise that this clever design has been so popular it sold out within days. But a re-stock may be coming, so keep an eye on it.
Any wonder it has been deemed a "must buy" by one of the many shoppers who gave it a five-star review.
"I’ve seen these for a while but much pricier, to save another winter of wet washing drying indoors I bought one. It’s brilliant, thoroughly recommend it and when it’s on in the evenings it heats up the room that I’m in so it’s a win/win! Effective, inexpensive and does exactly what you want it to and more, definitely worth every penny," the customer raved.
