Best clothes airer 2024: Our favourite options for drying laundry
Tired of using expensive tumble dryers that shrink your clothes? Our guide will help you find the best clothes airer to dry your washing
Drying laundry isn’t an exciting task but it’s a necessary one, and finding the best clothes airer for your living situation can help make your life easier. Using a sturdy clothes airer with plenty of drying space can reduce the size of both your energy bill and your carbon footprint – and let’s not forget, not every item of clothing you own can be dumped in the tumble dryer.
Our picks below have been carefully selected after extensive research of manufacturer’s websites, data sheets and user reviews. We assessed key features and requirements such as drying space, size, weight, ease of use and storage and guarantees.
If you’re not quite sure what you’re looking for, the detailed buying guide found below our pick of the best options will help you narrow down your choice.
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Best clothes airer: At a glance
| Best airer for big washes | Vileda Mixer 3 (~£39) | Check price at Amazon |
| Best value airer | Addis Deluxe 3-Tier airer (~£35) | Check price at Argos |
| Best for homes lacking floor space | Metaltex Gale airer (~£51) | Check price at Amazon |
The best clothes airers you can buy in 2024
1. Vileda Mixer 3: Best clothes airer for big washes
Price when reviewed: £39 | Check price at Amazon
- Great for… lots of drying space, versatile
- Not so great for… small households
This airer has the most drying space of any on our list, while also being one of the most sturdy tower airers we’ve seen. This makes it perfect for families who get through a lot of washing. The wheels on the base make it easy to move around if you need to, and it can be partially open if you’ve got less washing so that it doesn’t take up too much floor space. With an additional small laundry holder for delicates and extra space for hangers, you’ll never have too much washing for this Vileda airer.
Key specs – Type: Tower; Open dimensions: 71 x 71 x 132cm (WDH); Closed dimensions: 71 x 5 x 132cm (WDH); Drying space: 30m; Weight: 2.85kg; Guarantee: 3 years
2. Metaltex Gale airer: Best clothes airer for homes lacking floor space
Price when reviewed: £51 | Check price at Amazon
- Great for… compact, easy to store
- Not so great for… those on a tight budget
Compact and collapsible, this airer can fit over a door, a balcony or a shower screen so that you’ll barely notice it’s there. It has 11 metres of hanging space, which is more than any other over-door airer we’ve seen, and it’s built sturdy enough to take a full load of laundry. With this, there’s no need to have air-drying clothes taking up space on the floor for days, and when you’re done drying it folds away like the other airers. It’s a little on the pricey side, though, but that means it has a great build quality, more drying space and will save you from having to repurchase cheaper alternatives when they inevitably fall to pieces.
Key specs – Type: over-door; Open dimensions: 58 x 31 x 87cm (WDH); Closed dimensions: 58 x 3.5 x 87cm (WDH); Drying space: 11m; Weight: 1.9kg; Guarantee: 2 years
3. Brabantia Radiator airer: Best radiator-mounted clothes airer
Price when reviewed: £42 | Check price at Amazon
- Great for… those wanting a heated airer without the cost
- Not so great for… drying space
If you’re thinking about buying a heated airer, but you don’t want to spend the extra money, then this Brabantia radiator airer is just the thing you need. It hangs onto your radiator, allowing you to harness the heat without completely preventing the radiator from heating your home. This costs more than your standard radiator airers, but it’s built really solidly and has a decade-long guarantee so you won’t have to worry about it snapping under heavy loads. It’s also great for travel because the arms fold down for packing, and it can hang from balconies and bannisters.
Key specs – Type: Over-radiator; Open dimensions: 68 x 44 x 29cm (WDH); Closed dimensions: 68 x 44 x 3.5cm (WDH); Drying space: 4.5m; Weight: 1.3kg; Guarantee: 10 years
4. Addis Deluxe Superdry airer: Best clothes airer for indoor and outdoor use
Price when reviewed: £50 | Check price at Amazon
- Great for… versatility and portability
- Not so great for… your back – it’s heavy
Don’t be put off by the complicated look of this steel airer, it’s actually really simple to fold up and away. As the heaviest standard airer on our list, it’s perfect for drying indoors and outdoors. Aside from having lots of hanging space, you can be sure this airer won’t fall to pieces or topple over in the wind. It’s also got wheels to move it around, shoe stands and a useful net that doubles up as a laundry bag – Addis really has thought of everything.
Key specs – Type: Winged; Open dimensions: 62 x 60 x 108cm (WDH); Closed dimensions: 62 x 8 x 110cm (WDH); Drying space: 11m; Weight: 4.2kg; Guarantee: 3 years
5. Stainless Steel sock drying rack: Best clothes airer for delicates
Price when reviewed: £13 | Check price at Amazon
- Great for… drying smaller items, moving around
- Not so great for… big laundry loads
This ingenious design is perfect for drying socks and delicates separately from the rest of your washing. Unlike floor-standing clothes airers, this has a hanger-style hook at the top which can be hung around the house or even on a regular outdoor clothesline. It’s compact, lightweight and sturdier than plastic frame hanging airers owing to its windproof stainless-steel frame. The swivel design of the hook allows it to spin around in the wind, evenly drying your delicates and, with 36 clothes pegs, there’s plenty of drying space. There isn’t much more you could ask for in a delicates dryer.
Key specs – Type: Hanging; Open dimensions: 32 x 5 x 43cm (WDH); Closed dimensions: N/A; Drying space: 36 pegs; Weight: 570g; Guarantee: No
6. Addis Deluxe 3-Tier airer: Best-value clothes airer
Price when reviewed: £35 | Check price at Argos
- Great for… compact yet spacious
- Not so great for… sturdiness
If you’re looking for value for money, this airer can support 15kg of laundry, with loads of drying space and a really compact design. In fact, it only takes up 60 x 59cm floor space when it’s open. There’s even some anti-crease bars, corner hooks and easy-glide feet to make life a little easier, and to give extra hanging space if you need it. Just like the other Addis airers, it’s guaranteed for three years, and has a lock and an anti-collapse mechanism so it won’t collapse on you. It’s a great all-rounder.
Key specs – Type: Tiered; Open dimensions: 59 x 60 x 140cm (WDH); Closed dimensions: 77 x 7 x 58cm (WDH); Drying space: 14m; Weight: 3.6kg; Guarantee: 3 years
7. Addis X Wing airer: Best budget clothes airer
Price when reviewed: £25 | Check price at The Range
- Great for… lots of drying space, those on a budget
- Not so great for… heavier items
This airer has a generous 13.5m of drying space, which is more than enough space for a family load. It’s winged, so it has adjustable arms that can lift to accommodate longer items or fold down to save space. It also comes with handy corner hangers that can be used to hold a delicates dryer, or even to dry shirts using clothes hangers. The only sacrifice you’ll need to make is that it’s not as sturdy as more expensive clothes airers on the roundup, which means you’ll need to be careful not to snap the thinner bars with really heavy items such as dripping wet beach towels – items such as these would be best draped over multiple bars. At a fraction of the price of the other airers, though, this one’s a no-brainer.
Key specs – Type: Winged; Open dimensions: 60 x 100 x 143cm (WDH); Closed dimensions: 60 x 9 x 104cm (WDH); Drying space: 13.5m; Weight: 2.8kg; Guarantee: 3 years
How to choose the best clothes airer for you
What different clothes airers are available?
When it comes to finding a clothes airer, there are so many options to choose from that it can be hard to know where to start. The most important things to consider are how much floor space you have available, and the size of your average load of washing. This will dictate what style of clothes airer you go for. We’ve written a quick summary of the main types of clothes airer below.
Gated: Aptly named, these airers resemble fences and fold out to stand in a concertina. These are normally the cheapest clothes airers and are popular with students because they’re functional and don’t take up much space in storage. However, this design hasn’t made it into our roundup because they tend to be flimsy and unstable.
Tiered: These collapsible airers fold out to form a cross-like structure that can support heavier weighted clothes whilst taking up very little floor space. They’re compact, sturdy, and (depending on the number of tiers) can hold a whole family wash.
Winged: Like tiered airers, these can hold large amounts of washing but they take up a little more floor space. They consist of an X-frame structure in which the two upper arms can be adjusted to fit longer garments. It is this adjustability that makes this style of airer so popular.
Tower: Without a doubt, tower airers are the best for big families who produce a lot of washing. They have the largest drying space of all the airers and despite this, they’re easily collapsible and don’t take up a huge amount of space. The only drawback is that the hanging bars tend to be less strong for hanging heavy fabrics like denim.
Over-door and over-radiator: These clothes airers do exactly what they say on the tin – hang over doors and radiators, making them perfect if you live somewhere with little floor space. They also harness the heat from your radiators, so they’re great at drying clothes in the winter. However, they have far less hanging space than free-standing clothes airers, despite being generally cheaper.
Heated: While they are much more expensive than your standard clothes airer, heated airers can hugely cut down on drying time. These resemble tiered or winged airers, and are plugged into the mains to heat up each drying rung. Additionally, they’re less expensive to run than tumble dryers and are gentler on your clothes.
Hanging: These dryers are smaller structures that can be hung with a hook onto anything from door frames to clotheslines. Most importantly, they have pegs attached to them, which are perfect for drying socks and delicates.
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How much should I be spending?
With clothes airers, you can pick up very cheap options at most major supermarkets, but these are often flimsy and break easily. Sure, they would do the job but they’re certainly not ‘the best’ considering you could have to repurchase them more often.
That’s why we’d recommend spending a little more money to find the right clothes airer. Even our budget option comes with a three-year manufacturer’s guarantee, so you can be sure it won’t fall apart or collapse every time you put a heavy pair of jeans on it. Most good airers range from £20 to £35, but really cheap options cost well below this, and higher-end models can cost upwards of £100.
What are the key features to look out for?
Drying space: This is one feature of clothes airers that you don’t want to overlook. This is the total length of all the drying rungs added together as if they formed one long clothesline. Obviously, if you’re a big family you’ll want more drying space, but if you’re living alone this could be something you can compromise on.
Collapsible size: Let’s face it, clothes airers aren’t good looking. Most people want a clothes airer they can stash away in storage when they’re not in use. Pay attention to the collapsible size of the clothes airer you’re considering so that you know you can fit it inside a cupboard or under a bed.
Weight: This is a feature of clothes airers that can be useful at both extremes. Something lightweight will be perfect for people who need easy portability, or those who struggle to carry heavy loads. However, if you’re considering using your airer both indoors and outdoors, it could be wise to purchase a heavier airer so that it won’t blow over in windy weather.
Guarantees: As mentioned before, finding a clothes airer with a good warranty is always beneficial because if and when it does break, you’re covered. Keep an eye out for this when purchasing an airer.
Other features: Added touches like wheels for portability, shoe racks and attachable laundry bags can be really useful if you’re looking for convenience and mobility.
