To ask again about heated airers

[motheroreily]

I live in a cold flat. There is no room in my kitchen for a tumble dryer. It takes days for clothes to dry. Sometimes I end up ironing stuff dry.

I remember seeing posts about heated airers. Just wondered if anyone could tell me about their experience of using one and whether they do actually dry clothes. The other option I have is keeping a tumble dryer in the bathroom but the bathroom has no window so I couldn't put a hose out.

I'd be so grateful for your advice.

[NannyR]

You could get a condenser dryer - they don't need to be vented.

[IAmAPaleontologist]

Yes the heats Airers are great, I have the Lakeland one. But if your bathroom has space for a tumble (plug socket?) then a good condenser would be best to avoid condensation problems.

[loveulotslikejellytots]

I love mine. If I put a load of washing on it at around 8pm it's dry by the morning. They are quite economical too.

[BossWitch]

I have a heated airer but it doesn't do anything really- you just get a little bar if dry material where the garment has been touching the airer but the rest is the same as a normal airer. There may be better ones out there though!

[Nanny0gg]

Heated airers are great and the added benefit is that they heat the room they're in!

I have a Lakeland one and if I hang the washing in the evening it's pretty much dry by the next day. Jeans may take a bit longer. I tend to hang shirts on hangers round the edge and hang everything else over the rungs. Don't over fill it though (I use every other rung).

Condenser driers are great too but they are full size - would you have room?

[pillowaddict]

Love my lakeland one. If I do a wash in evening it's dry by morning, even if I switch off the bars as it retains a bit of heat, particularly if I have a sheet or bath towel draped over the top. Also folds up really neatly.

[neonrainbow]

I've got a jml dri buddy and can't recommend it enough. We put it in our spare room with the window open and other clothes on clothes horses in the same room and it gets everything dry pretty quick. Very economical too compared to a tumble and can be completely packed away. Because you hang everything then put the tent over it the air circulates and it all dries at the same rate. It can take one medium load at a time obviously the less you put on it the quicker it dries.

[FindoGask]

I've got one, the lakeland one which I bought reconditioned on eBay. It's great. I did buy the cover as well- I think that really helps to give optimum results, plus I like to think there's a skill in hanging your laundry on it to make best use of space as well as heating efficiency - which naturally I alone in our household have achieved.

Not sure exactly how long it takes to dry because we put ours on overnight, but even fully loaded, the laundry is always dry by morning.

[DailyFaily]

I've got the Lakeland one and it's great - works best if you cover it. More versatile than a dryer since there's lots of clothes I wouldn't tumble dry.

[CatsRule]

I have a Lakeland 3 tier one and it's fab for everything...clothes, towels, bedding. I'm amazed at how good it is.

I also have a maxi dry...similar to the dry buddy. It's good for certain materials and it does fold away do good for limited space. I still prefer the Lakeland one though.

[wombattoo]

I have a Lakeland heated airer and love it. I don't hang clothes over the rungs, I lay the clothes flat across the rungs. I usually put about three layers of clothes on each shelf. (It gets hotter having more things on) A full airer dries overnight. I think it costs about 6 pence an hour to run. I use it far more often than my tumble drier.

[Muskateersmummy]

Love my heated airer. Works so much better than any tumble drier I have had. Best investment ever.

[SnuffleGruntSnorter]

I have one too, I find that laying things flat as wombattoo describes gives best results, otherwise I end up with a dry middle and damp ends. If you have space and funds for a condenser drier is definitely prefer that.

[BlueRaptor]

I have the Lakeland one - I must be doing something wrong as mine doesn't seem that great! I have to constantly move the clothes as otherwise I end up with a line of dry material where it's touched the rung but the rest stays damp! Am considering getting the cover as apparently it helps but not sure. We don't have room in our tiny flat so no other options!

[CalebHadToSplit]

I also have the 3 tier Lakeland one. It is brilliant and, with careful arranging, will hold two loads of washing on it.

[Nameofnames]

I have the lakeland one and it's much better than our washer/dryer. We also have the cover which has made a huge difference to how quickly it dries stuff and I put little hanging moisture absorbers in there too.

I agree with wombattoo that it's better to lie stuff in layers rather than hang one piece on each rung.

[LifeBeginsNow]

I love my Lakeland airer. I have a tumble drier too for towels and bedding only (always seem to shrink clothes if I use it for that).

Generally after a night and a bit the clothes are dry. I leave the window on the latch in the room it's in (it only smells of damp clothes initially).

FYI, when I read the reviews most people said they used a sheet from the cupboard over the top in a tent fashion to really speed the drying up. It worked for many people but Lakeland realised they could charge for a proper cover as extra. They do warn the sheet idea is untested but I've used it no problems.

[BlueRaptor]

Hold on - so you guys lay clothes flat on top of each other on the Lakeland drier? I'm so confused.

I hang bits individually on the rung (only have the 2-tier which doesn't give much space between, impossible to hang trousers or dresses on them!). Have I been doing it all wrong...

[Nairsmellsbad]

The Lakeland one is great.

[Spickle]

I have the three-tier Lakeland one. Like some other posters, I didn't find it dried clothes that well to begin with, but then I bought the zip cover to go over it and drying has improved 100%. It is unfortunate that the airer at around £95 and the cover £30 is pretty expensive but I am very pleased with the results. The only downside is that the airer and cover create such a lovely warm cocoon, that my two cats are regularly sleeping in there too!

[Nameofnames]

Yes blue, I washed more than I could dry one day and folded some sheets up pretty small and put them on it as it was the only was to fit them in and was pretty surprised by how much quicker they dried. I'd only layer up the thinner bits though.

[borntobequiet]

I suggest an ordinary airer and a dehumidifier. That's what I use in a very old and very cold bathroom. Washing dries overnight and no condensation on walls/windows. The dehumidifier makes a little breeze and as it removes water from the air it warms the room. Aldi were selling good sized dehumidifiers earlier this year for about £100. Costs about the same as a fridge to run as it works on the same principle.

[Muskateersmummy]

I hang mine over the rungs and have never had problems with things drying.

[Birdsgottafly]

I've also got the JML Dribuddy, I got mine from Argos.

There's YouTube demo's of it.

It's cheap to run and the dimensions are in the descriptions online