Beldray 60 Metre Rotary Airer review: Our verdict on budget clothes drying option

Price: RRP £60 | Buy now from Amazon

What we like

• Easy to assemble

• Lightweight

• Budget-friendly price

What we don’t like

• No cover included

• Plastic ground socket is at risk of cracking or breaking if used in the wrong type of ground

Our verdict

Lightweight, but not flimsy, the Beldray 60m rotary airer is easy to assemble and has ample drying space for larger families. Priced at £60 at the time of writing (although we have seen it on sale for less than £45), this is a good budget buy for anyone looking after the pennies.

Key Specs

Brand: Beldray | Dimensions open: Unspecified | Dimensions closed: Unspecified | Material: Aluminium and plastic | Ground spike included: Yes | Cover included: No | Maximum Load: Unspecified | Guarantee: Three years

What’s included?

• Drying umbrella

• Aluminium pole

• Plastic ground socket

What’s the Beldray rotary airer like to assemble?

The Beldray 60 metre rotary airer is easy to assemble as it’s essentially a three-piece jigsaw. The umbrella and aluminium pole slot together easily, the whole thing then goes into the plastic ground spike and then you’re good to go. The rotating arms are two metres long, so when choosing a location for your washing line, make sure you leave enough space to allow these to move freely.

When we unpacked our airer, the bright blue drying lines felt sufficiently taut. If these feel a little on the slack side, just pull until the tension is even across all lines. Make sure all the lines are tangle free before you start putting the whole thing together.

Because we already had a ready-made hole in our patio from our previous rotary airer, we didn’t actually need to use the included ground socket. However if you are using the socket, the manufacturer recommends using a mallet to hammer it into the ground. Alternatively, dig a 30cm x 20cm deep hole and fill it with concrete, inserting the ground socket to its full length, but you must allow 48 hours before use. Make sure you follow the instructions carefully as the last thing you want is your airer toppling over and to see all that lovely clean washing hitting the floor. Nobody wants to make a return visit to the washing machine.

Can the Beldray rotary airer be used on grass?

Yes, the Beldray airer can be used on grass. Although we used our rotary airer on the patio, for the purpose of this review, we also tried to install the airer on the lawn. Without much success.

The ground was dry from days without rain and we simply could not get the socket into the grass, no matter how much welly we gave it with the mallet. A metal spike to drive into the ground would have made the process much easier.

So if you are planning on using your rotary washing line on the grass, this is something to bear in mind, or you run the risk of potentially cracking or breaking the ground socket (not to mention your back from all that hammering).

Is the Beldray rotary airer easy to use?

The airer is incredibly easy to use. The arms are clipped in place when not in use, and once unclipped, the umbrella glides smoothly up and down until a chunky blue wedge holds everything firmly in the desired place.

There is a huge 60 metres of drying space, which is great for larger families and handy if you have just come back from holiday with a giant pile of dirty laundry to tackle.

Although the airer feels lightweight, it stays on the right side of flimsy and is able to hold heavy towels, king-sized bedding, plus a couple of loads of washing with ease.

How do you store the Beldray 60m rotary airer?

Unfortunately the airer did not come with a cover, which was disappointing, although of course you can always buy one separately.

If you wanted to take your rotary airer down to store it in the shed, simply fold the arms down, clipping them in place, and lift the airer out of the ground socket. The pole can then be detached. The ground socket comes with a handy lid which can be closed to prevent the rain from getting in.

Does the Beldray 60m rotary airer offer value for money?

Priced at £60 at the time of writing (May 31st, 2023), the Beldray 60m rotary airer offers good value for money. It is nearly half the price of Mumsnet favourite the Brabantia Lift-O-Matic Rotary Washing Line  (RRP £109) which also boasts 60m of drying space.

The Beldray offers more drying space than the similarly priced Vileda 4 Arm Rotary Washing Line, coming in at 45 metres.

It is worth remembering that the Beldray does not come with a cover, so if you really want one, this will be an additional expense to factor in. But as you can pick a brand new cover for as little as five or six pounds, you’ll still be quids in.

To find out more about how the Beldray 60m rotary airer compares to others on the market, check out our guide to the best rotary washing lines, full of tried and tested recommendations from Mumsnet users. We also have handy guides to the best clothes pegs, best laundry detergents and best fabric softeners to help keep your clothes clean and smelling as fresh as a daisy.

How we tested

The Beldray 60 metre rotary airer was put through its paces at our reviewer Laura's home on the patio in her south-facing garden. The weather was sunny, with a moderate north-easterly breeze (well, we were hardly going to test it in the rain, were we?!).

We used the airer to dry swimming towels, bedding, children’s and adults clothing.