Brabantia WallFix Retractable Rotary Washing Line review: is this the best washing line for small gardens?

Price on writing: £165 | Buy now from Amazon

How we tested

Our parent-tester Bethan put the Brabantia WallFix Retractable Washing Line through its paces in her family home, drying washing for her family for four in their small walled yard garden. Having used a regular rotary washing line previously, she cross-compared the WallFix with it, taking detailed notes on the washing line's ease of use, user-friendliness and how efficiently it dries her family's washing.

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Our verdict

With its easy to operate folding mechanism and strong, sturdy design, this washing line is a godsend for those with limited outdoor space for drying laundry. Whether you have a balcony, yard, small garden or you simply don't want laundry taking up any more space than it absolutely has to, the Brabantia WallFix is a brilliant solution.

Tucking discreetly away into a metal case when not in use, Bethan loved how the washing line frees up space in her garden for her two young children's toys. Having previously used a rotary washing line with a heavy base which would occasionally topple over in high winds, the Brabantia WallFix is a huge improvement.

With enough space for more than a full load of washing, the line efficiently dries up to 20kg and 24m of laundry. Faster than a clothes airer and cheaper than using her tumble dryer, Bethan's glad to have the WallFix to help tackle her laundry pile.

While setting up the WallFix Washing Line does require power tools, it's only a case of drilling 4 screws into the wall, so not too involved and it was up in record time.

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What's the Brabantia WallFix Retractable Rotary Washing Line like to set up and start using?

To attach the Brabantia WallFix to your wall, you'll need a power drill. There are 4 screws and wall plugs included, install these and you're good to go. Bethan was pleasantly surprised how quick and easy it was for her DH - who isn't a DIY fan - to put up the washing line.

The storage box hinges easily to pull out and put away the washing line, which glides smoothly into place with little effort. Once unfolded, it's ready for you to hang your washing on.

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What's the Brabantia WallFix Retractable Rotary Washing Line like to use day-to-day?

With a small garden and two young children - plus outdoor toys, scooters, pushchair and of course, laundry - space is at a premium, and it's the WallFix Washing Line's space-saving abilities that impressed Bethan the most.

A regular retractable washing line like the Minky Retractable Duo Reel is OK if you have the length in your garden, but for genuinely tiny spaces, it's less use. The Brabantia WallFix packs the most space for your washing - an impressive 24m - in the smallest possible area, without compromising on efficiency. What's more, little ones can play underneath as it takes up zero space on the ground.

The washing line has more than enough space for a full load of washing and can take up to 20kg. It works just like a regular rotary washing line - air circulates between the clothes in much the same way it does on an airer, gently and naturally drying the fabric without damaging it.

Of course, the great British climate means we can't always dry our washing outdoors, but the weather-proof storage box means the washing line is protected from the elements while not in use. There's also a cheaper version with a waterproof fabric cover available, rather than a box, that protects the washing line in much the same way but is a bit more effort to take off and put on.

Bethan would have liked an integrated hook for her peg bag, as having it at the same height as the line comes in handy when putting your washing out. Other than that it's hard to fault the washing line, as it's made her outdoor area so much more spacious and child-friendly.

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Does the Brabantia WallFix Retractable Rotary Washing Line offer good value for money?

At £165 for the WallFix Washing Line with Storage Box and £95 for the version with a fabric storage bag, this washing line is around the same price you'd pay for a good quality rotary washing line like the Brabantia Lift-o-Matic. Regular rotary washing lines will generally have more space for washing (50m is about average), but if you have limited space, a massive great rotary line isn't going to be much use to you.

When compared to other retractable washing lines like the Vileda Cordomatic, which you can pick up for under £20, the Brabantia is much more expensive. Regular retractable washing lines are great for saving space and folding discreetly away, and they may suit your garden better than the WallFix.

In conclusion, the Brabantia WallFix Retractable Rotary Washing Line is the best solution we've seen for the smallest gardens and outdoor areas, offering the benefits of a rotary without the huge amount of space they take up. The washing line is really high quality and plenty of Mumsnet users say theirs is still going strong 10 years after purchase.

£165 or even £95 is certainly an investment, but if it's going to make a genuine difference to you and your family's enjoyment of your garden, we'd say it's worth it.

About the author

Poppy O'Neill is a Content Editor at Mumsnet and a mother of two. She's been researching and reviewing the products Mumsnetters swear by for 3 years, with a particular focus on home essentials, laundry and fans. From a highly-recommended retractable washing line to the best quiet fans money can buy, and Mumsnet's favourite dehumidifier to the steam generator iron that'll cut your ironing time in half, she loves to deep-dive into research and find the very best products on the market.

Poppy is also an award-winning, best-selling children's and parenting author of books such as Don't Worry, Be Happy, The Extraordinary Book That Makes You Feel Happy and Mother Power. She specialises in children's mental health and her books are used by therapists, teachers and SENCOs across the UK. She won a The Week Junior Book Award in 2023, her books have been translated into several languages and she's been featured in The Guardian, The Sunday Times and The Sun.

About Mumsnet reviews

All Mumsnet product reviews are written by real parents after weeks of research and testing. We work hard to provide honest and independent advice you can trust. Sometimes, we earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. However, we never allow this to influence our coverage.