Lakeland Heated Airer

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I had one delivered yesterday and I am so disappointed. It’s only drying the bit of clothing that is touching the heated rail bit. The heat isn’t spreading through the clothes. Before I spend £30 investing in one of their covers that extra will a cover help? I put a load on it last night and it’s not dry. It’s not been on all this time but a good 6-7 hours it’s been on. Hugely disappointed.

Lay clothes across the bars rather than drape them. I never put anything heavy that takes time to dry on it (jeans, towels etc..). Also move the clothes around. I bought a cover when I first bought mine and I think it makes a huge difference. I don’t use it as a “dryer” it’s a maiden so I don’t expect clothes to dry straight away. When I’m taking clothes off I fold them and lay them on the bottom row for an extra day just to make sure they are fully dry. I bought mine so I could have my dining room back, especially in winter, it’s kept in a very cold leanto with no heating so I usually leave things overnight then move them round the next morning, before leaving them another day, or leave them for a couple of days before I even think about them. Anything I need fast goes on a radiator or in the dryer.

I also mainly use mine for the DCs clothes.

I wouldn't put a fan heater under a cover. That is a huge fire risk.

We have one with the cover. The best tip is don't overload it. We don't leave it on overnight and still manage to dry a load of washing a day.

I put everything over 2 rungs and the top will dry in around 3-4 hours, the bottom takes longer. How well spun are the clothes you're putting on it? 7 hours is enough to dry anything except jeans even if you have overloaded it.

I don't even use the one we bought three years ago now. It takes so long to dry anything that I might as well run the tumble dryer. I've used covers on it too.

I was also very unimpressed at the extremely short power cable on it, severely limiting where it can be plugged in or necessitating the use of an extension cable (which is not recommended).

Since then I have never been able to work out why they seem to be so highly recommended.

Works very well with a fitted sheet over it.

I love mine. I use a cover and dry overnight. I have one of the mesh things which I put over the bottom rack and dry socks and small things on. They are big. Mine lives in our conservatory.

I’ve found it works best:

1. With the cover
2. Just put one thing on the bottom rungs and then the rest can be loaded normally.

I usually lay a jumper or something on the bottom, I think it helps because it doesn’t block the heat too much and let’s it rise.

I love mine.

I lay the stuff flat so it is on 'shelves' rather than hang on rails, also over the edges of the outside, as in, on the edge of the shelf but hanging down. I fold things and cover the entire space.

I also drape stuff over the entire airer as you need to cover it to keep the heat in. I finally got a cover after a couple of years and it helps, but I also drape stuff over the outside of the cover. Move it around from time to time, the bottom takes longer to dry than the top.

The only time I hang anything is shirts on hangers, with the lower bit folded out of the way.

Once set up I don't remove the cover, just undo the zips and root around inside.

I put as much on as possible in one go. and just take the bigger things out and re-fold them to ensure they are dried through.

They’re great. Always cover, it helps loads. If you have a cold old house obviously it will take longer to dry, it’s not a tumble dryer, they’re just warm bars to drape over, but new, warm houses will see your clothes dry in a day.

At least you got one. I ordered mine mid November and it hasn’t arrived yet. Definitely get the cover though as will make it more efficient.

Ours is great, it’s the only thing we use to dry clothes and I do washing daily.

You need to hang the heaviest, thickest items on the top rails, medium weight items in the middle and I only hang light things like underwear on the bottom rails.

I fit loads on and it drys overnight. I don’t put a cover over it either.

You have to lay things on it a couple of layers deep rather than hang stuff on it as you would with a traditional airer. Then chuck an empty duvet cover or sheet over the top and the leave it alone. We usually did stuff overnight and it was all dry by the next morning.

If you use it like a normal airer it wont work it will just dry a line across the clothes where they hang as the heat isnt getting trapped to dry everywhere else its just disappearing into the room.

I haven't got a lakeland ...I've got a 30.00 one and its fab ....it drys everything even if draped over ...xx couldn't of been without it x

I'm disappointed with mine. You can dry a few items, but not even half a wash load really. If you put too much on, it will eventually dry, but have that weird, sweet, musty smell.

Also trousers and dresses just hang on to the rack below.

Better with the cover, but I still think I water my money over all.

Can anyone give me an idea of how expensive they are to run ? If you are leaving it on overnight - say 8 hours or so ?

I sold mine and use a dehumidifier now. So much better.

I really like mine but I use it with a dehumidifier in the room and the door closed. Normally drape a bedsheet over the top too. We don’t have a tumble dryer but this works fine for our needs - only a family of 3 though, so probably not practical for larger numbers.

I was dissapointed in mine at first, now I love it!!

Load it before bed, put the cover on it, dry by morning (not heavy jumpers tho) do not overload it. Also warns the room so jive and toast when I get up!

I have a narrow one for my small spare room and so I only put underwear, sports vests, socks etc on it (don’t have a tumble dryer at all). I leave it all for a few hours without a cover and it’s fine. Main clothes go on a non heated rack downstairs, the airer is fine for the odd thing e.g. top or jeans, that needs to dry quickly. As for electricity, I haven’t seen any dramatic increase in my bill...

I had one for a couple of years before getting a tumble drier. There is a knack but I found unless I hung things from hangers from rails at the top everything went crispy from touching the bars. Things so much softer now I have a tumble drier, but I recommend cover (or sheet) and hanging from the top rails.

[quote Ironicpentameter]@Frenchdressing - they are fab. No vent necessary, just plug it in. Expensive to buy but cheap to run. I now put the all the extra heavy cottons and towels etc in that and use the Lakeland contraption for any lightweight stuff.[/quote]
Thanks!

I bought one after they were recommended on here, I was so disappointed. Gave it away in the end.

@BackforGood

Can anyone give me an idea of how expensive they are to run ? If you are leaving it on overnight - say 8 hours or so ?

It’s 6p a day to run, approx.

@BackforGood

Can anyone give me an idea of how expensive they are to run ? If you are leaving it on overnight - say 8 hours or so ?

Sorry! Cooking! I mean an hour