Does anyone have a heated clothes airer?

[Scaredypup]

Am I stupid to spend yet more money on another gimmick in a bid so save money in the long run? In the winter I rely on the heating to dry clothes. I do a load a day and if it doesn’t dry I start running out of places to put it.
i also hate airers as they’re an eye sore but I have one in my room all year round so wouldn’t want a huge one.
Are they worth it?

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MNHQ

[Purplehonesty2]

I have a drying cabinet which zips up but it takes up a lot of space. Usually put it on for 90-120 mins.

I took all the racks out though and hang things on coat hangers as I found I could get more in it

I hang jeans off the side bars.

[DinkBoo]

Also, the heated arier creates humidity, which may be fine if you live somewhere dry. In North Lancs it's definitely not a positive, and our house really benefits from the warm, dry, air of the dehumidifier instead.

[DSGR]

No, cheaper to use my tumble dryer on eco setting

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

The cats like to go under the cover when it's on, but it was bloody expensive for a luxury cat warmer tent

Ha ! Yes our cats like to cram themselves between the airer and the bannister and look out as us , pretending to be Zoo panthers peering disdainfully through cage bars !

[PianoHouseBanger]

I've got a Meaco Zambezi one, and I run it on it's own, and it is much quicker than the dry soon dryer.

[Cw112]

We have one, it works pretty well but it's hard on the electric and we literally never use it it lives in the cupboard. We just use our normal clothes horses and run a dehumidifier in winter because the house tends to get a little damp.

[drspouse]

I thought it was a requirement of being on Mumsnet?

[Allthegoodnamesarechosen]

We used to have something called a Dry Bunny, from Argos. It was like a hall clothes and hat stand, with a a zip up cover. You could hand clothes hangers from the arms.
I used it for shirts, underwear, fleecy things, having spun them on high first. It worked pretty well. We used to hang coats in it during the summer.
We stopped using it when we moved, as the airing cupboard did the job. I gave it to our electrician when he had a baby, his wife was delighted.

[Allthegoodnamesarechosen]

I mean of course that she was delighted with the Dry Bunny, not that her husband had miraculously given birth ( though you never know these days)

[missmoon]

Yes, absolutely brilliant. I wash in the evenings and dry overnight when power is cheaper. Less fuss and cheaper to run than a dryer. I leave a window open but don’t feel it increases humidity (the opposite in fact).

[missmoon]

I have the John Lewis one, it folds flat and I store it behind the door.

[Alwaystired99]

@missmoon

I have the John Lewis one, it folds flat and I store it behind the door.

My JL one is used every day so I had no idea it folded flat!
Had it 2 and a half years now and is great, I often use it as a normal airer overnight and then turn it on for a few hours the next day. No cover but seems fine without.

[ProperVexed]

I didn't like mine so I sold it and now use a dehumidifier. I can fill two airers and leave them in a room with the dehumidifier on for 4-8 hours and it is bone dry. Warms the room as well.

[missmoon]

@Alwaystired99

My JL one is used every day so I had no idea it folded flat!
Had it 2 and a half years now and is great, I often use it as a normal airer overnight and then turn it on for a few hours the next day. No cover but seems fine without.

Yes, I do the same!

[Gr33ngr33ngr4ss]

Dri:soon pod is really good. I've had mine years. Dries about 10 things on hangers (plus I hang bras over the arms). I'd replace it same day if it broke

[JamesWilbyFanClub]

Dunelm have some cheaper options, and Argos worth a look too.

[Scaredypup]

@Disneyblueeyes

If you did your washing on say, a Saturday morning, wouldn't they be dry by Sunday night on just a normal airer? Stick the airer outside if it's dry even in winter?

I do washing every day pretty much and no it doesn’t dry outside when it’s cold

[Luredbyapomegranate]

@Scaredypup

But surely most stuff can’t be tumble dried?

I put practically everything in the drier, never had any problems. Mine’s a washer/drier. Were you putting yours on a v high temp or something??

I thought about getting an airer but I don’t think it’s practical in a small flat, and as I’d definitely need a humidifier as well, I think it would take a good while to pay for itself.

[TerriblyNaice]

@bumpertobumper

I bought one, after reading many threads like this on here. But it never worked properly and I returned it.
I covered it, but nothing dried properly unless laid flat on the bars, so could only dry a few items at a time. Tried lots of different ways, didn't get on with it.
Bit baffled tbh how people get them to work.

Me too bumper.
Thought it was a ridiculous large clumsy thing with a very short lead, which added to the annoyance.
I had the cover also. The bars on mine never became hot enough to dry anything in less than 3 days. I didn't crowd it either.
When I called Lakeland to ask about return and collection, the chap on the other end didn't seem surprised. They must have lots sent back.

Mumsnet seems to like them though 🤷‍♀️

[mackthepony]

So they don't seem to dry that quickly? Like 12 hours? I thought it was like a radiator

[Joshanddonna]

I put mine on a normal airer then put my fan on. It dries really well.

[BloodyCamping]

I can put two to three load of washing on mine but it’s 300kw so costs more then expected to run. We have a timer so do a mix of heated and non heated drying on the rack each time it’s loaded.

[greenacrylicpaint]

@mackthepony

So they don't seem to dry that quickly? Like 12 hours? I thought it was like a radiator

that's essentially what it is - an electric radiator.

it doesn't get as hot though.

if you use one you need to make sure that the water can go somewhere. somehere drafty is ideal (ours is in the attic, also have a line up there)

it's an airer with oomph
not a dryer without

[HappyPeach]

I have two of the 3 tier ones & they're excellent. I'm shocked at someone upthread saying it takes 10hrs to dry. That's never been my experience, I think it's quite quick. If I put out clothes in the morning they're usually dry by the afternoon. They're also handy for putting out on the patio on a warm day.

[Maltester71]

I have the three tier Lakeland one, plus cover. I cover it with a towel - as others have said, this speeds things up.

its no substitute for a heat pump dryer, which in any case is pretty cheap to run in comparison with older style dryers.

The only thing I use it for is those things that can’t go into the dryer, and mainly in the winter. You have to lie things flat across the bars to get them dry without constantly attending to them, ie, without constantly rotating them, turning them over etc.

With this in mind, my three tier one is nowhere near adequate for family washing. If I lived alone, it would probably be enough.