To think that heated airers are a swizz?

[Velvettoad]

We've got a new heated airer and it's rubbish! What am I missing, why do people rave about them?? It's red hot to the touch but doesn't radiate any heat so the only bits that dry are the bits touching the bars.

Also, we got a cover for it but it just seems to create hot moist air underneath so it seems to take longer to dry! I've done an extra spin cycle to dry out the clothes but it doesn't seem to help. Anyone got one of these and finds it useful? What's your secret?

I used to have one these and it was fab! I used the smaller size kids hangers to put the clothes on and was able to get quite a bit in there. Bonus was it also warmed the room up a bit.

I love mine. It heats my house (small house!) as well as drying clothes at the same time.
Dehumidifier was crap so I sold it.

I love ours, 3tier Lakeland one. I dry outdoors as much as possible but current load is straight from machine. Laid flat, shirts hanging from side. It’ll all be dry by morning, I’ll turn it over later. I can imagine if you’re doing multiple loads it may be less useful. I don’t use a cover and it’s in the small utility room which it warms nicely. Our boiler is in there too so it it a fairly warm room.

A dehumidifier works much better in my experience! As long as it’s not in a massive room clothes dry pretty quickly and you don’t have any damp air hanging about.

@wink1970 very ingenious!

I've got a dehumidifier somewhere... So I might try that in the same room as well.

Thanks everyone, did not expect this many comments!!!

I really like mine (lakeland) I put an old valance over it, also has the bonus of heating up my study. Think if overloaded may not be great, I lie most things flat on it.

This thread is perfectly timed. I received a Lakeland one at the weekend and I'm a bit underwhelmed. For those that pile things flat top of each other how does that work? Do you lie T-shirts/tops on top of each other & it still drys them? I'm guessing that strategy is best for thinner items?

That's literally genius.

I absolutely love mine, but I live alone and have no room for a tumble dryer and don't want a washer dryer because I hate them.

Recently got a Lakeland drying pod and think its really good. It takes way less time for me though, 3 hours dries most clothes with thicker things needing a bit longer. I compared the cost to the most common cycle I use on the dryer and I save at least £1 but possibly more, I don’t have my dryer manual & the one online I used didn’t have my exact dryer cycle. I’m going to get a dehumidifier too. I also try to put things outside regardless of the weather unless it’s really heavy rain. Even a bit of drying outside reduces the need to use expensive energy. You shouldn’t dry clothes in your house on any kind of surer really unless you have a dehumidifier.

Love mine takes a while to get to your routine. I tend to hang the stuff over 2 bars heavier stuff at the top. I leave the cover off and switched off through the day, before bed I pop the cover on and switch it on, by the time morning is here it’s all dry.

That it brilliant, we are getting our central heating updated in a couple of weeks and will lose the hot water tank from the airing cupboard, I now know what I am putting in there to replace it!

Love ours. Tumble dry until damp, then iron and finally air on heated airer. (It’s an airer, not a dryer).

This seems pretty labour intensive... Plus, what do you think a clothes airer is because it's clearly not the same as what I think...?

I got one for about £40 three years ago. Biggest waste of £40 ever. Piece of shit. The stuff would dry better on the bloody radiators (when the heating is on,) instead of using extra bloody electric. And it warms the house too.

As you say, only the bits that were/are touching the heated bars actually dry (a bit...) And even THEY don't dry properly.

YANBU @Velvettoad 100% agree.

My piece of shit has been used 4-5 times, hasn't been used for 2.75 years, and is in the garage rusting away to nothing. I suppose I should bin it really!

Agree with that. Tumble drying, then ironing, then bunging over a heated airer? WTAF? 😂 What a waste of time, physical energy, and money!

I’ve considered getting one of these for a while. I’m noticing lots of folk saying the load dries within a day - so does a load on my standard airers, so wouldn’t actually be of benefit in my house.

I don't need a heated airer. But one holiday cottage definitely did. Layed clothes flat over it. Then put the smalls on top of them. Bloody brilliant it was.

If you have to use a dehumidifier and the heated airer have you worked out what the energy use of this combo Vs tumble drier?

I have been a bit obsessed trying to work out the energy cost of things. I have a small oil filled radiator that I used recently and it cost me less than £1 (my tarrif) for 6 hours. Am trying to assess the cost of gas heating the whole house Vs heating one room. Got me wondering if I could use it to dry clothes.

I decided on a dehumidifier and it's been great (I don't have central heating) clothes dry really quickly and it helps keep the room warm. Might not be a choice in the UK though with the cost of electricity.

This is exactly what I use it for with a dehumidifier on in the room. I don’t work from home so can’t really chance it with line drying at this time of year (most times of year bar a drought) even though it is mild.

Thing is we should really use a dehumidifier if drying clothes on airers or radiators that aren’t heated, otherwise you create damp in your house.
I know the heated airer alone is much cheaper so I’ll check the dehumidifier running costs before I purchase.

My none heated airer does that in less than half the time.

you make the mistake of comparing it with a tumble dryer.

a heated airer will reduce drying time compated to a convential airerbut will still be a lot slower than a tumble drier.

yes, only the bars get warm and at first ghe fabric dries there. but after a while the rest of the clothes dry as well. it's just not instant.
and definitely cheaper than heating the whole house in order to dry clothing.

I got my mini airdryer from Lakeland a few weeks ago and love it. I switch it on at 8am put the cover over the top and switch it off at 5pm I leave it covered and take everything off the next morning. I'm very happy with it.

I’m surprised at the timings people are saying. Mine is definitely more like 3 hours or 4 for heavy items.