Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Original poster

Another heated clothes airer question (sorry!)

67 replies

Madratlady · 13/10/2013 22:32

So I want to save money by not using the tumble dryer. I could buy a heated clothes airer. Could some of you people who already have one answer me a few questions about them?

  • which one would you recommend? Lakeland? Something else?
  • how quickly do they dry stuff? Could I put it on in the morning and have dry clothes by evening?
  • can you fit a full load on one?
  • does the water coming off your clothes make the room damp?
  • some people have said on other threads that you need to put a sheet over, does that mean literally drape a bed sheet over or what? I see that some of them come with covers, are those better?
OP posts:
MaryMotherOfCheeses · 14/10/2013 08:57

And its nearly a hundred quid Shock

It would take several centuries to recoup that, surely.

Original poster
Madratlady · 14/10/2013 09:03

My tumble dryer is fairly inefficient so I would guess 50-60p a go. It takes well over an hour to dry stuff and makes a horrible noise. I still think one of these would be cheaper to run but the more I think about the more I think I'll wait a few months rather than rushing off to get one now.

OP posts:
amazonianwoman · 14/10/2013 11:49

I'd invest in a more modern tumble drier if you already have the space Smile Mine was only about £200 in the John Lewis clearance (own brand). It dries a whole load of towels in less than an hour - so about 30p?

If you need to leave the heated airer on for a few hours to dry the equivalent load, there's no real cost saving at all. And you end up with all that moisture dissipating into your house and causing damp (waits for PigletJohn to come along and confirm this Grin)

Original poster
Madratlady · 14/10/2013 13:48

Hmmm you may actually be right amazonian we'd have to get a second hand one though because we're pretty skint right now. Unless I can find an amazing bargain.

OP posts:
MistressIggi · 14/10/2013 14:55

I am hoping the airer will also warm up the room it is being used in, which a tumble drier doesn't do, meaning I can keep the heating off during the day!
It's a moot point for me, as we cannot have a tumble drier - I'd prefer one to an airer if I could for reasons of space if nothing else.

MistressIggi · 14/10/2013 16:02

...Has just arrived and I put a load of washing on it at half three, so can post tonight to say how long it took to dry/if it dries at all..

valiumredhead · 14/10/2013 17:05

I doubt very much there's much difference between an airer and an A rated drier tbh.

QOD · 14/10/2013 19:42

It's the shrinkage for me though, oh and you have to fold tumble stuff before its cold or you may have to iron!

QOD · 14/10/2013 20:26

Anyway, you've convinced me and I have ordered one!!

Thru the link too so £50 of wine for £4.99 and had my £5 off

Original poster
Madratlady · 14/10/2013 22:23

This thread has just made me more undecided about whether to get one!

Yes please report back MistressIggi

The wine is tempting but I'm pregnant so couldn't drink it anyway.

OP posts:
QOD · 14/10/2013 22:33

I know, I decided that for me, it's not to save tumble dryer costs, it's to stop stuff taking 2 to 3 days on the Airer, I don't iron if I can help it, so the Airer is perfect for me. I don't like the clothes hanging all over radiators thing so .... Perfect

MistressIggi · 15/10/2013 18:51

Well not sure if really impressed, so far.. Was on for about 6 hours yesterday, not dry (any bits touching the heated rails were dry, just not all the other bits!) and left on airer (off) overnight and mostly still not dry in the morning. It did make the hall were I had it nice and warm, might be better to stick it in a bedroom! BUT reading all the reviews I've learned Lakeland say it's better apparently to lie a few layers of clothes horizontally on it, rather than hanging. So will try that with next load :)

valiumredhead · 15/10/2013 19:31

That surely really limits the amount you can get dry though, doesn't it? I read lots of reviews about dry stripes too, it put me off.

Rattitude · 15/10/2013 19:35

Aldi will be selling one in their Special Buys this Sunday. Here it is: Heated airer.

It is not as big as the Lakeland one but it is only £25 and it has a three-year warranty.

QOD · 15/10/2013 20:07

I saw those before but it doesn't hold a load even, the Lakeland one seems to take up less floorspace of course too

MistressIggi · 15/10/2013 20:11

We'll I think the idea is you put things on top of each other - there is quite a lot of flat space really and if you can put, say, shirt, t-shirt, some underwear all on top of each other I think would still get a full load.

It is certainly not a tumble dryer, but I do think it's better than a normal airer. I was pleased the rails don't get burny-hot, if a child touched it they shouldn't burn.

Sadly don't have enough washing to try another load now Grin

Original poster
Madratlady · 15/10/2013 20:54

MistressIggi Is that a stealth boast? As in 'ooh look at me I'm so organised my washing basket is empty?' I don't think I've ever had not enough washing for a load!

I don't think I'll rush to get one anyway. Maybe a regular clothes horse or two and radiators will do for now.

OP posts:
Grittzio · 15/10/2013 21:09

Love my Lakeland clothes airer, had it 2 weeks, went for the two tier one as the three tier is very big and wouldn't be able to put it away. Can still fit a load on it, to dry over night you really need to cover with a sheet. Also only 3p per hour as oppose to 5p for the bigger one.

MistressIggi · 15/10/2013 21:24

Ha ah madrat, my first ever!
Due to airer I could wash two loads yesterday (one on ceiling thingy and one on new airer) so I guess that is a big advantage for me. Think I will give it a name..

nbee84 · 15/10/2013 21:51

QOD - coming to this slightly late as I see you have ordered one already, but you mentioned your dh is an XL. You'll probably find that the rungs aren't wide enough to put his shirts/tshirts on without folding, so they'll take longer to dry.

Putting a sheet over the top is not so much about stopping the moisture getting into the room, more about trapping the warm air in to help dry the clothes. Try it, definitely helps.

And yes to using a timer. It's too easy to leave it switched on and then you end up using more electricity than drying the load in a tumble dryer.

QOD · 16/10/2013 17:45

Oke doke, I plan on putting a thin sheet over and plugging it in on a timer switch

Waiting excitedly!!

greyvix · 16/10/2013 21:26

Have most of you gone for the 3 tier one? I am trying to decide which, if either, to get.

QOD · 17/10/2013 12:04

Yes

GrassIsntGreener · 20/10/2013 13:37

I'm looking at buying one of these too. We are stingy with our expensive oil heating and I'd love for us to go down to a warm living room in the morning.

QOD · 20/10/2013 13:53

And you get a £50 naked wine voucher .... My 6 free bottles arrive tomorrow and then I won't give a toss of my laundry is wet or dry anyway Grin

Swipe left for the next trending thread