Heated Airer or Tumble drier

[pinkrose78]

Hi
Just wondering what people would choose between a heated clothes airer or a tumble drier.
I've seen a heated airer n Dunelm and John Lewis for £100 but just not sure if it looks like you would get a lot on it.
I've always had a tumble drier but once the most recent one broke this year I haven't replaced it.
Just wondering what people's thoughts are please ?

I have both and would say that if you have the choice, go for a tumble drier. The heater airer doesn't have as much capacity or as quick a turnaround. I tend to just use it for hand-wash stuff I can't tumble dry. It's much cheaper to run though.

I have both too and frankly the heated airer is a bit pointless.. I only bought it about a month ago trying to reduce the use of the dryer and it just doesn't dry very well.. I have kept it and use it for hand wash / delicate items and I'm trying to use my washing line more and finish it on the airer .. it most definitely does not replace the dryer !!

Tumble dryer definitely! I sold my heated airer as I couldn’t fit much on it and it took up a lot of space, and still things took ages to dry. But I couldn’t be without my tumble dryer in the winter.

Tumble dryer is way easier as you shove everything in rather than hanging out. Also can take more.

However things will be more creased from a tumble dryer. And will need ironing if you care about that.

If you are someone who cares about creases and will iron stuff after tumble drying then I would. say get a heated airer as it will cut down the ironing. If you don’t care about creases (like me) then tumble dryer.

Thanks so much for replies, really helpful.
I'd somehow imagined that you could hang a load on the heated airer, have it on overnight and fold it off in the morning all dry, I'm thinking it's maybe not as simple or quick as that ?
I often hang things up indoors or on the line and then finish in the tumble drier so often don't put clothes in straight from the machine into the drier.
Thinking tumble drier would be best.

@minipie

Tumble dryer is way easier as you shove everything in rather than hanging out. Also can take more.

However things will be more creased from a tumble dryer. And will need ironing if you care about that.

If you are someone who cares about creases and will iron stuff after tumble drying then I would. say get a heated airer as it will cut down the ironing. If you don’t care about creases (like me) then tumble dryer.

I’d say the opposite! I generally hang stuff on the line/airer first, after a good shake, then use the dryer for 10-15 minutes to get rid of any residual creases. I have used a heated rack on holiday and clothes are stiffer and have more creases.

Also it’s great for reducing the crunchiness of towels washed without fabric rinse (as they should be)

My dryer is dead basic though - vented, just 2 heats, reverse tumble, and a 10-minute cooldown. I can’t be doing with sensors. Also I never put heavy stuff in with light.

Am I overthinking this?

I'm the same as you in that I didn't replace our tumble dryer when it broke, however although I don't have a heated airer we do have storage heaters which dry a load hung on a tower airer overnight.

The case for replacing the tumble dryer for me would be:

• Can dry items quickly in an emergency (e.g realise you need an item dry in half an hour)
• Don't have loads of washing hanging about the place adding moisture to the environment and looking cluttered
• And, biggest plus for me, you can wash, dry and put away several loads of laundry in a day so can get through a build up of washing.

I'm perservering with what we have as we can't afford to replace the dryer anyway, but it's a pain having to be ultra-organised making sure you keep on top of the laundry and I'd quite like not to have a hall full of washing once in a while (you of course may have more options as to where your airer can go!)

Thanks @sleepyhead I agree completely with your reasons. My children often tell me with minimum notice when they need something and if I had a dryer I could easily wash and have it dried on time. My clothes airers go in the kitchen and can take an age to dry and just feels messy and cluttered. It's great in the warmer weather and I have 3 clothes lines outside that get well used. Although I've hung clothes out today and think it's been raining since I hung it out.
I've just been having a look at tumble dryers and I'm bamboozled with the choice !

I had an online chat with someone from Curry's who was very helpful.
Do people know of huge difference in electricity bills between a model that is A++ and B rating ?

Are the A+++ rated ones the heat pump models? PigletJohn once gave a breakdown of how long it would take to recoup the extra purchase cost of these based on energy savings and it was something crazy like 5 years.

This was a while back though - they may have come down in price.

Yes the A++ ones are Heat Pump and more expensive. Do you think it's minimal savings then against paying £150+ initially ?

I’ve got a dryer and a spin dryer, it’s still on an hour but I have a smart meter & it definitely uses less.

If heat pumps only £150 more I’d chose that as long as the reviews are good.

I have a crap washer dryer and a heated airer from Lakeland. I can get a full load on the airer, but it won't always dry by morning, not at this time of year anyway. You can get a cover to go over the top of them which speeds up drying.

It is better than an unheated airer but don't expect miracles. Does avoid creasing though which is good as I hate ironing...

Vented tumble dryer as it removes the moisture from the house, so your house will feel warmer and your heating will cost less.

Also easier as just throw stuff in as opposed to fiddly hanging of socks etc.

Also straight out the tumble drier as it finishes onto a hanger and most items won't need ironing either.

how squeezed are you for space? does noise bother you? i'd much rather a silent airer in the corner of a bedroom than bother running an appliance. and can be folded away, same can't be said of a drier :)

@battlestargalactica we are pretty tight for space, the clothes airers have to go in the kitchen which is rubbish. It's fine in the summer and I can get clothes outside for most of the time. Winters hard as I can have 3 or 4 clothes airers in the kitchen.

I have a heat pump dryer, and wouldn’t bother with another one. It seems to take way way longer to dry anything. Even if it is more efficient, it’s too slow for me!

can the clothes airer live where the drier will live? the floor space they need is the same, but it's extra time hanging everything vs sling it in and go...

We have a Beko heat pump dryer and I can't stop raving about it. It's fantastic, uses barely any electricity. It takes a bit longer to dry as it drys on a lower temperature but this means you can chuck pretty much everything in without shrinking. It's quiet and you just empty the water out after (like a condenser). You can plumb them in as well so the water drains away.

I’ve got a beko condenser and it is good. I plumbed it in to the sink trap myself because we fell out & I was too stubborn to wait for him to do it.

Would choose a tumble dryer over a heated airer any day. I sold my heated airer as I couldn't fit all my laundry on it (5 of us) and the tumble dryer just gets the job done really quickly. As long as you dont overfill it and fold things promptly, no ironing needed either.

I have a cheap beko condenser sat on top of my utility room counter.

Thanks all, ordered a Tumble Dryer from Curry's which is getting delivered on Saturday morning. Can't wait !!