For those who own a heated clothes airer…

[TwoDogs9]

I’m thinking about buying one, the type with a fan at the bottom but wondered if the clothes dry hard and crispy? I can’t use fabric conditioner due to DS’s eczema and clothes come out of the tumble drier soft enough but it’s old and costs too much to run and I hate that it’s not very environmentally friendly. So give me the lowdown please 😬

Get a good dehumidifier instead.

We use a dehumidifier it's very effective & the amount of water collected is astonishing

They do, I don't think you can avoid it really. You could always whack them in for a few minutes in the tumble dryer with dryer balls and that should soften them up. We have a "freshen up" ten minute cycle on ours which would do the job.

I agree with the dehumidifier suggestion - I use an airer/dehumidifier combo in a small bedroom with the door closed and the clothes dry really quickly. It reduces the problems with damp and mould too as you are getting rid of all the water.

I don't use fabric softener and the clothes are not as soft but it's not like wearing cardboard either, you get used to it.

@NannyR

I don't use fabric softener and the clothes are not as soft but it's not like wearing cardboard either, you get used to it.

I agree - I have London water (so very hard water) and have never had an issue with clothes or towels being stiff even though I don’t use fabric softener or tumble dryer.

I vote for the Lakeland heated airer - if you have the space.

Clothes aren't crispy but my towels definitely are...despite using fabric conditioner

We have the Lakeland heated airer, live a very hard water area and never use fabric conditioner because of sensitive skin issues.
Our clothes are definitely soft when dried on the airer and not crunchy or stiff.

We do however have a water softener which really helps with the skin issues too!

Interesting, DH has been muttering about getting a heated airier as it was advertised 15p/hr to run & that 2 hrs would have clothes almost dry.

We have a dehumidifier, and it does dry clothes brilliantly, but it does seem to cost a fair bit to run. I will have to take a reading then start it to work out exactly how much though.

ime the heated airer reduces drying time by half compared to line drying indoors.
instead of clothes taking 24 hours, switching on the heated airer reduces it to 12.

Got one from Robert dyas.lidl had the identical one a lot cheaper.its good but not magic.you have to move the clothes around to dry them all over. I do also have a good dehumidifier, with the clothes drying facilities. At 300w it won't cost 15p per hour. That's Probably almost the cost of 1kw. My DGKs suffer with eczema,you can get special fabric conditioner.

@purplesequins

ime the heated airer reduces drying time by half compared to line drying indoors. instead of clothes taking 24 hours, switching on the heated airer reduces it to 12.

Yes I agree. I see it as a faster airer rather than being comparable to an actual tumble dryer

I’ve got a dehumidifier already as we live in a very damp converted stone barn. It has a laundry setting but I’d need to set it up in a small room I think which is a bit tricky. Heated drier doesn’t sound like it would suit after all, so thanks for your replies which have helped to make up my mind.

@nannybeach I’ve yet to find a “sensitive” fabric conditioner that doesn’t cause a flare up of his eczema.

@ChequerBoard that’s interesting what you say about a water softener, I’ll have to look into that.

Our clothes come off the lake land airer a bit crispy but that's how I like them, stiff and fresh feeling.

Hate clothes and towels that have been through the tumble dryer.

A slosh of vinegar in the final rinse is a skin friendly fabric conditioner.