Anyone use a Dribuddi or electric airer instead of tumble dryer?

[anxiouswaiting]

Our tumble dryer has given up, can't really afford to replace it at the moment and it also takes up a lot of space we don't really have anyway.
Does anyone use a Dribuddi or electric airer? Are they any good?
I've seen they are cheaper to run than a tumble dryer, but imagine they take a lot longer too?

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MNHQ

I love mine. I've got the Lakeland drysoon one. I find it dries washing overnight so long as you hang it right. Wouldn't work so well for a full load of towels but so long as the heavier things go at the top they dry well. I hang it after dinner and mostly it's dry by the next morning. Doesn't cost much to run.

I also have a Lakeland heated airer. I layer clothes on it flat and it works well, doesn't make any appreciable difference to my electricity bills. Sometimes I put the cover on, but I recently bought a dehumidifier (Meaco 12 litre) which I'll run alongside the airer, and this makes a massive difference to drying times. If I had to choose between them, I think I'd choose the dehumidifier tbh.

I’ve got a dribuddi. Don’t use it now but I did for a long time. They’re pretty great. And of course, you can use it for things that can’t be tumble-dried (useless for sheets or towels though). I just use a dehumidifier now. You do have to crack a window with a dribuddi or there’s too much moisture in the air.

I know it's not advised from a damp perspective but given energy bills I've started ditching the dryer and just now use radiators and those hanging things that go over them.

We have a dehumidifier with laundry setting to use with a clothes airer. It’s great.

We just use the radiators and a heated airier. I did get fed up of my towels being like cardboard so now I take them to the laundromat once a week to dry them.

We've never had tumble dryer but did invest in a Lakeland heater drier. It works well.

I had a Dri buddy at my old house when I didn't have room for a tumble dryer. I would put it up in the kitchen when tea was done & my load would be dry before I went to bed, it saved lots of ironing as well.

Another vote for the Lakeland dryer, never owned a tumble dryer.

My dehumidifier works well to dry clothes

I have one from Lakeland and I hate it. Incomparable to a dryer (had it before I lived somewhere with space for a dryer) crispy clothes where you could see the lines, damp house.

I've had the Lakeland for years. I hate the feel of tumble dried clothes so although I have a small one in the garage for emergencies I never really use it. I find the airer pretty effective. I have it in the conservatory and partially dry stuff on it then finish off on the radiator then I don't land up with condensation or a damp house.

Love the Lakeland one. Lie clothes flat / in layers from thin to thick, cover over.

I use a Lakeland heater dryer and have for about 6 years. I use it alongside a dehumidifier too which takes so much water out of the air. I can see why you can have mould problems without one. We are family of 1 adult and 2 kids - teen & preteen - so out drying needs are increasing

For just a single load of washing I sometimes won't turn heated airer on - just the dehumidifier & heat from the radiator.

I just use this method in the winter months.

Soon I'll be drying outside again & I can't wait.

I have the DriBuddy and it's great for stuff I wouldn't put in the dryer, like jumpers and certain tee-shirts, but it certainly isn't a replacement.

Spin dryer + dehumidifier, if you’ve got the £/space.

I've got a Lakeland heated airer, I love it. I've never had a tumble dryer though so I can't compare. I can get a load dry overnight if I hang it right. Thick clothes on the top shelf and quick drying clothes on the bottom. I don't lay things flat unless I've done a half load. School uniform on hangers around the edge and socks etc on a clippy hanging thing and the cover on.

@MyNameIsAngelicaSchuyler I'm interested in what you've said - do you layer clothes on top of each other, so thin t shirt flat over the rungs, then a thicker one on top? Have I got that right?

Also I crack the window slightly as there is a lot of warm / moist air using the heated airer. I can see why you might want a humidifier on but the window works fine for me.

We have a Lakeland airer (no cover) but have barely used it since the day we got our tumble dryer. It's ok if you can't get a tumbly, but it's not a replacement. I'd put the money towards a basic new tumble dryer personally, and do the trick of putting a duvet cover over the back of the radiator and up over a normal airer when you don't want to tumble.

Ahhhh we had a tumble dryer when we first moved in as they were on offer at Wilkos. Berry fond memories of it but if you put a full wash in it it was a struggle to get things dry and O had to constantly keep moving the clothes around inside.
Also, keep a window open because of damp and they are a little noisy.
We ended up getting a dehumidifier with a laundry setting and have used this ever since. Would recommend the dehumidifier option first if you can afford one.

Bloody predictive text - I actually meant to put "we had a dri buddy when we first moved out".

Back to bed for me I think!

Meaco dehumidifier - dries clothes quickly and collects the water so no damp issues.

Also provides soothing quiet white noise for people who struggle to sleep

@MojoMoon
I bought a Meaco dehumidifier on recommendation on here actually. It is great but my previous one (different brand) had wheels on the bottom so I could glide it between rooms. This one doesn't and is quite heavy so is a bit of a pain to move.