6 best heated clothes airers to speed up drying times this winter

With winter fast approaching, the days of hanging out damp laundry to dry in a matter of minutes are over.

Luckily, there’s a genius device that might just change your life: the heated clothes dryer. In a nutshell, it’s a normal clothes dryer that emits a certain amount of heat (typically between 60C and 70C). If you’re keen to supercharge your drying time, opt for a pod-style dryer, which uses a fan to blast warm air around clothes suspended from rails inside an enclosed canvas pod.

These nifty home appliances aren’t just useful for speeding up drying time, they’re also a cheaper alternative to using a tumble dryer. A tumble dryer can cost anywhere from 56p to £1.55 an hour to operate (depending on the model), while a heated dryer is more efficient and is likely to cost less than 40p an hour to run – one model we tested only costs around 3p an hour to operate. While it may feel like a large investment initially, it could save you hundreds in the long run – welcome news, thanks to energy prices soaring.

To help you choose the best heated dryer for your needs, we tested a range of options to find the perfect model. We can honestly say we’ve never paid more attention to our laundry, whether it’s the speed at which damp clothes dry or the benefits of three tiers over two when it comes to drying our shoes, smalls and sweaters.

But before we begin, let’s bust some myths about heated dryers, starting with the misconception that they’re dangerous. Because the dryers are thermostatically controlled, this simply isn’t the case. Although we’d advise turning it off overnight (more for your peace of mind than anything else).

Additionally, many models have timers that mean the dryer will turn off after a preset length of time. Another reason we’d advise against leaving heated drying racks on for hours is that certain materials – especially delicate ones – simply don’t fare well when exposed to heat for prolonged periods, and may become slightly stiff due to extreme dryness.

Finally, always spin the clothes first, and, if you’re drying handwashed laundry that you’re reluctant to wring out, allow the garments to drip dry over a bath or in an outside area for 20 or 30 minutes first. Without further ado, meet the appliance that’s about to revolutionalise the way you think about doing the laundry.

The best heated clothes airers for 2022 are:

• Best overall – Dry:Soon drying pod: £99.99, Lakeland.co.uk

• Best for quick drying – DriBuddi: portable energy-efficient indoor electric clothes dryer: £75, Argos.co.uk

• Best compact, collapsible design – Homefront electric heated clothes airer: £54.95 Homefrontproducts.co.uk

• Best for ease of use – Dunelm heated airer with wings: £40, Dunelm.com

• Best for families – Black+Decker three-tier heated airer: £120, Currys.co.uk

• Best for large amounts of clothing – Dry:Soon deluxe three-tier heated airer and full accessories bundle: £264.95, Lakeland.co.uk

Dry:Soon drying pod

This pod-style dryer, which costs 34p an hour to run, holds up to 12 hangers and will dry clothes with a maximum heat of 70C. We were equally surprised by both how compact it was when stowed away and how easy it was to set up – it was ready to go within one minute of removing the parts from its tardis-like box (this includes the 20 seconds it took to heat up). No tools were required – we simply inserted the main shaft, which comes in two parts, into the base, attached the three legs, then slipped on the top and cover.

It’s wonderfully quiet, producing the same level of noise as a household fan, and took up around the same amount of room as a coat stand. It also has wide, flat feet, which kept it stable on the vinyl flooring in our kitchen without leaving any marks when we moved it to our carpeted lounge (something that was easy to do – it’s incredibly light and can easily be lifted with one hand). The cover’s snug fit helps speed up drying times, which can be set to 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 or 180-minute slots, although there’s also an option for manual control, which allows you to turn it off and on at will.

Read our full review of the Lakeland Dry:Soon Drying Pod.

Buy now £99.99, Lakeland.co.uk

DriBuddi: Portable energy-efficient indoor electric clothes dryer

Powered by a 1,200W motor, this pod-style dryer will hold 18 garments (or up to 10kg of clothing) and can be left on for 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180-minute time slots, or just switched on and off at will. It’s another dryer that is ridiculously easy to set up – we simply slotted the shaft into the base, then popped the collapsible parasol-like topper, with its six hangers, onto the top. It’s got the same small holes at the top that other pod-style dryers have, and the clever position of the zip at the top allowed us to control the amount of air circulation, which will come in especially handy when drying extra-damp garments. It was one of the quickest dryers when it came to heat-up times and was warm to the touch in just 10 seconds.

Buy now £75.00, Argos.co.uk

Homefront electric heated clothes airer

A slimline dryer that is ideal for smaller homes, this sleek heated garment airer resembles a standard bathroom towel rail, and costs around 3p an hour to operate. It’s incredibly light (weighing in at just 2.4kg) but will hold the same amount of washing as a two-metre-long washing line. Although there’s plenty of room for smaller items, its thicker rails make it particularly suitable for larger pieces such as towels and sweatshirts, with no risk of the individual rails sagging or popping out of place.

While it’s currently out of stock, you can sign up to be notified via email when it next becomes available.

Buy now £54.95, Homefrontproducts.co.uk

Dunelm heated airer with wings

One of the most versatile dryers of our range, Dunelm’s winged heated airer, which costs around 7p an hour to run, can be used with its two wings either folded out or tucked in. This means it takes up less space when not used at full capacity, and we could fold away one of the wings when certain items had dried faster than others. It’s another dryer with an incredibly lightweight aluminium design – we were able to move it using just one hand – and it’s carpet-friendly too, with beam supports instead of separate, carpet-branding feet.

While this airer is currently out of stock, be sure to keep an eye on Dunelm’s website, to find out when it’s available again.

Buy now £40.00, Dunelm.com

Black+Decker three-tier heated airer

This is another brilliant option for families. Its generously sized shelves meant we could choose to hang our clothes or drape them flat across the heated rails, and it’s large enough to take a full load of washing – 15kgs, to be precise. It’s incredibly easy to set up, and comes fully assembled – simply fold out the shelves, turn it on and you’re good to go (it also takes under a minute to heat up). The combination of a 1.6m power cord and a lightweight aluminium design makes it perfect for rooms where space is at a premium, allowing it to simply be moved at will.

Although this airer is currently out of stock, you can sign up to be notified by email when it’s available.

Buy now £120.00, Currys.co.uk

Dry:Soon deluxe three-tier heated airer and full accessories offer bundle

This is a great pod-style dryer (although it can also be used without the cover) for bigger households keen to dry large amounts of laundry (up to 15kg) in one session. Its accessories bundle includes garment-specific items that transform its capabilities, whether it’s the mesh shelves that are designed for smaller items such as socks and pants that can be laid flat, or the six-peg hanger to keep items in place.

Our advice? Clip the hanger to the bottom of heavier items such as sweaters and dresses to pull them taut and minimise drying times. Although it’s one of the larger dryers in our round-up, its wide, spacious design means easy access to the various racks, and its timer gave us the option to turn it off or on 12 hours in advance. It can be used with or without its cover, which also doubles as a storage bag when not in use.

Although the deluxe bundle is currently out of stock, the airer is due to be available again soon.

Buy now £264.95, Lakeland.co.uk

Heated clothes airers FAQs

Which is cheaper to run, a heated clothes airer or a tumble dryer?

Heated clothes airers are cost-effective home appliances that not only speed up the drying time of your clothes but are also more affordable than a tumble dryer.

Heated clothes airers are cheaper to invest in, with many designs available for less than £100, while tumble dryers are much bigger machines that can cost hundreds of pounds.

Depending on the model, operating a tumble dryer can cost from 56p to £1.55 an hour, however, a heated dryer will set you back less than 40p an hour.

The verdict: Heated clothes airers

Lakeland’s Dry:Soon drying pod dries clothes quickly and efficiently without taking up huge amounts of space, and it’s much quieter than the average pod-style dryer, too. We also loved Homefront’s electric heated clothes airer and thought it was an absolute must-have for smaller homes or those on a budget. Plus it has a design that means it will hold a wide range of garments while still allowing for great air circulation.

Looking to save money on your household bills this winter? Read our expert-led guide to energy-efficient kitchen appliances