The Best Heated Clothes Airers

Are you looking to save money on drying your clothes during winter? Or maybe a more natural alternative to a tumble dryer that will also prevent your clothes from pilling.

Well, you’re in the right place, in this guide to the best heated air clothes dryers you’ll learn:

  • The benefits of using a heated air clothes dryer
  • What features to look for in a heated air clothes dryer
  • The best 5 heated air clothes dryers on the market
  • And much more…

The 6 Best Heated Air Clothes Dryers

Portable 3-Tier Electric Clothes Drying Rack

A highly-rated model on Amazon with a 4-star rating from over 1,700 reviews, this is a perfect and not overly expensive model. With its 3-tier design and remote control-enabled dryer unit which provides a heat range of 122°F (50°C) to 158°F (70°C), this option provides great results at a fraction of the cost of a tumble dryer.

What we like:

  • Portability
  • Drying temperature range
  • The remote control makes it super easy to control

Dry:Soon Deluxe 3-Tier Heated Airer

If you' have a large family and do plenty of washing the Dry:Soon Deluxe is a great option. It has a large drying area, programmable timing controls and folds down to be neatly stored. It's definitely not the cheapest model, but it is well made robust and is extremely efficient.

Take a look at our detailed Dry:Soon Deluxe review for more information.

What we like:

  • Size and ability to dry large loads
  • Folds away into a small footprint for easy storage
  • Efficiently and cheaply drys clothes compared to Tumble Dryers

Foxydry Air, Wall and Ceiling Clothesline, Electrical Drying Rack

If you’re looking for a heated airer that can be permanently positioned in your home, look no further than the Foxdry air, wall and ceiling drying rack. It can be positioned on either a ceiling or wall and dries clothes via LED illumination lamps and fans. A remote control allows you to control a motor which moves the hanging racks up and down.

This model is one of the largest options on the market and can hold up to 35kg of washing.

What we like:

  • Great for large spaces
  • The remote control that allows you to move the hanging racks
  • The sheer size and ability to dry lots of clothes

Mini Hot Air Drying Machine

If space is at a premium or if you live in an apartment this model might be the one for you. A compact model that can be easily assembled and disassembled, this is the ultimate space-saving hot air dryer. A 900-watt dryer which can hold up to 10kg of washing this is a great cost-effective option.

What we like:

  • Size and ability to easily assemble and disassemble
  • Cost-effectiveness
  • Stars - who doesn’t like stars on their hot-air dryer!

TJ. Clothes Dryer

If you travel a lot and are looking for a fully portable dryer this model for TJ Dryingtech, might be the one for you. It’s super lightweight, can easily be hung in a hotel room and has variable controls depending on the material of the garments you're drying.

What we like:

  • Super portable 
  • Ability to be hung from a wall or door
  • Variable controls

WOYIZZAI Portable Electric Clothes Dryer

One of the most efficient dryers on the market, this model features 3D heating technology to circulate the heat around the clothes, accelerating drying time. Certainly not the cheapest option available, but if you’re looking for a dryer with premium features and a premium look and feel, this a fantastic option.

What we like: 

  • 3D heating tech which circulates hot air around the garments
  • Premium features
  • Intelligent control and the auto power off safety feature

What is Pilling?

Put very simply a pilling definition is "the formation of small balls of thread on the surface of a material". In the UK pilling or the formation of pills is sometimes called "bobbling". On occasion, those in the United States refer to "bobbling" as pills that occur on knitwear or woollen garments.

When pilling occurs on clothes, it can look like little lumps of material.  These lumps are formed when the fibres in the fabric pucker and intertwine.

Pilling can occur on any type of fabric, but it is most common with fabrics that contain a lot of short or broken-up fibres, such as polyester or viscose.

Where pilling occurs on clothes, it is most commonly found where the fabric creases or folds; for example, around the waistband of trousers, near cuffs and wrists, under jackets at lapels and across shoulders. Pilling can occur in any direction depending on how the item is used. For example, pilling on denim jeans can occur vertically as the jeans rub against themselves when you walk.

Pilling on clothes is most noticeable after washing and drying, but pilling can also occur during wear. The more often items are worn and washed, the more pilling will occur.

How do Heated Clothes Airers Prevent Pilling?

Pilling is caused by a combination of heat and fabric rubbing together during use and when washed. Heated clothes airers do not rely on the spinning or tumbling garments for drying, and therefore significantly reduces the amount of pilling that occurs. 

What is a Heated Clothes Airer?

A heated clothes airer is an electric-powered device that warms clothes in order to dry them more efficiently than other options, including tumble dryers. Unlike heated towel rails, which can serve a similar purpose, heated clothes airers are independent of your central heating system.

Types of Heated Clothes Airer

There are two types of heated clothes airers, heated bars clothes airers and drying pods. Whilst the end result is the same, how they achieve dry clothes is very different:

  • Heated bar clothes airers. These airers look very similar to normal clothes airers, but as the name suggests, the bars heat up to gently dry clothes. Similar to radiators.
  • Drying pods. These airers use a hot air element to essentially blow-dry clothes. A cover creates a pod into which hot air is blown by a powerful fan. 

Benefits of a Heated Clothes Airer?

The benefits of using a heated air clothes dryer are:

  • A reduction in pilling and bobbling on your clothes
  • A more environmentally friendly alternative to tumble drying
  • A cheaper way to dry your clothes during the winter months

Do Heated Clothes Airers Really Work?

Yes, they do and they are a good option for anyone looking to find an alternative to a tumble dryer or non-electric airer.

They might not be as quick as a tumble dryer and the best way to use them will take a bit of working out, but ultimately they are a good piece of equipment.

Things to Consider Before Buying a Heated Clothes Airer

There are a number of things to think about before purchasing a heated clothes airer:

  • How much washing do you need to do? Heated airers do not dry clothes as quickly as tumble dryers, so you need to consider how often you will need to use it
  • What size do I need? Heated airers come in many different sizes, so think about the washing load size and the space you have available to place a heated airer. They can be a bit of an eye sore and will be up for a few hours.
  • Do I go for a Heated Bar airer or Drying Pod? The two types of heated airers work very differently and vary in drying time, so think about which will work best for your household.
  • The types of clothing you will be washing. Heated clothes airers, do work for most garment types, but be sure to check the drying symbols on each item just to be sure.

Heated Air Clothes Dryer Running Costs

As well as extending the life of your clothes and keeping them looking better for longer heated air clothes dryers are significantly cheaper to run than the alternative tumble dryer. The estimated cost of running a heated air clothes dryer is 10 pence per hour compared to £2.80 per tumble dryer load. These numbers are based on current electricity prices and, as we all know, these are subject to change and probably an increase in the coming months.

To be more specific, a 200-watt heated air dryer will cost around 6 pence per hour, whereas a 300-watt model will cost around 10 pence per hour. For larger dryers with 1,000 watt output you would be looking at an hourly usage cost of around £0.34. 

These costs are based on the UK October Price Guarantee Tariff using the Sust-it Electricity Cost Calculator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Our editors have independently selected and reviewed all of the products you see here. The reviews can contain links from affiliates, which means we may receive a small commission on editorially chosen products purchased through our links.

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