The best drying rack for clothes is more versatile than you'd think. It can help you trim down your electric bill, protect delicate items from tearing or pilling, and conserve floor space. Drying racks are purposefully made with compact folding designs, and they cost a fraction of a dryer unit. Our best overall by Amazon Basics checks all the boxes; it's lightweight and storage-friendly, offers plenty of space to drape clothing, and takes up barely any space in your laundry room or elsewhere. The majority of our choices below fold, but they differ in capacity and purpose. Check out our picks and see which drying rack is suitable for your home.
Amazon Basics foldable clothes drying laundry rack
Staff pick
This drying rack by Amazon Basics is classically designed, and its steel construction is lightweight yet durable.
Pros:
- High weight capacity (32 pounds)
- Folding accordion design
- Stain-resistant
- Stable stance
Cons:
- Only two colors
Rather than use wood that's prone to splintering and may not support heavier apparel, Amazon Basics nails it with their lightweight steel clothes drying rack. It has three tiers and unfolds accordion-style to accommodate up to 32 pounds of clothing. This rack's footprint is especially surprising; it only takes up a 15-by-30-inch space, and its capacity comes from vertical expansion. This clothes drying rack is available in chrome or white — we gravitated to the white one for its waterproof and stain-resistant coating.
Whitmor Oversized Drying Rack
Space for everything at once
Perfect for drying out delicates, and other items not suited for the dryer.
Pros:
- 34 feet of space for drying clothes
- Easy fold-up design
- Easy to put together
Cons:
- Not suitable for an entire load of towels
- Fairly thin bars
When you're putting items on a drying rack, there's a simple problem that plenty of people run into; not having enough space for everything to hang up. The Whitmor Oversized Drying Rack delivers an ideal solution with a rack that delivers 34.5 ft of drying space! This option weighs only 11 lbs and easily folds up for storage between uses. It has easy assembly, and the double-epoxy metal construction makes this rack suitable for use inside or outdoors.
Honey-Can-Do heavy-duty gullwing drying rack
Six configurations
With a mesh shelf and hooks to dry shoes, Honey-Can-Do's gullwing drying rack will save even more time on laundry day.
Pros:
- Mesh sling for delicates
- Shoe drying hooks
- 46 (linear) feet of drying space
- Six different configurations
Cons:
- Quite large when deployed
If you tend to struggle with finding space for flat-dry items of clothing, then take a look at Honey-Can-Do's gullwing drying rack. When stored, it folds down to just three inches flat, allowing it to slip into a wider variety of storage spaces. Steel construction helps this rack stand sturdy, no matter how many shirts and jeans you load onto it. The addition of a nylon mesh sling for delicates and four hooks for shoes adds versatility. Deploying this rack, however, does require more space than its competitors. While that's a bit of a downside, its flat-drying area is broad enough to dry heavy outerwear, rugs, towels, and so much more.
Whitmor Spacemaker folding white drying rack
Great for small apartments
Drip-drying bathing suits and lingerie helps them last longer, and Whitmor's folding rack is up for the challenge.
Pros:
- Lean against a wall or fold over
- Stores flat
- Metal bars and resin frame
- Portable
Cons:
- Very small compared to other racks
- No-slip feet on one end only
Whitmor's clothes drying rack is petite enough to fit nearly anywhere for those with limited space or who live alone. It folds for easy storage and opens into a propped-up position on walls to take advantage of vertical space. For extra-wet clothing like bathing suits, simply straddle this rack over or in your bathtub to catch every drip. Portability is a crucial feature of Whitmor's rack. It's easy to lift and carry, making it a vital addition to camping gear or summer trips.
HOMZ 3-tier drying rack
Attach additional tiers for more space
Hang HOMZ's three-tier drying rack on any tension rod in your home to maximize drying space for hosiery, baby clothes, intimates, and more.
Pros:
- Can hang from tension rods
- Folds flat for storage
- Four bottom hooks for expansion
- Mesh bag included for delicates
Cons:
- Not meant for heavy items
The majority of clothes drying racks are sturdy enough to support multiple pairs of wet jeans and sweaters. Still, those two items are only a fraction of your wardrobe. Delicate items like lingerie or baby clothes should have their own drying area, and HOMZ did an excellent job designing this three-tier mesh drying rack. It's suspended by a pair of hangers that fit all tension rods. You can safely hang this rack in your shower stall, between curtains, or in a closet with other clothing without worrying about it falling. It's expandable as well—just daisy-chain another rack via S-hooks on the bottom tier for more drying area.
Bottom line
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Laundry is the least favorite chore of plenty of people, but if you want clean clothes its gotta be done. If you don't want your delicates to get damaged, or you prefer to line dry clothing, then a proper drying rack is a great addition to your home. While there are plenty of great picks out there, we suggest Amazon Basics.
Our best overall by Amazon Basics is an accordion-fold design, providing maximum vertical space. Constructed of steel, it has a generous weight capacity. It also features a stable stance, and is easy to fold up and store between uses!
Why trust us?
At RealHomes, we recommend the best products to enhance your life. As expert curators, we handpick products based on quality and usefulness to positively impact your day-to-day, from cart to doorstep. We take our responsibility seriously — testing products, reading reviews, and sourcing knowledgeable outlets to ensure our selections are worthy of your time and money. We deliver detailed product overviews, balancing objective information with subjective opinions, so making the best choice for your home and lifestyle is as easy as possible.