Best clothes airer

The best clothes airers will make it easy to dry your laundry without the need to use a dryer or stop by the laundromat, and there's an option for every size household in our guide. This includes our top pick, the Everyday Home Heavy Duty Laundry Drying Rack, has a huge capacity without taking up too much space. This airer even has specific slots for drying shoes. 

Clothes airers are a great choice for the energy-conscious, because sometimes all your clothes need after a spin in the washing machine is a few hours out in the sun to dry. They are also significantly less expensive than any dryer you could buy, and will take up less space when folded away. You can also buy electric clothes airers to get you through fall and winter, when the summer heat isn't around to dry your clothes. Keep reading to find our top picks. 

The Everyday Home Heavy Duty Laundry Drying Rack is a classic design for the top clothes dryers. It has top shelves that extend out and can accommodate a lot of clothing, with sturdy stainless steel rods and a shelf for shoes or laundry accessories. It can be folded completely flat and stored in narrow spaces - beside washer machines or in sheds and closets. Weighing 9.2lb, this is a lightweight clothes airer which is expertly designed to keep enough separation between clothing items for them to air dry quickly and easily. It can also be used indoors and outdoors, making it a perfect year-round model. 

Sometimes your laundry needs an added boost to help it dry. The Mind Reader STANDTOW-SIL Electric Heated Clothing Rack delivers just this by plugging in and heating your laundry as it hangs. It's small and lightweight, so even though it's electrical it won't take up too much space. It also has a simple on/off switch and inexpensive price, even when compared to non-heated airers.

Because it's small and low on power this may struggle to dry bulky items such as bedsheets, but if you need a little extra power to get you through fall and winter, this is a great choice. After all, you can always use it through the summer without switching it on.

The bigzzia Clothes Drying Rack comes at an affordable price for its large capacity and sturdy design. It has a strong load bearing capacity and comes on wheels for convenient transportation, and the three tiers come in the form of six retractable shelves, which can hold shoes or unusually shaped items, as well as folded clothing items. For items you want to air dry without creating creases, there's also two side wings which can hold clothes hangers for shirts, jackets, or sweaters. 

Wall mounted clothes airers can be great fold-away additions to your laundry routine. The Bartnelli Accordion Wall Mounted Drying Rack  can be mounted easily and takes 60 pounds of laundry. You can hang towels, bed sheets or clothes hangers from it for complete versatility, and this will work well inside your laundry room or bathroom, or on a balcony or outdoor wall. It's not able to carry as much as freestanding models, and you'll need to install it yourself, but this is the best wall mounted clothes airer you can buy. 

The STORAGE MANIAC Foldable Clothes Drying Rack is an easily folded and pre-assembled clothes dryer which works well in small rooms or balconies due to its narrow and tall design. It also folds away as a compact clothes airer due to its accordion design. Not all accordion designed clothes airers are durable but this model offers a top shelf drying space without compromising stability. That's due to its steel construction and lightweight 4lb design. 

If your need a clothes airer for clothes exclusively, the Honey-Can-Do Tripod Clothes Drying Rack is a compact freestanding option which can work indoors and outdoors. It has three arms which can take up to six clothes hangers on each, ideal for hanging shirts, dresses and sweaters. We love versatile options, and this tripod hanger can double up as an indoor clothes hanger for when you're running low on closet space. The payoff? You can't use this to dry towels or bedsheets, due to its design. 

The verdict

The best clothes airer for you will depend on your laundry demands and the climate you live in. The heated Mind Reader STANDTOW-SIL Electric Heated Clothing Rack will save you trips to the laundromat by adding some heat as it airs your clothes, and the Everyday Home Heavy Duty Laundry Drying Rack is our top pick for those with large loads of laundry, who don't need an extra boost of heat. 

The Honey-Can-Do Tripod Clothes Drying Rack is the most compact option in our guide and will work well with shirts and clothes, but the bigzzia Clothes Drying Rack or STORAGE MANIAC Foldable Clothes Drying Rack is a better choice for large items such as bedsheets. For a wall-mounted airer for easy storage, check out the  Bartnelli Accordion Wall Mounted Drying Rack.