Now that the weather is miserable and you can no longer hang clothes out on the washing line in the sun, it is really hard drying baby's clothes. Of course, a tumble dryer is one way, but they can be costly to run, plus, not always kind on clothes. So what about airers? A traditional airer is fine in a warm room, or standing by a radiator, but there are lots of heated airers on the market which do a fantastic job of drying clothes.
The benefit of heated airers is that they are cheaper to run than a tumble dryer, they are kinder to clothes and they will also add a little bit of extra heat to the room they are in. They work even quicker when covered with a cover, or even through a duvet cover over them which creates a toasty environment to dry clothes.
We all know how much washing babies can create, especially with babies needing frequent outfit changes, or toddlers coming home from nursery, or in from the garden, with grass-stained knees, or their lunch down their favourite jumper. Washing baby's clothes is hard work and it can sometimes be a rush to get the washing dried in time for them to wear it again, and more importantly, where do you find the space to hang it all? Heated airers vary in shape in size but most can hold 1 or 2 loads of washing so they are really helpful for drying washing during the winter.
Best heated airers at a glance
•Best for large items: HomRush Heated airer
•Best for fresher items: Feesiluu Electric Clothes Dryer
•Best for small spaces: Homefront Electric Heated Clothes Airer
After a rainy summer, and an equally rainy start to the winter months, we think a heated airer might come in very handy so we have rounded up some of the best heated airers to help you through the chillier months and make drying your little ones clothes easier and cheaper.
Best for large households
www.argos.co.uk
Whatever the weather, you will be able to get clothes dry with the Minky XL Balcony heated airer. It is up to 50% bigger than a standard winged airer, making it ideal for drying bedding too. Not only can it hold a lot but it can save you money too, costing only pennies to run. It also includes a cover which helps retain heat for faster drying. And as a final bonus, when not in use it folds flat for convenient storage.
Review: "Very cost effective. As I do not have an airing cupboard this is the next best thing. I wish I had purchased one years ago. Highly recommended."
Pros
- Large capacity
- Folds flat for convenient storage
Cons
- Some reviewers say you have to lay washing flat rather than hanging
Best economic heated airer
www.lakeland.co.uk
This large heated airer dries your clothes quickly and has a running cost of just 9p per hour. It also ups up to 15kg of washing and has foldable heated shelves to speed up drying time. The cover is useful for even faster drying and as a storage bag when the airer is not in use.
Review: "Great product, cost effective and dries clothes beautifully in a short space of time. Also makes the room feel warmer when it’s on."
Pros
- Running cost just 9p per hour
- Includes a cover
Cons
- Not great at drying larger items
Best for large items
For gentle and quick drying, this airer is brilliant. It only takes 5 minutes to heat up and can hold up to 15kg, which is the equivalent of 30 t-shirts! With folding wings it is easy to store too.
Review: "Getting one of these was one of the best decisions I have made. I do not bother about the weather, I am confident of having dry clothes whenever I do my laundry, any time any day. The best part is that it doesn't take a chunk of electricity usage to do the work."
Pros
- Only takes 5 minutes to heat up
- Foldable wings
Cons
- Too fragile
Best for freshness
This electric clothes dryer can be used to dry your clothes, towels and even shoes. Also, the 1200W high power negative ion dryer not only quickly dries clothes but can help to kill bacteria and get rid of mites. Plus it can hold up to 30kg of washing and can be operated using a remote control.
Review: "Great for clothes that can’t be tumble dried and cheaper to run. Dries clothes quickly rather than leaving on standard airer that can take days. Clothes smell fresh."
Pros
- Santising
- Holds up to 30kg of washing
Cons
- Easy to knock off bars when loading
Best for small spaces
This eco-friendly airer is perfect for small spaces. It is lightweight and its flat design makes it great if you are lacking space. Plus it dries clothes quickly as well as larger items such as towels and it is extremely cost effective, with a running cost of less than 3p per hour.
Review: "This is a relatively small and simple drying rack, exactly as shown. It appears to cope well with drying smallish garments and hand towels."
Pros
- Doesn't take up much space
- Lightweight
- Less than 3p per hour to run
Cons
- Hard to assemble
Best for drying time
Holding up to 10kg of washing, this is an efficient dryer which has a powerful motor to circulate warm air, as well as a cover for fast drying. Even better, this great dryer replicates line-dried freshness for convenient indoor drying and reduces ironing time due to gentle drying that minimises creases and prevents shrinkage.
Review: "I love it. It’s cheap to run and dries things quick! It’s not as fast as a tumble dryer but I didn’t expect that. I can now easily wash 2-3 loads of washing a day and get it dry without a million airers all over for days!"
Pros
- Reduces the amount of ironing needed
- Circulates warm air with powerful motor
- Efficient drying
Cons
- Doesn't feel very sturdy
How to choose a heated airer?
When deciding if a heated airer is for you, consider how much space you have, how much washing you do and what type of items you are drying. If you do lots of washing for little ones such as babygrows, or tiny t-shirts and socks then you don't need to worry about the height of the dryer. However, children do cause a lot of washing, especially bedding. Don't worry about toddler bedwetting, a heated airer will make changing the bed and getting it dry a lot easier, but make sure you choose one that can hold a bigger load.
With all the toys, buggies, changing mats and other items that babies bring into your home, finding space for a heated airer might be tricky. There are lots out there that fold up flat when not in use, or even heated airers which are fairly flat when standing so you can fit them in with all the other essential baby items you need.
How do heated airers work?
Like traditional clothes airers, you hang the clothes or bedding, even towels, on the rails. However, unlike traditional airers, with a heated airer there is an element in the rails which warms them meaning your clothes dry quicker and you don't have to use a radiator to drape washing over, or stand an airer near to. You can speed up the drying process even more by covering the heated airer when in use, which creates an even warmer environment to dry your washing.
Are heated airers cost effective?
Heated airers are using electricity so they will add to your energy bill, but they are cheaper to use than a tumble dryer and they are kinder to clothes as well. Plus, some will keep the room they are in so might save money on heating. On average a heated dryer will cost about 10p per hour but can be as much as 26p per hour, or as low as 5p per hour. On a plus they will add some heat to chilly rooms too. With drying times ranging from 1 - 4 hours, while they do cost more money than a traditional airer or using a washing line, in the winter when it is hard to get washing dry outside, they are a great value option.
Laura Healy is a Commercial Content Writer for Mother&Baby. She is a mum-of-two girls and loves writing about all things parenting. She has a PhD in Creative Writing and enjoys reading and attending literary festivals, as well as writing fiction.