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Best Indoor Clothes Airers UK 2024 

By  Enda McLarnon

Best Indoor Airers UK 2023

Thanks for taking the time to read our reviews of what we believe to be the best clothes airers. Many people in the UK refer to these as a clothes horse. No matter what you prefer to call them, they are very popular, especially given the great British weather.

Most of you will know that when you have done a wash, and taken that out of your washing machine, then the next big problem is getting the washing dried properly and as quickly as you can. In the summer time most people will either hang it up on an outside washing line, or on one of the rotary washing lines, also referred to as a whirly gig. Others will put the clothes into a tumble dryer as that is usually less work and faster to get the job done.

While hanging out washing is fine in the summer months, it isn't a practical choice in the winter months. Spring and Autumn are also highly problematical. The UK weather is simply too unpredictable, and although you can take a chance it really is a hit and miss way of drying your clothes.

One other alternative is of course the popular tumble dryer. These however cost around £200 on average, and they are pretty expensive to run. There are also certain materials that can not be put into a tumble drier. Finally they are not an environmentally friendly option either.

That leaves only one option really, and that is the humble clothes airer. In the remainder of this article we show you what we believe to be the top 10 indoor clothes airers for use around your home.

Top Indoor Airers at a glance

if you don't have time to read all the buying information below, then please note if you click on any of the links just below you can view the item on Amazon UK. 

Different types of clothes airers

Tier Clothes Airers

clothes hanging on a tier clothes indoor airer

These are the most popular as they can be put up and taken down with a single movement. These hold a single wash and are easy to store away as they fold relatively flat. They are good for hanging up socks, undies, t-shirts, shorts, tea towels etc. Often these are referred to as concertina airers. They come with various numbers of tiers and the most popular are either 3 or 4 tiers.

Winged Clothes Airers

clothes airer with wings on a balcony

These are ideal if you want to dry clothes over a bath tub and you will also see them used on balconies or covered outdoor spaces like car ports. They can be really useful for drying larger bath towels and like the tiered airers these also fold up rather neatly. They get the name winged as the section on either side folds out to provide more drying space.

Gated Clothes Airers

These open and close just like a gate and are very easy to use and fold away very quickly. They are not that popular in the UK as they have limited clothes capacity.

Tower Clothes Airers

clothes hanging on an indoor tower airer in living room

The name tower suggest that these are bigger airers and they will be larger than others. These are made for the bigger and heavier items like large bedding and heavier bath towels. These are made from tougher alloy steels and are much stronger than tiered airers. They will come on wheels and you can fit them into showers to let the clothes drip and dry there.

Heated Clothes Airers

2 heated clothes airers in a kitchen

These are becoming a lot more popular in the UK. People tend to buy these if they just want their clothes dried faster. They are also the best choice if you do all of your laundry in one day and just want to get it quickly dried and put away. Be aware though, you will pay a lot more for these than a standard airer.

Over the door Clothes Airers

clothes on an over the door clothes airer

These are very useful when space is very limited. These hook over the top of the door and give you several rungs to hang your clothes to dry. They are not suitable for larger washes but are popular in small apartments of for small families who live somewhere with little space.

Radiator Clothes Airers

towels hanging on an over the radiator clothes airer

These are particularly useful if you want something dried quickly. They are limited in size but they can be handy for drying underwear and socks in a hurry. They can also be handy for school uniforms or PE kits that need that last minute drying time. These will either be 2 tier or 4 tier options

Key Features to look for when buying an indoor airer:

Amount of Drying Space

This should tell you how much drying space or capacity is available on the airer. This can vary quite a lot depending on the style of the airer. For a standard wash load ideally you need about 15 metres of drying space.

Solid Locking Mechanism

This is what keeps the airer standing up. If you want to avoid the airer from collapsing make sure there are no complaints about its locking system. Many of them use a setup where one of the rungs clips on top of the other along the full length of the airer. Those are a batter choice than those which may use small clips at each edge.

Hanging corners

The better quality indoor airers have fittings on the corners which means you can hook up to 4 items for extra drying and really handy for hanging shirts.

Storage

These will not always be in use. It is worthwhile checking the amount of room they take up when folded down after use. This is really important for those who have limited storage space in their home.

Tips for drying your clothes faster on an airer

Ideally smaller and more frequent loads of washing are easier to dry. The reason for that is you will have more room on your airer to spread your clothes out. If you can achieve that, the clothes will dry a great deal faster. One slight disadvantage of using an airer inside is that they do increase the humidity of the air and can even cause mild condensation.

In the summer months opening a window can take care of that. Opening windows in the colder months is not an option for most people. That is why some people will also use a small dehumidifier to help with humidity. Those also help with the drying process as they are removing moisture from the air.

How we research clothes airers?

When we do our research we look at a number of important elements. These are:

  • What airers are home owners buying?
  • How do they rate them after they have bought them?
  • Do they think they have got good value for money?

We think that you will agree that these are the really important things to know if you are buying any product.

To find that information out we look at all the websites that sell these type of home cleaning products. We look at the buyer ratings, the buyer comments and also how they rated these airers overall. We then give them an overall satisfaction score which we express in a percentage scored out of 100.

Top Clothes Airers List for UK Buyers

1. Minky 3 Tier Plus Clothes Airer

92% buyer satisfaction based on 16,000+ online buyer reviews

  • This is the biggest seller online for this type of airer
  • This is a big 15 metre airer and ideal for a single load of washing
  • It is easy to put up and has an "auto locking" feature
  • It also has flip out corners for vertical drying of longer garments - 4 flip outs that hold in total 12 extra long hanging items on coat hangers
  • It folds flat for easy storage and measures 59 x 55 x 141 cm and weighs 3.6 Kg
  • It is made from tubular steel with non-slip feet
  • No assembly required and is one of the most popular types of tier airer used in the UK & Ireland

PROS

  • Buyers said  it's easy to use and relatively sturdy
  • Buyers said that the build quality is very good
  • Buyers said you can hang a lot on this airer including shirts, jeans, jumpers. etc.
  • Buyers thought it was very good value for money
  • Many buyers said that this was both flexible and light
  • Many buyers really liked the fold out wings for coat hangers

CONS

  • A few buyers said that this collapsed to easily under a heavy load
  • Some buyers said this was low quality

2. Minky 3 Tier Verso Air Dryer

92% buyer satisfaction based on 15,000+ online buyer reviews

  • This is one of the biggest sellers online for this type of airer
  • This is a bigger 20 metre airer and better for larger families
  • It is easy to put up and has an "auto locking" feature
  • It also has flip out corners for vertical drying of longer garments - 4 flip outs that hold in total 12 extra long hanging items on coat hangers
  • It folds flat for easy storage
  • It measures when closed: 78 x 61 x 8cm and when open: 140 x 59 x 71cm
  • It has wide hanging rungs for optimised airflow
  • Has non-slip feet
  • No assembly required

PROS

  • Buyers said  it's easy to use and relatively sturdy
  • Buyers said that the build quality is very good
  • Buyers said you can hang a lot on this airer including shirts, jeans, jumpers. etc.
  • Buyers thought it was very good value for money
  • Many buyers said that this was both flexible and light
  • Many buyers really liked the fold out wings for coat hangers

CONS

  • A few buyers said that this collapsed to easily under a heavy load
  • Some buyers said this was low quality

3. AmazonBasics Foldable Concertina Clothes Airer - Chrome

88% buyer satisfaction based on 10,000+ online buyer reviews

This airing rack is made of lightweight steel and that does make it nice and easy to move around, as it is not too heavy.

That accordion design allows you to fold this flat, and that of course makes it a great deal easier to store. 

The chrome surface goes a very long way to stop any build up of either rust or mildew.

The airer measures 36.8 x 74.9 x 106 cm (LxWxH)

PROS

  • Most buyers said this was very good value for money
  • Buyers said this was easy to put up, and also easy to take down and store away
  • Buyers said there were no sharp edges

CONS

  • A few buyers said this could not be locked into position
  • A few buyers said this appeared to be cheaply made

4. Vileda Extra X-Legs Clothes Airer

94% buyer satisfaction based on 7,000+ online buyer reviews

  • Our number one choice has a full 20 metres of drying space to easily dry large amounts of your laundry
  • This airer has extra thick wires and that means less creases on garments
  • The frame is made from steel and that means it is steady and very sturdy
  • It also has a safety mechanism to avoid accidental closure
  • It also comes with a small holder for small items
  • Buyers liked the fact that this one has wheels to move it around
  • It is also a nice compact size and fold easily for storage

PROS

  • Buyers liked the way that if folded down easily and was then compact to store away when not in use, also had a clip to keep it closed
  • Quite a few buyers said the centre section is ideal for larger clothes items like sheets and jumpers
  • Buyers said there was lots of hanging room
  • Buyers also said this was very stable when erected
  • Buyers said this was very good value for money.

CONS

  • A few buyers received they received a damaged product and had to get it replaced
  • A couple of buyers said the wires started to bend after a few months of use

5. Hyfive Clothes Airer Drying Rack Extra Large

82% buyer satisfaction based on 5,000+ online buyer reviews

  • This one is a 3 tier airer and a large one made from stainless steel which does explain the higher price point.
  • The rods are coated in plastic
  • It has castor wheels and each wheel has its own individual brake, which means it can be moved around and then locked into position
  • There are 3 drying levels and additional hanging wings
  • Can hold up to 15 Kg of washing
  • The side hangers can be adjusted To different heights
  • There is also a shoe drying rail at the bottom.

PROS

  • Buyers said that the hanger racks on either end are very handy for work shirts etc.
  • Buyers said it was time consuming to assemble but worked well if you carefully followed the instructions
  • Buyers really liked Because that the racks have a lot of space between them, as it helps the clothes dry faster and smell fresher
  • Buyers also loved the fact that it's on wheels

CONS

  • A few buyers said this started to rust at the joints very quickly
  • Buyers said this was hard to assemble as the holes were not properly punched out
  • Buyers said it collapsed too easily

6. SONGMICS Winged Folding Clothes Airer, 16 Metre Drying Space

92% buyer satisfaction based on 2,000+ online buyer reviews

  • This airer is made from stainless steel tubes and that means it is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use
  • There are plastic caps on the bottom that stop this airer from slipping
  • The drying area is large at 16 metres of drying space and measures 147 x 56 x 128 cm when fully opened
  • Can hold up to 2 laundry loads
  • There are 2 wings ideal for drying sheets and blankets
  • There are also 26 clips on one wing for hanging small pieces of garments such as socks, underwear, etc
  • The bottom rack is suitable for placing towels or pillows
  • The wings can be raised or lowered (97-128 cm) to meet your needs, no need to worry about long garments touching the ground anymore
  • Quick to set up and can be folded away in a few seconds

PROS

  • Overall very positive reviews on this drying rack airer
  • 80% of all buyers gave this airer a full 5 star review
  • It can be set into a number of different positions and is big enough to hold bed clothes
  • The lower shelf is useful for stacking piles of folded clothes ready for the ironing board.
  • Buyers said they didn't mind paying a little extra as this is a very well made and sturdy clothes horse
  • Buyers liked the fact that they could use this one outdoors

CONS

  • Very few complaints on this product
  • One minor complaint was that the joins on the bars felt a little rough and could snag clothes

7. JVL Folding Clothes Utility Over Door Airer

86% buyer satisfaction based on 2,500+ online buyer reviews

  • We wanted to include one over the door airer, mainly so as our readers know that this is an option
  • When folded out it provides 7 m of drying space
  • The purpose behind these over the door airers is that they free up floor space
  • It does make them ideal for using at caravans, inside balconies or over doors if you have limited floor space
  • Folds away after use if required for easy storage
  • Approximate size: 68 x 50 cm

PROS

  • Buyers said this was really useful for student accommodation
  • Some buyers used these over their sash windows and that worked really well
  • Many buyers said this worked well for caravans and holiday homes
  • Ideal for hanging towels, swimsuits, etc.
  • Buyers said that when attached to a door, you get a very long drop and that means you can hang anything on it
  • Some buyers used this over a standard radiator

CONS

  • A few buyers said this is far too big when folded down to use
  • A few buyers said it was too flimsy
  • A few buyers also said you cannot close it as the over door bits are cylindrical

8. Bargains Galore Heated Clothes Airer

82% buyer satisfaction based on 1,000+ online buyer reviews

  • These are not cheap and you do also have to consider the running costs of this type of airer (On average around 10p per hour to run)
  • This one has 3 tiers with a total drying space of 21 metres
  • It uses aluminium heated rails
  • Clothes like t-shirts and shirts take around 12 hours to fully dry from close to being wet
  • A good choice for drying indoors over the winter months in the UK

PROS

  • Buyers said that this airer is easy to assemble and the instructions are good
  • Buyers say it is compact when folded up and doesn't take up a lot of space
  • A few buyers say it also helps heat the room up which is a nice added bonus
  • Buyers say it is sturdy and well made

CONS

  • A number of buyers said it is smaller than they expected

9. JVL Caravan Indoor/Outdoor Four Panel Folding Clothes Airer

88% buyer satisfaction based on 2,000+ online buyer reviews

  • As the name would suggest this one is aimed at caravan and holiday home owners, though it can be used indoors and outdoors in any home
  • It is certainly one of the cheaper options on the UK market, but it still gets very good buyer reviews.
  • This is classed as a 16 wire airer with four sections
  • It is light and folds flat for easy storage
  • Each section size: 50 x 109.5 cm approximately (x4); provides 8 m of drying space

PROS

  • Most buyers said this was good value for money
  • Buyers also said that if used properly it will last
  • Buyers who lived in smaller apartments or flats really liked this
  • Many buyers used this at caravan and mobile home sites
  • Buyers liked the 4 panels as it allowed them to separate things out evenly.

CONS

  • Some buyers said they received a damaged product
  • Some buyers said the supports came apart after some use
  • A number of buyers said this tips over far too easily

10. Rainberg 2 X 5 Bar Radiator Folding Airer

80% buyer satisfaction based on 700+ online buyer reviews

  • This is a set of 2 airers and each one can be used on a standard type radiator
  • You simply hook the rack onto the radiator to get it into position
  • The arms are adjustable and each one has 5 rails so that is enough for a good amount of laundry
  • Each one is 19.9" wide and can extend out to 13.4" so you should be able to get both of these on to a single standard sized radiator
  • These are also really useful for drying out shoes

PROS

  • Buyers said these are OK for drying a small amount of clothes using the heat from the radiator
  • They are light in weight but perfect for socks and underwear
  • Can be useful if you are tight for space

CONS

  • You do need a 30 mm clearance between the radiator and the wall for these to work so they don't fit all radiators

So that concludes our reviews on the top clothes airers that are currently available in the UK. Given the great British weather, most homes in the UK will be able to make use of at least one of these. 

Almost always these are used inside when the weather is bad, and you can't get airing your clothes on a washing line or rotary air line. Some people also use these outdoors if there is sunshine as again this is a great way of getting some fresh air through your clothes. Other people will have one or two of these in their garage, as it keeps the clothes out of the house, and yet gets some air around them.

Enda McLarnon

About the author

I hope that you find my How to articles helpful as I know that laundry can be a real chore. On this website, I have tried to help out with buying guides and reviews for the many forms of ironing and other laundry issues.