Why this basket
- The methods come from Which?'s tests of heated airers, drying pods and dehumidifiers, and from its advice to keep wet washing off radiators.
- Where the washing goes follows council damp advice: if you must dry indoors, use the bathroom with the door shut and the window open or the extractor fan on.
- The page is about getting washing dry. Damp and mould already in the home have their own page, and no running costs are quoted because they depend on your tariff and load.
This week
A heated airer
Oypla heated airer with heated wings
4.1 on Amazon · 1,212 ratings · 2K+ bought last month · #8 in Clothes Drying Racks · recorded 27 Sept 2026
Which?'s tests found heated airers dried a small cotton load in four to five hours: slower than a tumble dryer, but faster and more consistent than an unheated rack. It warns against using one in a room with little air circulation, where moisture collects in ceiling corners and invites mould. This Oypla extends and has heated wings, per the listing.
What buyers say
Buyers like
- Warms up fast and cools down just as quickly(3 of 8 reviews)
- Simple to set up and folds away for storage(3 of 8 reviews)
- Cheap to run compared with other ways of drying(2 of 8 reviews)
Watch out for
- Holds fewer clothes than hoped, and a big load dries slowly(4 of 8 reviews)
Our summary of the 8 reviews Amazon showed on 27 Sept 2026, counted by us.
More about this pick
- Size
- about 146 x 92 x 54 cm
- Weight
- 3.8 kg
- Material
- Metal
From the Amazon listing, recorded 27 Sept 2026. Sizes are the listing's own.
Also recommended on: Heated airer or dehumidifier for drying clothes?.
A dehumidifier with a laundry setting
Pro Breeze OmniDry 12 L dehumidifier
4.6 on Amazon · 4,761 ratings · #3 in Dehumidifiers · recorded 27 Sept 2026
Limited time deal
In a Which? test, a dehumidifier almost halved drying time and pulled about 2 litres of water from the air. Put it close to the airer but clear of drips, at least 20 cm from walls, in a small room with the door and windows shut. This Pro Breeze has a laundry drying mode, per the listing.
What buyers say
Buyers like
- Brings humidity down fast and pulls a lot of water out(9 of 13 reviews)
- Cuts drying time for washing hung indoors(3 of 13 reviews)
- Quiet enough for background use, with a quieter night mode(8 of 13 reviews)
Watch out for
- The 2 litre tank fills fast and needs emptying often(6 of 13 reviews)
- Heavier than expected and awkward to carry(3 of 13 reviews)
Our summary of the 13 reviews Amazon showed on 27 Sept 2026, counted by us.
More about this pick
- Size
- about 50 x 31 x 24 cm
- Weight
- 4.5 kg
- Capacity
- 12 litres
- In the box
- Drain Hose, User Manual, Wheels
- Warranty
- 1 year manufacturer's warranty.
From the Amazon listing, recorded 27 Sept 2026. Sizes are the listing's own.
Also recommended on: damp and condensation, Dehumidifier or moisture absorbers?, Heated airer or dehumidifier for drying clothes?.
A plain airer to sit beside the dehumidifier
Minky 3 Tier Plus clothes airer
4.5 on Amazon · 20,929 ratings · 5K+ bought last month · #3 in Standing Dry Racks · recorded 27 Sept 2026
Which?'s dehumidifier method needs an ordinary airer: hang the wet washing on it and put the dehumidifier next to it. A plain three-tier airer also takes the overflow when the heated one is full. This is Minky's 3 Tier Plus, per the listing.
What buyers say
Buyers like
- Sturdy and long-lasting, with some owners on the same one for years(9 of 13 reviews)
- Takes a full wash load on a small patch of floor(7 of 13 reviews)
- Easy to move from room to room, even when loaded(3 of 13 reviews)
Watch out for
- Stiff to fold down, and fingers can get pinched(3 of 13 reviews)
Our summary of the 13 reviews Amazon showed on 27 Sept 2026, counted by us.
More about this pick
- Size
- about 141 x 59 x 55 cm
- Weight
- 4 kg
- Material
- Alloy Steel
From the Amazon listing, recorded 27 Sept 2026. Sizes are the listing's own.
A retractable line over the bath
Vileda Single Cordomatic line, 15 m
4.3 on Amazon · 18,154 ratings · 3K+ bought last month · #1 in Clotheslines · recorded 27 Sept 2026
Council damp advice is to dry washing in the bathroom with the door closed and the window open or the extractor fan on, and not on radiators. A line across the bath takes the sheets, jeans and dresses that Which? found hard to fit on heated airers. Vileda's line runs to 15 m and holds up to 15 kg, per the listing.
What buyers say
Buyers like
- Pulls out easily and winds back neatly out of the way(3 of 13 reviews)
- A thin line that is still strong enough for a full load(4 of 13 reviews)
- Easy to fit to the wall and simple to use(3 of 13 reviews)
Watch out for
- The supplied screws and wall plugs are weak, so use better ones(3 of 13 reviews)
- Sags over a long run, so a prop may be needed(2 of 13 reviews)
Our summary of the 13 reviews Amazon showed on 27 Sept 2026, counted by us.
More about this pick
- Weight
- 272 g
- Material
- Plastic
From the Amazon listing, recorded 27 Sept 2026. Sizes are the listing's own.
Price: we have checked it on 23 days; Amazon showed a discount of 10% or more on 21 of them, including today.
Can wait
- A tumble dryer. Which? calls it the fastest indoor option and the best fit for big households with several large loads a week; if you buy one, it recommends a heat pump model.
- A drying pod. Which? found pods dried a small cotton load in about two hours, but they draw 1,000 W or more against 200 to 300 W for a heated airer, and hold only 12 to 18 garments.
Skip it
- SkipRadiator airers and wet clothes on radiatorsWhich? says clothes on radiators can cause condensation and cut the heat the radiator gives the room, and council damp advice says not to dry clothes on radiators.
Quick questions
Is it bad to dry clothes on radiators?
It adds condensation. Which? says hanging clothes on radiators can cause condensation and reduces how much heat the radiator puts into the room, and council damp advice says not to dry clothes on radiators. A heated airer, or a plain airer with a dehumidifier beside it, dries them without that.
Does a dehumidifier help dry clothes?
Yes. In a Which? test, a dehumidifier almost halved drying time and pulled about 2 litres of water from the air. Set it up in a small room with doors and windows closed, near the airer but clear of drips. Any dehumidifier works; without a laundry setting, Which? says to set the target humidity to 30 to 40%.
Which room is best for drying clothes indoors?
A small one you can close off. Council damp advice is the bathroom, with the door closed and the window open or the extractor fan on. With a dehumidifier running, Which? says to shut the windows too, so it is not working on damp air coming in from outside.
Do dehumidifiers work in a cold room?
Desiccant models do better. Which? says desiccant dehumidifiers perform better than refrigerant, or compressor, models in colder temperatures, and that both types come with a laundry setting on some models.
Sources: Which?: What's the best and cheapest way to dry clothes indoors? (27 Mar 2026) (checked 26 September 2026); Which?: Can you use a dehumidifier to dry laundry? (31 Dec 2025) (checked 26 September 2026); South Oxfordshire District Council: How do you prevent condensation and mould? (checked 26 September 2026).
