Tiered airers have several levels, four feet and a signature concertina criss-cross look. They’re assembled in one swift pulling motion and pushed down to revert them to folded. These multi-level airers come in different sizes but they tend to have enough space to hang an everyday load of washing including hand towels, T-shirts, shorts, trousers and delicates. Gated Another option for speeding the clothes-drying process is to run a portable dehumidfier in the same room. Dehumidifiers can shorten drying time by 25 percent, while also reducing damp and mould in the home. Over-door and over-radiator: These clothes airers do exactly what they say on the tin – hang over doors and radiators, making them perfect if you live somewhere with little floor space. They also harness the heat from your radiators, so they’re great at drying clothes in the winter. However, they have far less hanging space than free-standing clothes airers, despite being generally cheaper.

Manufacturers don’t recommend leaving any electric heated products unattended but in practice, this is how most people use them. Most come with timers and thermostats to choose lower temperatures for longer drying periods. How much do heated air dryers cost to run?

The best clothes airers you can buy in 2023

Key specs – Type: Winged; Open dimensions: 143 x 60 x 100cm (HWD); Closed dimensions: 104 x 60 x 9cm (HWD); Drying space: 13.5m; Weight: 2.8kg; Guarantee: 3 years Finding the best heated clothes airer may not sound like the most exciting of pursuits. But as a means of drying your clothes in winter, these gadgets are hard to beat. Not only is a heated airer far kinder to your treasured garments than tumble drying (it adds years to the lifespan of your clothes), it’s also better for the environment. It eliminates that damp washing smell and is a good way of minimising crinkles, so you might not need to invest in an iron or a steamer. Most heated airers also fold up compactly for storage.

Heated: Whilst they are much more expensive than your standard clothes airer, heated airers can hugely cut down on drying time. These resemble tiered or winged airers, and are plugged into the mains to heat up each drying rung. Additionally, they’re less expensive to run than tumble dryers and are gentler on your clothes. Heated clothes airers are proving exceptionally popular this year, given the high energy prices. My top-rated airers may temporarily sell out. These are currently the best places to look for alternatives: Hanging corners: These are a great addition to provide extra space for items to dry – some airers can hold up to four items on each corner.Collapsible size: Let’s face it, clothes airers aren’t good looking. Most people want a clothes airer they can stash away in storage when they’re not in use. Pay attention to the collapsible size of the clothes airer you’re considering so that you know you can fit it inside a cupboard or under a bed.