Guardian tester reviews 17 heated clothes airers and names Lakeland top pick

A Guardian Filter reviewer has tested 17 bestselling heated clothes airers over the past 18 months to see which models dry laundry fastest and most cheaply as energy bills rise and damp conditions persist. The tester measured drying times by weighing two identical loads — a 4kg small load and an 8kg large load — every 30 minutes, kept room temperature at 19-20C, used an infrared thermometer to check bar temperatures and a wattage meter for power use, and calculated running costs using a January 2026 default energy tariff.

Some tested units were not returned and were donated to local charities in and around Southampton. The review names the Lakeland Dry:Soon Deluxe 3-tier heated airer and cover (£244.98) as the best overall, noting it reached 27C within 30 seconds and 50C at max, dried a 4kg load in two hours and cost about 9p an hour to run.

The Black+Decker winged airer (from £47.99) was the budget pick; it warmed to around 33C, dried a small load in just over four hours and cost about 10p an hour. The Minky SureDri heat pod was highlighted as the fastest option when used with an existing clothes horse, drying an 8kg load in three hours on its highest measured setting (915W, about 25p an hour) and offering quicker small-load times on lower settings.

Key Topics

Culture, Lakeland, Black+decker, Minky Suredri, Heated Clothes Airer, Energy Tariff