I test a lot of products but the Aldi heated airer has to be one of the best I've tried in a long time.
Currently on offer in a middle aisle near you for £29.99, it's half the price of similar models.
I've tried its big brother, the larger tower heated airer when it was in the missle aisle last winter, and it's one of the best I've tried.
What's so good about the Aldi heated airer?
Eager to test out my new gadget, I put on a full wash - laundry is a serious business in my house, filled with kids and dogs.
I wasn't going to go easy on the airer's first load, so made sure to add plenty of jumpers and a thick Oodie as well as socks, shirts and T-shirts to give it a really good test.
Lightweight yet sturdy, it's easy to set up, folding out with one hand straight from the box.
How quickly does it dry a full load of laundry?
Six hours later it was almost all dry. I switched off the power overnight and when I came down in the morning, the whole load was completely dry - thick jumpers, Oodie and all.
My new best drying buddy folded away easily, ready for use next time.
Recommended reading:
- Review: Lakeland heated blankets and throws from 2p an hour
- I tried the new Starbucks winter menu and this £3.95 pistachio treat is my star buy
- Tried and tested: The dehumidifier that beat mould, damp and cut my bills
How much does it cost to run?
I tried to calculate how much it had cost in electricity, with estimates ranging from 6-9p an hour.
Even on the 9p end of the scale, then at six hours (plus overnight without power) that's about 54p to dry a huge load of washing - a bargain compared to a tumble drier.
The only drawbacks I've found are that unlike my beloved Lakeland Drysoon heated airer the cover doesn't seem to double as a handy storage bag, and the power cord feels a bit short. But these are mere trifles for a thing so fabulous I'd recommend everyone to rush to the middle aisle and buy it now.
What if I can't get my hands on one, or I need something bigger?
It's a bit more expensive, but the Lakeland heated tower airer - part of the bestselling Drysoon range - is another brilliant heated airer.
It's currently on offer for £139.99, down from £199.99, saving £60.00.
It dries a full load in few hours for pennies - I worked it out at 300w it's about 8p an hour, so 50p to dry the lot. I work from home so put it on before work and by the time I finished for the day it was all dry and toasty warm.
I got the Lakeland Dry:Soon 3-Tier Heated Tower Airer one with the cover, which speeds up drying, and I already had the Dry:Soon 30-Peg Mesh Shelf with Hanger - a handy ‘sock hanger' with 30 pegs and a flat drying surface, which is brilliant for socks, pants and kids' clothes. I got mine for under a tenner, and one of the best things I've bought in ages.
Recommended reading:
- Tried and tested: The dehumidifier that beat mould, damp and cut my bills
- The 14p change that halves indoor clothes drying time and saves up to £374 a year
- Review: Lakeland heated blankets and throws from 2p an hour
What is different about the Dry:Soon Heated Airer?
It holds up to 15kg of wet washing on 21m of drying space and folds down small for easy storage. When the clothes are dry, the zip turns the cover into a practical storage bag for your folded airer.
Fully open, it’s easy to lay delicate items flat or dry smalls and socks – or just open the top shelves to take care of longer items like towels or trousers. You can also save space by only opening the shelves on one side if you don’t have much to dry.
There's also a good range of accessories - as I say, I love the Dry:Soon Mesh Shelves and the peg hangers, which I use all year round, on the washing line when it's sunny and indoors when it's wet.
Much as I love my washing line, on the days where the weather can't make up its mind, I'll save a lot of time dashing in and out by putting it straight on the airer, so it'll save time as well as money.
It might even give me a few hours back in the week.
Well, I can dream.
Share