As we wave goodbye to summer, putting the washing on the line becomes a bit of a lottery again. But with much worry around skyrocketing energy bills, many people will be unwilling to rely on their tumble driers this winter.
The appliances notoriously use a lot of electricity, but what are the alternatives? Many shoppers are instead picking up heated airers which reportedly cost less than half the price of running a tumble drier.
As reported by the Manchester Evening News, Dunelm has a stylish ladder airer which is space-saving and could be left out all the time. The 90 watt device costs around 3p an hour to run, based on energy prices in July 2022.
This smaller ladder airer is priced £40, and has heated bars ideal to dry off and warm towels in the bathroom. Made from sturdy aluminium, it has three metres of drying space and is suitable for up to 5kg of washing.
Argos, B&Q and Robert Dyas also have heated airers in stock, with Wowcher selling one for better than half price. Robert Dyas’ Portable Heated Clothes Airer with Wings is currently down from £69.99 to £49.99, saving shoppers £20.
The brand says the airer costs less than 12p an hour to run, with a low wattage of 220. It has 18 bars, with a capacity of 15kg, meaning it’ll take a full wash load. Made from aluminium, it is lightweight and folds down for easy storage.
Also with wings is the Argos Minky airer for £55. Easy to manoeuvre, the airer comes with a cover that helps retain heat and improve the drying performance, and is said to costing less than 4p an hour to run - however, this was based on 2017 energy prices of 13.86p/kWh.
The price of energy by the end of the year is estimated to be 36p/kWh. But even at two and a half times higher, the £55 airer is still around 10-12p an hour to run.
At B&Q there’s an Oypla Airer Dryer With Heated Wings for £41.99. With 20 aluminium bars it is ideal for drying jumpers and delicate items flat, hanging laundry on to dry, airing damp clothes or simply warming up your towels. Slightly more expensive is this Wowcher deal, which sees this Three-Tier Electric Heated Clothes Airer down to £69.99 instead of £149.99.
Shoppers can save an additional 10 per cent with the code EXTRA10 at checkout, taking the price down further to £60.30. Wowcher said: “It's an absolute household essential, allowing you to dry more of your clothes in an instant, thanks to its 3-tier heating system.
"It also includes a nifty little swivel feature, which is perfect for hanging longer items of clothing. After you're done using it, you can simply fold it flat and store it away easily.”
