LIKE most Brits in the wintertime, my house is overtaken with damp clothes waiting to dry in the cold, damp air.
It’s a struggle that many of us face, and yet there’s no getting used to just how aggravating it can be as it takes up precious space in my tiny home.
Here, Leanne Hall puts the Aldi heater airer to the testCredit: Leanne Hall
It comes with a cover to keep the heat in, but how did it perform?Credit: Leanne Hall
There are many social media to help combat the problem, but time and time again, I see people swear by using a heated airer.
So with relaunching their viral Winged Heated Airer this Sunday, I decided to see what all of the fuss was about.
The electric heated airer costs just £34.99 – a huge saving of £35 compared to the Lakeland winged heated airer that costs £70.
And what’s more is that the Aldi version comes with a cover to keep the hot air in, while Lakeland’s is sold separately for £19.99.
It also to run.*
It’s been described by Aldi as ‘perfect for, sheets and towels quickly and efficiently during the months,’ so let’s see just how much of a difference it makes.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
While the box it comes in is large, it’s fairly lightweight and easy to put together.
All you need to do is click the legs into place and you’re good to go.
Storing the item doesn’t take up any more space than your regular clothes airer, which was a plus for me and my cluttered house.
It does say it can take 15 minutes for the airer to reach its optimum temperature so I plugged it in as my laundry was coming to an end.
One thing I did notice was that the cable for the plug could be made longer than the 1.4m length it has, as the cable comes from the top of the airer it can be tricky to find a plug socket to reach without the airer being too close to the wall.
The on and off button was easy to locate and had a rubber casing that lights up red once on.
Once my laundry was piled on, I grabbed the cover to keep the heat in and waited to see how long it would take to dry my clothes.
ONE HOUR LATER…
60 minutes after my washing was out to dry, I took the heat cover off to have a feel of how dry my clothes were.
While some lighter fabrics like my gym clothes and socks were feeling a little less damp, the heavier items like my jumper were still soaking wet.
THREE HOURS LATER…
After three hours, I gave my clothes another check and was pretty disappointed with what I found.
While the fabric placed on the hot rods had dried my tracksuit bottoms were still wet, while lighter fabrics still had a damp feel to them.
I let the dryer run for a couple of more hours but didn’t see much difference and decided to turn it off and head to bed.
While it dried the parts touching the headed rack, the rest was still soaking wetCredit: Leanne Hall More winter laundry tips
Tackling laundry in the winter can be a challenge, but these handy tips can help you stay on top of it:
- Use a Dehumidifier: Place a dehumidifier in your drying area to speed up the drying process and prevent dampness.
- Spin Cycle Boost: Run an extra spin cycle on your washing machine to remove excess water from clothes, reducing drying time.
- Indoor Drying Rack: Invest in a good-quality indoor drying rack and position it near a radiator or in a well-ventilated room.
- Tumble Dryer Balls: Add tumble dryer balls to your dryer to help clothes dry faster and reduce static cling.
- Space-Saving Hangers: Use space-saving hangers or a retractable washing line to maximise indoor drying space.
- Microfibre Towels: Lay microfibre towels over your drying rack to absorb extra moisture from hanging clothes.
- Partially Dry Outside: On dry days, hang clothes outside for a short period before bringing them in to finish drying.
These hacks can help you keep your laundry routine efficient and your clothes fresh, even during the colder months.
THE VERDICT
Although I went to bed feeling disappointed with the airer, when I woke up the next day I was pleasantly surprised to see my clothes were dry and ready to put away.
Typically, if I hang washing inside during the winter months, I can be waiting three days for my clothes to dry, and even then some are still damp.
Overall, I think the buy is worth it’s £34.99 price tag.
The design of the product is easy to assemble, lightweight and folds up so it’s easy to store.
The heat coming from the airer also made my room a lot warmer, meaning I didn’t have to put the heating on.
While it won’t dry your clothes as quickly as a tumble dryer, it is much more cost-effective and has a quicker drying time than a normal airer.
To try it out for yourself, the viral product is back in stores this Sunday, October 26, in the middle aisle.
But if you want to snap it up, you better be quick, as with all, once it’s gone, it’s gone.
*Calculated using the UK: Price Cap (Oct 2025) electricity rate of £0.26 per kWh (incl. VAT). Actual rates will depend on where you live, how you pay your bill and the type of meter you have.
The heated airer is in Aldi stores this SundayCredit: Aldi 
