How to dry clothes indoors: The best indoor laundry airers

Our review: If you've already got a tumble dryer, these spiky balls help to reduce the drying time of laundry. They also help to dry clothes more evenly and reduce creases (particularly great for cotton bedding). However, they do make quite a loud banging noise when in use, which isn't ideal if you're doing an early morning or late-night laundry load. If you can't bear the noise, you're probably better off air-drying your laundry and finishing it off in the tumble dryer for a few minutes.

Review: "I was a little sceptical about whether these would work but I have noticed a difference with using them. Clothes certainly feel softer to me and nowhere near the wrinkles I used to have. In my opinion they were good value for what I paid as I managed to get them on a deal 😊"

If you're limited on space and only need to dry a few clothes at a time, this radiator-style airer is perfect. Despite its size, it feels really strong and robust and can easily take the weight of heavier garments. The arms are hooked over the back of the radiator and are 'locked' securely into place on either side, once you decide on your desired height. They can even be moved inwards for a higher elevation. The space between each of the six metal bars is very wide (tick!) but it does protrude out around 50cm from the radiator, which is something to bear in mind should you need to put it in a walkway area. When not in use, the arms can be folded inwards, making it very slim and easy to store.

Review: "Sturdy and easily folds away. It arrived in excellent condition and hangs behind our sofa on a radiator so its mostly hidden from daily view, but it folds so easily and we can put it away when we need to. But with winter it made drying socks and tops a dream! We have even draped sheets and blankets over it to air or finish drying from the line. I wanted to try it before committing to a second one, but plan on buying another to go next to this one because it is a very long radiator. Excellent product."

Our review: "Super easy to assemble. It took 5 minutes and required little energy to do so. The wheels slotted in easily, too. Much more effective than my 'standard' one. If clothes could be spaced out, then 12 hours seemed sufficient to dry undies, t-shirts and the odd, light jumper. If the airier was fully loaded and included things like heavy hoodies, jumpers and jeans, you'd need 24-36 hours. It was definitely effective for me because of its size and versatility of it. I could also hang the odd 'delicate' off it on a hanger or use the flat area too. It's super easy to use, you don't have to do a lot of bending down as such, it can take a decent load of washing to dry and can be moved around easily on the casters. It was great being able to hoover and clean the floor in the space it was in because all I had to do was wheel it out of the way! It's way better than a standard airier and I wouldn't go back to a 'cheap' one after this. I only docked a point because I felt it was a little pricey (would happily pay £39.99 for it)."

Review: "This is definitely the best airer I have owned. Previously I have used the more traditional shaped ones and have found that there are always rows that you can’t use your as washing tends to overlap and basically nothing ever gets dry. This one is so cleverly designed but that doesn’t really happen. It folds out and folds together quickly and easily and there is a little catch to keep it all together when not in use."

Our review: As Vileda's premium product I expected this clothes airer to simply pop into place, but putting this up felt more like a wrestling match. There is minimal 'assembly' but overall I found it heavy and cumbersome to erect. On the plus side, thanks to the flip out 'wings' this airer boasts a very generous 18 metres (59ft) of drying space is enough for several loads of laundry but that does mean it takes up a lot of floor space. The 2-in-1 aspect refers to the fact that one of the end sections can be removed to hang on a radiator, handy if you only have a few items to dry. Also useful is the clip for smaller items such as socks and underwear. The dryer also has wheels and the manufacturers claim it can be easily moved, even when fully loaded, but I didn't find that to be the case. Oversized and over-engineered for the job it's created for.

Review: "They have made some improvements over the old model, the legs don't stick out as much so takes less space and can be put into tighter spaces. weight is also lighter, not sure the little wheels serve any real purpose as you would just lift the whole thing up. The legs also lock into position now so much less likely to be pushed over. I would definitely recommend this."

Our review: Within minutes of opening this product, it was assembled and turned on, heating up. It's also just as easy to fold away and store. I've found this product has halved the time it takes my clothes to dry, especially in cold weather when things can take much longer to dry completely. With so many rails to place clothes on (even though it's a mini) I can now dry my clothes much quicker. It was brilliant how fast it heats up and cools down making it ideal if you need to quickly switch it off and store it away. It has also helped combat the smell of damp washing that would sometimes occur when items take a long time to dry. I have very little space in my home to dry clothes but this airer is compact, it takes up very little room and can be stored away easily making it ideal for smaller spaces. While it works brilliantly for most clothes such as socks, pants and t-shirts, there isn't much of a gap between each level, meaning longer items such as dresses and trousers can get crumpled up on the airer and I have to find somewhere else to dry them or pop them in the dryer.

Review: "I was recommended this dryer and am very pleased with it. I load it up quite heavily, and it does a good job. I always use the cover. Much kinder to clothes than the tumble dryer. I have bought two more, for family members."

A versatile and convenient wall-mounted clothes dryer for any home. With a practical width of 72 cm and a maximum extension of 37 cm, it is an ideal compact fit on any wall within the home: above the washing machine or a radiator or in the bathroom or utility room. The dryer fans out by holding each recessed handle at the side and gently pulling out. The rails are staggered to increase airflow. When the rails are laundry-free, push the two handles back towards the wall and the dryer folds away.

Review: "We have owned various different brands of wall dryer over the last 5 years and they were always that bit too bulky to justify the drying space provided. I love how compact this it when it not used. Its very flush to the wall and does not look cheap or tacky. It offers generous drying space and is hung in utility room where space is at a premium. For heavier items like Jeans i would hang over 2 bars but its robust enough to hold any items we have tried on it. Family members and friends have all been impressed and ordered this themselves so if you wondering whether to buy this or not , i can highly recommend."

At an affordable price, you can't beat this clothes airer from Amazon. Reviews say that it's a sturdy model that allows them to fold it away with ease. You can hold up to 15kg of your laundry on this airer, with 15 metres of drying space, so you won't run out of room any time soon. Highly rated on Amazon.

Review: "I’ve had a few cheaper versions of these and the warp and bend over time when loaded with heavy wet clothes. This one was worth the extra price. It’s very sturdy and going strong. Goes up and also folds away quickly."

Our review: This compact drying solution really is a nifty little contraption, its only assembly is re-clicking the hanging arms to suit your radiator size. This 6-bar airer feels extremely well made and it's simple and super effective when drying clothes, especially during winter. As it sits off your radiator, the heat can regulate around the house and clothes dry within one evening (with the radiator's one). My least favourite part is that it only fits small clothes, tea towels, socks etc.

If you're not after a huge clothes airer, this compact airer from John Lewis may suit you just fine. However, if you do happen to be looking for more space, the rails are easily extendable to fit 7kg of laundry. Reviews say this airer is strong and sturdy when in use, but lightweight to manoeuvre around when needed.

Review: "I'm so pleased I chose this extendable clothes rack. You can vary the width so if you only have a small amount of washing or a small space, it works so well. It also folds down so easy to store too."