If you use a clothes airer, choosing the right spin cycle reduces the amount of water left in your laundry, while a dehumidifier removes moisture from the air as your clothes dry. If you need dry laundry at the end of a cycle, a tumble dryer may be a better option. Your choice also depends on the space available, how much laundry you do, noise levels and installation requirements. According to ADEME, air-drying indoors remains a significant source of moisture in the home.
If you already use a clothes airer, compare how well your washing machine spins clothes before you hang them up, and whether you can remove moisture from the room as they dry. Your laundry will still need to dry after washing.
A tumble dryer can help you get dry laundry at the end of a cycle. Check that its capacity suits your usual loads and that you have a suitable space for it.
A dehumidifier can be used alongside a clothes airer without taking up the space a tumble dryer would need. However, you’ll need to position it so air can circulate and make arrangements to deal with the collected water.
Consider this: if you’re keeping your clothes airer and want to reduce the amount of water left in your laundry after washing.
Bear in mind: you’ll still need to hang your laundry out, and it will continue to release moisture into the room. For faster indoor drying, ADEME recommends choosing a washing machine with an A spin-drying efficiency rating.
Consider this: if your priority is getting dry laundry at the end of a cycle, especially when you have several loads to do.
Bear in mind: the appliance needs its own space and uses electricity. According to UFC-Que Choisir, a vented model needs an opening to the outside or an air-vent hose.
Consider this: if you’re keeping your clothes airer and want to remove moisture from the room’s air.
Bear in mind: it doesn’t dry laundry in a drum. You’ll still need to ensure air can circulate and decide how to collect or drain the water.
| What you need | What to check | Who this suits |
|---|---|---|
| Getting laundry completely dry | Compare the tumble dryer’s capacity with your usual loads, then check its dimensions and energy label. | When I have several loads to do, I want to put my laundry away as soon as a cycle finishes. Around 40 % of consumers would prioritise getting their laundry completely dry. |
| Reducing the water left in laundry after washing | Check the spin-drying efficiency rating and the spin speeds available on the programmes you actually use. | I’m keeping my clothes airer, but I want to hang up laundry that’s been spun more thoroughly. This would be the main priority for around 30 % of consumers. |
| Managing moisture while laundry dries | Consider where to position the dehumidifier, how air will circulate, and how you’ll empty its tank or connect a drain hose. | My laundry stays on the clothes airer, and I’m most concerned about moisture in the room while it dries. Around 30 % of consumers would prioritise managing moisture. |
The maximum spin speed doesn’t tell you everything about spin-drying performance, noise levels or the speeds available for the fabrics you wash. ADEME recommends checking the spin-drying efficiency rating if you need your laundry to dry quickly indoors.
Compare the rating, the programmes you plan to use and the model’s noise level during the spin cycle.
An extraction capacity is quoted for specific temperature and humidity conditions. On its own, it won’t tell you how long your laundry will take to dry in your room.
Check the conditions used for the rating, as well as the tank, the full-tank shut-off and the drainage options.
If its capacity is smaller than your washing machine’s, you may need to split a load across several drying cycles. The appliance also needs to fit in the space you’ve chosen, with enough room to access and use it.
Measure the space and check the capacity of the exact model before deciding where to put it.
It removes moisture from the air while your laundry stays on the airer, but it needs enough air to circulate. It won’t replace investigating an ongoing ventilation or mould problem.
Use it to support indoor air-drying. If the problem persists between laundry loads, arrange a suitable assessment of your home.
Bosch offers heat pump tumble dryers. The specifications below apply to the WQG24502FR, not the entire range.
The EW2F6812AW washing machine is an example of an appliance for households that continue to dry their laundry indoors.
De’Longhi offers domestic dehumidifiers designed to remove moisture from the air while your laundry dries on an airer.
These appliances offer three ways to approach indoor drying: get dry laundry from a tumble dryer, keep using a clothes airer while managing moisture in the room, or choose a washing machine to spin your laundry before hanging it up.
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Consider this if you want to dry your laundry in a drum rather than leave it on the airer.
Stated capacity: 8 kg. Compare this with your usual loads, measure the space available and check the energy label to see how it suits your needs.
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Consider this if you’re keeping your laundry on an airer and want to remove moisture from the room’s air.
The 25 L/day capacity is a stated figure, not a guaranteed amount for your home. Make sure air can circulate around your laundry, and check where you can position the appliance and its hose.
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Consider this if you need to dry a load in a drum.
The stated capacity is 8 kg. Check how much space you’ll need and compare its energy label with those of the other models you’re considering.
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Consider this to support air-drying on a clothes airer if managing moisture in the room is your priority.
The stated capacity of 12 L/day won’t determine how long drying takes in your home. Check that you have enough space and can use the drainage hose.
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Consider this if you’re keeping your clothes airer and want to look at spin performance before hanging out your laundry.
The stated capacity is 10 kg and the maximum spin speed is 1 400 tr/min. This speed doesn’t guarantee fast drying. Check the spin-drying efficiency rating and the speed available on the programmes you usually use.
Check the spin-drying efficiency rating, then look at the settings available on the programmes you use. ADEME recommends choosing an A rating for spin-drying if you need your laundry to dry quickly indoors. The maximum spin speed shown isn’t enough on its own to judge the result.
No, your laundry still needs to be hung up or laid out to dry. A dehumidifier removes moisture from the air. Make sure air can also circulate around your laundry and the appliance.
It’s an extraction capacity stated for specific test conditions, not a guaranteed amount of water collected in every room. For example, De’Longhi lists 30 L/24 h for the DD230P at 30 °C and 80 % relative humidity. Keep these conditions in mind when comparing appliances.
Yes. According to UFC-Que Choisir, a vented tumble dryer needs an opening to the outside or access to an air-vent hose. Check the installation instructions for your chosen model before setting aside space for it.