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Black + Decker 3 Tier Heated Airer review: a good sturdy airer for rapid drying
Fed up with flimsy heated airers that aren't up to the job? Time to call in the big guns with this sturdy drying option from Black + Decker.
By Laura Cooke | Last updated Feb 8, 2024
Price on writing: £110 | Buy now from Amazon
Overall rating: 4.5/5
Key specs
Size: 140H x 73W x 68D cm | Capacity: 15kg | Energy use: 300 watts | Cost per hour: 9p | Drying time settings: No timer | Foldable: Yes | Cable length: N/A | Tiers: Three
What we like
Easy to set up and use
Sturdy
Heats up to a high temperature
Small footprint, so doesn't take up much space
Dries clothes quickly
Folds flat for easy storage
Shelves double as hanging rails
What we don't like
Took a while to heat up
Shelves have to be folded in a particular order, otherwise you risk breaking them
Doesn't come with a cover
What Mumsnet users say
"Ive got a black and decker one and it's decent. Does the job." Recommended by Mumsnetter teaandtoastwithmarmite
Our verdict
If you are fed up with flimsy clothes airers that turn to jelly at the mere sight of wet bath towels, then we have found the airer for you.
Black + Decker, known for its power tools and DIY solutions, also knows a thing or two about making a sturdy, durable heated clothes airer.
There are no fancy features on this airer - no timer, no special heated shoe rack to warm slippers and dry wellies - but it is a good, solid, dependable model that dries clothes quickly. It’s easy to set up, easy to use and folds down for easy storage. For those reasons, it is going straight on Mumsnet’s list of the best heated clothes airers.
What’s the Black + Decker 3 Tier Heated Airer like to set up?
The Black + Decker 3 Tier Heated Airer arrived folded down, held in place with a couple of cable ties. Once these had been removed, I unfolded the sides and the shelves one at a time before using the attached plastic brackets to hold them securely in place. I plugged the airer in and hit the on/off switch, which glowed orange to show the power was on. It was very easy to set up, with just a pair of scissors required for snipping off the cable ties.
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What is the Black + Decker 3 Tier Heated Airer like to use day-to-day?
When I powered up the airer for the first time, I had to check to make sure it was definitely on, as it seemed to take a while to heat up, compared to heated airers that I had used before. However once it had got going, it was belting out heat, and felt hotter than my usual airer, which boded well for some quick and effective clothes drying.
As with all heated airers, if you lay the clothes down on the heated shelf, rather than hang them up, they dry more quickly. The Black + Decker airer offers a third option, as the shelves can be folded to double as hanging rails, which is really handy for drying longer items.
Although the Black + Decker 3 Tier Heated Airer boasts an impressive 21 metres of drying space, it has a relatively small footprint, so it’s a great choice if you only have a small living space and don’t want that precious space taken up by a hefty winged airer.
When it comes to folding the airer down, it is vital that the shelves are folded down in the correct order. There are clear diagrams in the instruction booklet to guide you through it. It’s really important to follow this order otherwise you risk breaking the shelves and writing the whole airer off.
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Does the Black + Decker 3 Tier Heated Airer have any special features?
There are no special features/gimmicks to be found on the Black + Decker 3 Tier Heated Airer. No timer feature, cover or special shoe warmer - just a sturdy, durable airer that gets the job done quickly.
However, if the lack of a timer is bothering you, you could always invest in some plug-in timers (I use these ones at home - they’re great for Christmas lights too!). And with regards to the cover, Mumsnetters swear by the old fitted sheet hack, which has worked well for me in the past too.
Read next: 10 best mould removers that actually work
Does the Black + Decker 3 Tier Heated Airer offer value for money?
Despite the lack of cover and any fancy extras, I feel the Black + Decker 3 Tier Heated Airer offers good value for money.
Retailing at £110 on Amazon at the time of writing (September 21st, 2023), it is £10 more than the John Lewis 3-Tier Heated Indoor Clothes Airer (which does come with a heated shoe rack, if you like that sort of thing), but our reviewer Izzy found the whole thing rather stiff and tricky to fold down. In comparison, the Black + Decker folds away like a dream, as long as you remember to fold the shelves in the correct order, of course. It’s also a whole £50 cheaper than Mumsnet fave, Lakelands’ Dry:Soon 3-Tier Heated Airer.
I was really impressed with the speed and efficiency of the Black + Decker airer and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it, especially to anyone taking their first steps into the world of heated airers.
If you are looking to shave even more drying time off your laundry this winter, you may want to check out our list of the best dehumidifiers for a cost-effective indoor drying solution.
How we tested
Reviewer Laura Cooke lives in a four-bedroom house in Sussex with her husband and two kids, aged four and six.
The heated airer was tested on its ability to dry clothes, bath towels and bedding. The clothes were dried laying flat on the shelf, draped over a single heated bar and on the hanging rail. The airer was also tested on how easy it was to set up, use and put away afterwards.
About the author
Laura started writing Swears By articles for Mumsnet in 2021 and has recently taken over responsibility for laundry content. She writes buyers' guides, including how to care for jumpers and knitwear, cleaning articles and tests products, including the Wilton London laundry range, to help Mumsnetters make informed choices when it comes to parting with their pennies.
Laura is also a freelance journalist and has written articles for publications including the Daily Mirror, the i, Metro, Stylist and Happiful magazine.
About Mumsnet Reviews
All Mumsnet product reviews are written by real parents after weeks of research and testing. We work hard to provide honest and independent advice you can trust. Sometimes, we earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. However, we never allow this to influence our coverage.