The 4 best drying racks for clothes that we tested in 2021

Our testing methodology

We spoke with Shannon Kenny, sustainability consultant and eco-conscious blogger, and Gwen Whiting, the co-founder of The Laundress to learn more about the best ways to dry clothing and the qualities of a great drying rack. Based on their expertise, we developed our testing methodology and put all drying racks through the following five tests:

Assembly: For any of the racks that required assembly, we noted how easy or difficult each rack was to assemble and timed how long each rack took to put together.

Weight: We placed a variety of clothing types on each rack varying from lightweight pieces to heavy jeans and sweaters, and observed how well each rack was able to hold up the clothing. When testing larger racks, we washed a full-sized load of laundry, which is about 10-15 pounds wet. And for the smaller or standing racks, we followed each rack’s listed clothing weight capacity. 

Drying: While drying time can vary widely based on the temperature, humidity, and location that the rack is placed in, we observed how thoroughly clothing dried on each rack. We focused on the center of the racks throughout testing and checked to see if clothing on different parts of the rack took longer or shorter to fully dry.

Storage: We closed and opened each rack 10 times and noted any damages that occurred during this process. We paid close attention to how easy each rack folded and how easy it was to store.

Durability: At the end of the testing period we examined each rack for any damage that may have occurred throughout normal use. 

The best drying rack overall

The Honey-Can-Do Heavy Duty Gullwing Drying Rack can fit a full load of laundry, and also has space for drying smaller items and shoes. 

Pros: Can fit a large amount of clothing, has space for smaller items, has racks for drying shoes

Cons: Takes up a lot of space

The Honey-Can-Do Heavy Duty Gullwing Drying Rack has 46 linear feet of drying space and is the perfect size for drying large loads of laundry. The rack arrived pre-assembled and only needed to be unfolded before use. It has several unique features, the most notable being its shoe drying racks, which I used to dry my house slippers. With two separate hanging sections and a small area for small items such as socks and undergarments, the rack can easily hold large amounts of clothing while also giving each clothing item enough space to fully dry. 

During testing the rack performed extremely well, it was able to handle 10-15 pounds of clothing, provided enough space for items to fully dry, and was still in great shape after being folded and unfolded ten times. As the rack is very large, it may not be a great option if you’re tight on space.

The best drying rack for small spaces

You can easily move the Home Solution Foldable Garment & Clothes Drying Rack around your home thanks to its removable wheels. 

Pros: Removable wheels, two tiers, folds down to a small size, fewer wrinkles on clothing

Cons: Button to fold down the rack can sometimes get stuck

The Home Solution Foldable Garment & Clothes Drying Rack can hold up to 65 lbs of clothing and has wheels that make it easy to maneuver. The rack has two spinning tiers that can hold up to 60 items of clothing. This rack is unique because instead of draping items over the rack to dry, you place them on hangers that you then hang on the rack . Assembling the rack was easy, but It took me about five minutes due to some of the buttons being hard to push down. 

This rack stood out especially during drying tests; placing clothes on hangers instead of draping them meant  clothing dried without any wrinkling. This makes it a great option for drying sweaters, blouses, and dresses. It’s also extremely easy to store as it folds down completely and can stow away in corners and smaller closets. 

The best drying rack for large loads

The LEIFHEIT Roma 150 Laundry Drying Rack provides two tiers of hanging space and can fit a large amount of clothing.

Pros: Can fit a large amount of clothing, rust-resistant, flat and angled surfaces for drying clothing

Cons: Clothing may be wrinkled after drying, needs a large amount of space

The LEIFHEIT Roma 150 Laundry Drying Rack arrived pre-assembled and has two tiers that can be adjusted based on your preferred height. The rack is easy to maneuver and can be folded out or down quickly. While this rack is similar in appearance to our best overall pick, we found that this model was able to hold up more weight, making it possible to dry more pieces of clothing.

I was impressed with how much clothing the rack was able to support during the weight test, as it held up heavier items including jeans, sweaters, sweatpants, t-shirts, leggings, and more without bending or bowing. Another great feature of this rack is its middle section, which is helpful for laying out delicate items that may suffer damage if not hung properly. 

While the rack is larger in size, the rack’s two adjustable tiered sections can be folded down to save on space while still offering enough room for a medium sized load of clothing. 

The best drying rack for small items

The CenYouful Stainless Steel Laundry Drying Rack has clips that allow it to dry masks, socks, scarves, undergarments, and other small clothing items. 

Pros: Affordable, comes in a pack of two, durable stainless steel construction, multipurpose

Cons: Can’t hold larger clothing items or large quantities of clothing

The CenYouful Stainless Steel Laundry Drying Rack is a duo of two hangers that are outfitted with eight clips to hold up small clothing items. While the hangers can be hung in any closet for everyday clothing storage, they can also be used to dry delicate clothing. 

While testing the hangers I was surprised at how easily they were able to hold up masks, undergarments, stockings, and tank tops. These smaller items can easily be damaged or even lost when thrown in the dryer.

The hangers are made of stainless steel, which I found helps them hold up multiple items at a time with ease. The various items I hung up on the hangers dried within a few hours.

What else we tested

What else we recommend and why

• Honey-Can-Do Tripod Clothes Drying Rack: This standing drying rack is affordable and has several rungs that you can attach hangers to for wrinkle free, fully dried clothing. The drying rack can be folded and expanded with the push of a button and is easily stored in smaller spaces. The rack performed well during testing and was able to quickly dry clothing due to the even spacing between hangers. However, it has significantly less hanging room than our top drying rack for small spaces, the Home Solution Foldable Garment & Clothes Drying Rack.
• Minky Homecare X-Wing Plus Indoor Drying Rack: This drying rack is a great size for small- to medium-sized loads of laundry. The rack covers 65 feet of drying space and includes three separate drying sections. It also has a hanging tail rail that can fit several hangers for additional drying space. While testing this rack we found that the tail rack only held about five clothing items, which is significantly less than the 12 listed in the product description. 
• BINO 3-Tier Collapsing Foldable Laundry Drying Rack: The BINO Drying Rack performed well throughout testing and was able to hold up a full load of laundry without struggling. The rack doesn’t leave much space between items, so clothing took a little longer to dry compared to other racks we tested. This rack folds nicely and would be easy to store in smaller apartments or spaces. However, the rack is currently only available at Amazon and is out of stock, with no clear restock date. 

What we don’t recommend and why

• mDesign Over Door Foldable Laundry Drying Rack: This over-the-door drying rack was difficult to assemble and I struggled to fit it over my door. The rack was able to hold lighter clothing during weight tests, but was not able to hold up heavier clothing such as jeans and sweaters. Overall, there are better drying racks for small spaces that can hold up more clothing. 

What we look forward to testing

• Honey-Can-Do Tabletop Gullwing Drying Rack: A tabletop drying rack can be handy for drying smaller items such as socks, masks, scarves, and more without taking up much room. This tabletop drying rack has three sections for drying smaller clothing and would be a great option to test against our current pick for the best drying rack for smaller items.

FAQs

How do I choose a great drying rack?

Paragraph: Choosing the right drying rack mainly depends on one factor: the size of your space. If you have a smaller space you’ll want to opt for either a standing drying rack or a small to medium sized rack that can fold down and be stored under a bed or in a small closet. If you’re working with more space and tend to wash larger-sized loads of clothing, a large, multi-tiered drying rack will allow you to easily dry more. A tip that Whiting uses to save space while using a drying rack is placing the drying rack in her bathtub. 

Kenny advises purchasing a drying rack that allows for spacing between items so that clothing has more air circulation and can dry faster. It’s very important to buy the right sized drying rack, as overloading can lead to soaking wet clothes. 

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What are the benefits of drying clothing using a drying rack vs. drying clothing in the dryer?

Paragraph: Clothing, especially when made of delicate materials, can easily become damaged in the dryer. “The combination of high heat and agitation (tumble drying) from machine drying tends to shrink certain fabrics, lead to color fading, and contribute to wear and tear that compromises the integrity of the fabric over time. This can all be avoided with air drying,” said Whiting.

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What types of clothing should always be dried on a drying rack?

Paragraph: Whiting recommends air drying any clothing made of wool, silk, or synthetic-based silk. “Bras, silky underwear with stretch, bathing suits, sports bras, and women’s sport leggings and tops should be air dried,” said Whiting. Overall, if you’re not sure if a clothing item will be damaged if placed in the dryer, you should air dry it instead. 

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What are some other ways to make washing and drying clothing more energy efficient?

Paragraph: Outside of using a drying rack, Kenny shared several ways to make washing clothing more energy and environmentally efficient. First, you’ll want to make sure you’re running a strong spin cycle during every wash. This helps to remove any excess moisture from your clothing and helps speed up air drying. 

If you’re looking to purchase a new washer or dryer, Kenny suggests looking for energy efficient models. “There are so many options out there and they don’t even necessarily cost more than the regular ones. It’s just a matter of filtering down to find the option that works for you,” said Kenny.

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Do drying racks save energy?

Paragraph: Drying racks are an attractive option if you’re looking to not only help the environment but also cut down on your electric bill. When compared to the high energy output of a dryer, drying racks are a zero-energy solution to drying clothing. “If you have the space and the time, a drying rack is definitely worth it, and will save you a lot of money in the long run, and that ongoing energy footprint will be subtracted from your main footprint,” said Kenny.

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