If you’re after a cheaper and more eco-friendly way of drying your washing, we recommend a rotary line consisting of a single-pole with multiple lines on which to hang your socks and sheets. While convenient, tumble drying doesn’t quite give your laundry the same fresh, airy smell that using a physical dryer does― plus it can really ramp up your electricity bills!
Read through our buying guide and check out our recommendations from online retailers like Amazon, John Lewis and Argos, including picks from top brands such as Minky and Brabantia. Whether you're after a free-standing dryer with a rainproof cover or one that slots into the ground via a spike, you'll be sure to find something suitable for your space on our list!
For those after a quick look, here is our Top 5:
For a more in-depth look at the comprehensive top 10 selection, make sure to read on to learn more about the different types of rotary washing line available and understand how our ranking was determined.
Image | 1 ![]() Brabantia | 2 ![]() Addis | 3 ![]() LIVIVO | 4 ![]() Argos Home | 5 ![]() Leifheit | 6 ![]() Vileda | 7 ![]() JVL | 8 ![]() Minky | 9 ![]() Home Treats | 10 ![]() FunkyBuys® |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Lift-O-Matic Rotary Washing Line | Easi-Lift 50m 4 Arm Rotary Airer | 4 Arm Rotary Washing Line With Cover | 30m 3 Arm Outdoor Washing Line | Linomatic Plus 500 | 50m 4 Arm Rotary Outdoor Washing Line | 30M 3 Arm Steel Rotary Clothes Airer | Extra Breeze 50m 4 Arm Rotary Airer | Rotary Airer Clothes Line With 4 Arms | 50M Heavy Duty 4 Arm Rotary Clothes Airer |
Features | A Sturdy System With an Amazing Range of Accessories | Fully Collapsible and Can Be Operated With One Hand | Tough, Flexible and Totally Affordable | Just the Right Size for Those With Limited Space | Designed to Stay Clean, Dry And Tangle-Free | An Adjustable Line That Can Hold 4 Loads of Laundry | Perfect For Smaller Households or Compact Gardens | A Complete Set That's Ideal for New Homeowners | Lightweight Enough to Be Lifted Out of the Ground | Sturdy and Comes With a Rainproof Cover |
Price | £80.71 | £75.00 | £36.99 | £13.00 | £175.00 | £50.00 | £24.00 | £69.99 | £47.99 | £34.99 |
Dimensions | 200 x 208 x 208 cm | 212 x 212 x 187 cm | 2.55 m diameter | 1.92 m diameter | 203 x 203 x 231 cm | 178 x 178 x 195 cm | 119 x 11.99 x 11.51 cm | 186 x 259 x 259 cm | 193 x 132 x 132 cm | - |
Line Space | 50 m | 50 m | 45 m | 30 m | 50 m | 50 m | 30 m | 50 m | 50 m | 50 m |
Collapsible | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Adjustable Height | Yes | - | - | - | - | Yes | - | Yes | - | - |
Accessories Included | Cover, ground spike, pegs, peg bag, hanger hooks | Ground spike, hanger hooks | Ground spike, cover | Ground spike | Ground spike, hanger hooks | Ground spike | Ground spike | Ground spike, cover, pegs, peg bag | Ground spike | Ground spike, hanger hooks, cover |
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When fully extended, rotary washing lines can take up quite a bit of space in your garden. While this may not be an issue for those with larger gardens, those with less space may find it tricky to select a decent-sized line that won't dominate their patio.
Manufacturers of rotary washing lines will usually provide information about the dimensions of the product when fully extended ― consider this along with how much clearance there'll be around the line, as you'll need to make sure there's enough room for air to circulate too!
Alongside the general dimensions, manufacturers typically give an indication of how much line space you will get from their product. This will be stated as the actual length of the line held by the frame and is expressed in metres.
This is a really key piece of information, as it tells you how much laundry you'll be able to fit on the line at once. Around 30 metres should suffice for a family of four, whereas larger households may require 50 metres or more!
Every household needs a laundry basket ― check out our favourites here!
Naturally, washing lines are fairly bulky and can be a bit of an eyesore. Luckily, many products can be collapsed and folded down to keep them out of the way when you’re not using them.
A line that can be removed from your lawn will not only keep your garden looking clearer, but will also make mowing the grass easier. Plus, keeping the line safely stowed away reduces the likelihood of it being damaged by bad weather or knocked over by excitable kids!
Not everyone in your household will be the same height ― what feels like a comfortable height to hang washing out for one person could be way too high for another.
To make hanging up laundry easier for everyone (and perhaps to encourage certain family members to do their own!), consider a rotary clothesline with an adjustable height. This will make your new line much more practical and safe, preventing any strains or sprains that could occur from overreaching.
To keep your family's clothing in tip-top condition, try a fabric softener.
Rotary washing lines will often come with certain tools, accessories or gadgets included that make them easier to install or give them more adaptability in terms of how you dry your laundry.
The most common ones are a cover for protecting your washing line from the elements and a metal stake or spike to help with installation. Others include hooks on the arms of the line for holding clothes hangers or bags to store your pegs in.
While these tools and accessories are by no means central to the function of a rotary washing line, they make a product even better value for money and may tip the balance when it comes to deciding which brand to buy.
Why not invest in a heated clothes drying rack for extra rainy days?
This ranking has been compiled by the writing team at mybest UK via careful evaluation of the points made in the buying guide and thorough research of each product and comparing multiple verified customer reviews across the EC sites used.
£80.71
Dimensions | 200 x 208 x 208 cm |
---|---|
Line Space | 50 m |
Collapsible | Yes |
Adjustable Height | Yes |
Accessories Included | Cover, ground spike, pegs, peg bag, hanger hooks |
£75.00
Dimensions | 212 x 212 x 187 cm |
---|---|
Line Space | 50 m |
Collapsible | Yes |
Adjustable Height | - |
Accessories Included | Ground spike, hanger hooks |
£36.99
Dimensions | 2.55 m diameter |
---|---|
Line Space | 45 m |
Collapsible | Yes |
Adjustable Height | - |
Accessories Included | Ground spike, cover |
£13.00
Dimensions | 1.92 m diameter |
---|---|
Line Space | 30 m |
Collapsible | Yes |
Adjustable Height | - |
Accessories Included | Ground spike |
£175.00
Dimensions | 203 x 203 x 231 cm |
---|---|
Line Space | 50 m |
Collapsible | Yes |
Adjustable Height | - |
Accessories Included | Ground spike, hanger hooks |
£50.00
Dimensions | 178 x 178 x 195 cm |
---|---|
Line Space | 50 m |
Collapsible | Yes |
Adjustable Height | Yes |
Accessories Included | Ground spike |
£24.00
Dimensions | 119 x 11.99 x 11.51 cm |
---|---|
Line Space | 30 m |
Collapsible | Yes |
Adjustable Height | - |
Accessories Included | Ground spike |
£69.99
Dimensions | 186 x 259 x 259 cm |
---|---|
Line Space | 50 m |
Collapsible | Yes |
Adjustable Height | Yes |
Accessories Included | Ground spike, cover, pegs, peg bag |
£47.99
Dimensions | 193 x 132 x 132 cm |
---|---|
Line Space | 50 m |
Collapsible | Yes |
Adjustable Height | - |
Accessories Included | Ground spike |
£34.99
Dimensions | - |
---|---|
Line Space | 50 m |
Collapsible | Yes |
Adjustable Height | - |
Accessories Included | Ground spike, hanger hooks, cover |
Since the rotary washing line will become top-heavy once the laundry is placed onto it, we recommend opting for one with a spike base that will stay firmly in the ground rather than trying to fit it into a parasol base.
Choose a line with a spike or screw base that can be hammered into the ground or twisted into place. This is more convenient than concrete as it can be removed when you want to cut the grass in your garden.
Written and researched by Catherine Torrance
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