Brittany Loggins is a freelance contributor writing about relationships, mental health, travel hacks, and more for Real Simple. She's spent seven years studying and working in journalism and was previously on-staff at both Today.com and CBSNews.com, where she covered news, interviewed doctors about mental health, and wrote human interest stories about amazing people changing their communities. She also spent all of 2019 traveling around to 21 different cities, which left her with a wealth of travel advice that can hopefully make your life easier. As a proud University of Georgia graduate, she still supports the Bulldogs every chance she gets.

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While it would be great if you could toss all your clothes in the dryer, those hoping to maintain the shape and quality of their favorite pieces know that some clothing requires a bit more care. The best clothes drying racks will keep your valued garments in mint condition—whether you have an extensive collection of sweaters or just want to treat your undergarments with extra care.  Not all clothes drying racks are created equally, so we sorted through a wide array of options to narrow it down to only the best. To find out what to look for when searching for the best drying racks, we consulted with Leslie Reichert, the Green Cleaning Coach and author of the book The Joy of Green Cleaning.  “Anything can be air dried, but what should be air dried are fine fabrics, sweaters, and anything that needs to be blocked to keep its shape,” says Reichert. “Blocking means putting the item flat and leaving it to dry just the way it should look when it's dry.” Our pick for the best clothes drying rack is the Honey-Can-Do Gullwing Clothes Drying Rack, which stands out for its size, durability, and ability to hold all different types of clothing. We found plenty of other options for every need, from small space-friendly racks to outdoor racks.  Check out our favorites below. 

Who it’s for: People who need a one-size-fits-all drying rack that can accommodate various items.

Who it isn’t for: People with super small spaces. The Honey-Can-Do Gullwing Clothes Drying Rack can fold out to 46 linear feet of space, making it easy to dry every type of clothing. The alloy steel material is lightweight, durable, and easily folds into a three-inch profile so you can store it behind a door or next to your washing machine. The top features metal bars for hanging or laying larger items, like towels.  This rack also features a mesh shelf in the center, which is well-suited for quickly drying sweaters. The bottom of the stand features bars you can use for smaller items, and there’s even a specialized rack designed for drying shoes. Overall, this is a great option for people who air dry a lot of clothes at once, as long as they have somewhere to store it when it’s not in use.

Price at time of publish: $48

Who it’s for: People who live in small spaces and have a lot of clothing to hang.  

Who it isn’t for: People who need to dry sweaters.  This stainless steel drying rack is another option from Honey-Can-Do—but instead of folding out to provide a wide surface area, this rack offers ample vertical space to hang all your garments. It weighs under five pounds, has 24 linear feet of drying space, and folds down to only three inches, making it an ideal option for people who live in a small space.  It features six different rungs with each bar at a different height so you can hang lots of clothes without worrying about overlap. You can use this rack to hang blouses or jeans, as those are the items that are least likely to stretch while air-drying. For the best results when drying shirts, support the shirt down the front center to evenly distribute the fabric weight.  

Price at time of publish: $23

Who it’s for: People who live in small spaces or people who want a travel-friendly drying rack.

Who it isn’t for: People with a lot of clothing to hang.   This drying rack is an absolute must-have for small spaces. It includes two racks, both of which come equipped with handy hangers that you can adjust to fit over door frames or around shower curtain rods. One of the racks features two tiers, while the other has three. The breathable mesh tiers measure 24-by-30 inches, and can accommodate everything from sweaters to undergarments.  These racks also conveniently fold up when they're not in use—you can compress them flat and twist the support wires to fit into the included round storage bags. If you need to bring them along to travel, this feature certainly comes in handy. 

Price at time of publish: $19 for 2-pack

Who it’s for: People who want a sturdy mounted setup right in their laundry room. 

Who it isn’t for: People who don’t have a designated laundry room.  This drying rack can fold neatly into metal mounts under six inches wide for a low-profile look, while simultaneously providing up to 20 feet of linear hanging line and holding up to 60 pounds of weight. The pre-drilled holes and included hardware make these racks easy to mount, whether you place them in your laundry room, walk-in closet, or patio. The stainless steel is safe to mount outdoors without worrying about rust or wear over time, so you can even hang these drying racks next to an outdoor pool—they're perfect for drying very heavy items like beach towels. 

Price at time of publish: From $90

Who it’s for: People who want an affordable, space-saving clothes drying rack. 

Who it isn’t for: People who have a lot of heavy and bulky items to dry.  When it comes to space-saving drying solutions, it is hard to beat over-the-door drying racks. This option from mDesign folds out to provide different surfaces so that you can dry different types of clothing and delicates. It has two fold-out tiers, each of which has three 14-inch wide bars ideal for hanging items. The bars can also be used as shelves to lay clothing if you want to avoid stretching from hanging.  In addition to the rungs, this over-the-door drying rack features bars to create 22 linear feet of drying space. The sturdy hooks fit any standard door, so you can hang up this rack in any room when needed. 

Price at time of publish: $34

Who it’s for: People who want an aesthetically pleasing drying rack. 

Who it isn’t for: People who want ample space to hang items flat.  This classic lightweight bamboo drying rack is stain and rust-resistant and has nine bars, including four bars on the top level for laying or hanging items. The rack collapses flat for easy storage and requires no assembly—it's ready to go the second it arrives at your house.  This rack weighs four pounds, making it easy to move around your home. While bamboo is lightweight, it’s also incredibly sturdy and can hold all your clothing securely. This drying rack is ideal for large items like towels, thick sweaters, or sweatshirts, as well as your everyday T-shirts and blouses. 

Price at time of publish: $35

Who it’s for: People with lots of different types of laundry.

Who it isn’t for: People who want a more affordable option.  This foldable, rust-resistant steel rack from Brabantia stands 52 inches tall, has non-slip feet to keep it from sliding around, and can hold an impressive 44 pounds. If you need to dry an entire load of laundry, the three-tiered racks on this option are ideal for various clothing sizes and weights. This rack supplies ample space to lay sweaters and has smaller bars for hanging smaller items and garments. Once you finish your laundry, the rack conveniently folds in so that none of your storage space goes to waste—just make sure you have an area big enough to fit it.

Price at time of publish: $133

Who it’s for: People who only want to dry sweaters or other heavy items. 

Who it isn’t for: People who want to hang their items.  If you have an impressive collection of sweaters, then this Storage Maniac rack will be your new best friend. It includes two or four stackable table-style surfaces with lightweight plastic legs and mesh panels that promote air circulation. Since it’s stackable, you can use each tier individually or pile them on top of each other.  The soft mesh won’t scratch or stain your delicate garments, and the 27.95-square-inch panels provide plenty of room for oversized clothing pieces. While each tier stands at 5.7 inches tall, you need to break down the racks to store them, making this a less-than-ideal option for people who want a foldable rack. 

Price at time of publish: $27 for 2-pack

Who it’s for: People with families or large loads of laundry. 

Who it isn’t for: People who want to dry items that need to lie flat. 

This outdoor clothesline will make drying your clothing a total breeze. The rotary clothesline design splays out in the shape of an upside-down umbrella, with four arms to hang all your clothing. In total, this rack provides up to 196 feet of space, so it can accommodate everything from T-shirts and dresses to bulky sweaters and even duvets.

The rack can be adjusted to stand between 50 and 74 inches tall, and comes with a closable concrete spike for added stability. The coated steel arms are weather-resistant, and you can collapse the entire dryer and protect it with a cover when not in use.

Price at time of publish: $97

Our top pick is the Honey-Can-Do Gullwing Clothes Drying Rack because it’s easy to store and gives you plenty of space to dry all types of clothing. If you’re looking for a rack that’s better suited for extra small spaces, we recommend the Snomel Collapsible Hanging Clothes Drying Rack, which can accommodate lay-flat items and be easily disassembled for storage.

When thinking about the type of drying rack you need, consider the type of clothes you frequently air dry and the amount of storage space in your home. For those who need to air dry sweaters, a rack with lay-flat space and mesh for air circulation is optimal. If you have a smaller space, an over-the-door rack or a low-profile rack you can disassemble and pack away will be best.

Most of the racks on our list come assembled or require very few steps to set up. For those with limited space or those who prefer minimal clutter, a rack that can fold into a compact size for storage can clear space when it isn't laundry day. 

If you only need to air dry a couple of sweaters or workout clothes, then capacity doesn't need to be a huge concern. That said, if you have a family or a large amount of laundry every wash, consider racks that offer ample amounts of hanging space. A large outdoor rack or fold-out rack would be a great option, as they provide plenty of lay-flat and hanging space.

Since hanging clothing incorrectly can cause damage or stretching, the way you dry your items is essential to preserve their quality. “I recommend laying them flat on top,” says Reichert. “Some people like to hang their clothes on a drying rack with a hanger, but I find that they get pulled out of shape by the weight of the wet fabric, and also it leaves hanger marks.”

Dryer heat is the usual culprit that leaves clothing looking shrunken and misshaped, which a rack reduces to a net zero. You can use a drying rack for every item of clothing, but if you want to prioritize the most delicate items, Reichert says that fine fabrics and sweaters should be air dried. She also explains that items made of heavier fabrics should be blocked, which means laying them flat in the desired shape as they dry.

Reichert explains that the exact amount of time it takes for your clothing to dry can depend on a few factors, including “humidity, fabric weight, and air flow in the area.” That said, the general guidance is to allow undergarments to dry overnight and to allot about two full days for heavier sweaters.

This article was written by Brittany Loggins, a contributing writer for Real Simple who specializes in lifestyle and beauty content. To come up with this list, she thoroughly researched the clothes drying racks on the market and narrowed down the options based on factors like type, assembly, capacity, and more. For expert tips, we spoke to Leslie Reichert, the Green Cleaning Coach and author of the book The Joy of Green Cleaning.

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