Five laundry gadgets to help keep clothes dry, fresh and crease-free this autumn winter season

Autumn is here, and while the cooler weather means cosy jumpers, chunky knits and boots are making their way back into our wardrobes.

But, the change in weather brings one big problem: how to keep laundry fresh and get it dry quickly when you can no longer dry outside. there is one downside I could happily do without: laundry that refuses to dry.

Drying a load indoors can leave you with that all-too-familiar damp, musty smell, especially when you have heavier winter clothes that tend to take much longer to dry at the best of times.

Thankfully, there are gadgets designed to make the process a little easier, from handheld steamers that can refresh clothes between washes to heated airers that can help get a full load dry indoors without the worry of bad smells or moisture build-up in the home.

Here are five laundry gadgets worth knowing about as we settle into autumn/winter 2026.

Conair ExtremeSteam handheld garment steamer

A handheld garment steamer can be particularly useful during the colder months when you want to freshen up a jumper, coat or outfit without automatically putting it through another wash.

The Conair ExtremeSteam GSC24PK is a compact handheld model in a fun and bold pink shade. But, it’s got plenty of substance as well as style as it has a 35-second heat-up time, 1,100W of power and dual voltage. That means it has been ready in no time when I’ve pulled a top out of the wardrobe in the morning and realised it looks a little crumpled - and it’s got the creases out quickly too.

I’ve also found this steamer handy when getting my winter clothes out of storage. Inevitably, they have become creased after many months folded up in storage bags, but rather than dragging out an ironing board out I’ve been able to hang each item up and steam it directly.

I love that this also comes with a fold up travel hanger, which means that if I want to pack it in my suitcase when I go away I will always be prepared. I just wish it came with a travel bag.

The removable water tank is quite small - 80ml - so this steamer is by no means a replacement for your iron when it comes to tackling an average large weekly laundry pile, but it really helps if you need to get a handful of items refreshed quickly and easily.

The important thing to remember is that steaming is about refreshing and removing creases, it’s not replacing a proper wash when clothing is actually dirty. Always follow the garment's care label, too.

Buy the Conair ExtremeSteam GSC24PK Handheld Garmet Steamer now (£45 from AO).

Fridja f10 handheld clothes steamer

If you want something with a little more power, the Fridja f10 is another handheld steamer option to consider.

The model I tested has a 1,500W heater, a 45-second heat-up time and a 260ml water tank designed to provide up to 14 minutes of continuous steaming. The size of the water tank alone meant this was better equipped at dealing with more clothing items, but it is still not a direct competitor to an iron.

It also comes with lots of accessories including a fabric guard, collar press, folding hanger and water bottle adaptor, so you can be well prepared to tackle a range of clothing tasks.

I found all of these to be particularly useful when it came to cleaning and tidying up coats, delicate dresses and heavier garments can spend more time hanging in the wardrobe between washes.

Fridja also says the steamer can be used on items including bedding, curtains and upholstery. I’ve found it useful to glide over my duvet cover in a morning if a night of moving around has left some creases in my bedding - something that had been a mild irritation that I am now pleased to have a solution for.

Again, this steamer should be thought of as a garment-care gadget rather than a substitute for washing or a thorough wash.

Buy the Fridja f10 Handheld Clothes Steamer now (£79.99 at Amazon).

Daewoo Small 3 Tier foldable electric heated clothes airer with cover

When it comes to actually drying laundry, I’ve found a heated airer is a great alternative to relying on radiators or using a traditional airer. It drys clothes faster and it stops the dreaded foisty smell that can sometimes be left with clothes that are dried indoors.

Plus, as an added little bonus, it is an extra heat source in the room its been used in. So, as well as being very economical to run themselves - costing just a few pence an hour - they can also help cut down on the amount of time you have to put the heating on.

I like the Daewoo Small 3 Tier Foldable Electric Heated Clothes Airer because it’s compact so it works for smaller spaces. For me, that’s my bedroom where I put an airer up if I’ve got several loads of washing at once, but I don’t want something that takes over the whole room.

It may be compact, but it still has plenty of space for lots of clothes; 24 drying bars and around 12 metres of total drying space to be precise, with a 15kg maximum load. It uses a 220W heating element and also comes with a cover which helps to trap heat around the clothes. I also like this simply because it makes the room look tidier when you can’t see all your clothes drying.

The airer can also be folded away when it is not needed, which could be particularly useful if you live in a smaller home, and if you are tight on space this is the one I would recommend. No matter what, nobody wants a permanent laundry station taking over a room though so this is really handy and means it can be tucked away by the side of a wardobe or inside a cupboard with no fuss.

Daewoo says this model costs around 6p per hour to run, although it’s worth noting that the actual running costs will depend on your electricity tariff.

Buy the Daewoo Small 3 Tier Foldable Electric Heated Clothes Airer now (£99.99 from Daewoo direct).

Rediffusion winged heated clothes airer with cover

Another option for drying clothes indoors is the Rediffusion Winged Heated Clothes Airer with Cover.

I prefer this one for use in my conservatory, where I have plenty of space and can also shut the door, leave the room and not have to worry about it getting in the way or this isn’t an area that gets much use in the latter months of the year. If you have a bigger home and space for this where it won’t get in the way that this is the one I would recommend.

It has 18 heated bars plus two heated wings, giving you extra space for clothing and towels, and it’s even big enough for bedding. It too can hold up to 15kg of laundry and has a foldable design, so it can be packed away when your washing is dry.

The included polyester cover is designed to retain heat and speed up the drying process too, while Rediffusion says the airer uses 230W and costs around 7.9p of electricity per hour. But, again, this will depend on your actual energy tarrif. It may cost a little more to run than some others, but I find the big size of the actual airer makes up for this because I am able to dry more clothes at once and therefore have it on for less time overall.

For anyone who hates seeing wet clothes draped over radiators around the house, the winged design, which I think looks neat, could be a much tidier solution.

Buy the Rediffusion Winged Heated Clothes Airer with Cover now (£89.98 from Amazon).

Lakeland Dry drying pod airer

If space is particularly tight, or you really want to streamline the whole laundry process, the Dry Drying Pod from Lakeland takes a slightly different approach to indoor clothes drying.

Instead of spreading clothes across a traditional airer, the drying pod circulates hot air around garments which are hung up inside on hangers. That means, once drying is complete you can take your clothes direct from Drying Pod to wardrobe with no fuss. That’s assuming that there are no creases to be dealt with first, though it has been designed to reduce creases and ironing time, but if there still some crumples are one of my steamer suggestions above will help with that.

Lakeland says it can hold up to 12 items on hangers so it’s best used for small washloads, but its enclosed design is intended to dry laundry quickly and efficiently so if you do have more items you could always leave some on an airer for a little while while you wait for the first 12 things to try. I’ve also doubled up some items on hangers and have found they still dry perfectly well, although it may take a little more time. This has only worked for lighter clothing items though and I wouldn’t recommend it for heavier winter wears.

The Drying Pod also folds flat for storage. Lakeland currently states an estimated running cost of 26p, so it is perhaps the most expensive option, but that is compared with 65p for a standard tumble dryer - and again electricity prices can vary. The biggest advantage here is the enclosed drying space though.

Buy the Lakeland Dry Drying Pod now (£79.99 directly from Lakeland)

How to keep that musty laundry smell away this autumn

Whichever drying method you use, the key is not to leave wet clothes sitting around for hours. Get laundry onto an airer as soon as possible after the washing cycle finishes and give garments plenty of space for air to circulate.

Try not to pile wet clothes on top of each other and, if the weather allows, open a window and get ventilation in the room you are drying in to help reduce the moisture building up indoors.

A heated airer with a cover can make a particularly useful autumn/winter combination because it gives wet laundry warmth while keeping that warm air concentrated around the clothes.

For clothes that are not actually dirty but but could do with a refresh after being worn or stored, a handheld steamer could help give them what they need without adding more washing to the laundry pile.

With the right combination of drying and garment-care gadgets, the arrival of colder weather doesn’t mean you have to have a house full of damp washing and clothes that take forever to dry.

• Please note that delivery charges may apply for all of these items.