One of the main advantages of a concertina-style dryer is that it can be used at any extension length; it doesn’t need to be fully pulled out if you’re only drying a couple of clothes. Therefore, it only takes up the necessary space required.

The size of your family is something else to think about here, and how much washing you need to hang up at a time. A heavy-duty retractable washing line with multiple lines like the Brabantia wallfix, or the Better 35m washing line, is more likely to suit your needs here than our best overall- Vileda’s cordomatic, as it only has a single, 15 metre, line. Vileda Cordomatic 15 Metre Automatic Retractable Clothes Line installed using 40mm size 5 screws rather than the supplied fixing kitFor the hook I just took out an adjustable spanner to grab hold and twisted it in – equally, if not better would be some mole grips that actually clamp the hook but I didn’t struggle at all my way – here’s a look at how I clamped the hook for install: When looking to buy a retractable washing line it is always important to make sure you make the right choice for the space you have and the amount of laundry you need to dry. There are several things you may need to consider including price, clothesline capacity, line strength as well as if you want an outdoor or indoor retractable washing line.

Something that’ll really surprise you (and me). After a good few months of use the retractable coil seems to lose it’s strength. I would say of all the models I’ve tested so far, the Metaltex seems to hold up the best. And I wonder if that’s because I haven’t extended it to near full length ever (the max being 10m on each line as that’s the distance we have: At Washing Line, we regularly get asked a whole range of questions about choosing the best retractable clotheslines. So, we have put together a list of the most frequently asked questions we receive to help you make the right decision for you. What is a retractable clothesline? Retractable washing lines are a great option for those who don’t want a washing line permanently strung across their garden. They can look a lot neater than other lines, and once retracted they often become virtually unnoticeable. When you’re done using the washing line, it all folds down, concertina style, into its wall-mounted, stainless steel, storage box. The use of stainless steel was a great choice by the designers as it is very good at fighting rust, and therefore will extend the working life of the washing line.Unfortunately for you, if you put too many clothes on it, it may bend a little and droop. It still holds a lot of clothes, though, while still staying taut. Just don’t try to put an absurd amount of clothes on it. The Minky double retractable washing line provides a good value and neat way to dry your clothes outside – great if you don’t have the room for a fixed line. We’re not so keen on: The nylon rope itself is nice and strong and can support a fair amount of weight. We didn’t test it to the maximum 45lbs, but it held up well with a couple of towels, some wet shorts, and a few t-shirts while being hooked up between a couple of trees.

For the hook end, I literally bodged up whatever wood off cuts I had. I dug a hole and threw a fence post in with a bag of Postcrete. (I didn’t have anything solid enough in the garden to attach the line to otherwise. Also, the post in my mind was too low so I further bodged it taller with another off cut I just bolted to it. Just digging a post in the ground, with the weights involved, and a huge gust of wind, would leave you with a liability 🙂 The PVC lines retract into the casing after use meaning this washing line is easy to keep clean. The 30 m of drying space is enough for larger loads of washing – including bedding and bath towels. The only downside is that the lines can sag underneath heavier loads, so you’ll need to use a prop to support them.

Now I know we get to set the tension ourselves but I can’t pull it anymore taunt than that and also fully loaded the line does stretch a bit. It’s not bad though and when compared to it’s direct competitors it’s pretty much inline with their washing line quality. Best quality & features – Go for the Brabantia WallFix for overall quality. It’s unmatched in terms of build quality among the lines on test, thanks to its steel/aluminium construction. Easy to install as well, the 24m of line should provide ample space for all but the largest amounts of laundry – the rotary-style shape means that the line will stay taut no matter what. It seems as though Vileda has really thought of everything when designing this model as it is equally suitable for indoor use as well as indoor use. Regardless of where you are hanging your washing line, it is easily visible with its red colour, preventing accidental injury from collisions.

Multiple lines can be very handy if you’re short on space. Let’s say you have a small garden, or maybe even just a balcony or small spare room to utilise- multiple, parallel, washing lines can help you make the most of your available space. In many cases, you'll need to screw a hole into the surface so that the casing can be screwed into place and then the extendable The NETTA Retractable Reel Washing Line is an inexpensive option offering 30 m of red PVC-coated line. It's possible that you'll have to buy some additional heavy-duty wall anchors for this product although it will depend on the walls you have. Worth a look: Soreli Retractable Washing line 12M What you should know before buying a retractable washing lineThis retractable washing line is best fitted to a wall for stability, but some customers have had success fixing it to strong fence posts, so there is a bit of flexibility on where it can be positioned. When retracted, the unit measures around 18 x 12 x 15 cm which doesn’t take up a lot of space. Lastly, the UV stable, adjustable housing unit can move freely from side to side affording better flexibility and can be pushed against the wall out of the way when not in use. With the wall plugs in screw in your screws provided. Leave them protruding about 5-6mm so that when you lift on your washing line you can tighten them up fully. Because of the excellent design of these units, you don’t have to fit them while carrying the weight of the unit itself. Here’s a look at the screws prepared and ready to take the unit: