Clothes-Drying Racks for All Your Laundry

A handy household item that extends the life of everything you wear.

Whether you’re heading off to college or live in house with a laundry room, a clothes-drying rack is a smart thing to invest in if you want to save cash and prevent your favorite pair of jeans from dying before their time. If you’ve lived your life throwing everything into the dryer, you may be surprised at the number of options on the market. They come in a variety of sizes and styles to suit your living space as well as your wardrobe, and they’re relatively inexpensive.

But with so many clothes-drying racks out there, finding the right one among a sea of choices is a time-consuming task. That's why we rounded up the best of the best for your consideration. Read on for our recommendations, plus a few essentials to think about before shopping.

What to Consider

Start with nailing down how much room you have for a drying rack when it’s opened and where it’s going to be stored. Figuring out the best option for you depends on the type and amount of clothing you’re planning to hang. You don’t need a huge rack if you’re using it for small hand-washables and delicate items, but you’ll want something larger that won’t collapse if you regularly dry several heavy wet towels in addition to the rest of your laundry. Capacity is sometimes listed in linear feet, but we noted the maximum pounds of laundry each rack can handle or the number of rods it has.

The drying rack’s weight is another factor to take into account, especially if you’ll need to lift it to put it away. Drying racks come in several styles, including gullwing, accordion, tripod, and over-the-door, and most are made of rust-resistant metal or wood. Some have features like wheels, dedicated space for shoes, and mesh shelves for drying clothes flat.

How We Selected

Every clothes-drying rack we write about has an average customer rating of at least four stars. Our selection includes racks in different styles and with assorted features as mentioned above, and choices across price points, from budget to high-end. We also cover compact drying racks as well as full-size options.