Extend the life of your clothes with space-saving, eco-friendly laundry room hanging racks for air drying.
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8 Best Hanging Racks for the Laundry Room
Updated on Sep. 18, 2024
The best hanging racks are essential to your laundry room, much like your washer and dryer. A drying rack creates a space to hang delicate items and clothing you don’t want to ruin out of harm’s way. Part of the desirability of the racks is how easy they are to assemble and move, especially freestanding ones. Better yet, if you’re limited on space, you can always opt for racks that can be wall-mounted. Regardless of your needs, there are plenty of hanging racks, but to help, we compiled a list of the best ones you can shop for right now.
Best All-Around Laundry Hanging Rack
Minky Homecare Three-Tier Plus Drying Rack
Going up instead of out, the compact Minky Homecare Three-Tier Plus drying rack makes the most of vertical space, holding two loads of laundry at once. With wider crossbars to optimize air circulation — translating into faster drying times — the Minky also has four flip-out corners to hold 12 extra hangers.
For families with small children, rest assured the rack’s double auto-locking system and non-slip feet add stability and safety. It won’t tip over like many lesser quality racks can.
Best Laundry Room Hanging Rack for Delicates
Whitmor Clip and Drip
Let’s mention your unmentionables. The Whitmor Clip and Drip is a handy way to drip-dry your delicates and other small garments. Suspend the hanger over any shower curtain rod, clothesline, garment rack, sink or tub. The circular eight-ounce frame rotates 360 degrees for easy access.
The 16 clips hold your freshly laundered things tightly, preventing them from ending up on the floor. The hanger collapses in half to store or take traveling.
Best Heavy-Duty Laundry Room Hanging Rack
Honey Can Do Heavy Duty Drying Rack
Whether you’ve got blankets, duvet covers or athletic trainers, the Honey-Can-Do heavy-duty drying rack with extra-strong steel support arms can easily handle 50 pounds of laundry. The rack configures into six positions to create a hefty drying area of up to 46 linear feet, yet folds down to a slim three inches.
Besides the standard-style rods, it has a mesh sweater shelf and a spot for shoes and boots. It’s even been known to dry finger paintings and freshly made pasta noodles!
Best Wall-Mounted Laundry Room Hanging Rack
Danya B Accordion Clothes Drying Rack
At first glance, you might not realize this cottage-style wall shelf is actually a drying rack. The Danya B accordion clothes drying rack is our pick for best wall-mounted rack for its good looks and clever functionality.
The versatile extending rack has 10 wooden dowels along with five coat hooks at the bottom. It can be hung in the laundry room or bathroom. Made of wood painted with a water-resistant white finish, it comes with mounting brackets and screws for easy installation.
Best Over-the-Door Laundry Room Hanging Rack
mDesign Over Door Foldable Laundry Drying Rack
Strong steel construction designed to fit over any door — no hardware needed — the mDesign over-door foldable laundry drying rack is a tiny home, apartment or dorm dweller’s dream. The tiered design, with two shelves of five rods each, is generously sized (20 inches x 18-3/4 inches x 47-1/2 inches) yet lightweight.
With plenty of room to air-dry sweaters, pants, towels, linens and swimwear, the rack folds flat to store almost anywhere. It comes in four metal finishes.
Best Portable Laundry Hanging Rack
Sagler Saganizer Foldable Clothes Drying Rack
Most of the racks on this list collapse to some degree or another. But the Sagler Saganizer foldable clothes drying rack breaks down into three individual pieces (tripod stand, extending arms and telescoping aluminum pole) to fit into a handbag or tote.
The slim rack holds up to 36 hangers to air dry shirts and pants. Its relatively small footprint, much like a floor lamp, is perfect when space is limited, such as in a narrow hallway or balcony.
Best Budget Laundry Hanging Rack
Ikea FROST Drying Rack
Classic and straightforward, the indoor/outdoor Ikea FROST drying rack is simple to set up, fold away, store and maintain. Made of pigmented polyethylene powder-coated steel with a UV protector to reduce cracks and rust, it wipes clean with a soft cloth dampened with mild soap and water.
The series of vertical and horizontal bars make maximum use of space. It’s just as functional in the basement as it is on a sunny terrace. And if that weren’t enough, it costs less than $15.
Best Wooden Laundry Hanging Rack
Household Essentials Tall Indoor Folding Wooden Clothes Drying Rack
Made of sustainable natural bamboo, the Household Essentials tall indoor folding wooden clothes drying rack is a streamlined alternative that’s good for the environment.
A little more substantial than those made of wire, this laundry rack has 11 rods to give you up to 25 feet of drying space. The angled feet offer better stability. No assembly is required — just put it up, and you’re good to go.
What to Look for When Buying the Best Hanging Racks for the Laundry Room
The top factor to consider when looking for the best hanging racks for your laundry room is durability. Consider how much weight and clothing the rack can handle. Some are made with more quality materials like wood and metal, while those crafted with plastic may not be as sturdy. Next, decide if you want your racks to be free-standing or hung on the wall. Each has plenty of benefits, but the ones that stand alone can hold more on the rack.Â
Why You Should Trust UsÂ
Our team has years of experience covering the best products money can buy for your home. Not only do we test thousands of items—so you can trust that the ones we do feature have been carefully vetted. This story was written by Toni DeBella, an expert on our roster who has written for publications like The Telegraph and Fodor’s. Toni is a culture and lifestyle writer, reviews expert and DIYer covering everything from pest control to pool cabanas, painting and container gardening. She was also the owner of a successful faux finishing, mural and children’s furniture business for over a decade before transitioning into writing.Â
How We Found the Best Hanging Racks for the Laundry Room
At Family Handyman, we take our home products very seriously—and our laundry room must-haves are no different here. We tested dozens of hanging racks—assessing durability, features, and usability—so we can vouch for many options. We also scour through hundreds of first-hand customer reviews to ensure the products deliver on their promises. Since it’s our job to ensure you buy one of the best laundry room hanging racks out there, we regularly update this story to ensure you browse the latest and greatest options at the most accurate prices.Â
FAQs
Where should you place a hanging rack?
The convenient thing about hanging racks is that you can place and move them anywhere. The best places in your home are the laundry room, bathroom or hallway near your laundry room. And if you have a tight space, you can always place your rack in the kitchen. The racks must be easy to clean if water gets on the floor from the clothes.
What is the benefit of a hanging rack?
Since no energy is involved with a hanging rack, it saves money on your monthly energy bill. Another advantage to these racks that shoppers praise is using one inside, regardless of the weather. Others mention hanging clothes keeps them fresher for longer.
What is the best material for a hanging rack?
Look for drying racks crafted with wood or metal. These materials are more durable and less prone to mold. You can also clean these more easily—just wipe them down weekly with a rag to ensure there’s no mold or buildup from the laundry.
What’s the best way to have a hidden wall rack?
Whether you’re short on square footage or don’t want your drying station to be an eyesore, some people might want a laundry drying rack that smartly blends into the rest of your decor. A fun idea that’s both pretty and practical? Install a wall-mounted drying rack that pulls down like a Murphy bed and hides it behind an affordable piece of art when idle.
