Minky's game-changing heat pod dries clothes twice as fast as a heated clothes airer - and is easier to store

If you missed out on the heated airer craze last year, don't worry as there is a new laundry gadget in town, promising to save you money and dry your clothes in record time - the new Minky heat pod. 

As we enter the cold and damp months of autumn and winter, drying our laundry is becoming increasingly difficult. It’s already taking us three days to simply air-dry our jeans! This is where the new Minky clothes dryer comes in. And we don't think we're being too dramatic when we say it can give the best heated clothes airers a run for their money.

The Minky Sure Dri Heat Pod Drying System is available at Argos, and it's already selling fast. So what’s so special about it? This clever gadget turns any plain three-tier drying rack into a heated clothes airer. On top of everything, it’s also affordable compared to some three-tier heated airers at £90.

• Shop the Minky Sure Dri Heat Pod Drying System at Argos

Minky Sure Dri Heat Pod Drying System - first look

We’re all looking for ways to effectively and quickly dry our laundry as the temperatures drop. Whether it’s investing in one of the best dehumidifiers to employ Martin Lewis' dehumidifier clothes drying hack, using a tumble dryer or a heated clothes airer.

Minky’s new gadget is perfect if you already own one of the best clothes airers and don’t want to have to replace it with a heated one. While it's designed to pair with the Minky's own three-tier clothes airers, the genius thing is it also works with any other three-tier drying rack you may already own.

What you’ll receive with your purchase is a heat pod motor, which is the source of the heat. Also in the package, you’ll find a cover, which is to be placed over the drying rack to retain the heat. Its small size is also very easy for storage when not in use.

It works in a similar way to a drying pod, which relies on a cover and a heated fan system to dry clothes quickly. In general compared to competitors such as The Dry:Soon drying pod, the Minky heated airer isn't that much cheaper, costing only £9.99 less. However, it is better geared to everyday use for drying t-shirts, Pjs, socks and other items that can be flung over a clothes airer.

Ideal Home’s own Digital Deputy Editor, Rebecca Knight, got to test out the new gadget home. 'I was an early adopter of the heated airer, taking the Dry:Soon heated airer to university with me almost 10 years ago. I'm still using it, and it would take a lot for me to part with it, but the Minky Heat Pod gave it a run for its money.' 

'I set mine up on a Minky three-tier clothes airer and was able to dry a full load of laundry in around 3 to 4 hours,' she explains.

'The biggest drawback was the clothes near the bottom did take around 4 hours to dry, and I did have to give a pair of thick PJs a quick final blast. It is also noisy, louder than a dehumidifier, but quieter than a hair dryer.'

'However, to be able to clean, dry and put away two loads of laundry in one day and store the heat pod away easily in my small flat, I'm happy to put up with the noise. I was even able to dry three large towels inside it in record time.'

We've still not carried out a full review for the new Minky heat pod, but already it is comparing favourably to other drying pods that can only take at most 18 hanging items at a time. However, if the price is a sticking point we can fully recommend the  JML DriBUDDI Heated Indoor Airer, available for £79 at Argos as one of the best heated airers for drying clothes quickly. 

Is this a game changer or what?!