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Review on πŸ‘• Gray Minky Homecare Outdoor Retractable Clothesline - 2x 49 Feet by Jason Kovak

Revainrating 3 out of 5

Honeymoon is over

UPDATE 09/18/2015 When I first bought this clothesline I was thrilled. But a few months after the beginning of the relationship, the honeymoon ended. The problem is that the blown pins/buttons on the bottom of the device are not durable. And those pins/buttons are necessary because that's the key to keeping the lines taut. Both of mine broke so I put a lot of effort into finding a way to keep the lines from sagging. I still think it's a great design, the lines are long, easy to retract and there are plenty of lines to hang multiple weights; Unfortunately, the material just isn't durable. One star is deducted for each broken clothespin. I've never had a clothesline outside, I've always relied on an electric dryer. But to save electricity (and, yes, save some money), I started dabbling with clotheslines. My husband was categorically against building a permanent structure, which I could not object to. We looked at a variety of clotheslines, including single lines as well as fold-down racks that attach to the wall, and again these were either impractical (a single line wouldn't hold the amount of laundry we have) or unattractive. We wanted something that had quite a bit of space, but we didn't have to go to a secluded corner of the yard because 1) we'd probably be too lazy to use it, or 2) we'd forget to return the laundry back. We chose this setup for two reasons: 1) it has two separate lines, each offering miles of lines (okay, 49 feet per line, but that seems like a lot!), and 2) while unsightly, it can it be easy to remove when not in use. We've had it for about six weeks and since then I've used it countless times, as have my husband and kids. It really works as promised. My husband attached the base plate that holds the unit to the wall and then placed the two anchors/hooks that the lines attach to in opposite locations. I think this is one of the best features of this device. One line goes in one direction and the other line goes in a completely different direction. We did this on purpose to use as much space under our covered patio as possible so the sun wouldn't fade the linens (we're in the Phoenix area so the sun is very bright) and also around obstacles like the patio table etc The base and hooks are almost invisible when not using the dryer (meaning I removed the main unit) which is great. The lines themselves are easy to pull out and remove. The two small handles on the bottom of the device are used to hold the line taut. They are very easy to use and work great. We placed the base plate and hooks high enough for us to hang our California king size sheets without touching the floor. I've found that laundry, including jean shorts, socks, towels and heavier garments, dries much faster on a dry heat than in a dryer. It was a really pleasant surprise. When it's a little wetter (it's monsoon season here in Phoenix, after all), clothes take about the same time to dry as a dryer, maybe a little longer. But the vast majority of loads I've done have the laundry dry before the washer has completed its cycle for the second load. When I'm done with a block, it literally takes me a minute to clean up the lines and take the block off the wall - which I prefer to do to keep it clean (and like I said, it's not the prettiest thing in the world World). World). ). I wish I had done this many years ago. I highly recommend this retractable clothesline.

Pros
  • Laundry storage and organization
Cons
  • Some little things