The GorillaLine Max is the retractable line most people buy, a short stainless line with a tightener for a balcony, patio or side wall. For a run across a yard, the choice is length: the Riveda pulls out to 45 feet, and the Minky has two lines of 49 feet. The Household Essentials has five lines and the most space. They’re in the order Amazon ranks them by sales.
Every one of them has mixed owner reviews, and the complaints are the same: sagging and lines that break. A poster on r/BuyItForLife says four retractable lines they bought each fell apart within a week. Read the reports under each pick before you choose.
| GorillaLine GorillaLine Max Retractable Clothesline | Riveda Retractable Clothesline, 45 ft | Minky Outdoor Retractable Dual Clothesline, 2 x 49 ft | Household Essentials 5-Line Retractable Wall-Mounted Dryer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open size | Line extends 16.4 ft | Line extends up to 45 ft | Two lines, each up to 49 ft | Five lines, each up to 34 ft |
| Folded size | Housing 3.8 x 1.5 x 5.4 in | Closed plastic case | Case 4.7 x 7.1 x 6.1 in | Case 4.75 x 37.75 x 9.75 in |
| Drying space | 16.4 ft, one line | Up to 45 ft, one PVC line; lock button sets the length | 98 ft on two PVC-coated lines | 170 ft on 5 vinyl-coated lines |
| Maximum load | Not published | 30 lb | Not published | Not published |
| Mounting | Wall mounted, hardware included; GorillaGrip tightener | Wall mounted | Wall bracket; the case clips out for winter | Wall mounted; receiver bracket sold separately; tightening knob |
| Material | Stainless steel housing | PVC line, heat and crack resistant plastic case | Sunlight-resistant PVC-coated line, UV-stable case | Steel and moisture-proof aluminium housing |
| Buy |
On this page
Best outdoor retractable clothesline
GorillaLine GorillaLine Max Retractable Clothesline
Best seller
- Open size
- Line extends 16.4 ft
- Folded size
- Housing 3.8 x 1.5 x 5.4 in
- Drying space
- 16.4 ft, one line
- Maximum load
- Not published
Specs: amazon.comchecked
- Pick it if
- A 16.4 foot line in a small stainless steel case, with a tightener that keeps it from sagging under wet towels.
- Skip it if
- Your run is longer than 16 feet, across a yard.
The GorillaLine Max is for a short run, from one wall to another across a balcony or between the house and a fence. It pulls out to 16.4 feet from a small stainless case and locks, and GorillaLine’s tightener is there to stop the line sagging under wet towels. Fixings come in the box.
Owners say it goes up in minutes and keeps the space clear when it’s wound in. Sagging still splits them. Some say it holds firm, and others say it sags or that clothes slide to the middle. GorillaLine sells a 14.1 foot model without the tightener; the Max is the one with it.
What owners say
- Mixed: About 6,600 ratings. Owners say it fits in minutes and frees up space; some say clothes slide to the middle or the line sags.
Clothesline outdoor retractable to 45 feet
Riveda Retractable Clothesline, 45 ft
Best long single line
- Open size
- Line extends up to 45 ft
- Folded size
- Closed plastic case
- Drying space
- Up to 45 ft, one PVC line; lock button sets the length
- Maximum load
- 30 lb
Specs: amazon.comchecked
- Pick it if
- One PVC line that pulls out to 45 feet and locks at any length, rated to 30 lb, for a run from the house to a post.
- Skip it if
- You need it to last; owners say the line can break and sags when loaded.
The Riveda is a single PVC line for a long run, up to 45 feet, from the house to a post or a tree. A lock button holds it at any length, so it works on a short balcony too. Riveda rates it to 30 lb and says the case resists heat and cracking.
It has the most ratings of the single lines, about 8,700. Owners say it’s easy to fit and retracts well on a patio. The low reviews say the line breaks easily and sags when it’s full.
What owners say
- Mixed: About 8,700 ratings. Owners say it fits easily and retracts well on a patio; some say the line breaks easily and sags.
Retractable clothesline outdoor heavy duty, with two lines
Minky Outdoor Retractable Dual Clothesline, 2 x 49 ft
Best two lines
- Open size
- Two lines, each up to 49 ft
- Folded size
- Case 4.7 x 7.1 x 6.1 in
- Drying space
- 98 ft on two PVC-coated lines
- Maximum load
- Not published
Specs: amazon.comchecked
- Pick it if
- Two PVC-coated lines up to 49 feet each, in a UV-stable case that clips off its bracket for winter.
- Skip it if
- You need the lines taut; owners say they're hard to keep tight.
The Minky gives you two lines from one case, each up to 49 feet, so a full load fits side by side. Minky calls the PVC-coated line heavy duty and sunlight resistant, and the case is UV stable. The case clips out of its wall bracket, so it can come indoors for winter.
Owners like having two lines, but some say it broke or stopped retracting, and some can’t keep the lines taut. On r/BuyItForLife, one owner’s Minky has lasted 5 years.
What owners say
- Mixed: Owners like the two lines and say it's easy to fit; some say it breaks or stops retracting, and that it's hard to keep the line taut.
Retractable indoor clothesline that works outside too
Household Essentials 5-Line Retractable Wall-Mounted Dryer
Most line
- Open size
- Five lines, each up to 34 ft
- Folded size
- Case 4.75 x 37.75 x 9.75 in
- Drying space
- 170 ft on 5 vinyl-coated lines
- Maximum load
- Not published
Specs: amazon.comchecked
- Pick it if
- Five vinyl-coated lines up to 34 feet each, 170 feet in all, from one aluminium case with a tightening knob.
- Skip it if
- You'd rather not buy the receiver bracket for the far end separately.
The Household Essentials holds the most line of the four: five vinyl-coated lines that each pull out to 34 feet, 170 feet in all. The case is aluminium, which Household Essentials calls moisture proof, and a knob tightens the lines. It’s sold for indoor or outdoor use.
The case is 37.75 inches wide, so it needs a stretch of wall. The bracket that holds the far end of the lines is sold separately. Owners say it’s easy to fit, and one says it has held up in Arizona sun. Others say lines came apart or wouldn’t wind back.
What owners say
- Mixed: About 1,800 ratings. Owners say it fits easily, one that it holds up in Arizona sun; some say lines came apart or won't retract.
Before you buy
- Plan both ends. A retractable line needs a wall for the case and something solid at the far end: a second wall, a fence post or a clothes line pole. The Household Essentials needs its separate receiver bracket there.
- Keep the run short if sag bothers you. Every pick here has owners who report sagging. A shorter run leaves less line to sag, and the GorillaLine is the shortest here.
- Prop up the middle. That Minky owner suggests a line prop to take some tension off a long line.
- Bring it in for winter. Minky designs its case to clip off the bracket for winter storage.
- Think about a fixed line. A Texas commenter on the same thread planned plain posts and rope to cope with wind and heat.
Some do last. In a r/laundry thread, one owner has run a retractable line to a 4x4 post set in concrete for 25 years, because a line left out gets dirty. For posts and props, see clothes line poles. For a line that folds rather than winds, see clothes line umbrellas.
Which to choose
- A short run on a balcony, and the best seller: GorillaLine Max.
- One long line across the yard: Riveda 45 ft line.
- Two long lines from one case: Minky dual line.
- The most line from one wall: Household Essentials 5-line dryer.
