I don't know of any brand names but there is one I have seen that you can crank right down so that it folds up like an umbrella on a stand. That seemed like a novel idea to me. I have seen umbrella clotheslines at walmart if that helps you. Budster.

Target, HD and Stacks/Stacks. They seem to be all the same price. My son bought me one at HD, a no brainer to open like an umbrella and remove for storage. No assembly required, but you should put the base in concrete for stability. I just found clothes pins at the dollar store yesterday.

We've put one up at each of the last 3 houses we've lived at and we've purchased them at an ACE Hardware Store, also available at True Value.

We've always placed ours next to a sidewalk or concrete patio (imbedded in a couple bags of Quik-Crete - powdered concrete that you just put in the hole and add some water and let it set-up). The clothes line is wonderful located next to the concrete so that I can stand on concrete to hang clothes out, and I don't have to trapse through wet grass out in the middle of the yard somewhere.

Secondary use... I can take the clothes line down and put a patio/market umbrella in the hole and have an additional shaded area when we have people over.

-Grainlady

HI from the UK - great drying weather today. About 20 years ago I bought a cheap umbrella type dryer & only replaced it last year. As the children have flown the nest I bought a smaller one & the cheapest I could find. It fold down easily, with a catch rather like an umbrella - keep it simple there will be less to go wrong.

Like grainlady mine is on the patio - an advantage of this is also that LAUNDRY DRIES MORE QUICKLEY as heat reflectS better than from grass. I bought a neat cover for when it's not in use.

Sunday was our fabulous English village's open Garden Day spent visiting neighbours gorgeous backyards to see their foxgloves, fab roses, clematis's, lavender, ginko trees, hollyhocks .... I could go on and ........

Yes, they all had outside drying facilities and, no, we do not live in a shabby area but in what is in the top 5 best places to live in England (according to a recent national TV programme).

There is no snobbishness here about having common sense and, where possible, using good old sunshine to dry your laundry. Indeed people using a dryer in fair weather would be considered a bit "soft" and having more money than sense by most people over here.

Don't be fooled into thinking hanging out laundry is difficult - just check the weather - throw it on the line or umbrella type dryer (OK be a bit tidy with things that need ironing)- let it dry - bring it in.

You know you can do it --- like millions of very busy people do all over the world and think of the lovely plants you can buy with those $$$$ saved!

(sorry if you already hang out - grandmothers - eggs)& yes I know for peole with allergies drying outside is impractical.

Bye for now from across the pond