Crawford-Lehigh 8-Foot Retractable RC8 Clothesline

Frugal Ant: This retractable clothesline arrived quickly, installation was simple, and the convenience of only using the amount of wire you need is nice. However, there is a trick to getting the line tightened. There is a picture of how to do it on the back of the cardboard it comes packaged in, but it is a pain in the rear to tighten with out it sagging.

No matter what I do, I can't get the line tight enough to keep it from sagging. I have to limit what I hang on this line to lighter clothes so they doesn't hit the ground from the weight, and even with just tank tops and socks, I ended up hammering in a nail into a 4x4 in the center of where my line runs, which I was lucky enough to have a 4x4 there. I rest the center of the line on that nail, and that helps with the sagging. But no way can i hang a heavy (or even a light) blanket on this line and keep it from hitting the ground.

I do like the fact that it retracts so easily, so it stores nicely when not in use, but because it sags so much, I only use it as a back up to my other line, and only for my lighter clothes. Maybe in time I'll develop some magical skill that allows me to really tighten this line, and if that happens,...

United States on Mar 28, 2014

J. Alden: So here I am writing a review on a clothesline. I, like you, live in the modern world. I have all the iPhones, iPads, big-screen TVs and even front-loader washers/dryers that a person needs, but sometimes we need to go back to basics.

Having a clothesline is simply cool, and it really does pay for itself. I wash my towels and sheets once a week, and my blankets about twice a month. Of course I still use my dryer for most things (I don't need to though) I do like to use the clothesline for the bigger/heavier things like blankets, sheets, towels. A sheet set in the dryer, for instance, often balls up and then needs fluffing, then adding more than the first 40 minutes of tumbling. Forget all that. Stick it on the line.

The disadvantage of clotheslines is how they look and the space they take. This is what is so great about this product being retractable. When you're not using it, which is 99% of the time, it's neatly retracted. I simply love it.

Build quality seems very good and I expect this to last several years.

****UPDATE April 30th, 2013**** So far, the line is still perfect. Please don't bother with the reviewers that mark it one star claiming that...

United States on Dec 21, 2012

Dusty Phillips: Like most people of a certain era, I grew up drying clothes on a outside line. Then every suburban dweller got a clothes dryer and the backyard clothes line disappeared. This is a great way to bring back the practical and economical clothes line. There's no line in the way or post to mow around. Mine is attached to a patio post and stretches across the yard about 30 ft (which is why I got the 40 foot one but many people could use the 20 ft. model) where I have installed the hook on the back wall. I get 340 days of sun here so having a line is a no-brainer. Heavy towels, rugs and blankets are completely dry faster than in the dryer, using no energy other than mine to hang them. Many people, including me, like the fresh smell of line-dried clothes. I also like the slightly stiff, crisp feel of line dried sheets and towels. The line also serves as an "extra hand" to help me fold sheets and blankets. Because this hanger rotates on it's bracket I can stretch the line to hook in different locations and can hang clothes under my patio cover is there is a chance of rain or if I don't want them to be sun-bleached. The line I had prior to this lasted about 20 years. The plastic hook broke...

United States on Aug 05, 2012

J. Gregory: I really like my clothesline! I hung it between my privacy fence and my deck, and it's the perfect spot for it; I like that when I'm entertaining, I can just let it retract and it's out of sight.

That said, it could be better designed as far as the retraction goes.

The problem comes in when you're not using the full 40 ft. When open and in use, you have to loop it around the little pedicle at the bottom of the housing to keep it from retracting and to keep the line taut. However, looping it around and keeping the line super-taut at the same time is nearly impossible, so the line does sag a little too much. Because I hung the line so high up, it's okay as long as I double my sheets when hanging them, but otherwise they would drag on the ground. In effect, it takes longer for sheets to dry.

I would recommend using this clothesline, and I plan on purchasing another one of these. But I think the manufacturer should consider fixing this little glitch.

United States on Nov 15, 2008