I find my towels get stiff and dense when I let them air dry (as opposed to soft and fluffy when I machine dry.) Am I doing something wrong or is this something people just get used to?
Towels get stiff after air drying because they were too soaked with water.
You should try "spin wash cycle" for 10 mins after washing (not sure about the translation, essorage in French - dewatering).
So you have the best of both worlds:
Your towels air dry quickly, and are fluffy, you use far less energy than drying machine, and your towels / clothes are preserved.
If you've always air-dried, there's nothing to get used to ...
I guess I can see the appeal of soft fluffy towels, but I actually prefer mine stiff. I can't justify or explain it, but ... I do. Sheets as well .. thick linen sheets, air-dried so they're kinda hard ... mmmm.
Somehow, I want to answer "neither". I find air dried towels much more absorbent and pleasant to use after a shower. They give that nice feeling of "OK and now I'm dry.", much like a bar of soap leaves that feeling of "OK and now my hands are clean" (especially compared to a very oil-rich liquid soap).
But I didn't have to get used to this, I just immediately preferred it.
My mom used a dryer (I'm in the US) but my dad insisted that the sheets be air dried on the line outside. If he was home for wash time he would do that for her. After she figured that out wash day was always on a Sunday.
You should try "spin wash cycle" for 10 mins after washing (not sure about the translation, essorage in French - dewatering).
So you have the best of both worlds: Your towels air dry quickly, and are fluffy, you use far less energy than drying machine, and your towels / clothes are preserved.