A drying system for a printer is provided. The printer feeds a media web along a media path past a printhead to an exit region. The drying system has a first chamber positioned on one side of the media web between the printhead and exit region, a heating element within the first chamber, a fan positioned to direct air past the heating element to produce heated air, and a second chamber positioned on the other side of the media web opposite the first chamber, the second chamber having an opening through which the heated air from the first chamber passes. The opening is configured so that the printed media web extends from the media path as a loop to hang within the second chamber through the opening from opposite sides of the opening.