[vc_row equal_height=”yes”][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/6″][vc_facebook type=”button_count”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/6″][vc_tweetmeme share_via=”YinzBuy”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1606731333432{margin-top: -5px !important;}”][vc_pinterest][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]Towel warmers really work well if you want warm and dry towels and clothes. There are several different styles of towel warmer to choose from depending on your specific needs and space. While each works to warm towels, they have varying capacities, power usage, and safety features.
Different styles of towel warmers include freestanding buckets, heated towel racks, or heated towel rails. These devices provide the ultimate luxury and comfort by delivering a hot towel the moment you jump out of the shower. They’re especially popular in the northern locations during the winter.
Throughout this article, we will discuss some features and benefits of towel warmers while exploring if they really work as indicated:
- What types of towel warmers are out there
- What best practices should you employ when using a towel warmer
- Suggestions on some of the best towel warmers available depending on your specific needs
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Is a hydronic towel warmer or electric towel warmer right for you?
Towel warmers exist in two varieties – hydronic and electric. Before deciding on whether or not a towel warmer fits your needs, it’s important to know the differences between them. These two models of heated towel racks differ in the method by which they warm your towels, and their installation.
- Hydronic towel warmers function by piping steam or hot water through their maze of metal rails. These warmers are most similar to standing radiators. You’ll need to install your heated rails with your plumbing, as there is no other alternative for the hydronic variety.
- Electric towel warmers come in two varieties of their own – hardwired or simple plug in. With a hard wired version, you will need to do some electrical wiring within the walls. The benefit here is that you keep all the wires hidden from sight. A plug in electric warmer simply uses your existing power outlet and is by far the simplest method.
What style of warmer works best for your situation? If you are doing a remodel of your home or bathroom, it might be the perfect time to assess your plumbing situation and install a hydronic unit. A hardwired electric towel rack could also be a nice addition during a renovation. Alternatively, the quickest and easiest device is the plug and warm variety.
What are the most popular towel warmers?
To give you some options, we picked out some of our favorite and highest rated towel warmers from each of the above options. This will give you a taste of what makes a towel warmer popular as well as a check on the pricing for each unit.
Zadro Ultra Luxury Towel Warmer
For those looking for a plug in electric bucket style warmer, the Zadro Ultra Luxury model is one of the most popular. We looked at some of our favorite features of the Zadro Luxury warmer on YinzBuy, so you can learn additional information about the product.
Amba Electrical Towel Rack
Amba Products features an entire product line of various heated towel racks that rate highly with users. This plug in freestanding rack takes up less space than the bucket style and may better fit your home decor theme.
HeatGene Mounted Towel Rack
The HeatGene mounted towel rack gives you options. It’s an electrical towel rack, but you can choose whether you want it hardwired or if you’d rather plug it into a socket. With the HeatGene, your towel rails can begin heating your towels from day 1 even if your vision is for it to be hardwired at a later date.
Amba Radiant Hardwired Towel Warmer
This wall mounted Amba Radiant towel warmer is designed to be hardwired and run 24 hours a day. If you’re sure you want to hide the wires, this well-reviewed wall mount unit is a safe bet to warm and dry your towels.
Cordivari Hydronic Towel Warmer
Finally, Cordivari delivers this Italian designed hydronic towel warmer. This wall mount hydronic towel warmer uses plumbed in hot water to warm your towels. This model will connect to standard US pipes and can reach a max temperature of 230℉.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Can you put wet towels in a towel warmer?
Most towel warmer rails recommend using damp towels. As the towel sits on the rack, the damp towel will dry and leave you with a heated towel. A soaking wet towel is not recommended as it will take longer to heat up and could potentially lead to mold issues.
Another source of concern is about whether you can put dry towels on your warmer rail. There is conflicting information in this regard, but if your towel rack specifically tells you to use damp towels, then it’s best to follow that advice. The fear is that an already dry towel could be a potential fire hazard if left alone for too long.
Freestanding bucket style towel warmers, however, are designed to be used with dry towels. Since they are more enclosed than a rail design, they don’t dry your towels, and instead build moisture. Use for a short, defined cycle to heat dry towels is safe for this style warmer.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Do you leave towel warmers on all the time?
As towel warmers have evolved, there is less concern about leaving one on all the time. New safety features like thermostats and automatic shut off timers have mostly erased safety issues. If you’re using a plug in towel warmer without these features, then only turn it on for use.
When not in use, it’s best to store a bucket towel warmer away. Temperatures can exceed safe levels for children, if they were to turn it on and climb inside. Plus, it’s never a good idea to leave electric appliances on a bathroom floor in case of a plumbing issue.
Some heated towel rails are designed to be left on 24 hours a day. Obviously in this scenario, it’s perfectly acceptable to keep the rack on all the time. As mentioned, others include timers and programmable features to turn on and off the warmer for use.
You might be concerned about having to wait for your towel rack to heat up in time for your shower. A hydronic radiator unit will take the longest to heat up, clocking in at around 30 minutes. This can vary slightly, depending on the size of the unit and room temperature. Electric units are often much faster to get to temperature. Electric towel warmers can heat up in around 15 minutes or as low as 5 minutes.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Do towel warmers use a lot of electricity?
Running an electric towel warmer uses no more electricity than a couple light bulbs. This means that once you’ve purchased the initial unit, your costs will not increase dramatically. With their low energy consumption, you can run your towel warmer for a handful of cents a day depending on the cost of electricity in your area.
Considering that these heated units can help dry and fluff your towels better than simply hanging them over a standard rack, you might find that you do less laundry. Ever versatile, you can dry out or warm shirts, pants, or bathing suits instead of tossing them in the dryer. This could end up saving you money in the long run!
Obviously, if you run your towel warmer for significantly shorter periods of time, your costs will drop accordingly. Still, running your towel warmer daily shouldn’t cause any major increase to your normal electric bill.
How much power and electricity does a towel warmer use compared to other household appliances
| Appliance | Typical Wattage | Cost per hour (in cents) |
|---|---|---|
| Hard Wired Mounted Towel Warmer | 150W | 1.9785 |
| Hydronic Towel Warmer Rails | 300W | 3.957 |
| Towel Warmer Bucket | 480W | 6.3312 |
| Air Fryer | 1,700W | 22.423 |
| Blender | 600W | 7.914 |
| Central Home A/C | 3500W | 46.165 |
| Desktop PC | 400W | 5.276 |
| Dryer | 1,500W | 39.57 |
| Hair Dryer | 3,000W | 19.785 |
| Heated Blanket | 60W | 0.7914 |
| Keurig | 1,500W | 19.785 |
| 65″ LED TV | 130W | 1.7147 |
| Microwave | 1,700W | 22.423 |
| Nintendo Switch | 18W | 0.23742 |
| PS4 | 150W | 1.9785 |
| Refrigerator | 1,020W | 13.4538 |
| Vacuum Cleaner | 1,400W | 18.466 |
| Xbox One | 120W | 1.5828 |
| Cost is calculated based off the average rate of electricity per kilowat hour (kWh) in the US – $0.1319. | ||
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Can towel warmers catch fire?
When dealing with electronics, catching fire is always a potential concern if you have damage to the cord or wiring. In case of frayed or damaged plugs, it’s best to not use the device. Always make sure your power cord is fully plugged in.
As alluded to earlier, one concern about some towel warmer models is the potential for fire when using dry towels to start. If your unit specifically tells you not to put dry fabric on or in the warmer, then act accordingly.
If you’re operating your warmer in a bathroom or near a hot tub, make sure to check for standing water. As with any electronic device, exposure to water can cause a short, which may lead to a spark.
With internal thermostats, safety features, automatic timers, and shut offs, the concerns for dangerous fires should be minimal on new units.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Can towel warmers heat a bathroom?
Yes a towel warmer can add additional heat to your bathroom, but it is typically not recommended as the only heat source. Many factors including home insulation, user climate, bathroom size, and wattage go into determining the amount of heat a towel rack will generate.
Learn how to calculate your room’s heat loss with an online calculator.
Again, just because a heated towel warmer can add heat to your bathroom doesn’t mean that it will add a significant amount. As seen in the above heat loss calculator heat, many factors are in play. The most significant question is how big is the bathroom you’re trying to heat? Other important items to consider:
- How well insulated is your bathroom?
- What is the general climate temperature you live in?
- What’s the temperature in your home, and what’s the temperature you’re trying to heat to?
- How many exterior walls does your bathroom share?
- How high are the ceilings?
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In conclusion do towel warmers really work and provide a bathroom luxury?
Radiator towel warmers are prevalent through European countries not only for the luxury aspect, but for their drying capabilities as well. The United States has picked up on the luxury aspect of the heated towel rack, and feature and safety innovations have continued to grow and increase their popularity.
Here’s a quick recap of the post:
- Towel warmers come in two distinct models – hydronic and electric.
- It is not recommended to use soaking wet towels with your warmer, but damp towels or dry towels are, based on your specific unit.
- New heated towel racks and towel rails include a variety of timers and safety features to allow your device to run constantly for a minimal energy cost.
- A towel warmer can add heat to a bathroom, but it’s not an ideal main source of warmth for the room.
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