One of the most luxurious experiences of a spa is stepping out of a warm shower and being met with a pre-heated towel. This type of experience is common among luxury hotels and resorts, but there are a variety of towel warmers that bring this luxury straight to your home.
1. Amba RWH-CP
With the Radiant Hardwired Towel Warmer by Amba, you can enjoy a toasty warm towel after a relaxing shower. It requires a standard 115-volt connection, and it is recommended you have an electrician hard wire it into your electrical system. Once connected, it heats up within minutes, ensuring you never have to wait to take part in this decidedly lavish luxury.
Made from 18/8 steel, this radiant towel warmer is resistant to tarnish and rust, which means you can safely hang your towels back on the bar after use. Additionally, with 10 bars, it offers you ample space for everyone in the family to enjoy a warm towel following a bath or shower.
That said, if you place a damp towel across all of the the bars, the warmth can help dry it in no time. Finally, although it is made for towels, the extra-wide bar length can accommodate hand towels or wash cloths in addition to standard-size bath towels.
Available in polished or brushed stainless steel, it will easily fit into any bathroom decor. When not in use, the matching cover plate keeps it protected and out of sight. In terms of energy efficiency, at 150 watts, you do not need to worry about a big electric bill.
To operate, you can choose between an on/off switch, or you can use a wall-mounted programmable timer to ensure your towels are ready when you are.
Finally, the 10-bar design maintains a low, steady heat. When you drape your towel across the bars, it heats your towels across their entire width. That heat, however, also transfers through the material not touching the bars, ensuring your towel is heated across much of its total surface.
Pros
- space saving
- resists tarnishing
- rust resistant
- heats up fast
Cons
- may require an electrician
- does not come in a burnished finish
2. Brookstone
The towel warmer by Brookstone will warm your towel up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit within just 10 minutes. Its extra-large size allows you to warm up not just one but two towels at the same time. Additionally, this towel warmer was designed with luxury in mind as it can accommodate over-sized 40-inch x 70-inch towels.
If you want to take a step further into luxury, you can warm your bathrobe or even your blanket. There is no need worrying about over-heating your towels as this towel warmer includes an auto shut-off safety feature.
To operate this towel warmer, all you have to do is insert the towel into the basin. Once the towel is inside, the heating element within the warmer heats the entire towel much like an oven might. As such, there are no cool spots on the towel, making it one of the best possible solutions for you to enjoy comfy warmth on wintry or rainy days.
Finally, the base is a wide platform that protects the unit from tipping. The clear lid allows you to see exactly what is in the towel warmer, and in terms of ease of use, this unit simply plugs into a traditional wall socket, which means there are no costs for an electrician to wire it into your system.
Pros
- warms two towels at one time
- auto-shut off
- warms in 10 minutes
Cons
- some report it stops working after six months
3. Zadro
This elegantly designed towel warmer from Zadro helps you turn your ordinary bathroom routine into a spa-like experience. You can continue to melt away the stress of the day when you enjoy the luxury of a warm towel following a relaxing bath.
Although it is an ultra-large design, it is also lightweight, making it easy to move for use anywhere within the home. In fact, this towel warmer is not just for towels. It can be used for toasting your pajamas on a cold, wintry night. Additionally, it is large enough to accommodate a full-size robe. As such, this unit creates the makings of a perfect, spa-like evening in the comfort of your own home.
One of the best engineering features is that Zadro eliminates unexpected cold spots. For instance, the wide-mouth basin enables you to easily fit your towel inside, and the conical shape compresses the towel. The result is a towel that is heated across its entire surface.
In terms of safety, it features an automatic shut-off. The shut-off feature is important as it will ensure your towels do not burn if you forget them. Additionally, the unit’s built-in timer allows you to choose between four different time settings that range from 15 minutes to 60 minutes of warming luxury.
In terms of ease of use, the cord is extra-long, so you can place it anywhere in the bathroom and be able to reach a socket. This cord, however, is not a nuisance when it comes time to storing the towel warmer because the warmer is designed with built-in cord storage. As such, you can tuck away the cord then neatly store the warmer in a cabinet or under a shelf.
Finally, your towel warmer will not seem like some technological gadget that is out of place in your bathroom. For instance, the soft white finish complements just about any decor. Similarly, the feet are made from bamboo, offering a warm touch to an appliance designed to bring warmth to your home.
Pros
- even heating
- accommodates large bath towels
- timer
- lightweight
- finish matches just about any decor
- bamboo feet offer superior stability
Cons
- not for wet towels
4. Warmrails WHC Hyde Park
Warmrails makes it possible to pamper your entire family with the WHC towel warmer. Within just 20 minutes, you can add an extra level of comfort to your day with the luxury of a warm towel. However, the luxury does not stop with towels. The Warmrails towel warmer doubles as a bedding, blanket, and robe warmer.
The Warmrail towel warmer also eliminates the mildew smell that can emanate from towels that just will not dry after use. Additionally, you can also drape wet swimsuits and beach towels for faster drying times.
It is lightweight, so you can move this warmer from room to room to use at night to warm blankets for a cozy night sleep or in the laundry room to dry bathing suits. The 6.5 foot power cord means you can easily fit it in any space, and the plug means you can start using it immediately without the need of an electrician’s help.
In terms of safety, the cord is grounded, so it will not throw your breaker. Additionally, the exposed metal bars provide a low-level heat appropriate for towels while not endangering someone who might brush up against it.
Finally, the height of 34.4 inches ensures it matches the standard height of most vanities and commodes. As such, it will visually complement your bathroom furniture and accessories. In terms of placement, it has a short rear foot and a long foot protruding forward. The rear foot allows the warmer to fit against a wall. The front foot extends outward, providing superior stability against tipping as you pull a towel from one of the warming bars. If the front foot was shorter, for instance, pulling a towel from the bar might accidentally tip the warmer.
Pros
- for use with towels, bedding, swimsuits
- heats within 15 to 20 minutes
- seven-foot grounded power cord
- illuminated on/off switch
Cons
- may not fit in smaller bathrooms
- does not mount to wall
Frame Towel Warmers
Frame towel warmers can either be of the hardwired or plug-in variety and can be comprised of as few as two heating bars to over 10 heating bars.
Hardwired
This type of frame towel warmer is mounted on the bathroom wall and hardwired into your home’s electrical system. To accomplish you will need to hire an electrician. It is a complicated process and it is absolutely not recommended as a DIY project, so it is important to budget for an electrician in addition to the cost of the towel warmer.
Although there is an accompanying installation cost, a hardwired towel warmer brings a level of elegance to your bathroom that other towel warmers just cannot achieve. They are easy to operate and do not take up floor space which is a plus for smaller bathrooms.
Plug-in
This type of frame towel warmer is extremely easy to use. There is no installation required. Most plug-in towel warmers require a standard 120 volts to operate. All you have to do is find a space on the floor and plug the unit in. This means you can use your towel warmer practically anywhere in the house, which makes it super convenient for heating up blankets or, perhaps, a pair of pajamas.
The only downside of a plug-in version is the danger of electrocution when used near water–as in a bathroom. However, all you need to do is be extra careful regarding where you place your towel warmer while it is in use.
Cabinet Towel Warmers
Cabinet towel warmers are just that, they are an enclosed appliance that is like a cabinet. You can simply place your towel inside and close the door. However, there are some cabinet warmers that have a more cylindrical shape, but they operate the same way. You can simply put your towels inside, shut the door, and turn on the warmer.
Typically, cabinet towel warmers come with an automatic shut-off. Some even come with built-in timers, ensuring your towels will be the exact right temperature at the exact right time.
The only drawback is that you cannot use a cabinet towel warmer to help dry wet towels as you can with a frame towel warmer.
Benefits of a towel warmer
In addition to the obvious benefit of a toasty towel, there are several other benefits to enjoy. For instance, you can use a towel warmer to warm your blankets, pajamas, and bathrobes. Another great benefit is that a frame towel warmer allows you to place wet items, such as towels and bathing suits, on the heating bars to help them dry quickly.
Doing so helps to eliminate the development of mildew on your towels and a musty smell in the air. It also helps to reduce the number of times you would typically need to wash your towels. In terms of aesthetics, a towel warmer gives your bathroom an upscale appearance. Finally, some models can act as a space heater as well.
That said, there are a variety of things required of a warmer for it to actually perform to resort-quality levels. These features include the following:
Durability
First and foremost, the towel warmer should offer stable, durable operation. For instance, if it is a floor model, it should stand upright without wobbling. If it employs a basin design, it should have a wide base or wide feet that prevent the unit from tipping. Finally, it should be heavy enough that if you happen to bump into it, it does not simply fall over.
Heating capability
Some towel warmers have only one or two bars. The best ones have a minimum of eight bars. The benefit of multiple bars is that a towel can be placed over the bars. Thus positioned, the towel will receive heat across multiple points. When you begin drying off, you will find that the entire towel is heated.
Additionally, some units heat the entire towel via compression or enclosure. Whatever engineering feature your warmer employs, it should not leave cool spots.
Safety features
Mixing electrics with nearby water can always be a concern. However, the warmers of the highest quality will have a grounded plug-in and a long cord that plugs in far away from any water source. Additionally, safety features might include a timer that automatically shuts off after a preset duration. Temperature sensors monitor for the possibility of overheating, ensuring your warmer poses no fire danger.
In terms of heating, the elements should be such that they provide gradual heating across the surface of your towel. Although it might sound like a bad feature if the warmer takes 10 to 20 minutes to heat a towel, this is actually a desired feature in that the heat is gradual and will not scorch. Additionally, if you have children, this type of gradual heat ensures the safety of young fingers should they happen to grab hold of one of the metal bars.
Aesthetics
Luxury, by definition, must be visual as well as tactile. As such, you should look for a unit that fits your home’s decor.