Best Towel Warmer Reviews (Top Products on the Market in 2021)

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The relaxing experience of a luxuriously warm shower can easily be ruined when you step out into a freezing cold bathroom. But luckily there’s a way to avoid having to endure this post-shower cold by getting a towel warmer. With a warm towel, you can dry off and stay snug. Depending on your preferences you can choose either an electric or a hydronic towel warmer. But if you’re not sure which one to choose, these best towel warmer reviews and buying guide should be of help.

Top 6 Towel Warmers

Best Towel Warmers Reviewed

Zadro Bucket-Style Towel Warmer

The best selling towel warmer in 2021 is this Zadro bucket-style model. It’s an electric free standing towel warmer that offers an ultra-large capacity that can fit up to two oversized bath towels. However, you can also heat in there a robe, a throw blanket, or any other item that you want to get snuggly warm.

This high quality towel warmer uses one temperature setting, so every time you get the right amount of heat. What you can adjust though is the amount of time the heating process takes. You can choose among 4 timer settings that include 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes. So you can have a ready toasty towel right when you step out of the shower or whenever else you need it to be warm.

The timer function has an auto shut off feature. This means that you won’t have to worry about forgetting to turn it off or having to turn it off manually. And this ensures the safe use of the heater.

This is also a portable towel warmer. It weighs just 11 pounds and has a slim design, so if you don’t want to have it permanently standing in the bathroom, you can easily store it away when you’re not using it.

To make it easier to store it away, this top rated towel warmer also features built-in cord storage in the base. So when you’re not using the towel warmer, the power cord stays completely hidden and out of the way.

Another advantage of this towel warmer is its attractive design and the use of natural materials in its construction. It features a modern white finish, a slim body, and natural bamboo used for the handle and feet.

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Elite CABI-Warmer(HC-X) Hot Towel Cabinet

If you’re looking for the best hot towel cabinet, we recommend checking out the Elite model. It’s also one of the top rated towel warmers in 2021 and it’s perfect for spa salons, barber shops, and hotels. On top of that, it can also be used at home for enjoying the comfort of a warm towel when you step out of the shower.

The hot towel cabinet offers good capacity. If you’re using it at a spa, you can fit in it up to 24 washcloths. And if you’re using it at home, you can simultaneously heat up one standard sized bath towel. Moreover,  you can use this towel warmer cabinet for heating other items, such as massage stones or a neck warmer.

The towels are stacked on two racks that are made of stainless steel for rust free durability. At the bottom of the cabinet, there’s a tray that collects any water dripping from the wet towels.

It takes about 30 minutes for the heater to reach its maximum temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. After this, it will maintain a consistent temperature level in the 150-160 degrees range.

However, due to the well insulated design, the outside of the cabinet stays cool to the touch even during extensive use. And unfortunately, there’s no thermostat, so you can’t adjust the temperature. But there’s an internal temperature control that ensures that the unit doesn’t overheat.

For best results, it’s recommended to use wet towels in this hot towel cabinet. Just dampen them, wring them out, and then leave them in the cabinet for about 20 to 30 minutes.

Using dry towels might result in them getting burned as it does get the temperature to a high level. Due to this reason, this hot towel cabinet is more suited for a spa or barbershop than for home use.

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Conair Therma Luxe Portable Towel Warmer

The Conair Therma Luxe is one more high quality bath towel warmer that is perfect for home use. Though it could also be used in a spa, gym, hotel, or wherever else where you would like to have access to warm linen or garment.

This boxy towel warmer is compact in size and it’s very lightweight, so you can take it wherever you want. You can easily first use it in your bathroom for heating towels, then take it to your bedroom for heating a bathrobe or other garment, and then move it to a mudroom for winter clothes. And when not using it, you can easily store it, so it would stay out of the way.

Though compact in size, the towel warmer offers good capacity. It can accommodate two large bath towels at the same time. Alternatively, you can also use the towel warmer for heating up a robe, a small blanket, pajamas, or winter clothes, such as gloves, scarves, or hats.

The hot towel warmer takes about 20 minutes to heat up to its maximum temperature. It also comes with an automatic shut off feature, so the unit turns off 50 minutes of operation. Thanks to this feature, you won’t have to worry about remembering to manually turn it off.

However, as a downside, there’s no timer feature, which would have been handy to have. But it’s still easy to use without the timer. You can throw in a towel 20 minutes before stepping into the shower and by the time you come out, it will be toasty warm. Keep in mind that if you use just one towel at a time, it will heat up faster. And the longer you leave it inside, the hotter it will be.

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Live Fine Heated Towel Warmer

For those looking for a bucket style towel warmer, another good option is the Live Fine model. It comes in a sleek and compact design and it provides efficient heating of a towel for soothing warmth as you step out of a shower.

The capacity of this bucket towel warmer is 0.35 cubic feet. It’s enough to accommodate two oversized bath towels that are 40 by 70 inches in size. In this warmer, you can also place other fabric items, such as small sheets, small blankets, robes, etc.

This hot towel warmer provides efficient and even heating without leaving any cold spots. To make sure that there are no cold spots, it’s also recommended that you don’t fold up the towels and just loosely throw them in.

You can program the heating time by setting up the timer on this unit. It offers four settings with options that include 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes. So you can choose when exactly to have the warm towel ready. And when you choose a program, you can view the selected time on the unit’s sleek LCD display.

Another advantage of this bath towel warmer is the compact size. It’s not as slim as some of the other bucket style towel warmers on our list, but it’s still compact enough to not take up much space.

Also, this towel warmer has an attractive design. It features a sleek looking design in grey color. Moreover, it is equipped with a removable lid and a convenient handle.

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Brandon Basics Heated Towel Rack

If you’re looking for the best heater towel rack, the most popular product is the Brandon Basics model. This wall mounted towel warmer is built with durable construction and it comes with features to help you heat and dry your bath towels.

This electric towel rail features 12 bars, which provide supercharged heating at 190 watts. This offers fast drying for wet towels. By quickly drying your wet towels, you’ll be able to avoid them getting stinky or them becoming breeding grounds for nasty stuff. This would also help to keep them fresh for longer, so you wouldn’t have to wash them as often.

The towel rail outputs plenty of heat. Even if you fold your towel, it will still get toasty warm. You can also program this heated towel rack by setting the built-in timer. You can set it either for 1 or 2 hours, depending on if you just want to heat up a towel or heat and dry it.

On this towel rack, you can fit two bath towels. Though for proper drying, it would work best for a single towel. Additionally, the rail features two hooks, so you could hang a few extra garments.

For durability, the whole construction is made of stainless steel. It’s IP56 rated and it’s made for rust free performance.

This is a hardwired towel warmer. However, it also offers the flexibility of using it as a plug-in towel rail. So it’s up to you if you would rather hardwire it into the wall or plug it into a 115V outlet. If you do decide to hardwire it though, you will be able to create a more seamless look. The wires are hidden in one of the legs, so the whole hardwired installation stays completely out of sight.

To install this heated towel rack, you could either screw in the mounting hardware or use drywall anchors. Then attach the legs to the towel rail and set the legs into the wall mounts.

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Keenray Bucket Style Towel Warmer

Our last pick for the top 6 towel warmers in 2021 is the Keenray model. It’s also one of the bucket style towel warmers that is designed for rapid heating of two oversized towels.

What makes this towel warmer stand out among other products on the market is its rapid heating. It heats up to its maximum temperature in just 6 minutes. You could have a toasty towel waiting for you right after you take a quick shower. However, you could also keep a towel in there for longer. It comes with a timer that you can set up to 60 minutes. So you can choose to have a hotter towel.

Keep in mind however that this towel warmer is not intended for use with wet or damp towels. And you shouldn’t spill any liquid inside the unit. This means that if you’re looking for a towel warmer and dryer, this product would not be able to meet your needs.

This towel warmer also comes with a safety light. When the unit’s interior is too hot and unsafe to touch, it lights up a hot surface indicator light. This helps prevent accidentally burning or hurting yourself.

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What is a Towel Warmer?

A towel warmer is an electric powered or hydronic powered device that uses heating elements or light bulbs to dry your towel after a shower or warm it for you. Invented in Europe in the 20th century, the towel warmer is one of the most unsung bathroom inventions today.

With many parts of the US and Europe cold for a big span of the year, it makes a lot of sense to have a towel warmer in the house. The average towel warm will fit two standard sized towels and will take less than 15 minutes to turn a damp towel hot.

Design

Improvements in technology mean that people no longer have to rely on a home radiator system to keep their towels warm. Modern towel warmers infuse technology and great engineering to deliver aesthetically appealing, spacious yet fully functioning towel warmers. A small, compact shaped or bucket shaped towel warmer is enough to do the job. In construction, manufacturers combine metal with quality plastics to produce a towel warmer that can last for a long period of time.

How they work

Most quality towel warmers no longer use light bulbs to heat the towels. Instead, they feature heating elements attached to the interior walls that heat the towel on both sides efficiently. Depending on the quality of the heating elements, the towel warmer will last for between 10 and 60 minutes to heat your towel. Many towels also heat other bathroom garments such as face towels and bathrobes. In restaurants, towel warmers are also used to sterilize and warm napkins.

Costs

Depending on the brand, size, and technology used to make them, the towel warmer could cost as high as $200. However, there are many quality towel warmers that cost $100 and below.

Towel Warmer Buying Guide – How to Choose a Towel Warmer

Since towel warmers are no longer a privilege, it is time you bought one and bid goodbye to face a chilly bathroom once you get out of the tub. A quality bathroom warmer is no longer expensive, and should also not give you a headache to find. But with manufacturers sending all their inventions on the same market, you could find trouble picking the right deal for you. However, follow our guide below and you will have an easier time buying the right towel warmer.

1. Electric vs. Hydronic

   Towel warmers are categorized into two broad ways, electric and hydronic. Electrically powered towel warmers are more popular, but hydronic powered are not inefficient as well.

   Electric towels are more popular because of their energy saving nature and the fact that almost everyone buying the towel warmer will have a power connection in their homes. A typical electric powered towel warmer will use in equivalent to what two light bulbs consume in power. They use heating elements to generate heat that evaporates moisture out of the towel. Generally, you will find two types of electrically powered towel warmers: Free standing and mounted models.

   The alternative to electrically powered towel warmers is warmers that use hot water from your shower to warm the towel. They are much more efficient in energy saving, but they can provide difficulties in installation. If you are in the home building stage, installing a hydronic towel warmer is easier than when you already have everything done.

2. Free Standing vs. Mounted

   A free standing towel warmer comes in the form of a compact device that you plug into the wall socket when you need to warm your garments. A mounted towel warmer is connected through your home’s electrical system. In most cases, electrically powered towel warmers are free standing while their mounted counterparts are hydronic. For flexibility and convenience reasons, most people prefer a free standing towel warmer. They not only give you the freedom to place them anywhere in your home, but they are also easier to install. And given that they are also energy efficient, there are few reasons as to why you would choose not to buy a free standing towel warmer these days.

3. Size and Style

   Towel warmers come in all shapes and sizes. You have so much to choose from when looking at a warmer’s size and style. It is easier to settle on the size because you only have to worry about how many towels or garments you need to be warmed at once. But as for style, you have to check everything out before you can decide on what to buy. Do you love straight or arched tops? Does your bathroom look good with antique or contemporary styles? What kind of rails do you want in your ideal towel warmer?

   With such multiple features to keep in mind, looking for a warmer whose design, shape, and finish will complement the interior decor in your home. If you have a contemporary inspired bathroom, adding a contemporarily designed towel warmer will boost those aesthetics. If you have most devices finished with chrome, another chrome or satin nickel won’t clash your style.

4. Timer

   A timer on your towel warmer will lower your energy bills even further. The best timers will allow you to change the time you need your towels to heat. Another advantage of a timer is that it adds convenience to your showers. You can simply drop your towel into the warmer fifteen minutes before your shower and time it accordingly. By the time you are through showering, the timer will turn off and give you a hot and fluffy towel just when you need it. In addition to a timer, a thermostat to manage the device’s temperature could also aid convenience where the towel warmer lacks an internal temperature control unit.

5. Energy Efficiency

   While every manufacturer will claim to sell the most energy efficient towel warmers, they are all not the same. Some towel warmers are more energy efficient than others. Buy the most energy efficient among them. Don’t compromise on quality though. Consider all other important factors before looking at the device’s energy efficiency.

6. Towel Storage

   Every warmer will feature a rack or hook where you store the towel for warming. The best warmers feature a rack divided into two so that you can add an extra towel or bathrobe as well. If you are only interested in the warmer to warm towels alone, either hooks or racks will be effective. However, a device that uses hooks to store the garments may not be efficient for someone who needs multiple face towels warmed at the same time.

7. Time to Heat

   A quality warmer heats two standard towels in fifteen minutes. The best warmer heats towels in ten minutes or less, but they will also consume more power.

8. Price and Warranty

   While buying a towel warmer, take care to ensure you don’t buy an overpriced product. Also, ensure the warmer has a warranty to guarantee free technical services or a replacement of the product if it malfunctions too soon.

Bottom Line

For a product that costs just around $100, it is worth taking your time to get the right device. It is needless to invest your money in a product whose quality and efficiency you are not certain. Fortunately, you can find the best towel warmer for your bathroom or spa in any leading retail store. On online retail stores, you will also find plenty of towel warmers at affordable prices. The best products are actually easier to find in online retail stores. Simply sort through the products on our towel warmer reviews above and you could find the ideal warmer for you.