We recommend the Warmly Yours Infinity 10-Bar Towel Warmer as our top overall pick for the best towel warmer because it can be easily installed by a homeowner and plugged into a standard 120-volt outlet. It’s ready to use immediately. Or you can opt to have it hardwire connected by a professional electrician for a built-in look. It’s also moderately priced. We found some inexpensive towel warmers for less than $100 and high-end models that run into the thousands of dollars. This overall best towel warmer model is a quality investment that will last for years but isn’t the most expensive option. Here are the best towel warmers to invest in this year. Keep in Mind: If you have it hardwired, you may want to purchase a separate timer and switch to control the towel warmer. One safety feature we like is that this towel warmer has an overheating protection function. Typically the max temperature of the unit is 149°F. If for some reason the unit’s surface temperature hits 176°F or higher, it will turn off until the surface temperature returns to a safe 149°F.It’s designed to hold two large bath towels and features an easy on-and-off button that stays on for as long as you want. We recommend turning it on with the towels resting on it 15-20 minutes before bathing. Your towel will feel cozy by the time you step out of the bath or shower.Price at time of publish: $468 Product Details: Type: Wall-mounted | Dimensions: 23.6 x 4.75 x 32 inches | Material: Stainless steel | Heat Time: Not listed | Temperature Range: Up to 149℉ | Towel Capacity: Two Keep in Mind: It only comes in one finish and may not match the other metal finishes in your bathroom. Price at time of publish: $77 Product Details: Type: Freestanding or wall-mounted | Dimensions: 13.97 x 20.86 x 35.43 inches | Material: Aluminum | Heat Time: Not listed | Temperature Range: 104℉ to 122℉ | Towel Capacity: Six Keep in Mind: It has to be hardwired into your electrical system. We recommend hiring a licensed professional electrician to install it. The control panel for the towel warmer doesn’t need to be near the towel warmer. We recommend having the control panel installed near the light switches. It is, of course, possible to add this option to an existing bathroom that’s not being remodeled, but the electrical and wall stud requirements may limit where you can place the towel warmer. Another benefit to this high-end towel warmer is that it also serves as a small space heater for the room. We love the idea of stepping out of a warm shower into a warm room and a warm towel. Price at the time of publish: $2,234Product Details: Type: Wall-mounted hydronic | Dimensions: 23.5 x 5 x 34.5 inches | Material: Brass | Heat Time: Not listed | Temperature Range: Not listed | Towel Capacity: Three Keep in Mind: It can only be used to warm dry towels. Don’t put damp towels in the bucket. Lastly, avoid placing high-tech fabrics (often found in fitness clothing) in the towel dryer; it will damage the material with high heat. Overall, we recommend this product if you’re looking for a quick way to warm one to two towels. Price at time of publish: $147 Product Details: Type: Bucket | Dimensions: 13 x 13 x 19 inches | Material: Plastic resin exterior | Heat Time: One to six minutes | Temperature Range: Not listed | Towel Capacity: Two Keep in Mind: It has to be hardwired by a professional electrician. It also has a digital heat controller where you can choose between nine different heat output levels. This means you can keep things low if you want to warm up lightweight pajamas before bed. You can also crank it up to top temperatures to dry out big fluffy bath towels so they can be used again, and you don’t have to worry about a mildewy scent setting in. We recommend only warming two to four towels at once on this towel warmer. It is made of stainless steel and needs to be installed by a professional electrician who can hardwire it in place. This may limit where you can install the unit. It comes in three different finishes: brushed stainless steel, polished stainless steel, and matte black. Price at time of publish: $1,560 Product Details: Type: Wall-mounted rack | Dimensions: 20.5 x 4 x 54.5 inches | Material: Stainless steel | Heat Time: 10-15 minutes | Temperature Range: 131°F to 167°F | Towel Capacity: Four Keep in Mind: This unit doesn’t completely dry your towels. While it does dry them somewhat, they come out a bit damp. Price at time of publish: $179Product Details: Type: Cabinet | Dimensions: 11 x 18 x 14 inches | Material: Aluminum interior | Heat Time: 10-15 minutes | Temperature Range: 146°F to 168°F | Towel Capacity: 24 facial size towels Keep in Mind: This towel warmer shouldn’t be left outside. Use it immediately if you do plan to bring it there. It’s important to mention that while we named this one of the best towel warmers to bring outside, don’t leave it outdoors. Heavy rain or freezing temperatures could create a dangerous situation the next time you attempt to use the towel-warming bucket. It’s better to carry it outside only when you plan to use it and safely store it inside when not in use. It would make a great addition to the bathroom, warming towels for daily showers until you need it outside again. Price at time of publish: $165 Product Details: Type: Bucket | Dimensions: 13.1 x 13.1 x 20.4 inches | Material: Aluminum interior | Heat Time: Six to 10 minutes | Temperature Range: Not listed | Towel Capacity: Two Keep in Mind: It doesn’t have a timer or auto-shutoff, so you have to remember to turn it off when not in use. Having this versatility makes it a great buy, and it’s much more affordable than other wall-mounted towel warmers that need to be professionally installed. Although we do recommend plugging this freestanding towel warmer into a GFCI outlet, especially when using it in wet areas like a bathroom. This towel warmer is made of stainless steel and available in three finishes: polished stainless steel, brushed stainless steel, and matte black. The cord is 5 feet long, so you have a little bit of wiggle room on where you can locate the rack once it’s plugged in. One downside to this unit is that it doesn’t have any automatic shut-off function after a set amount of time. Some owners like that it will stay on for long periods of time, especially if they’re using it to dry snowy clothes in a mudroom, but others felt like it could be a safety hazard if they ever forgot to turn it off. Price at time of publish: $280 Product Details: Type: Freestanding | Dimensions: 24 x 12 x 38 inches | Material: Stainless steel | Heat Time: 10-15 minutes | Temperature Range: Up to 149°F | Towel Capacity: Two Keep in Mind: Since it uses water, it’s best to have a professional plumber do the installation. The dark anthracite finish looks good in a variety of home styles. It would work equally well in a modern farmhouse-style bath with white shiplap and black finishes as in an ultra-sleek, minimalist-style home. Another benefit of this towel warmer is that it will also offer supplemental heat in a small bathroom. While it’s heating the towels, it will also warm the room, making it more comfortable to step out of the shower. It would also make an excellent addition to a laundry room/mudroom, where damp items can dry. One thing that made this towel warmer stand out to us was the 10-year warranty. That’s not something we found very often while researching all the features of towel warmers. We like to see companies that stand behind their products, and 10 years feels like a strong commitment. Price at time of publish: $350 Product Details: Type: Wall-mounted hydronic | Dimensions: 19.63 x 4 x 29 inches | Material: Steel | Heat Time: Not listed | Temperature Range: Not listed | Towel Capacity: Two
What To Know About Towel Warmers Before Shopping
Type
There are four types of towel warmers. The most common is the wall-hung towel warmer, which looks like a towel rack with multiple rungs. Some wall-mounted towel warmers are hydronic towel warmers, which means that they use heated water running through the pipes to warm the towels. There are also freestanding towel warmers that have the same look as a wall-mounted towel rack, but they are not attached to the wall and can be moved from room to room. Cabinet towel warmers are a bit bulkier and are used primarily in a spa-like setting, although having one at home would be a nice luxury. Portable towel warmer buckets are generally less expensive, but they only hold a couple of towels. “Wall-hung towel warmers are more versatile because they can be installed at any height," says Caroline Danielson, director of showrooms at Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery. “[They] offer the flexibility of installation (run off a standard outlet or be hardwired), available in most faucet color finishes, and typically offer more space for towels.”
Dimensions
Towel warmers come in a wide variety of sizes. For wall-hung towel warmers, we noticed that a lot of them are about 18-24 inches wide. The height varies widely. During our research, we saw some options were up to 5 feet tall, but most ranged from 30-40 inches in height. It’s important to consider depth as well. Knowing how far a wall-mounted towel warmer will stick out in the room is important. Most of the warmers we looked at stood 4 to 6 inches from the wall. Towel warmer cabinets also come in multiple sizes, but generally speaking, they are about the size of a microwave. Towel warmer buckets can be as small as 12 inches to as tall as 24 inches.
Material
Towel warmers are often made of aluminum, stainless steel, or brass piping. “Towel warmers work by using a heating element to warm towels,” Danielson says. “The heating element is usually made of ceramic or metal and is located inside the towel warmer. When the heating element is on, it heats the towels inside the towel warmer.”
Heat Time
Many towel warmers begin to produce heat within a minute of turning it on. Small bucket towel warmers will reach peak temperature in 5-10 minutes but to fully warm a towel will take closer to 20 minutes or more. Large hydronic wall-mounted towel racks could take 30-40 minutes to reach peak temperatures from a cold start. “This time will vary depending on the size of the unit, with larger units requiring more time,” says Peter Manidis, marketing manager at Amba Products.“Once a towel warmer is heated, it stays warm for as long as needed," Danielson says. “Some towel warmers have a built-in timer that allows you to set how long you want it to stay on, while others will stay on until they are turned off manually.”
Temperature Range
The max temperature for the best towel warmers ranges from 120-168°F. As long as there are no exposed heating elements, they are safe to use. But they will be warm to the touch. Be especially careful reaching into a cabinet or bucket towel warmer as your hand may come in contact with heated metal. Our favorite towel warmers have multiple heat levels, so you can choose how hot you want your towels to be.
Towel Capacity
Most towel warmers effectively warm two bath towels at a time. We found a few larger ones with a capacity for four to six towels, but the more towels you hang on a towel warmer, the harder it is for each towel to be thoroughly warmed. The best cabinet towel warmer lists a capacity of 24 towels, but it is referring to a facial towel size.
Your Questions, Answered
Do towel warmers use a lot of electricity?
Towel warmers do not use a lot of electricity. Generally, they are very energy efficient and are only used for short periods. “Across all models [of Amba towel warmers], the average power rating is 150 watts, equivalent to about two incandescent light bulbs," Manidis says. “Based upon the average national kWh (kilowatt-hour) rate, it will cost less than $5 per month to run a heated towel rack for 8 hours per day, seven days a week.” Since most owners only run their towel warmer for less than an hour a day, the cost of electricity equates to pennies a day.
How long does it take for a towel warmer to heat up?
Once a towel warmer is turned on, it will begin heating up immediately. “Most models of towel warmers will reach their maximum temperature within 30 to 60 minutes, making towels feel warm and cozy,” Danielson says. However, some models can heat up in as little as 15 minutes. So, for the homeowner who is always in a hurry and needs towels warmed up quickly, check the manufacturer’s instructions before buying to find one that fits your lifestyle.
Can you dry towels on a towel warmer?
Yes and no. You can definitely use wall-mounted and freestanding towel warmers to dry towels. “A towel warmer is a great way to dry towels after use," Danielson says. “Towel warmers are safe to use, will not damage towels, and help keep your towels smelling fresh and free of bacteria. In addition, they help to absorb moisture and prevent the growth of mold and mildew.” Bucket towel warmers, on the other hand, are only equipped to heat towels that are already dry. Do not put damp items into a bucket towel warmer. Conversely, cabinet towel warmers are more like steamers. You want to put wet towels in there to be warmed, but they will still be damp when they come out.
Who We Are
Megan Boettcher is a freelance writer for Better Homes and Gardens, writing about a variety of topics, including home design, holiday crafts, and more. To find the best towel warmers she researched the ins and outs of towel warmers and their features for this story, comparing the latest features and product specifications. She also consulted with Caroline Danielson, director of showrooms at Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery and Peter Manidis, Marketing Manager at Amba Products.
