The three types
A hot-water towel warmer is connected to the central heating pipes like a small radiator. It is cheap to run but only warm when the heating is on, so it does little in spring and summer.
An electric towel warmer has a sealed element and its own controls, and needs only a fused power supply. It works all year, whether or not the home has central heating, which makes it the usual choice for homes without a boiler and for bathrooms added later.
A dual-fuel towel warmer is connected to the heating and also has an electric element, so it runs on the heating in winter and on electricity the rest of the year.
Controls and running cost
An electric towel warmer uses little power compared with a water heater, and a thermostatic element with a timer keeps it from running all day. Setting it to come on before the morning and evening showers gives warm towels without wasting electricity.
Hot-water models are controlled by the heating system, ideally with their own thermostatic valve so they can be turned down independently of the radiators.
Safety in the bathroom
Electricity and water need care. An electric towel warmer must be rated for bathroom use (check its IP rating), fixed outside the zones closest to the bath and shower as the wiring rules require, and wired to a fused connection unit protected by an earth-leakage breaker, never plugged into an extension lead.
A good installer also fixes it firmly to the wall, because towels add weight and people lean on it.
Size and placement
In a small bathroom a towel warmer can be the only heat; in a larger one it usually works alongside a radiator or underfloor heating. Choose the height and width for the number of towels and the wall space, with enough clearance to hang and remove them easily.
Placing it near the shower or bath means a warm towel is within reach, provided it stays outside the restricted zones. In a recent Conversion EG project, an all-electric home, an electric towel warmer was fitted in each of the four en-suite bathrooms and each of the two pool shower rooms.
At a glance
| Electric | Hot-water | |
|---|---|---|
| Warm when | Any time, on its own timer | Only when the heating runs |
| Needs | A fused power supply | Central heating pipework |
| Best for | Homes without central heating, year-round use | Homes with central heating, winter use |
Which towel warmer suits your bathroom?
If you have central heating and want warm towels all year, dual-fuel gives you both. Without central heating, electric is the simple answer. Either way, safe wiring and the right size matter more than the model.
Conversion EG has supplied and installed radiators and towel warmers in Egypt since 2010, with one team from design and supply through installation and maintenance. Book a site survey and we will help you choose and place them.
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