It is not just a radiator: a towel warmer is also a practical and functional home furnishing solution
Featuring topics:
- Bathroom towel warmer: what is it and why you should choose it?
- How does a towel warmer work?
- Types of towel warmers
- How much heat does the radiator provide?
- Where should you place the towel warmer?
- Available colours and materials
- Towel-warmer radiator prices
- Towel warmer accessories
Perfect blending of design and technology produces appliances with outstanding aesthetic and functional qualities. This is the case of the towel warmer, which has revolutionised the appearance of traditional bathroom radiators, rightfully earning the name of decorative radiator.
Purchase choices are increasingly swayed not only by the ability to heat and control the humidity of a hugely important domestic environment like the bathroom, but also by their ability to fit in harmoniously with furnishing choices, with high visual impact and high performance products such as those of the Ercos Ponsi collections.
Curious to find out more? Let’s discover in detail what they are and how to choose the perfect towel warmer models for your home.
Bathroom towel warmer: what is it and why you should choose it?
The towel warmer was created as an alternative to the classic heater or radiator. It is an appliance with a dual function: heating the environment in which it is installed and, at the same time, drying bath and hand towels.
One of the main advantages of a towel warmer is its special construction, which is designed specifically for storing and arranging bathroom linen, allowing it to dry quickly. The most common type is the vertical towel warmer, made with two parallel tubular uprights connected together by a variable number of horizontal tubes, with distance and length that can be modulated to allow the storage of towels and flannels of different sizes.
How does a towel warmer work?
The way that a towel warmer works is very similar to a standard radiator. In fact, it is essentially a radiator, albeit of reduced size and thickness, which makes it particularly suitable for small rooms.
As such, it can be connected directly to the domestic heating system, allowing water to flow through its pipes. Alternatively, heating can be activated through a power outlet in the case of an electric towel warmer.
Types of towel warmers
Depending on how it is powered, we can distinguish between two types of bathroom towel warmer:
- hydraulic towel warmer: this works just like a standard bathroom radiator, connected to the main system of the house, adjustable and activated with its own knob;
- electric towel warmer: simple to install because it does not require any masonry or plumbing work, it works by means of an electric heating element and produces heat through the circulation of a heat-transfer liquid inside the pipes, which can be water or oil. These models can have an on-off switch and a thermostat for regulation or, alternatively, a timer that manages them automatically based on the settings entered.
How much heat does the radiator provide?
The advantage of being able to dry towels is not the only good reason to choose a towel warmer. Whether it is a hydraulic or electric model, it is guaranteed to heat the room in which it is installed.
When connected to the domestic system, the heating power is the same as that of an ordinary radiator. In the case of electric towel warmers, they usually reach a power of between 50 and 300 Watts. The most efficient models? Towel warmers with a fan heater that amplifies the ability to heat the room.
Where should you place the towel warmer?
Towel warmers for the bathroom are usually mounted on the wall – fixed directly to the surface in a vertical direction. Swivel towel warmers are also available on the market. These are fixed to an element that acts as a pivot and allows the device to rotate 180°. Lastly, there are also freestanding towel warmer models that can be conveniently positioned and moved as required.
Available colours and materials
The most commonly used materials in the production of towel warmers are steel and aluminium. In terms of performance, the heat output ratio between the two is 1:2. This means that each steel element heats the same amount as 2 aluminium ones. On the other hand, aluminium radiators heat up much faster than steel ones, although they are more delicate and less robust.
As well as being stronger, steel towel warmers are easier to machine into beautiful and aesthetically pleasing shapes and models, making them suitable for elaborate and sophisticated designs. Other distinguishing factors are the paints and materials used for finishes, with the possibility of creating coloured towel warmers, with chromed or polished surfaces in different colours, for maximum adaptability to the style of the environment.
In particular, for a white or coloured towel warmer, epoxy powder paints can be used, which are particularly resistant to erosion. For chrome versions, on the other hand, the elements undergo a galvanic nickel-plating process.
Monica Steel towel warmer? Available in a wide range of colours and sizes, this special towel warmer can meet every need and blend in perfectly with its intended environment. DISCOVER TOWEL WARMER MONICA
Towel-warmer radiator prices
In the case of bathroom towel warmers too, prices and installation costs vary depending on the model, material and type of finish. The price is also affected by the modularity of towel warmers, which allows tubular elements to be added or removed to adjust the extension of the appliance according to your needs.
Hydraulic models usually cost more than electric versions. On average, they range from around EUR 60 to over EUR 500 for designer towel warmer models with more unusual shapes and equipped with a timer and fan heater.
Towel warmer accessories
To further improve the practicality and functionality of bathroom radiators, a number of useful accessories can be purchased for towel warmers. The most popular of these are towel bars, which can be attached to the tubular elements of the structure to obtain additional space and to dry towels like on a clothes rack.
Alternatively, you can purchase towel warmer hooks and hangers. Another popular accessory is the mixed operation kit which, once installed, allows the appliance to be used in both hydraulic and electric mode. Also highly popular is the towel warmer thermostat, which is very useful for perfect and quick temperature control at any time. For more demanding customers, there is also a range of design knobs to match the colours and style of your bathroom furniture.
Browse the Ercos Ponsi catalogue to find the model best suited to your needs.