How to choose a heated towel rail for the bathroom: what to look for before buying + review of popular brands

A heated towel rail is an essential attribute of the bathroom. Along with elements of heating and ventilation systems, a heated towel rail is involved in the process of creating a comfortable microclimate.

In order for the device to cope with its functions and fit organically into the interior, you need to understand in detail how to choose a heated towel rail for the bathroom. And for this, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the main characteristics of water and electric models, the key parameters that you should pay attention to when choosing.

We discussed all these points in detail in our article. We also paid attention to the issues of connecting devices and provided a brief overview of the best manufacturers.

Classification of heated towel rails for bathrooms

The bathroom of a typical apartment building is equipped with a heated towel rail. This device is most often connected to the hot water supply system, but in houses with gas instantaneous water heaters, the heated towel rail is part of the heating system.

In both cases, the principle of operation of the device is identical. A standard zigzag piece of pipe connected to the system warms the room, neutralizing humidity. You can dry towels and linen on it.

A heated towel rail performs several important functions: it heats the bathroom or toilet room, eliminates moisture, and prevents the appearance of mold and mildew on the walls.

The appearance of a standard zigzag device does not impress with its originality, so during the repair process many citizens decide replace heated towel rail for a new functional accessory. But in this matter it is important to adhere to the rules and choose the optimal model.

The plumbing market offers a wide range of heated towel rails. Devices that heat the bathroom differ in design, type of material used in the production process, and type of energy carrier that accumulates heat.

Depending on the type of energy carrier, devices used to heat a shower or bathroom can be classified as follows: water and electric.

Characteristics and subtleties of choosing water appliances

A water heated towel rail is a practical solution for an apartment equipped with an autonomous heating system, as well as for rooms in which a hot water supply system operates all year round.

There are many variations in radiator design: from a standard loop or zigzag to devices of bizarre configuration

Hot water continuously circulating through the pipes warms up the device, heating the air in the room.

To choose the optimal model, you will need to carefully consider a number of key characteristics of the devices on the market.

Criterion #1 - material of manufacture

The following materials are used in the production of water-type devices:

• Non-ferrous metals (brass, copper, aluminum). Samples made from non-ferrous metals are characterized by high heat transfer rates.They fit perfectly into the interior, but the service life of the products rarely exceeds 10 years.
• Black steel with chrome plating. Also not the best option. The metal quickly corrodes, as a result of which the device will not be able to correctly cope with its duties for a long time and you will have to replace it with a new one.
• Stainless steel. The most practical solution is to install a heated towel rail made of stainless steel. In the production of such samples, seamless pipes are used. The finished product is highly resistant to pressure changes and the aggressive effects of impurities present in water.

The most popular products are made of stainless steel.

Criterion #2 - dimensions and shape

When choosing a heated towel rail, pay attention to the dimensions and configuration of the device.

Leading manufacturers of plumbing products offer the following options:

• Classic models, shaped like the letters “M” and “P”.
• Decorative options of fancy shapes.
• Heated towel rails in the form of a “ladder”.

According to experts, it is the “ladders” that are the most effective. The models are characterized by an impressive heating area. This means that the room will always be warm and dry.

Using the “ladder” you can quickly dry not only the wet towels of all family members, but also a small “portion” of washed laundry

As for the dimensions of the device, you must determine them yourself, sensibly assessing the dimensions of your own bathroom or shower room and calculating which heated towel rail will be better for specific conditions.

In this case, it is also necessary to take into account the nominal water pressure in system. The higher it is, the thicker and stronger the walls of the device should be.

Are you looking at water heated towel rails? In this case, we recommend that you read important criteria, in addition to the shape and dimensions, which should be taken into account when choosing.

Features and parameters for choosing an electric model

A significant disadvantage of water appliances is that their operation depends on the correct functioning of the heating or hot water supply systems. Electrical devices do not have this disadvantage. They are able to work all year round, since their heat source is an electric cable or heating element.

A floor-mounted heated towel rail can be used not only in the bathroom, but also in other rooms, moving it around the apartment in the desired direction

Advantages of electrical type devices:

• Variability of the model range.
• Easy to install. You can install the device yourself, without the help of specialists.
• Possibility of adjusting the heating level. Devices can be turned on and off as needed.

A significant disadvantage of electric heated towel rails is their high energy consumption. Therefore, when purchasing such a device, be prepared for the fact that your electricity bills will increase slightly.

When starting to choose an electric heating device, you should know that there are two types of equipment on the market today, which differ in internal content and operating principle. There are “wet” and “dry” type devices.

A characteristic feature of “wet” type variations is that antifreeze or oil circulates inside the housing, which is heated to the desired temperature by a heating element.

The design of electric heated towel rails of the “dry” type is reminiscent of the design of a “warm floor” system - the device body contains heating cables that accumulate heat.

Please note: liquid, “wet” type devices can only be positioned vertically, due to the fact that the heating elements are located at the bottom of the structure.Such features have imposed certain restrictions on the design of products; their model range is not wide.

High heat transfer is characterized by devices that have a large number of horizontal (transverse) tubes. They can be arranged in 1 or 2 rows

Let's conduct a comparative analysis of dry and liquid type devices, comparing key characteristics:

• Cable devices are cheaper than their heating element counterparts.
• “Dry” type devices warm up quickly and also cool down quickly, consuming a small amount of electricity. Heating element devices are less economical in terms of energy consumption. Unlike their budget cable counterparts, they take a long time to heat up and also give off heat for a long time, warming up the room.
• Installing a heating element heated towel rail is quite difficult, while installing a cable device can be done literally within a few minutes, with a minimum of tools at hand.

It is rational to use powerful liquid-type equipment when the bathroom needs heating. If you only need a heated towel rail for drying towels and linen, you can easily limit yourself to a budget, economical option, selected from a wide range of cable devices.

Point #1 - installation location of the heated towel rail

The electrical device can be wall mounted or floor mounted. For bathrooms in small apartments, an excellent solution would be wall-mounted variations that do not take up much space. Dryers of this type are mounted on the wall using the fastening elements included in the kit.

The wall-mounted heated towel rail heats up quickly, heating the room, takes up minimal space even in a cramped bathroom, and has an easy-to-use design

Wall-mounted devices are not mobile, while floor-standing heated towel rails can be moved from place to place in a room.

Point #2 - the shape and power of the device

The shape of floor-mounted heated towel rails comes in different shapes. They can be made in the form of a geometric figure. In some cases, their outlines repeat the outlines of images of fauna representatives. If you are not too inclined to creative ideas, and the main selection criterion is functionality, we recommend choosing floor-standing “ladder” models.

You can dry laundry and towels on the transverse horizontal tubes of the device. The more tubes, the higher the heat transfer rate. The room will begin to warm up from the moment the heated towel rail is connected to the network.

The power of the device is another important indicator that you need to pay attention to. The higher the power, the more you will have to pay for electricity. You can prevent excess energy consumption by correctly determining the power rating of the device for a specific room.

We have provided detailed recommendations for choosing an electric heated towel rail in the next article.

What to consider when connecting a heated towel rail?

Particular attention should be paid to the issue of connection. After all, the installation of both water and electric models has a number of its own features, which we will discuss further.

Advantages and nuances of installing water appliances

Despite all the disadvantages, water-type devices have many advantages:

• Variability of models. Considering that the plumbing market offers a wide range of products from domestic and foreign brands, choosing a heated towel rail worthy of your attention will definitely not be easy.
• Simplicity of design and installation. A prerequisite for installing the device is the presence of pipe connections. Provided the process is properly organized, you only need to acquire suitable fittings. It is quite possible to do without welding.
• Economical. The operation of a water-type heated towel rail will in no way affect your utility bills. The cost of the coolant circulating in the device is already included in the cost of payment for services for hot water supply or central heating.
• Safety. The devices are absolutely safe and can be installed in rooms with high humidity levels. The devices do not emit electromagnetic waves, unlike their mains-powered electrical counterparts.
• Long service life. The device can operate for a long time without loss of performance characteristics.As practice shows, most often the replacement of the device is carried out in the case of a major renovation or remodeling of the bathroom.

Don’t forget about the affordable price, especially when it comes to standard-design devices.

The variety of heated towel rail models will give you the opportunity to choose an option that will organically fit into the interior of your bathroom or combined bathroom.

The only drawback of a water-type device is that it is entirely dependent on the operation of the heating or hot water supply system. If your heated towel rail is connected to the heating system, during the warmer months you will have to think about alternative methods to heat the shower or bathroom area.

It should also be noted that you are unlikely to be able to connect the device to the system yourself, since to install the device you will need to shut off the water along the riser, having previously coordinated your actions with neighbors and housing and communal services workers.

Insertion diagrams and step-by-step instructions for installing a water heated towel rail brought here. This article also provides tips on installing and connecting an electrical appliance.

Features of connecting electric models

When connecting the device, there is no need to tap into the water supply. But at the same time, it is important to take care of the arrangement of high-quality insulation of electrical wiring. The best option would be a solution when the outlet to which you plan to connect the device wire will be located outside the bathroom.

If this is not possible, it is necessary to install a special one on the wall for safety reasons. waterproof socket. Such products are equipped with a lid and rubber seals - elements that prevent moisture from accessing the electrical wiring.

Moisture-proof socket - a guarantee of safety from unforeseen incidents, electrical wires will be protected from moisture during flooding

Please note: the waterproof outlet must be located at least 10 cm above the baseboard level. In the event of emergency situations (flooding of the room), the water will not rise above this level, and a short circuit in the electrical wiring will not occur.

A Brief Review of the Best Brands on the Market

Both domestic and foreign manufacturers offer decent products of excellent quality. Further in our article we will briefly consider the most popular brands among buyers, the heated towel rails of which are widely represented on the market.

The best manufacturers of water appliances

Foreign companies are ready to offer customers a wide range of heated towel rails. The quality of products from foreign brands is impeccable. The devices are characterized by a stylish design, high quality workmanship and a long service life.

However, it should be noted that almost all foreign-made products are designed for connection to a hot water supply system, while many homes provide for connecting the device to a heating system.

Along with relatively inexpensive traditional models, the range of products from Italian manufacturers includes exclusive samples for fans of luxury

If you decide to buy a foreign-made device, we recommend that you take a closer look at the models that came off the production lines of the following plumbing manufacturers:

• Arbonia. The Swiss-German company was one of the first in the world to launch a production line of functional and at the same time elegant heated towel rails.
• Zehnder. The products of the German company are no less popular among consumers.The variety of standard sizes and shapes of devices can capture the imagination of even a capricious buyer.
• Margaroli. Water-type heating devices for the bathroom from the Italian brand are always ergonomic, functional and stylish devices that can please you with a long service life. The only disadvantage of Italian products is their high cost.

If you have not yet decided which manufacturer of sanitary products to choose a heated towel rail, and your budget is strictly limited, we recommend that you take a closer look at domestically produced models. The products of the companies “Rhythm”, “Sunerzha”, “Tera”, “Parus” are not inferior in quality to foreign goods, but are much cheaper.

Review of popular brands of electric models

Electrical appliances designed to create a comfortable microclimate in the bathroom and dry towels have appeared on the Russian market relatively recently.

Wall-mounted and floor-mounted electric heated towel rails are represented by the following foreign manufacturers:

• Pax. A company from Switzerland that specializes in the production of heating and ventilation equipment, as well as electric heated towel rails. Swiss-made devices are characterized by stylish design, ergonomics and high reliability.
• Energy. UK based company. Heated towel rails of this brand are successfully sold in 38 countries around the world. In Russia, the product range is not very widely represented.However, if you prefer to buy expensive goods of excellent quality, then you will definitely be able to choose the appropriate model of a bathroom heating device, the design of which will satisfy your needs.
• Margaroli – the Italian company, a manufacturer of water and electric heated towel rails in the premium segment, never tires of delighting consumers with the release of new stylish collections of heating equipment for bathrooms.

Along with foreign products, plumbing equipment stores offer a wide range of high-quality and inexpensive domestically produced products. Products that came off the assembly lines of Russian enterprises - AquaStal, Dvin, Rhythm, Tera, etc.

Domestic heated towel rails can not only correctly cope with their functional responsibilities, but also become a highlight of the bathroom interior

If you encounter a breakdown of the electric model, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the main breakdowns and repair technology DIY heated towel rail.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

What factors should you pay attention to when choosing a device:

Choosing a heated towel rail is an important stage in the process of transforming a bathroom. How comfortable you will be in water procedures and doing household chores largely depends on how correctly the device is chosen..

Weigh the pros and cons, compare the characteristics of the models that interest you. Let your bathroom always be warm and dry.

Are you thinking about choosing a heated towel rail for your bathroom? Perhaps you still have questions after reading the above material? Or do you use a device from one of the brands we mentioned in the article and want to share your opinion about this product? Write your comments, indicate the pros and cons of your heated towel rail, add its photo, ask questions to our experts in the block below the article.