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

Recommendations depending on specifications

A water heated towel rail is a very useful bathroom equipment. And in order to choose it correctly, depending on the heating system, plumbing, the size of the bathroom, you need to take into account several important nuances.

Such a heated towel rail is a coil through which hot water passes. More often, such a coil is connected to a hot water pipe, because.heating in our country is seasonally turned off for a period of three months to six months. Therefore, if you start the dryer on the heating system, it will not work in the warm season.

water pressure

In apartments of multi-storey buildings, the choice and installation of a water heated towel rail must be taken more carefully than in a private one, since serious differences in operating pressure often occur in the heating systems of such buildings. Sometimes it reaches 10 atmospheres.

According to GOSTs, which regulate the technical characteristics of heating and hot water supply systems in residential apartment buildings, the pressure of the water column in the system should not exceed 4 atmospheres.

In fact, it ranges from 2.5 to 7.5 and depends on the number of storeys of the building, the terrain and the technical condition of communications.

Following the same GOSTs, plumbing fittings that are used in such houses must comply with the parameters of the working and pressure pressure, which is average for the plumbing or heating system of this building. In the case of water folding structures, this is up to 6 atmospheres and above.

take into account the peculiarities of pressure in waterways

That is, two parameters are compared: the water pressure in the pipe to which the device is planned to be connected and the pressure limits for which the selected model is designed. All necessary technical characteristics are indicated in the product passport.

In private houses, as a rule, water supply and heating systems are autonomous, and the pressure in them is, on average, 2-3 atmospheres. Therefore, for such dwellings, the choice of models of water heated towel rails is not limited to this parameter.

The form

There are various forms of water heated towel rails.And this should also be given importance when choosing, because this tubular structure will become part of the bathroom interior and will affect its design.

Models of foreign manufacturers have a more varied shape, additional equipment and colors. In addition, the diameter of pipes of imported models is smaller, which has a positive effect on the aesthetics of the product.

and M - shaped, and MP - shaped, and P - shaped, and various ladders

A foreign manufacturer pleases the consumer with the most unexpected configurations of water dryers. The most popular are models that can turn 180 degrees, as well as perpendicular to the wall.

And the color scheme of tubular dryers cannot but delight. Designs are produced for every taste: white, chrome-plated “under silver”, gilded. There is a choice for any design of any bathroom.

The choice in terms of the shape and type of device is limited only by the desire of the user. But it is necessary to monitor the presence of shut-off valves in the selected model. This will make the product easier to use and care for.

Production material

It is best to give preference to devices made of stainless steel. Especially if it is supposed to mount a heated towel rail to the heating system. The fact is that in Russia caustic reagents are added to the water supplied to the heating pipes, which render the sanitary ware made of other steel grades unusable.

painted, not polished

The most durable and usable foreign models in Russia are made of chrome-plated brass.

For buildings with a local heating system, dryers made of ferrous metals are also quite suitable.In private systems, there are no corrosive additives in the coolant, so nothing will interfere with long-term operation.

Presence/absence of valves

Models of foreign manufacturers compare favorably with Russian ones for the better, not only in terms of design, as mentioned earlier. All of them have shut-off valves - an air valve, with which they eliminate air plugs, serve the coil itself, and relieve excess pressure in the system. Such a device is otherwise referred to as the "Maevsky crane".

All these actions are aimed at ensuring uniform heating of the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe device. Of course, it is better to choose a heated towel rail equipped with such a valve.

What to choose electric or water heated towel rail

After the purchase amount is determined, it is necessary to determine the type of heated towel rail. There are two main types of heated towel rails - electric and water - and both are quite effective.

Electric towel warmers

Electric heated towel rails usually do not consume much electricity, many of them are comparable in power to a conventional electric light bulb. Inside such heated towel rails, a dry heating element or a heated liquid, usually mineral oil, is placed. Many electric towel warmers are equipped with an on/off button, and you can use this button exclusively to start them, and not plug the plug into the outlet every time.

When installing such devices, all wiring can be hidden from prying eyes.Some large units are capable of generating enough heat to heat a room, although electric towel warmers are usually used in combination with other sources of heat energy to heat indoor air most efficiently.

It is good to use electric towel warmers in the following cases:

• You are doing a major renovation but don't want to intrude on the existing water supply.
• You want to have another additional heated towel rail that will help you out, including during seasonal water cuts.
• You have a need to use a heated towel rail not only in the bathroom but also in other rooms. In this case, you will need a mobile, portable heated towel rail, which we will discuss below.

Water heated towel rails

Water models produce heat using hot water that passes through a heated towel rail. The connection can be made in one of two ways - to the hot water supply of your apartment or house (open system) or to an autonomous heating system (closed system). In most cases, a water heated towel rail can be the most effective energy saving method.

However, it can be quite difficult to install it if it is not initially included in the system during the construction of the house or during the overhaul of the premises, and this should be remembered when thinking about how to choose a water heated towel rail for the bathroom.

Connecting a heated towel rail to a heating system has certain disadvantages. For example, during the period when the heating is turned off, you will lose this heat source.Therefore, in cases where you use a gas water heater to heat water, it makes sense to look at electric models.

If the device is connected to an autonomous heating or hot water supply system of your home, then there are no special requirements for the performance of the heated towel rail

The main and only indicator that you need to pay attention to is the maximum pressure for which the device is designed.

In the autonomous heating system of a private house, the pressure is not high, so in this case the choice of the type of heated towel rail is quite extensive and you can install any model you like.

However, if you plan to connect to a centralized hot water supply system, then the vast majority of imported heated towel rails will not work. The fact is that the pressure in the hot water supply systems of apartment buildings is 8-10 atmospheres, although in most buildings of the old fund it does not exceed 5-7 atmospheres.

At the same time, the wall thickness of the pipe, these heated towel rails, is only 1-1.25 mm. and all of them have a small working pressure. Depending on the aggressiveness of hot water in the DHW system, the service life of such a device will be 1.5-2 years. In the best case, you just have to replace the device, at worst, repair the flooded neighbors from below.

Margaroli Vento 500 530x630 box

Main characteristics:

• Material - brass;
• Power - 100 W;
• The maximum heating temperature is 70°C;
• Possibility of rotation - 180 °;
• Dimensions - 53x63x14.5 cm.

Construction and material of manufacture. This "wet" type towel warmer is made of a brass tube with a diameter of 25 mm.It consists of a wall-mounted upright and a swivel M-section that can rotate 180 degrees. With a weight of 5.2 kg, it occupies a space of 53x63x14.5 cm. The product is sold with an external coating of white, bronze, gold and other colors, which simplifies the choice of a model for any interior. The heating element is located at the bottom of the case. There is an on/off button.

Margaroli Vento 500 530x630 box in the interior.

Settings and connection. The device is designed for a hidden way to connect to a 220 volt AC mains. The power consumption of 100 W is enough to heat the circulating coolant to a temperature of 70°C. There is an automatic shutdown to prevent overheating.

What to look for when choosing a heated towel rail

network pressure. Perhaps this factor is the main one, because in high-rise buildings, the pressure indicator can range from 2.5 to 7.5 atmospheres. Everything will depend on the floor on which the user's apartment is located. In view of the foregoing, not all models of heated towel rails are able to withstand such loads. And, accordingly, when choosing a suitable model, it is imperative to take into account this factor.
But in private homes, the pressure inside the system ranges from 2 to 3 atmospheres

And this suggests that any radiator is suitable for the consumer for installation in the bathroom, regardless of its technical equipment.
In addition, each dryer must be given a technical passport and a warranty card from the manufacturer's company, where the name of the manufacturer is clearly indicated.
Also, a hygiene certificate should be included with the heated towel rail.
It will not be superfluous to pay attention to the quality of the thread. To check it, you only need to wind any fitting or coupling.

Important features to choose

1. Power

The vast majority of devices have a power in the range of 100-400 watts. This is enough to dry wet clothes, but obviously not enough to heat the room. If you are going to use an electric towel dryer as the main heat source, choose more powerful models - from 500 to 1,800 watts.

2. Heating method

Basically, two methods of heating are used. In the first case, a self-heating cable is placed inside the metal pipe, the same one used in the manufacture of underfloor heating. In the second case, a heating element is installed inside one of the pipes, and the entire cavity of the pipes is filled with a liquid heat carrier, and the product works in exactly the same way as an oil heater.

Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages. The cable option is good in that there are practically no restrictions on the overall configuration of the pipes. In particular, pipes can be located almost in the same horizontal plane, which, of course, is more convenient if you are going to hang towels on them. But this method of heating is less powerful. The cable cannot be used in the "ladder", where there are complex pipe connections, only in the "snake". And such a device is not very suitable, for example, as the main heater for the room.

Dryers with heating elements are usually more powerful and can be used as the main heater, and, in general, they dry faster. But they have restrictions on the configuration of the pipes. It is necessary that the coolant circulates easily inside.Therefore, such heated towel rails have a closed circuit of pipes in the form of a "ladder" and usually quite high, vertical pipe sections, as a rule, are longer than horizontal ones.

A useful option to avoid dangerous situations.

4. Maximum heating temperature

There are products that can warm up to a temperature of 85-90 ° C, but why such an extreme in domestic conditions? Conversely, a surface that is too hot can be dangerous. Therefore, it is better to choose devices with a limitation maximum heating temperature within 60-70 ° C, especially if there are small children in the house.

5. Construction

There are a lot of design options, including transitional forms and all kinds of modifications. Of course, it is difficult to say which model is more aesthetically pleasing, and in this regard, it is unlikely that it will be possible to compile any accurate rating of the best electric towel warmers or, say, a rating of electric heated towel rails for a thermostatic bathroom. It is best to evaluate products yourself, and not by description.

Electric towel warmer Sunerzha Pareo

Design Tips

• The more horizontal surfaces, the better. The total length of the pipes, arranged horizontally, determines the possible performance of the device - how many towels and other bath accessories you can place on it.
• Too close horizontal pipes can be inconvenient. The distance between them is preferably at least 15 cm.
• Sharp corners, decorative branches, and protruding parts can be very visually appealing, but make sure they are safe. In this regard, the smooth curves of a round pipe seem more reliable.

Housing materials include stainless steel, copper and copper-based alloys

What material to give preference to - for equipment connected to the mains, and not to the water supply - is not important. Many people like stainless steel, it is perceived as a solid and reliable material.

Copper, brass, bronze - materials that are intuitively perceived as expensive and even luxurious - are often used in collections made in retro style. And in designer models, other materials, sometimes quite unexpected, such as glass, ceramics, aluminum, titanium, etc., can be used to finish the case.

The best heated towel rails with thermostat

In devices with such a design feature, you can independently set the desired temperature regime, which helps to reduce energy consumption. More expensive models are equipped with a built-in thermostat. The service life of heated towel rails of this type increases significantly, because the device does not always work at full capacity. Among all the participants in the review, three models were selected that are distinguished by efficiency and heat transfer.

Priority el TEN 1 P 80*60 (LTs2P) Trugor

The model is made in the form of 2 ladders fixed at a right angle. Such a unit is called a heated towel rail with shelves. 5 sections are fixed on the vertical ladder. The horizontal shelf is equipped with 3 crossbeams. Diameter of external pipes - 32 mm, internal - 18 mm. The collector wall thickness is 2 mm. The kit includes fittings for installation.

Advantages:

• The area of ​​the heated room is up to 4.2 m2;
• High intensity of heating, due to the use of "liquid" heating element;
• wear-resistant material;
• 4 telescopic holders included.

Flaws:

High price.

Reviews about this model can be found different. Most of them are positive, but some consumers are faced with manufacturing defects, microcracks in components. With the replacement of the device with a new one, problems often arise.

Grota Eco Classic 480×600 E

The unit is also made in the form of a ladder with 7 rungs. It is famous for its minimum heating time, which is less than 2 minutes. The presence of a timer allows the user to set a certain period of operation of the heated towel rail before auto-off. Antifreeze is used as a coolant. The manufacturer guarantees its protection against freezing in case of a sharp drop in ambient temperature.

Advantages:

• The ability to set the optimal power;
• Step temperature control;
• The maximum level of heating of the coolant among the nominees of the category;
• Economical in terms of energy consumption;
• Fixings included.

Flaws:

• High price;
• Small thickness of the walls of the collector and the area of ​​the heated room;
• Tapered through holes.

Among the reviews about this model, you can find customer complaints about the appearance of rust at the welding points, swelling of the surface. At the same time, the manufacturer's consultants claim that this is a normal phenomenon. Based on this, the build quality of the unit is low.

Navin Omega 530×800 steel E right

The heated towel rail made of steel is produced in the form of a ladder with 8 sections.Its power is relatively lower than that of Grota Eco Classic 480 × 600 Oe, therefore, it takes at least 15 minutes to heat the coolant to 60 degrees. The instructions for this device indicate the presence of protection against overheating, the power button. The model is mounted in only one position, rotation is not provided.

Advantages:

• Low price;
• The presence of fasteners in the kit;
• Durable material;
• Good power level.

Flaws:

• Tapered through holes;
• Minimum collector wall thickness.

Users have no complaints about the operation of the model, but the small diameter of the through holes is considered a significant drawback. This creates problems when connecting, since the jumper is not included in the kit.

The best manufacturing companies

What is the best towel warmer? Let's consider several options.

After reading the reviews of the owners of this model, you can find out that things on this dryer dry as quickly as possible due to free air circulation. According to the manufacturer, this device is quite enough to heat a room with a square of 3.26 m2.

The device is able to heat up to 110 degrees, which is the best indicator for such devices. At the same time, the model will please with a significant advantage - the presence of a Mayevsky crane, which is designed to bleed air from the system.

DVIN WW from the Dvin company. The model is presented in the form of an improved combined "Ladder". This design ensures the fastest drying of a variety of things, and is ideally combined with any bathroom interior. The devices are designed for space heating up to 7 m 2. In addition to the unit itself, you can find a variety of fastening mechanisms and other elements in the kit.

The material of manufacture is stainless steel.This model will decorate any bathroom and can be connected to both central heating and closed systems.

Which is better to choose a heated towel rail? TERMINUS ASTRA NEW DESIGN is a variant with an unusual design. The heated towel rail is made in the style of minimalism, and on sale you can find models with a different number of sections.

The final price of the equipment will depend on this factor. The maximum temperature stopped at around 115 degrees.

The appliance is made of stainless steel, thanks to which towels and other things dry quickly. The manufacturer gives a guarantee of 10 years, which indicates the high quality of the unit.

Towel dryer water or electric, what to choose? Margaroli Venta 405 is a model produced by an Italian company that has managed to establish itself in the market exclusively from the best side.

Connection is made to central heating systems. The pipe is made in the form of a snake with several bends, which allows you to install a heated towel rail in any bathroom.

For the production of the unit, brass is used, which is why the device is not subject to corrosion and can please users with a long service life. Outside, the equipment is covered with chrome, which maintains a presentable appearance throughout the entire period of use.

How to choose a heated towel rail for the bathroom? TERMINUS SIENNA from the Terminus company has a stunning design and will complement the interior of any bathroom. Drying clothes and towels will take a minimum of time. This model consists of 34 horizontal pipes and is designed for heating rooms up to 12.5 m2.

But it takes a lot of space to accommodate it. But, by the way, this is the only drawback, and if you can select a wall for its installation, you can be sure that the device will last for a long time and will please you with stable operation without damage to the material of manufacture.

Water or electric?

The first models of heated towel rails were exclusively of the water type. This means that they radiated heat, which they took away from the heated coolant circulating inside them. Such designs still exist today. Modern water heated towel rails can be connected to autonomous or centralized heating.

The heated towel rail performs several functions. It dries towels and linens, maintains the optimum temperature in the bathroom and prevents the appearance of dampness, fungus and mold.

In the first case it will be a closed system, in the second it will be an open one. There are no special requirements for devices operating in a closed system. The main thing is that the maximum pressure allowed for the device is sufficient for the overall system.

Considering that autonomous heating usually works with low pressure, there should be no problems with the choice. You can install almost any model you like. Open systems operate with high operating pressure. For new buildings, it is about 8-9, for old buildings - 5-7 atmospheres.

The heated towel rail must be designed to work with such indicators. As practice shows, for open systems it is better to choose domestically produced equipment that can cope with serious loads.

Modern water heated towel rails can have a variety of shapes, designer models of appliances are especially interesting.

The advantages of water heated towel rails include:

• Ease of construction and connection. Installation requires only piping. Special fittings are required for connection, welding is not needed.
• Low price. The device, in fact, is a curved pipe, so its cost is low.
• Variety of models. Manufacturers produce a variety of heated towel rails in various sizes and shapes. U-shaped, M-shaped products, as well as ladder devices are especially popular.
• Safety. The devices can be installed in areas with high humidity or hazardous environments. The equipment is completely electrically safe and does not emit electromagnetic waves like its electrical counterpart.
• Profitability. The operation of the water heated towel rail will not affect your electricity or water bills in any way. The cost of the heat carrier circulating in the equipment is already included in the heating fee.
• Long service life. The simplicity of the design and the absence of complex mechanisms allow the device to function for a very long time. Practice shows that the replacement of the device is most often carried out only in the case of redevelopment or major repairs of the bathroom.

The main disadvantage of a water heated towel rail is the dependence on the operation of the heating system. Therefore, during a heat outage, the device ceases to function. Electrical appliances are devoid of this drawback and work year-round. The source of heat in such devices is a heating element or a heating cable.

The advantages of the equipment are:

• Possibility of installation in any place of the bathroom, since the attachment to the water supply is not required.
• Simple installation, which can be carried out independently without the invitation of specialists.
• Possibility of switching off / on as needed.
• A wide range of devices of various sizes and shapes: from the simplest to complex configurations.
• The ability to control the degree of heating of the device.

An electric heated towel rail is heated from a special cable or from a heating element built into a pipe filled with antifreeze or oil.

The disadvantages of such equipment include a rather high consumption of electricity and, accordingly, an increase in electricity fees.

Of steel

Terma Zigzag 835×500

pros

• Unusual design
• quality material
• Reliability
• Good fixings included

Minuses

There is no way to turn

From 22000 R

A good device that works using an oil coolant. Provides stable heating and high-quality drying of linen. It is connected using a wire with a plug, so there should be a socket next to the model. The model is able to heat up to the maximum temperature in just 15 minutes.

Rointe D Series 060 (600 W)

pros

• quality steel
• Big power
• Built-in thermostat
• Overheat and freeze protection
• Remote control function

Minuses

high cost

From 53000 R

An advanced device equipped with its own Wi-Fi module. Heating can be remotely controlled using a special application on a smartphone. The model itself additionally has a control screen where you can set all the necessary settings, as well as see statistics on heating and power consumption.

Zehnder Toga TEC-120-050/DD 1268×500

pros

• Convenient connection
• thermostat
• Built-in timer
• Overheat or freeze protection
• Robust design

Minuses

High price

From 92000 R

Multifunctional model with a set of all necessary functions. The total power is 300W. Such an indicator allows you to effectively dry a large number of things at once. The heated towel rail has large dimensions, so it may not be suitable for everyone.