The 8 Best Towel Warmers of 2024, Tested and Reviewed
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People / Henry Wortock
We can’t all have an in-home spa like Gwyneth Paltrow and Paris Hilton, but you can make your existing bathroom feel a little more luxurious with the help of a towel warmer. These gadgets are particularly great to have during the winter, as they keep your towels (and blankets and robes) toasty until you step out of the shower.
Towel warmers come in a few different styles, including buckets, freestanding racks, and wall-mounted units, which are popular for high-end homes. “We install towel warmers on our higher-end bathroom renovations,” says Michael Taylor, director at Form Bathroom Renovations Mornington. “Our clients love having the convenience of warm towels whilst also achieving a clean aesthetic in their bathroom.”
To help you find the best towel warmer for your home, we tested 29 popular models, including options in all shapes and sizes. We evaluated each one on its setup, design, heating performance, and value. We also continued testing them at home for several months to see how well they held up over time.
Read on for what PEOPLE considers the best towel warmers for your bathroom.
Best Overall: Zadro Medium Towel Warmer Bucket
Pros
Because the bucket is shallow, it’s easy (and safe) to pull out towels.
The unit has a wide base and feels very stable — it would be very hard to knock over.
After 15 minutes, towels in the bucket are generally around 100 degrees.
Cons
The bucket can only fit one towel at a time.
The Zandro Countertop Towel Warmer is compact and efficient, making it a top choice for your bathroom. This countertop model is only 13.5 inches tall, so it won’t take up too much space, and it’s the perfect size to hold one large bath sheet.
During testing, we liked that the shallow design makes it easy to grab your warm towel — you don’t have to reach deep into the bucket like with other models — and the unit’s wide base makes it stable, so you don’t have to worry about accidentally knocking it over.
This bucket-style warmer is simple to operate. You simply put your towel in and turn on the timer, which has settings for 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes. After 15 minutes in the bucket, towels were warmed to around 100 degrees in our tests, and you could likely get them even hotter if you let the bucket heat up for longer. Conversely, you can also gently warm up items such as a baby blanket for less time.
Overall, we think this towel warmer is a well-priced option for your home, and it won’t take up too much space in smaller bathrooms.
Dimensions: 12 x 12 x 13.5 inches | Type: Countertop bucket | Capacity: 16 liters | Power: 210 watts
Runner Up, Best Overall: Zadro Aromatherapy Towel Warmer
Pros
The interior is spacious enough for multiple bath sheets or even a blanket.
Towels were warmed to around 115 degrees after just 15 minutes in the bucket.
The essential oil diffuser gives linens a pleasant scent that’s not overpowering.
Cons
If the power cord isn’t aligned properly, the bucket is unstable.
You can heat up multiple towels — or even a blanket — in the Zandro Aromatherapy Towel Warmer. This model is a larger option, measuring over 21 inches tall, so it does need to be placed on the ground, but we found that it can comfortably hold two large bath sheets at a time.
The timer offers four settings in 15-minute increments, and after just 15 minutes in the bucket, our linens were warmed to around 115 degrees — perfectly warm to wrap up in without being too hot.
This bucket-style towel warmer has stylish wooden feet on the base that keep it steady, though you have to thread its power cord carefully through the base. Otherwise, it may make the unit unstable. Inside the lid, there’s a wooden disc where you can put a few drops of essential oil, and we found that it lends a faint smell to the towels without being overwhelming.
Dimensions: 12 x 12 x 21.25 inches | Type: Bucket | Capacity: 20 liters | Power: 480 watts
Best Budget: Live Fine Towel Warmer
Pros
Despite its small size, the bucket heated towels up to 115 degrees in just 15 minutes.
The lid and upper edges of the bucket stayed cool to the touch, making it safer to use.
Cons
The towels weren’t always warmed all the way through and had some cold spots.
Towel warmers can be pricey, and the Live Fine Towel Warmer was the top-performing budget model during our tests. It’s on the smaller side, so you could easily put it on a counter, but we found that it can still hold two regular-sized towels or one bath sheet.
The bucket was very stable, especially when it had towels inside, and the lid and upper edges stayed cool to the touch during operation, so we were never worried about burning our hands when pulling towels out.
This unit has a small digital screen on front, and you can set its timer to 15, 30, 45, or 60 minutes. After 15 minutes of warming, a single towel was close to 115 degrees, though we did notice that there were a few cold spots on it. When we tried warming two towels at once, the heat wasn't distributed evenly, so we’d recommend sticking to one loosely folded towel for best results.
Dimensions: 12.6 x 12.6 x 13.4 inches | Type: Bucket | Capacity: 10 liters | Power: 220 watts
Best Mini Towel Warmer: StateRiver Mini Towel Heater and Steamer
Pros
The steamer was able to evenly heat the eight mini towels that came with the machine.
Towels came out of the machine warmer than most — often around 175 degrees.
Cons
The overall construction was cheap and lightweight, and the lid felt a bit flimsy.
The wooden tongs that came with the unit weren't strong enough to pull out towels.
If you like to use a hot washcloth to clean your face or just soothe yourself after a long day, the StateRive Mini Towel Heater is an inexpensive product to add to your bathroom. Unlike most towel warmers, which just use radiant heat to warm your linens, this unit actually steams them using hot water.
We tested it with the eight mini towels that come with the unit, and we were impressed to find that they were all evenly heated to an average temperature of 175 degrees. The warmth was soothing yet still safe to touch, and overall, it would be a useful gadget for a spa setting or even to pamper yourself at home.
While the towel steamer did perform well, there were a few design features that we didn’t love. The whole thing feels pretty cheap in its construction, with lightweight plastic and a flimsy lid that just rests on top of the bucket. The wooden tongs that come with the machine aren’t the best either — they weren’t quite wide enough to firmly grasp a towel from the steamer.
Dimensions: 8.7 x 8.7 x 9.5 inches | Type: Countertop steamer | Capacity: Not listed | Power: 400 watts
Best Rack: Amba Solo Freestanding Towel Warmer
Pros
The freestanding design is sturdy and stable when towels are hung on it.
This towel rack can be used to help dry towels, as well as warm them up.
Cons
Because of its low power level, this rack doesn’t heat up towels quickly.
Bucket-style towel warmers are designed to heat up linens quickly — usually while you’re in the shower or bath — but if you want a unit that helps dry off wet towels, the Amba Solo Towel Warmer was the best freestanding rack we tested. It can hold two towels at a time, and we found it was quite sturdy when there were linens hung over its bars. It has a 5-foot power cord, and it’s simple to operate with a single on/off button.
This towel warmer isn’t the best option for quick heating — after 10 minutes on the rack, towels were only about 10 degrees warmer than their starting temperature. However, if you leave your towels on this rack throughout the day, it will help dry them off, preventing them from getting musty and leaving them nicely warm.
Dimensions: 12 x 33 x 38 inches | Type: Freestanding rack | Capacity: 2 towels | Power: 150 watts
Best for Bath Sheets: LiveFine Large Bucket Towel Warmer
Pros
Because it’s larger than most, we were able to fit two bath sheets into this towel warmer.
The unit evenly warmed towels to around 100 degrees in 10 minutes.
The inside of the bucket doesn’t get too hot, so we weren’t worried about burning our hands.
Cons
The bucket is a bit wobbly, even when it has towels in it.
If you generally use bath sheets, which are larger than standard towels, you might want a model like the Live Fine Large Bucket Towel Warmer. It has an 18-liter capacity, and we found that you can fit two bath sheets or three towels inside the bucket — ideal if you share your bathroom with other people. Plus, it was able to warm up towels evenly, reaching a temperature of around 100 degrees after just 10 minutes of warming.
Like most of the bucket-style warmers we tested, this unit has a timer that you can set to a maximum of 60 minutes, and its digital screen makes it easy to program. We liked that the interior of the bucket doesn’t get overly hot during operation, so we didn’t have to worry about burning our hands while fishing towels out of the bottom. However, the unit is slightly wobbly, so you may need to tuck it in a corner to prevent it from being knocked over.
Dimensions: 12.9 x 12.9 x 21.25 inches | Type: Bucket | Capacity: 18 liters | Power: 480 watt
Best for Blankets: TMWings Bucket Towel Warmer
Pros
The bucket is spacious enough to hold most throws or bed blankets.
A plush throw blanket was warmed evenly after 15 minutes in the bucket.
Towels were warmed to around 100 degrees after 10 minutes.
Cons
The unit tips over easily on carpeting, so it’s best to place it on hard flooring.
You can enjoy a toasty warm blanket every night with the Tmwings Towel Warmer. In testing, we found that this bucket-style model is big enough to hold two bath sheets or three standard towels, and we were also able to put a plush throw blanket inside with room to spare. The towels were heated to around 100 degrees after just 10 minutes inside the bucket, and the blanket came out evenly heated, as well, though it did require more time to reach a cozy temperature.
This towel warmer has sleek wooden accents, and it even has a large handle on top, in case you need to move it around your home. The unit is stable on hard floors, but we did find it was off-balance and easy to tip over on carpeting — something to keep in mind if you want to place it in your living room or bedroom.
How it’s held up:
We continued to test this towel warmer at home for six additional months. It does take quite a long time to heat towels throughout, so we recommend preheating them before you hop into the bath. Additionally, it leaves towels a bit damp if they were wet going into the bucket, so we recommend it for blankets more than bath towels.
Dimensions: 13.2 x 13.2 x 20.5 inches | Type: Bucket | Capacity: 20 liters | Power: Not listed
Best Wall-Mounted: KEG Wall-Mounted Towel Warmer
Pros
The rack can either be plugged into an outlet or hardwired.
Towels were pleasantly warm after around 30 minutes of heating time.
The bars are wide enough to weave a towel through for more even heating.
Cons
The drywall anchors included with the unit were cheap and broke during installation.
If floor space is at a premium in your bathroom, the KEG Wall-Mounted Towel Warmer can be installed right on the wall. This unit comes with a 6-foot power cord, but you can also hardwire it into your home’s electrical system for a more seamless look. The installation is more complicated than a bucket towel warmer (especially if you’re hardwiring it), and the drywall anchors included with the product broke during installation, forcing us to purchase new ones.
In terms of performance, we were impressed by this rack’s ability to warm up towels. It’s only big enough to hold one towel, but we did find that you can layer two on top of each other and the upper one will still get warm. In around 30 minutes, towels were pleasantly warm to the touch, and they got even warmer when our tester weaved the towel between the bars. The unit has a two- or four-hour timer that will automatically shut it off, as well.
How it’s held up:
Our tester continued to use this towel warmer at home over the course of six months. It consistently took around 30 minutes to warm up towels, so we found that it’s best to preheat the rack before getting into the shower or bath. While its performance remained consistent over long-term testing, our tester did run into installation problems after a few months. The drywall anchors ended up pulling out of the wall due to the weight of the rack and towels, so we’d recommend installing the rack directly into studs for better security.
Dimensions: 16.4 x 20.86 x 3.15 inches | Type: Wall-Mounted | Capacity: 1 towel | Power: 40 watts
Other Towel Warmers We Tried
Homeleader Towel Warmer and Drying Rack: This unique (and surprisingly affordable) towel warmer can either be used freestanding or mounted to the wall, but we suggest going with the latter option, as the base is quite wobbly. It takes longer than other racks to heat up towels, but it could be a worthwhile option if you like the modern look.
Pottery Barn Classic Towel Warmer: If you don’t mind spending a bit more, this wall-mounted towel warmer has a classic appearance and comes in several sizes and finishes. We were impressed with how quickly it dried used towels and even clothing, but you do have to leave it on for long periods of time if you want your towels to be warm after your shower. Additionally, after several months of continued use, we found that the rack sits a bit too close to the wall when mounted — it makes it hard to fit more than one or two towels on the bars.
VJASS Towel Warmer: This wall-mounted towel warmer has a more contemporary design, and it can either be plugged in or hardwired. It sits fairly flush to the wall, which can make it tricky to hang towels, but it’s able to warm towels in around 20 minutes. We also liked that this unit has four heat levels, allowing you to control the warmth more than other models.
People/Henry Wortock
Things to Consider Before Buying a Towel Warmer
Style
The first thing you’ll need to decide is which style of towel warmer will work best in your home. Bucket-style warmers, like our top-rated Zadro Countertop Towel Warmer, are often the most affordable, and they’re easy to set up and use. These warmers are meant for dry towels only, and most people simply load up and turn on the unit before getting into the bath. Within around 15 minutes, your towel will be toasty warm. The downside of this type of towel warmer is that they’re quite bulky and take up a lot of space in your bathroom.
Rack-style towel warmers, like the KEG Wall-Mounted Towel Warmer, are another popular choice, offering a different set of benefits. These units come in both freestanding and wall-mounted designs, and they can often be used to dry towels in addition to warming them. Many of them take up less space in the bathroom, but they need to be left on for longer periods of time to be effective.
Capacity
Towel warmers can generally hold between one and three towels at a time, and it’s important to think about how many towels you’ll want to heat at once. Larger models will be able to hold more and accommodate bulky bath sheets, but they also take up more space in your bathroom. Smaller countertop models, such as the Zadro Countertop Towel Warmer, can generally only warm one towel at a time, but they’re also compact enough to tuck under a vanity when not in use.
Installation
Some towel warmers are simply plug-and-play, but others require fairly complicated installation. “If you decide to install a higher-quality towel rail where the electrical cabling is run in the wall, you will need an electrician,” says Taylor. “Regardless of which model you install, you should always backblock your towel rail. This means installing a timber support behind the tiles so the towel rails can be secured to the timber backing.”
Even if you don’t have a hardwired model, any wall-mounted towel warmer should be leveled and securely fastened to the wall, which may require special tools. Keep this in mind when selecting which option will work best in your home.
People/Henry Wortock
How We Tested
To find the best towel warmers, we tested a total of 29 products, including 20 freestanding options and nine wall-mounted models. We tested the freestanding options, including bucket-style heaters, in our laboratory, while wall-mounted units were set up in the homes of our testers. For both styles, we evaluated them in the following areas:
Setup: To start, we timed how long it took to unbox and set up each towel warmer. For bucket-style towel warmers, this often took just a few minutes, but setup was naturally more complex with wall-mounted units. We took note of what tools were needed to install these models, as well as if we needed to hire an electrician or other professional for installation.
Design: Next, we considered the design of the different towel warmers, seeing how many towels they could hold. We also tested them for stability, seeing if it was easy to knock the unit over, and safety, noting whether they got too hot to the touch.
Heating Performance: One of the most important testing areas was heating performance — after all, that’s why you’re buying a towel warmer in the first place! For this test, we measured the temperature of the towel before putting it on the towel warmer, then again after 10 minutes of heating. We ran this test several times to get a more accurate measurement, and we also noted whether the towels were warmed evenly and if the temperature was comfortable to the touch.
Value: Towel warmers tend to be pricey, so we weighed the performance of each model against its price.
Using our testing results, we scored each product on a scale of 1 to 5 in all the different areas. We compiled the data, and the top-scoring products were the Zadro Countertop Towel Warmer and Zadro Large Aromatherapy Towel Warmer, both of which earned 4.9 out of 5.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the different types of towel warmers?
There are two common styles of towel warmers that you’ll see in bathrooms. Bucket-style warmers are the most affordable, and they’re essentially just a large, heated bucket that you toss linens into before you get in the shower. There are also rack-style warmers, which can either be freestanding or mounted to the wall, and are meant to be used for longer periods of time.
What is the fastest towel warmer?
In general, bucket towel warmers work faster than racks, and the higher the wattage, the quicker they’ll warm up your towels. For fast, even heating, you’ll likely want a model like the Zadro Large Aromatherapy Towel Warmer, which has a high wattage of 480. It will generally be able to heat up towels in just 10 to 15 minutes.
Can you put wet towels on a towel warmer?
Only certain types of towel warmers are designed to be used with wet towels. In general, rack-style towel warmers, whether freestanding or wall-mounted, can be used to dry off wet towels, as they allow for enough air circulation around the fabric. (You’ll generally need to leave them on for several hours for them to work, though.) On the other hand, if you put a wet towel into a bucket-style towel warmer, you’ll likely end up with a linen that’s simply damp and warm — which doesn’t sound pleasant.
Do you leave towel warmers on all the time?
If you have a rack or wall-mounted towel warmer, you may find that it works best if you leave it running 24/7, as this allows it to keep towels warm and dry. “Leaving a towel warmer on all the time is fine — this is another reason why we choose better quality units,” explains Taylor. “I'd be more concerned with how much it's going to cost over a few months of being on all the time!”
Why Trust PEOPLE?
Camryn Rabideau is a freelance writer and product tester who specializes in home products. In addition to her own research, she put together this list using the notes from the People Tested team, who tested all the products in either the laboratory or in their homes. She also spoke with a bathroom renovation expert for insights on the benefits and installation requirements of towel racks.
Meet Our Expert
Michael Taylor is the director at Form Bathroom Renovations Mornington, a bathroom remodeling company based in Victoria, Australia.
What Is People Tested?
We created the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval to help you find the very best products for your life. We use our unique methodology to test products in three labs across the country and with our network of home testers to determine their effectiveness, durability, ease of use, and so much more. Based on the results, we rate and recommend products so you can find the right one for your needs.
But we don’t stop there: We also regularly re-review the categories in which we’ve awarded the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval — because the best product of today might not be the best of tomorrow. And by the way, companies can never buy our recommendation: Their products must earn it, fair and square.
In short, PEOPLE Tested provides recommendations you can trust — every day, every purchase.
Related: The 10 Best Bathroom Cleaning Products of 2024, Tested and Reviewed
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