Heated Towel Rails

A heated towel rail is usually bought to dry towels and ends up earning its place for a different reason. In a New Zealand bathroom, the persistent problem is humidity: damp towels hanging in a room that never fully dries out, condensation on the walls, and mould appearing around the shower and in the corners of the ceiling. A towel rail running continuously lifts the temperature enough to shift that balance.

Running cost is the question everyone asks and the answer surprises people. Most units draw between 50 and 150 watts, comparable to a couple of light bulbs, so leaving one on permanently costs very little. Running it continuously is also more effective than switching it on for an hour, because what you want is a sustained reduction in humidity rather than a burst of heat.

The choice between bars and ladders comes down to wall space and how many towels need hanging. A single or double bar suits a compact bathroom or a wall where a full ladder would dominate. A ladder in four, six or eight bar configurations gives far more drying capacity and puts more heat into the room, which suits a family bathroom or one that struggles with damp.

Nearly all heated rails require a hardwired connection rather than a plug, so factor an electrician into the job and ideally plan the point before tiling. Retrofitting to an existing tiled wall is possible but messier.

Finishes match the rest of our bathroom hardware in chrome, matt black and brushed options. Browse heated towel bars and heated towel ladders below.