Electric Towel Radiators

An electric towel radiator runs from a spur rather than your heating system, so it works in summer when the boiler is off — the season when a damp towel is most likely to stay damp.

Where electric makes sense

• Summer use — warm towels and a dry bathroom with the heating off.
• No pipework — nothing to plumb, useful in a bathroom where extending the heating circuit is awkward.
• Independent control — heat the bathroom without heating the house.

The trade-off is running cost. Electricity is considerably dearer per unit than gas, so an electric rail used as primary heating all winter is expensive. As a supplementary or summer rail, it makes good sense.

Elements and controls

Look for a thermostatic element rather than a simple on-off, and ideally a timer — an unattended rail left on continuously is where the cost runs away. Some models include remote or app control.

Sizing

Towel rails put out much less heat than a panel radiator of the same size, and a towel draped over one blocks the output further. Do not rely on one to heat anything larger than a small bathroom on its own.

Installation

A fused spur wired by a qualified electrician, positioned to the correct IP rating for the bathroom zone. Not a plug-in appliance.

Also see straight towel radiators and electric elements.