6 Best Towel Warmers for the Coziest Bathroom, Tested by a Home Improvement Expert

Here's your checklist for making sure you end up with a towel warmer that serves your wishes and needs.

✔️ Type: There are three types to choose from.

• Bucket: As you’ll guess from the name, these towel warmers are shaped like a bucket. The freestanding units are designed to sit in a corner of the bathroom. That takes up a bit of floor space, so they’re not ideal in tight quarters and there’s a limit to how many towels they can hold. But they tend to do the best job of warming up towels, plus the plug-and-play design makes for a simple, installation-free setup.
• Rack: This is the more traditional type of towel warmer, the kind often seen in hotels and spas, as well as home bathrooms. The flat, rectangular unit typically features six to eight racks that towels hang on. Racks can either be hardwired or plug-in. Hardwired units are the most space-efficient, though they tend to be on the expensive side, plus we recommend hiring a professional for installation. Freestanding racks take up a little extra floor space, since they need a base to stand on, but they’re often the most affordable of all towel warmers.
• Cabinet: This type of towel warmer is almost exclusively intended for small hand and face towels. The cabinets typically measure about the size of a toaster oven, so they’re ideally placed on a countertop or table (think larger bathrooms with ample surface tops). Since towels are meant to be damp when placed in a cabinet warmer, most have a drip pan or other element designed to capture moisture.

✔️ Capacity: This factor tends to track with type, but it’s not always so cut and dry. In theory, racks can warm up the greatest number of towels, since each rack is another holding spot. But overloading a rack with towels will cut down on efficacy. Still, a good rack warmer with widely spaced racks should be able to handle three or four towels, while most buckets max out at two towels.

✔️ Features: Towel warmers don’t have a ton of bells and whistles, but our experts say the following features are worth looking out for:

• Timer settings: Helpful if you want to start warming towels ahead of other activities, such as your morning jog. Also, a timer will automatically shut off the warmer, so you don’t have to worry about leaving the house with it still running hot.
• Hot surface warning: Though towel warmers aren’t serious safety hazards, they do get very hot to the touch (on the order of a curling iron) so the visual reminder is a beneficial feature.
• Scent diffusers: If you’re into aromatherapy, consider a model with a built-in diffuser that will imbue towels with the smell of lavender, eucalyptus, or other essential oil.

Yes, towel warmers are safe for home use. Because they don’t generate the same extreme temperatures as other devices, like space heaters and irons, towel warmers aren't generally considered a significant fire hazard when used as directed. But the internal temperature of bucket-style heaters can reach around 170°F, so it’s important to avoid prolonged skin contact. That's why our experts like bucket towel warmers with hot surface warnings. To prevent any risk of electrocution, it’s important to ensure that corded towel warmers are always plugged into a GFCI outlet, which is required in bathrooms and other wet locations.

In theory, yes, since as noted above, they don't pose a fire risk when used properly. However, they do draw energy, so we don’t recommend leaving them on all the time. Most bucket towel warmers have timer settings that turn them off automatically. With a towel rack, you’ll need to remember to turn it off yourself. But they use less energy than bucket warmers, so it shouldn’t break the bank if you forget every now and then.

A towel warmer is a luxury item, but most of our consumer testers said it’s worth the splurge, especially during cold winter months. That’s why we like towel warmers as a gift item, too. It’s a great way to spoil that special someone in your life, who probably wouldn't make the purchase on their own.

It depends on the type of towel warmer. Bucket-style warmers are designed for dry towels only. Putting wet towels in there will lead to mildew. You can hang a damp towel on a heated towel rack (that’s part of the appeal, in fact). But if towels are very wet, say, right out of the washer, a towel rack doesn’t produce enough heat to dry them quickly. You’re better off tossing them in the dryer, or line-drying them when the weather permits.

When it comes to making towels toasty, buckets are best, since they hold the heat inside. Racks are more multifunctional though, providing storage for towels, while also keeping them warm.

The Good Housekeeping Institute Home Improvement Lab provides expert reviews and advice on all things home-related, including bath fixtures and accessories. In his role as director, Dan DiClerico brings 25 years of experience to the Institute, having reviewed thousands of products for Good Housekeeping, as well as brands like Consumer Reports and This Old House. He also helps oversee the testing of numerous bath products, including toilets, shower heads, and flooring.