How to choose a heated towel rail in an apartment for a bathroom

The idea of ​​a heated towel rail as a separate device was not born out of nowhere. More recently, in order to completely dry clothes after washing, people used heating radiators with might and main – very often they were the only warm place in the home. Such a decision was quite logical, given the rather humid climate in our country, and therefore the appearance of a certain device that would be used for such purposes was only a matter of time.

The principle of operation and the device of heated towel rails

The principle of operation of a heated towel rail is based on the constant release of heat, which is used for drying. In most cases, heat sources are either water or electrical energy, and therefore the whole variety of models on the market can be divided into two conditional groups:

• Water heated towel rails are integrated into the hot water supply system and are the most economical devices. In addition to their main function, they heat the room quite well, performing, in fact, the functions of a heating radiator. The circuit is made from thick-walled steel, cast iron or copper pipes that can withstand significant system pressure. In contrast to the numerous advantages, there are disadvantages: a rather laborious installation (if the heated towel rail was not provided initially), as well as dependence on the hot water supply system – when hot water is 'turned off', the heated towel rail also becomes cold;
• Electric towel warmers use electricity as a source and are much simpler devices. Most modern models are equipped with controlled thermostats that allow flexible adjustment of heating intensity, duration of operation, as well as an on and off timer. The disadvantage of electronic models is a rather high consumption of electrical energy;

Types of heated towel rails

Heated towel rails differ in their appearance and method of installation of a particular model. In this regard, in the catalogs of manufacturers, you can find three types of such devices:

1. Wall-mounted heated towel rails are the classic models that have received the greatest distribution. They are mounted with special fasteners directly to the wall of the dwelling and are available in both electrical and water versions. The advantages are compactness and portability, the disadvantages are the laboriousness of the installation;

2. Floor-standing heated towel rails are devices that are attached to the floor and provide convenient operation. They are installed in places where hot water is supplied, and therefore almost always provide for the water principle of operation;

3. Portable heated towel rails have been gaining in popularity lately. Their main advantage is the ability to move around the apartment to where it belongs. Due to the mobile design, such models are produced exclusively in electric version;

Heated towel rail selection parameters

There are a lot of criteria that should be paid attention to when choosing a heated towel rail, and most of them directly depend on the initial parameters of the room in which it is planned to be installed:

1. The principle of operation of the selected heated towel rail depends not only on the personal preferences of the buyer, but also on the physical characteristics of the bathroom. So, a water heated towel rail cannot be installed in a place where there are no central heating pipes or there is no way to connect to them. Conversely, electric heated towel rails require a moisture-proof power source – and it is not present in every bathroom;
2. The material from which the heated towel rail circuit is made also plays an important role. Given the constant high humidity in the bathroom, it should not undergo oxidation and corrosion, as well as withstand constant temperature changes. Most models are made from alloy steel, cast iron, copper or brass, and when properly processed, each of these materials can provide adequate functionality in these aggressive conditions. Heated towel rails made of steel are the cheapest, since they are the most susceptible to corrosion. Brass and copper models have maximum heat dissipation, however, the price tag for such models is quite high. Optimal in terms of the 'price-quality' ratio are models made of galvanized black steel – such heated towel rails are durable and have a very good heat exchange;
3. When it comes to a water heated towel rail, you should pay attention to the wall thickness, as well as to the peak pressure that it can withstand. These numbers, as a rule, are indicated in the instructions. To arrange a flood for the neighbors from below – so-so perspective!
4. The shape of the heated towel rail plays a mostly secondary role and has more importance on aesthetics than functionality. You can meet U-shaped, M-shaped, E-shaped heated towel rails, and each of these designs perfectly copes with its functions;
5. The method of installing a specific model, as well as the functionality that the user wants to get. Everything is quite simple here: if the room does not allow installing a full-fledged heated towel rail, preference should be given to portable models.
6. Device control algorithm. In the case of water heated towel rails, the choice is small: the device heats up when heat is supplied to the apartment. Electric models provide much more options. The most advanced models not only offer intelligent control and do not require constant 'pulling out' the plug from the socket, but are also equipped with thermostats that allow you to adjust the temperature, turn on and off times and many other, equally useful functions.

The best manufacturers of heated towel rails. Which company to choose

Among the whole variety of devices on the market, there are several companies whose products are most popular:

1. Margaroli
2. Terminus
3. Zehnder

If you prefer the products of domestic manufacturers, we advise you to pay attention to the products manufactured under the brands 'TermoSmart' and 'Sunerzha'. With a sufficiently high quality of manufacture, these heated towel rails have a very affordable price and are affordable for almost everyone.

How much does a heated towel rail cost?

Everything will depend on the level of expectations of the buyer, on his specific preferences, as well as on how much he is willing to spend on such a device. On sale you can find both heated towel rails with basic functionality, the cost of which does not exceed 1.5-2 thousand rubles, and models of an elite level, distinguished by an elegant design, which will certainly emphasize the owner's taste and will be an excellent addition to the style of the bathroom. Aesthetes and lovers of everything beautiful will have to fork out – the cost of such devices often exceeds 40-50 thousand rubles. If we talk about 'folk' models, these include all heated towel rails costing about 5-10 thousand rubles – it is on them that the sellers of sanitary equipment are in high demand.

In the following articles, our experts tell you how to choose the right bathroom tiles, the secrets of choosing a bathroom sink, the features of choosing a bathroom faucet and the main criteria for choosing a quality bath.

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Attention! This material is the subjective opinion of the authors of the project and is not a purchase guide.