Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Towel Warmer Time!


This time of year seems to be a good time to buy towel warmers, it's probably due to the fact that the mornings are chilly. You step out of the shower and the tile is cold on your bare feet. Large quantities of hot chocolate and tea are consumed in an effort to keep ourselves warm as the weather turns cold. Towel warmers are a great gift idea as well as practical for everyday use. Most towel warmers use as much energy as a standard light bulb, they keep your towels toasty warm when you're ready to use them, they dry undergarments, and some even help keep a small room warm.

I will focus on three brands that we carry; Amba, Warmrails, and Wesaunard. The first brand I'll talk about is Warmrails.
Warmrails Towel Warmers
Warmrails is what I would call an economy towel warmer. They offer a good product for a good price. The average price for a Warmrails unit is around $160. Warmrails only offers electric units, some of them softwired (meaning they plug into a wall) and some of them are hardwired (they are wired directly into your electrical system.) Warmrails has a limited selection of styles and color choices and they are manufactured in China.

Wesaunard is what I would call the deluxe towel warmer. They are a custom made brand, when you order from them almost every item is hand made in the UK. They are made from solid brass and come come in about six color choices.
Wesanaurd Towel Warmers
Wesaunard also offers a big selection of size and style choices, as well as having the option to either electric hardware the units or getting a hydronic model. Hydronic means that the unit is hooked up to your radiant heating and water flows through it to heat it up and keep it warm.

The last brand that I'll talk about is Amba. Amba is the middle of the road priced brand. You get a great quality for a reasonable price.
Amba Towel Warmers
Amba tends to carry more modern styled warmers in polished & brushed stainless, as well as oil rubbed bronze & white. Amba's average price is about $500, but you get a number a style and size options. Amba products are made out of stainless steel in Italy, South Africa, and some parts from the US.

The important things to consider when purchasing a towel warmer are:
1. Size-you have to keep in mind the space you have and what you can fit.
2. Utilization-what will you be using your towel warmer for. Will you be using your warmer for keeping towels warm, drying clothes, or keeping a space warm.
3. Material and color choices-Solid Brass & Stainless Steel are better conductors of heat so you're more likely to get a more even heated surface with something made out of these materials. Unfortunately, with a material like Stainless Steel your finish choices are very limited.
4. Price-the bottom line is what can you afford. While there is a great variance in price from brand to brand, the basic functions of a towel warmer are all basically the same. In order for a towel warmer to be UL listed they all have to heat to a specific temperature and have the same core features.


Visit the Hardware Hut today!
Erica
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