If your room does not have a heating radiator, then installing a heated towel rail is a good solution. This will solve several problems at once: firstly, you can heat the room, and secondly, dry towels, bathrobes or some kind of clothes. Agree, it sounds very tempting. Let's figure out how to choose an electric heated towel rail. Customer reviews and expert advice should play a decisive role. After all, what could be more valuable than previous experience?
A bit of general information
Before proceeding directly to reading customer reviews and professional advice, you need to determine for yourself what a heated towel rail will be. Here it is necessary to solve a number of problems: installation location, power, dimensions, design, energy consumption, as well as the level of heat saving and other points. All this is extremely important for a successful choice. By the way, pay attention to the fact that this device will not be redundant if you have central heating. When it is turned off, the need for drying towels is unlikely to disappear, so at least for this simple reason it is advisable to think about installing the unit. The only weakness of the device - specifically in our case - is its dependence on the mains. But if you do not turn off the light for a long time, then we will not take this moment into account.
To begin with, we will determine the form
Currently, several types of units are on the market - an electric heated towel rail for the bathroom with a heating cable, as well as a unit with liquid filler. The first option can be found in systems such as "warm floor". Such a heated towel rail is not afraid of anything, of course, except for a blackout for a long time. The second option, more common mind their advantageous technical characteristics. The principle of operation is extremely simple: there is a closed circuit (hermetic), inside which ordinary water, antifreeze or other liquid with a high heat transfer coefficient circulates. It is difficult to say for sure which is better. For example, an electric heated towel rail for a bathroom with a heating cable has a lower cost, but also cools much faster than a liquid appliance. But then in such a device it is not necessary to achieve the tightness of the circuit, which is simply necessary for the normal operation of the liquid heated towel rail. Now let's move on.
Electric heated towel rails: with or without temperature control?
Today on sale there are models that have a constant temperature, that is, it can not be changed. For example, the coolant operates in the range of 50-70 degrees Celsius. In the best case, a special sensor is installed in such an unit, which puts the device into energy-saving mode when the required air temperature is reached. But such a heated towel rail is very expensive and structurally complex. It is much easier to purchase a device with the most common thermostat. The same range of 50-70 degrees you can set yourself. If you are cold or urgently need to dry something, set it to the maximum. If this is not necessary, then to save electricity, translate to a minimum. For this simple reason, we can say with confidence that electric heated towel rails with a temperature regulator are more preferable, although 50-50% more expensive due to the structural complexity.
Heat saving, power consumption and power
All these parameters are extremely important, and we already spoke about this at the very beginning of the article. If we talk about power, then a rotary electric heated towel rail with a heating cable consumes about 100 watts, which is very small, but its power is not at the highest level. Much more productive are liquid devices. Modern heated towel rails with oil or antifreeze can have a thermal power of up to 2 kW, but in this case their energy consumption will be quite large. If you do not know in favor of what to make a choice, proceed as follows. If you only need to dry the towels, then choose the cable option, if the heated towel rail will be used as the main heating device in the winter, then this is definitely a liquid coil. Heat saving is better for “wet” towel warmers, but they heat up much more slowly than “dry” ones.
Design and installation
If earlier the consumer could choose only classic coils, which differed only in size and filler, today everything is somewhat different. Currently, there are models in the form of geometric figures, ladders, etc. But most experts recommend paying attention not to the shape, but to the number of horizontal tubes. The more of them, the better the heating. Convex tubes should also be more preferable, since it is very convenient to dry them. For smaller rooms, the best electric heated towel rails are those that can be moved and moved apart. This is good because if you do not use the device, you can move its side parts and save space. Another good solution for a small bathroom is towel warmers with an extra shelf where you can put a few more towels. Also do not forget about the mobility of the device. For example, liquid electric heated towel rails with a temperature controller are most often mounted on the wall, and cable can be mounted on the floor. The latter can be transferred to any place where there is a power outlet.
Basic rules for mounting and connecting the device
The main advantage of electric heated towel rails is that, unlike water heated towel rails, there is no need to crash into the pipeline, even if you use a liquid device. This is due to the fact that the device works from an outlet. If water circulates through the pipes, then at the bottom of the unit there is a heater, which heats the coolant. But do not forget that, when carrying out installation, you are dealing with high voltage, most often these are regular 220 Volts. Therefore, before performing work, pay attention to the quality of the wiring. So that after the first voltage drop in the network does not require repair of an electric heated towel rail, an RCD is installed, as well as grounding. By the way, experts recommend removing the outlet outside the bathroom, since in conditions of high humidity there is a risk of a short circuit. Although in fact, almost all of us have sockets in the bathroom. In principle, this cannot be called a highlight. Most importantly, do not install the outlet on a cold wall. Condensation will form there, so it can short-circuit.
About the products of the company Sunerzha
This manufacturer sells mid-range towel warmers. The assortment includes a huge number of devices of various performance, design, heat transfer, etc. All this allows you to make the choice more comfortable and correct. Distinctive features of this company is not only a unique product design, but also its high quality. Among the assortment you can find both classic and other solutions. This suggests that if your bathroom is decorated creatively, you can still find something suitable. We can say with confidence that the guarantor of the quality of domestic production is Sunerzha. An electric heated towel rail from this company will last a very long time. You can find not only liquid products, but also cable ones.
A small overview of Sunerzha products
This manufacturer produces several rulers of heated towel rails, including Stratum, Chorda, Arkus, etc. For example, Stratum can be safely attributed to the high price range. The unit from this line will cost about 30-40 thousand rubles. Such a high cost is not even due to productivity, but rather to the high cost of the manufacturing material. Tempered glass, black chrome, gold plating, etc. are used. Therefore, “Stratum” is more suitable as an aesthetic element in the design of a room, rather than as a main bathroom heater. But the Arkus towel warmers are classic and fit almost any design. Their distinctive feature is that these units have a large number of horizontal shelves. For example, the Arkus with dimensions of 600 x 400 has a power of 300 watts and has 12 shelves, on each of which you can put something for drying. The cost of such an aggregate ranges from 18,000 to 25,000 rubles. We can say that if you want to buy quality for money, give preference to the company Sunerzha. An electric heated towel rail of this company, regardless of price, will perfectly dry and warm.
What do consumers say?
So we got to the most important part of the review. Many people today purchase liquid devices, due to their advantageous technical characteristics. Although it cannot be said that cable towel rails are unpopular. They are in great demand for small rooms in country houses and cottages. This is due to the fact that such an aggregate can be put into the “anti-icing” mode. The device will operate at minimum power, but it will still protect the room from freezing. Most buyers of cable towel warmers recommend purchasing units with a power reserve (10-15%). It is better to listen to this advice and do just that. The cable heated towel rail electric reviews are mostly positive, although, as practice shows, it depends on the choice of the manufacturer.
Electric heated towel rail: customer reviews
With what people say about one form, we figured out, now I would like to talk about the second. Liquid, they are also “wet”, heated towel rails have more negative reviews, but this is due to a more complex design. For example, the manufacturer LARIS produces high-quality products. Despite the low cost (4-6 thousand rubles), the products have an attractive appearance and high quality. The operating temperature of almost all units ranges from 50-70 degrees Celsius. But the manufacturer "Warm World" has slightly less positive feedback from consumers. Most likely, this is due to the fact that the company produces budget-type products. “Which electric heated towel rail is better?” - you ask. It all depends on your needs and capabilities. Sometimes it makes sense to buy an inexpensive, but high-quality product from Sunerzha or LARIS.
What to look for when buying?
Despite a large amount of theoretical knowledge, you will have to face practice. This will happen when you come to the store. But before you go buy something, you need to take measurements, this will narrow your search for a suitable model. Always pay attention to the location of the heater; it should be lower. If the heating element is located at the top, then with a lack of fluid in the circuit, it can simply burn out. When choosing liquid devices, an important point is the tightness of the system. It’s difficult to determine by eye; look at the integrity of the weld. Mechanical damage is simply unacceptable. In principle, it’s quite simple to choose an electric heated towel rail. Which is better if you choose between two almost identical models? The answer is simple: the one for which there is more demand.
Some more important points
I would like to say a few words about how not to make a mistake when buying. First,
do not pay attention to products with a big discount or a small starting cost. This suggests that this product is either not in demand or defective. More or less reliable are considered devices worth more than 3,000 rubles. Do not forget to ask about the configuration, as often this moment is overlooked. In the future, you will have to buy fasteners yourself. Anyway, when buying an electric heated towel rail, read reviews, consult with friends and acquaintances. So you can discover a lot of new and useful, and absolutely free.
Conclusion
That's basically all that can be said about what are “dry” and “wet” electric heated towel rails, how to choose products and what to look for when buying. Currently, it is not necessary to give preference to European brands. The domestic manufacturer supplies the market with very high quality and at the same time affordable products. Nevertheless, defective products are found in almost all popular manufacturers. But the thing is different: will there be problems when returning under warranty? In any case, purchase only high-quality electric heated towel rails. How to choose them, you already know.