With the right towel warmer, you can have a hot towel at the ready when you step out of the shower. There are quite a few styles on the market, and they vary greatly in size, price, and functionality. The Homeleader Towel Warmer and Drying Rack is a budget-friendly model that features a slim, lightweight design. In 30 minutes, it reaches 140 F. I set up the towel warmer in my bathroom, hoping it would provide warm and toasty towels. Read on to see how it performed. The first time I used the Homeleader Towel Warmer, I folded my towel over the top bar and turned it on for 15 minutes while I took a shower. When I got out and reached for my towel, I hardly noticed any difference in the towel’s temperature. There were a few warm spots, but it did not have the all-over warmth and coziness I had hoped for. I thought I might have a defective model, but the entire surface of the rack felt incredibly warm to the touch. Plenty of heat seemed to flow through the unit, but it wasn’t powerful enough to evenly distribute heat to my bath towels. Hoping for better luck the second time around, I let the rack heat up for 40 minutes before placing my towel on it. I draped the towel over the entire rack (rather than folding it in half) and left it on while I took a shower. The towel was slightly warmer than the last time, but only in one section—the portion that folds over the top bar. Even though other sections of the towel were in direct contact with the lower bars, they barely warmed up at all. I tried using a thinner towel and a lightweight bathrobe, but the results were just as underwhelming. I was disappointed with the Homeleader’s performance as a towel warmer. As a drying rack, it was effective at taking the dampness out of wet towels. But, I don’t need a freestanding drying rack. I could just as easily let them air-dry or throw them in the dryer for a few minutes. Despite its poor performance, I appreciated the Homeleader Towel Warmer’s convenient design. Weighing less than seven pounds, it’s easy to transport between rooms. Thanks to its slim profile, it didn’t take up much space in my relatively small bathroom. Its all-white, modern design should blend in nicely with most bathrooms. I prefer this towel warmer’s free-standing style to more industrial-looking stainless steel models that need to be mounted on a wall.
What is the assembly process?
The Homeleader Towel Warmer was easy to assemble. I had it put together in less than 10 minutes. All of the parts are included. I needed a screwdriver to attach the legs to the rack. The assembly was intuitive enough, but I wish the instruction manual provided more details. A picture of the finished product is featured on the front of the box, so I used that as a reference for putting it together. The towel warmer is freestanding, and it includes a hardware kit if you’d prefer to mount it on a wall.
Does the towel warmer have any special features?
The Homeleader Towel Warmer and Drying Rack doesn’t have many of the advanced features you might find on a more expensive model. It operates with a simple on and off switch located on the bottom bar. The switch is waterproof, which is a nice safety feature. This unit is equipped with a built-in thermostat that safely regulates temperature and conserves energy. I would have appreciated a programmable timer—for added convenience—and an automatic shutoff, so I wouldn’t have to worry about accidentally leaving it on.
Homeleader Towel Warmer and Drying Rack vs. the Competition
Amba RWH-CB Radiant Hardwired Curved Towel Warmer: This towel warmer features 10 curved crossbars and two vertical bars for optimal performance. Made of industrial-grade stainless steel, the Amba model offers a larger heating surface area than the Homeleader rack, and you pay for it too; it retails at about $250. It heats up faster, reaching up to 145 F in 15 minutes. Reviewers say it evenly distributes enough heat to warm two bath sheets at once. Zadro Luxury Ultra Large Towel Warmer: The Zadro towel warmer offers an alternative to heated racks. This freestanding container can be placed on the floor, almost anywhere in your home. The spacious interior compartment can accommodate robes, throw blankets, or two large towels simultaneously. This towel warmer has some advanced features that you won’t find on a budget model like the Homeleader—including 15-, 30-, 45-, and 60-minute timer settings, automatic shutoff, and built-in cord storage. At $140, the Zadro Luxury Ultra Towel Warmer is more affordable than many other towel warmers on the market.
The Homeleader Towel Warmer and Drying Rack is a dud in my book. It failed to warm up my bath towels evenly. Instead, it heated a small section of the towel while leaving the rest of it disappointingly cool.
