Is a Heated Towel Rail Expensive to Run?

Wed, Jan 29, 2025 02:12 CET

The type of heated towel rail that you have will largely depend on the type of heating system in your home. Therefore, you may have an electric, dual fuel or central heating towel rail.

A towel on a towel rack

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Below, heating expert Matthew Jenkins at MyJobQuote.co.uk goes over each of them, how they work and how much they cost to run.

Central heating towel rail

A central heating towel rail works in the same way as a standard radiator. Your boiler, typically gas-powered, heats the water. This water is then sent around the heating system via your pipework into the radiators and the towel rail to warm the rooms.

Electric towel rail

An electric towel rail may be part of an all-electric heating system, or you may choose one for your bathroom even if you have gas central heating. This gives you the option to have the towel rail running when your central heating is off, as in the summer. However, in these circumstances, it's best to opt for a dual-fuel towel rail.

Dual fuel towel rail

A dual fuel towel rail, as the name suggests, can be powered by electricity and by your gas central heating. This allows you to make the most of the cheaper cost of gas when running the whole heating system, but it also means you can switch on your towel rail at times when central heating is not needed.

Which towel rail costs the most to install?

The cost of a towel rail will be affected by many things, including the make, material, size, wattage and style.

The costs below are not a definitive list but give you an idea of the range of prices you may pay for a towel rail.

Central heating towel rails can cost from less than £50 to over £800.
Electric towel rails can range from £70 to more than £600.
Dual fuel towel rails may cost between £100 to over £350.

Labour costs to fit a towel rail will depend on the type of towel rail, your existing heating system, your location and the complexity of the installation.

How much do towel rails cost to run?

From 1st January 2025 to 31st March 2025, you will be paying 24.86 pence per kilowatt hour (kWh) and 60.97 pence daily standing charge for electricity.

For the same period, gas will be charged at 6.34 pence per kWh and 31.65 pence daily standing charge.

To find the exact cost of running the towel rail, you need to know its kilowatt-hour consumption and multiply this by the number of hours it’s switched on. Multiply this figure by the price of a unit of gas or electricity, depending on what it uses.

To calculate the kWh of an appliance, divide the wattage by 1000. For example, a towel rail of 200 watts divided by 1000 = 0.2. This means that it uses 0.2 kW per hour.

Multiply this by the number of hours the towel rail is used, for example, 3 hours, i.e. 3 x 0.2kW = 0.6kW.

Now, multiply this number by the unit price of electricity, i.e. 0.6 x 24.86 pence = 14.9. Divide this result by 100, i.e. 14.9 divided by 100 = £0.149 or round up to £0.15. This is the cost to run the towel rail for 3 hours.

Are towel rails expensive to run?

Towel rails are not particularly expensive to run, and given that most of them are used in the smallest room in the house, they can heat the space quite quickly and effectively. If you have gas central heating, a towel rail that runs off this system is the most economical.

If you want to be able to use the towel rail independently of the central heating system, a dual-fuel model is a good idea. This lets you take advantage of cheaper gas in the cold months but have the convenience of using your electricity supply when the central heating is switched off.

What size is best for your bathroom?

It's important to choose the right size towel rail for your bathroom. If you choose one that's too small, you will need to run it for longer to warm the room, which can cost you more. However, you also need to consider the wall space in the room and ensure that your chosen towel rail will fit comfortably.

The size of your family and how many towels you want to be able to fit on the rail will also be a deciding factor. For an average-sized bathroom, a 500 mm towel rail is typically sufficient, and it comes in a range of different heights up to 1500 mm.

Remember, the larger the towel rail, the higher the wattage and the higher the BTU, which is the measurement of the towel rail's heat output. This means bigger towel rails will cost more to run, so bear this in mind when choosing.

Styles of towel rails

As well as the assorted sizes of towel rails, there are numerous styles to choose from, e.g. flat rails, open rails, traditional designs, matt black finishes, brushed brass, or column radiator style, to name a few.

The style doesn't have a direct effect on the expense of running the towel rail, but obviously, it will impact the initial outlay. More modern styles, robust designs or better quality materials will attract a higher price tag.

Conclusion

Choosing a towel rail is often a practical choice, but of course, with an eye to the aesthetics of the bathroom. If you are concerned about the running costs and have gas central heating, a towel rail that runs off the central heating is more cost-effective than an electric towel rail.

However, you can run an electric towel rail independently of the central heating system, which is a bonus in summer. To have the best of both worlds, a dual-fuel towel rail makes more sense and is the most cost-effective overall.

MATTHEW JENKINS

Matthew Jenkins has worked as a self-employed tradesman in the domestic heating industry for over fifteen years. Matthew is a gas-safe engineer specialising in heating and plumbing. He also works closely with MyJobQuote to provide expert knowledge to homeowners and tradespeople and has been featured in a range of established news outlets.

MyJobQuote is one of the UK's top trades matching sites that helps individuals find a reputable tradesperson in their local area.

MyJobQuote also has a wide range of experts with extensive knowledge in interior design, cleaning, gardening, property, construction and more. MyJobQuote's experts have been featured in over 700 publications, including Woman and Home, The Times, House Beautiful, BBC News and more.