OK, I'll admit I'm still a little skeptical, but am now more intrigued by the idea. I've done a little googling, and it appears there are two basic technologies used for towel heaters: electric, and hot water. As luck would have it, we have a hot water line that's currently coming into a radiator in our little bathroom. The radiator has to go in our upcoming remodel (a tub is going up against that wall and there isn't anyplace else to move it), and our contractor was planning to just cap off the how water lines feeding it. This will result in a net loss of heat on that floor. Now I'm wondering if the existing hot water could feed a towel warmer. I suspect they could make the plumbing work, and I would love to be able to retain (or perhaps even increase) the room's heat output. This would only be effective during the winter months, when the heat is on. Of course, in the summer months, we won't care about heated towels. There's only one wall in the room where this might work. But aren't these heated towel racks hot to the touch? We don't have kids, but it seems like these would be a safety hazard - bump into the towel rack in a small bathroom, and you might be burned. No?

I did a ton of research on heated towel racks a while back. We still haven't purchased one but I found what looks like the best deal on Ebay. They are from a company in the United Kingdom called NWT. The seller is dusevim84. They offer lots of different sizes and styles. The more expensive models are higher wattage and will heat to a higher temperature. I compared the specs on their website to those available on U.S. websites like Amazon. According to specs and reviews, the heated racks of comparable price sold on Amazon didn't heat nearly as well and looked much flimsier. I recall that anything comparable in quality that was sold in the U.S. was several hundred dollars more expensive. I haven't looked at these in a while and am relieved to find that they're still available on Ebay. As soon as I can afford it, I'll buy one and post a review. (Got to get the bathroom finished first.) I'd be interested to know if anyone else has bought one of the NWT heated towel racks.

The link to the Costco warmer seems to be broken (at least it didn't work for me). I have included a link to the Ancona Comfort 8. Price $229.99 Features (cut and pasted): Freestanding or wall hung towel warmer and drying rack that can be located in your bathroom, laundry room or other convenient areas Carbon steel construction with Chrome finish Sleek Mediterranean styling All parts and instructions included Reaches its preset ideal temperature in 15 minutes Engineered with dry-lined electric power to be safe and energy efficient, so it can remain on for convenient daily use 110 volts, 150 Watts, with on/off switch; cUL certified Dimensions: 37" (93 cm) height; 24" (60 cm) width; depth 12" (30 cm) Weight: 11 Lbs (5.0 KG) 1 year limited warranty Costco also has the Comfort 9S, currently priced $199.99 (after instant rebate). Features (cut and pasted): Features: 304 Grade Stainless Steel Towel warmer and drying rack that is wall mounted Sleek Mediterranean styling All parts and instructions included 6 feet (1,8m) power chord to plug into a standard grounded 3-pin electrical outlet Reaches its preset ideal temperature in 15 minutes Engineered with dry-lined electric power to be safe and energy efficient, so it can remain on for convenient daily use 110 volts, 150 Watts, with on/off switch, UL certified Dimensions: 30" (76 cm) height; 24" (60 cm) width Weight: 11 Lbs (5.0 KG) 1 year limited warranty Here is a link that might be useful: Ancona Comfort 8

One other thing to take comfort in is that the towel warmer's energy is not entirely "lost" either, at least in winter. I'm all for energy conservation -- in fact, I earned my living in that area for a number of years -- but it's important to keep a perspective on what is going on. Think of the towel warmer as another heating source, like a space heater. The energy it gives off goes to heat the interior space, and will reduce the amount of energy that needs to be provided by your furnace. Now it's not a particularly efficient provider of heat, because it's localized, but it will result in less of an energy bill increase than you would think if you look at its enrgy consumption in isolation. A broader way to think about it is that if you didn't have lights, tv's, refrigerators, etc. operating in your house, the amount of energy the furnace would have to provide in the winter would increase. On the other hand, if you live in an area where you have to run air conditioning in the summer, then the effect is reversed: all those appliances cause the energy bill to increase. However, if you are just using your towel warmer intermittently, and don't use it when the weather is warm, your additional costs will likely be in the noise level.