How Much Does It Cost to Run a Heated Towel Rail in the UK? (2026)
A heated towel rail is a small radiator. Left on all day it can use more electricity than a fridge, which surprises many people. Timers make the difference.
A typical heated towel rail (150 W) costs £0.039 per hour, or about £9.48 per month at 8 hours a day in the UK. Average running cost
| Wattage | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low 60 W | £0.016 | £0.13 | £3.79 | £46.11 |
| Typical 150 W | £0.039 | £0.32 | £9.48 | £115.28 |
| High 400 W | £0.11 | £0.84 | £25.27 | £307.42 |
Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 8 h/day ≈ 438 kWh per year.
One hour of a heated towel rail (0.15 kWh) is the same electricity as
- 3.0hours of a fridge
- 3.3hours of a laptop
- 15hours of Wi-Fi
- 17hours of an LED bulb
In the UK, with electricity at 26.3p per kWh (source: Ofgem price cap 1 Oct–31 Dec 2026, 2026-10), a typical heated towel rail costs £0.039 per hour and about £115.28 per year at 8 hours a day. Each £1.00 of electricity buys roughly 25.3 hours of use.
How to lower the cost of running a heated towel rail
- Put it on a timer for an hour before and after showers.
- Choose a model with a thermostat rather than always-on.
- In summer, switch it off entirely.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a heated towel rail cost to run?
A 150 watt rail on for 8 hours uses 1.2 kWh a day, 36 kWh a month.
Is it cheaper to leave a towel rail on all the time?
No. Unlike a water heater, it has no storage to protect. Switch it off when not needed.
Do towel rails use a lot of electricity?
Relative to their benefit, yes. A 24 hour rail can cost more than lighting the whole house.
Cost by region
US states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Canadian provinces
Related appliances
- Hair Dryer1,800 W typical
- Hair Straightener60 W typical
- Electric Toothbrush Charger1 W typical
- Bathroom Exhaust Fan30 W typical
Use the generic electricity cost calculator · Which uses more? Take the quiz