The 9 Best Towel Steamers

Salons that want a dependable, no-fuss cabinet should start with the ForPro Premium 23L. It holds a good stack of rolled washcloths on steel racks, and the insulated shell stays cool even when it runs all day. ForPro says it carries a UL safety listing, and it backs the cabinet with a two-year warranty. There's only an on-off switch, and it takes about half an hour to get hot, which feels slow on a busy morning.

Estheticians who go through towels all day get a quicker start from the Salon Sundry CABI-507. The maker says it reaches working heat in about 15 minutes, and the inside walls and rack are stainless steel, so the constant damp won't rust them. A tray under the door catches drips, and the handle is molded into the cool-touch shell. There's no window and no timer, so you open the door to check on things, and it's heavy to move around.

For one chair or a home spa, the StateRiver SD-99W is a small white cabinet that fits on a shelf. It warms a handful of rolled hand towels in a chrome wire basket, the aluminum lining won't rust, and the long cord helps in a tight room. Plenty of shops sell this same shell under other names, but this one has sold steadily for years. Bath towels won't fit, and a busy salon will outgrow it fast.

Steam does the work in the Tasalon JY-530P, which suits home facials and shaves on a small budget. You pour water into the base, stand rolled washcloths in the basket above it, and they come out hot and damp in about five minutes. A dial sets a short run, and it shuts itself off when time is up. The body is light plastic, and the pink color won't suit every barbershop.

The Keenray 14L stands out for its digital panel: you can set how long it runs and delay the start, so towels are hot when the first client walks in. A stainless lining and a rounded white shell make it look at home in a bedroom or a small studio, and it warms massage stones as well. It's new on the market, so there's little record yet on how the touch controls hold up over time.

A glass window in the door of the Vevor RTD-23A shows how many towels are left without letting the heat out. It's a full-size cabinet at a modest price, with steel racks, a drip tray and a cutoff that kills the power if it overheats. Vevor adds a light it calls a cleaning lamp, but treat that as a claim, not a way to disinfect towels. It hasn't been on the market long.

Refilling without opening the lid is the clever part of the Salon Señor ST-022. Side ports take water mid-session, and a little window shows the level. It's a steamer rather than a dry cabinet, so towels come out moist, and the timer runs up to an hour before it switches off. It also stops on its own when the water runs low. It's built for washcloths and hand towels, so bath towels won't fit.

Short on counter space? The Tasalon TA-T500B is a narrow upright box that keeps a small stack of damp towels on a removable shelf, with an aluminum lining and a pull-out water tray. It holds a gentler, steady warmth that suits a facial. Tasalon warns that dry towels can damage it, so wet and wring them first. It's a recent arrival with little owner history, and it's too small for a full salon day.

Barbershops that hand out hot towels all day need room, and the Byootique 46L stacks two heated cabinets in one tall unit, each with its own door. Both chambers are stainless inside, and a drip tray and towel tongs come with it. It holds a moderate warmth, so towels feel warm rather than steaming. Owner opinions are mixed, and the tall body needs a sturdy counter or a stand of its own.