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Hot towel cabinets

I am about to embark on the journey towards a solo practice and I would like a Towel Cabi! I started searching and couldn't find a whole lot about them and I noticed the prices are pretty steep so what do you think? I won't need to travel with it but I wouldn't mind using a portable steamer type.

What is your favorite brand and why?

Do you use an alternative method to heat towels such as a crock pot and if so what exactly do you do? pros/cons

Which brands do you absolutely not recommend and why?

And of course where would you get one do you prefer a particular seller?

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Permalink Reply by Lisa on December 28, 2013 at 5:31pm

I have purchase a couple of them from ebay. They don't have any particular brand names, one is a 23L sizw and the other is 42L size with 2 compartments with doors, the both have UV sterilizers (and they do bleach colored towels). The small one costs about $90 the other about $120. There are several size options. I would think a crock pot would be too hot but I have never used one for towels. Another thing that can be done is to heat damp towels in a microwave before a session and ut them in small cooler, it will keep them hot long enough to get through a typical session. I too was looking at the prices from different suppliers and settled on ebay because the were more than 1/2 the price at the time. I have had my first one for 3 years, I don't use it every day but they both work great but it takes about an hour or so to heat towels up good. I ended up upgrading to the double warmer so I could use one compartment for wet towels and one for my herbal heat packs and moved the smaller one to the facial room.

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Permalink Reply by Caitlin Lemoine on January 1, 2014 at 4:42pm

Thanks Lisa, I've been lookng on ebay just not sure which to buy.

Lisa said:

I have purchase a couple of them from ebay. They don't have any particular brand names, one is a 23L sizw and the other is 42L size with 2 compartments with doors, the both have UV sterilizers (and they do bleach colored towels). The small one costs about $90 the other about $120. There are several size options. I would think a crock pot would be too hot but I have never used one for towels. Another thing that can be done is to heat damp towels in a microwave before a session and ut them in small cooler, it will keep them hot long enough to get through a typical session. I too was looking at the prices from different suppliers and settled on ebay because the were more than 1/2 the price at the time. I have had my first one for 3 years, I don't use it every day but they both work great but it takes about an hour or so to heat towels up good. I ended up upgrading to the double warmer so I could use one compartment for wet towels and one for my herbal heat packs and moved the smaller one to the facial room.

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Permalink Reply by Heather Robison on January 14, 2014 at 11:00pm

Hi Caitlin!

I work in a chiropractor's office and we currently use crockpots for hot towels. We dampen the towels, place them in the crockpot, turn on high for 15 minutes, and then to the Keep Warm setting for the rest of the day. Be sure to rotate the towels after the initial high heat and then throughout sessions thereafter so the towels on the bottom don't get too hot. One downfall is that you can only really fit 4 towels in at a time, and until you learn your crockpot some spots on the towels may be really hot while others are cold. It just takes some practice! I worked in a spa where we used the towel cabi's and they really are great! Not sure what brand we had there. Crockpots are just cost effective for now in our office. Hope this helps!

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Permalink Reply by Tara Martin Lone on January 30, 2014 at 12:27pm

Heather I also use the crockpot in my space! I am also solo. I will usually dampen 2-4 towels, put in microwave for 1.5 minutes then stick in crockpot on warm for duration. They do seem to be too hot in certain spots. I have turned them on high before by accident, and about screamed when I pulled them out. Hahaha! No permanent damage though. I just threw em on back of my chair/stool and waited few minutes while I did some stretching to pass time. You do have to find what works. I believe I will try Heather's way of putting on high for 15 minutes then on warm for rest of sessions. I believe that would have a great balance!

I would love a hot towel warmer but for now that is not in my budget. If you can make the purchase then do it. I have used both in spas and I will have one for my practice by end of this year. :)

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Permalink Reply by Amanda Barp on February 4, 2014 at 7:15pm

Hi Caitlin,

I have this one:

http://www.massagetools.com/mini-hot-towel-cabi-hc-mini.html?gclid=...

and have had it for a couple of years. I have a super small space, so it really works for me. I can shove about 6-8 normal sized hand towels in there, and they stay super warm. Almost too hot by the end of the day. I've also used it to warm up hot stones on occasion, and it's worked fine for that. You just have to monitor the heat of the stones as they can get too warm if left in too long. I've never had any problems with it, and I've had it for at least 5 years.

I can't remember where I got it, but it might have been the website I referenced.