Stainless steel or chrome towel radiators

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Annie1960
Annie1960 Posts: 3,002 Forumite
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Apart from the price, is there any other difference between stainless steel and chrome towel rads?

I need one for my new shower room, and would like it to last for many years.

Also, if they were the same size, would ss or chrome have a higher BTU?
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  • stator
    stator Posts: 7,441 Forumite
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    edited 11 April 2017 at 5:34PM
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    BTU will depend on design as well as size and material. Aluminium are most efficient.

    Stainless steel is rust resistant. Something sold as 'chrome' may be chrome plated, so don't know whether the inside material is rust resistant or not. Would have to check the specifications.

    Chrome is tacky these days anyway, go for brushed stainless steel or aluminium.

    I like this one, but can't afford it yet
    https://www.korle.co.uk/products/accuro-korle-designer-towel-warmer
    Changing the world, one sarcastic comment at a time.
  • Annie1960
    Annie1960 Posts: 3,002 Forumite
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    Lovely! That' exactly the size I need (500 wide by approx 1.5m tall). 2000 btu.
    However plumber said not to get one with electric as well. I'm not sure why as there is an electrician working on my project as well.
  • TheCyclingProgrammer
    TheCyclingProgrammer Posts: 3,702 Forumite
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    We opted for chrome, it gets small rust spots on the surface. They usually come off but in hindsight I'd rather have got stainless steel.
  • Doozergirl
    Doozergirl Posts: 33,813 Forumite
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    I'm not sure why your plumber said that either. The customer is always right - you just have to guide them a little bit ;)
    Everything that is supposed to be in heaven is already here on earth.
  • andyhop
    andyhop Posts: 1,996 Forumite
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    Stainless steel every time. Chrome platings are too patchy

    Reina Luna or there cheaper trade Lima are about the best for the money

    Phoenix Athena are also reasonable and cheaper than the above

    Accruro Korle make some cracking radiators but you pay for it. There brushed items weight a tonne and there brackets alone weight as much as a standard chrome towel rad.

    The link for the champagne item, we fitted one of these a few years ago and the horizontal bars are covers rather than welded parts, they dent very easily and do not match the rest of the AK Range in terms of quality

    As for electrification, I avoid the off the shelf items from screwfix etc, there thread is short and always creates leaks no matter how much loctite 55 and lsx you use . Your better off paying a little extra and getting a terma element
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  • Annie1960
    Annie1960 Posts: 3,002 Forumite
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    Doozergirl wrote: »
    I'm not sure why your plumber said that either. The customer is always right - you just have to guide them a little bit ;)

    I had a very quick conversation with him. I wasn't sure if there was a technical reason why it was better to get one or another rather than a hybrid.
  • Annie1960
    Annie1960 Posts: 3,002 Forumite
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    andyhop wrote: »
    Stainless steel every time. Chrome platings are too patchy

    Reina Luna or there cheaper trade Lima are about the best for the money

    Phoenix Athena are also reasonable and cheaper than the above

    Accruro Korle make some cracking radiators but you pay for it. There brushed items weight a tonne and there brackets alone weight as much as a standard chrome towel rad.

    The link for the champagne item, we fitted one of these a few years ago and the horizontal bars are covers rather than welded parts, they dent very easily and do not match the rest of the AK Range in terms of quality

    As for electrification, I avoid the off the shelf items from screwfix etc, there thread is short and always creates leaks no matter how much loctite 55 and lsx you use . Your better off paying a little extra and getting a terma element

    Thanks.

    I wish I understood what your final paragraph means.
  • Samsonite1
    Samsonite1 Posts: 572 Forumite
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    Stainless steel every time. I find it strange that products designed to be used with water are not really water resistant (e.g. they rust). I have stainless steel towel rails in my bathrooms, but had a leak because of the copper junction on the pipe. The plumber replaced the copper junction with a stainless steel one (free of charge because they came to do something else and I had paid for the hour) and problem solved.
    To err is human, but it is against company policy.
  • Annie1960
    Annie1960 Posts: 3,002 Forumite
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    https://www.heatandplumb.com/acatalog/reina-lima-straight-heated-towel-rail-rns-lm5154

    Following advice from this forum, I'm thinking about this one.

    I know i need inline valves, but am not sure what other items I need to make it dual fuel.
  • Le_Kirk
    Le_Kirk Posts: 22,309 Forumite
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    Presumably by dual fuel you mean feeding it with water from your heating system and having it electrically controlled (for summer use). In which case you will need an element. Follow your link and click on the tab "You may need" and you will see a selection of elements and a dual fuel Tee piece.
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