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Best towel hooks for the bathroom

Which towel hooks are best for the bathroom?

Bathrooms can be tiny. If you’re working with little wall space, you might find it hard to accommodate multiple towels, especially if you’ve got roommates or a large family. Towel hooks are a great solution to hanging multiple towels in your bathroom. They’re easy to install and are almost infinitely customizable.

A top choice is the ruiling Round Bathroom Robe Hook and Towel Hook in Stainless Steel Matte Black, but depending on your bathroom, you’ll want to consider all the options before choosing which towel hook is right for you. 

What to know before you buy a bathroom towel hook

What are bathroom towel hooks

Bathroom towel hooks are individual metal or plastic hooks that you hang anywhere in your bathroom to dry your towel. You can also get sets of hooks attached to a single wooden board, bar or panel that you install on your wall. They’re easy to use and an affordable space-saving solution for the modern bathroom. 

Benefits of bathroom towel hooks

When it comes to drying your towels, using a towel bar can pose a couple of challenges. The first is just how much space they take up so that you can dry one towel. The second is how difficult they are to install. Many don’t match up to the stud distance in your walls, and you have to make sure they’re level. 

Towel hooks get around all of this, allowing you to hang up to four towels in the same space a towel bar would allow you to hang one. And they’re much easier to install. You don’t need to worry about running out of studs, and if you’re prepared, you can always just use a wall anchor instead. 

Where to put towel hooks

Towel hooks can go just about anywhere that you have space. That said, there are a few things you’ll want to consider when installing them. First, you’ll want to make sure there’s adequate airflow around the towel. If you tuck a hook into a corner, your towel won’t be able to dry between uses, quickly becoming musty and smelly. 

Second, towel hooks work best when installed into studs. There are command hook options and hooks that you can use with anchors. But your best bet is a stud. Wet towels are heavy, and you don’t want to find them in a crumpled, dirty mess the next morning with a big hole in the wall!

Lastly, think about doors and cabinets. With a towel on the hook, you’ll be taking up more space in your bathroom and they can quickly get in the way. Furthermore, if you leave your bathroom door open all day but hang your towel on the back, you’re limiting airflow to the towels as the door is up against the wall.

What to look for in a quality bathroom towel hook

Material

Towel hooks come in a variety of materials. You can get a hook in plastic, wood, brass, stainless steel, or even wood. Because they all provide the same function and towels aren’t too heavy, durability isn’t as much of an issue when it comes to material. Still, look out for what the hook is paired with for installation as plastic tends to come with command putty, for example, and it’s the mount that will fail, not the material. 

Design

What design you choose ultimately comes down to your decor. Towel hooks are available in many shapes, sizes and Matte black metal towel hooks look great in an industrial or modern design scheme. Gold or brass towel hooks add a touch of luxury to your home. You can go for the classic hook shape, or opt for something a little more modern, like a sleek bracket or knob. Mix color with wood and contemporary designs for a more playful take on interior decorating.

Mounting method

Depending on the design of your towel hook, it will mount to the wall in a few different ways. 

  • Screw-on: This method builds a screw directly into the hook so that you twist the hook into the wall for a clean, flush look. Make sure you do this into a stud.
  • Bracket: Some heavier-duty hooks use brackets, which you screw into the wall first. The hook fixture then slides onto the bracket. 
  • Command hook: These use a sticky tack or putty to stick to your wall. They’re not as durable as other methods but make sense if you're on a budget or can’t locate a stud. 
  • Screw-mount: Unlike screw-on or brackets, these hooks have holes drilled into them so you affix the hook to the wall by putting a screw through it. The downside to this option is that you will see the screw head. 

How much you can expect to spend on towel hooks for your bathroom

Towel hooks cost around $10-$25 per hook, depending on the material, quality and size. 

Bathroom towel hook FAQ

How much weight can a towel hook hold?

A. When installed properly, a standard towel hook can bear about 10 pounds. Command hooks can hold about 1 to 5 pounds.

What if I can’t find a stud to install my hook?

A. If you’ve already purchased a hook or don’t want to use Command hooks, installing your towel hook can be difficult without a stud. Some designs allow you to substitute wall anchors for the screws, such as screw mounts or bracket towel hooks. But screw-on hooks don’t let you remove the pre-attached screw. For this, consider screwing your hook into a decorative board or panel and add more hooks to that panel to form a neat row. You can then attach that panel to your studs or use anchors to put it into the wall safely.

What’s the best bathroom towel hook to buy?

Top bathroom towel hook

ruiling Round Bathroom Robe Hook and Towel Hook in Stainless Steel Matte Black

What you need to know: This gorgeous, modern towel hook looks great in any contemporary design scheme.

What you’ll love: Made from stainless steel, this towel hook is available in four tarnish-resistant finishes: matte black, gold, brushed nickel and polished chrome. It mounts with a bracket and comes with the necessary hardware. The hook can hold 7 pounds. You get two per set. 

What you should consider: Many users have received brass finishes instead of stainless steel, so order or plan accordingly.

Where to buy: Sold by Home Depot

Top bathroom towel hook for the money

Cassidy Wall Mounted Towel Hook

What you need to know: A classic shape, this hook is perfect for more ornamental interior design schemes.

What you’ll love: You get five finishes: chrome, polished nickel, champagne bronze, stainless steel and Venetian bronze. The hooks come with an unlimited finish warranty and five-year use warranty. They install via brackets and come with the proper mounting hardware. Each hook must be purchased individually.

What you should consider: Some users purchase this product expecting two hooks according to the product FAQ. However, user experience and product specifications indicate that this is one hook per order. 

Where to buy: Sold by Wayfair

Worth checking out

Beach Stone Towel Hook 

What you need to know: These stone towel hooks are a beautiful accessory for the beach house or tranquil bathroom.

What you’ll love: You can choose from three types of smooth stones: salt+pepper granite, light gray and dark gray. They’re screw-on, and the wood screw is attached to the stone with a strong epoxy. Each hook comes with an anchor if you don’t have an accessible stud.

What you should consider: At $20 apiece, outfitting a bathroom with these can get a little pricey.

Where to buy: Sold by Etsy

 

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Karl Daum writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.

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