Steam vs Dry Towel Warmer: How to Choose and Size One for Your Salon
By Edmond Lin, M1 Nail & Beauty Supply, Markham, Ontario. Last updated 11 October 2026. Capacities, temperatures and dimensions are the figures published by W.S. Industries, Inc., the company behind the Fiori brand.
A steam towel warmer heats water in a tank and keeps towels hot and moist; a dry-heat towel warmer has no water and only warms the towels you put in. Steam suits salons and spas that go through many towels for pedicures and facials. A dry-heat cabinet is simpler, smaller and enough for one or two stations. The right size is the number of towels you use between reloads, with some room to spare.
In this guide
Steam and dry heat at a glance
| Steam towel warmer | Dry-heat towel cabinet | |
|---|---|---|
| How it heats | Heats water in a tank; steam warms the towels | Heating element warms the air in the cabinet |
| Towels come out | Hot and moist | Hot; only as damp as they went in |
| Water | Tank needs filling and draining | None |
| Temperature, Fiori models | Adjustable, 86–185°F (30–85°C) | Held automatically at 175–185°F (about 79–85°C) |
| Controls | Thermostat dial, low-water indicator | One push button |
| Safety | Automatic shut-off | Overheat-protection circuit |
| Fiori capacities | 36 to 480 towels | 12 to 60 towels |
| Fiori models | S-03, S-06, S-10, S120, S15, 240S, 360S, S30-2 Door, 480S | TW120, TW220, TW320 |
Which one should you choose?
- Choose steam when hot towels are part of most services, such as pedicures, facials and shaves, and you want every towel to come out moist without preparing it first.
- Choose dry heat when one or two stations need a small supply of warm towels and you would rather not fill and drain a water tank.
- Choose a glass door, as on the Fiori S120 and Fiori 240S, when you want staff to see the stock without opening the cabinet.
- Choose two doors or two compartments, as on the Fiori 240S, Fiori S30-2 and Fiori 480S, when the cabinet is opened constantly: the closed section keeps its heat.
How to work out the size you need
Count the towels you use between reloads. Multiply the towels per service by the number of services you do before someone has time to restock the cabinet, then add a margin. As an example of the arithmetic: 4 pedicure chairs, 2 towels per pedicure and 3 services per chair before a reload is 24 towels, so a 36-towel cabinet leaves room to spare. The numbers are yours to fill in; this is a way to count, not a Fiori recommendation.
Capacity figures assume small rolled salon towels. Larger or thicker towels take more room, so treat every count as an upper limit.
Fiori towel warmer sizes
| Model | Type | Capacity | Exterior size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiori TW120 | Dry heat | 12–24 towels | 11 × 18 × 14 in (L × W × H) |
| Fiori TW220 | Dry heat | 36–48 towels | 17 × 16 × 17.5 in (L × W × H) |
| Fiori TW320 | Dry heat | 48–60 towels | 17.5 × 16.5 × 23.5 in (W × D × H) |
| Fiori S-03 | Steam | 36 towels | 12.5 × 18 × 19 in (L × W × H) |
| Fiori S-06 | Steam | 72 towels | 18 × 16 × 19 in (L × W × H) |
| Fiori S-10 | Steam | 120 towels | 18 × 16 × 27 in (L × W × H) |
| Fiori S120 | Steam | 120 towels | 18.5 × 17 × 30 in (L × W × H) |
| Fiori S15 | Steam | 180 towels | 23.6 × 19 × 41 in (L × W × H) |
| Fiori 240S | Steam | 240 towels | 20 × 19 × 54 in (L × W × H) |
| Fiori 360S | Steam | 360 towels | 21.5 × 19 × 56 in (L × W × H) |
| Fiori S30-2 | Steam | 360 towels | 21.5 × 19 × 56 in (L × W × H) |
| Fiori 480S | Steam | 480 towels | 19.5 × 22 × 62 in (D × W × H) |
The S-10 and the S120 both hold 120 towels: the S-10 has a round window door and a side control panel, the S120 a full glass door. The 360S and the S30-2 Door both hold 360 towels in the same footprint; Fiori describes the S30-2 Door as the two-door design.
Daily use and care
These are general good-practice notes, not Fiori instructions. Follow the manual that comes with your cabinet.
- Use clean, laundered towels. A towel warmer keeps towels warm; it does not clean or disinfect them.
- For a dry-heat cabinet, dampen the towels and wring them out well before rolling and loading them.
- For a steam cabinet, fill the tank before switching on and refill when the low-water indicator comes on.
- Test the temperature of a towel on the inside of your wrist before it touches a client.
- At the end of the day, take out unused towels, empty the water and wipe the inside dry.
Towel warmer questions
What is the difference between a steam towel warmer and a dry towel warmer?
A steam towel warmer heats water in a tank, so towels stay hot and moist. A dry towel warmer has a heating element and no water, so it only warms the towels and they stay as damp as they were when loaded.
Do towels go into a towel warmer wet or dry?
In a dry-heat cabinet, towels go in damp and wrung out, because the cabinet adds no moisture. A steam cabinet supplies moisture from its water tank; load it the way its manual describes.
How hot does a towel warmer get?
Fiori steam towel warmers are adjustable from 86 to 185°F (30 to 85°C). Fiori TW dry-heat cabinets hold 175 to 185°F (about 79 to 85°C) automatically. Always test a towel before it touches skin.
How many towels does a towel warmer hold?
It depends on the model. In the Fiori range, dry-heat cabinets hold 12 to 60 towels and steam towel warmers hold 36 to 480 towels. The counts are Fiori's figures and depend on towel size.
Does a towel warmer sterilize towels?
No. A towel warmer keeps clean towels warm. Towels still need to be laundered between clients, and tools need the cleaning and disinfection steps your local public health unit requires.
Where are Fiori steam towel warmers made?
In Taiwan. W.S. Industries, Inc., the California company behind Fiori, says its steam towel warmers are manufactured in Taiwan to its own specifications.
Where can I buy a Fiori towel warmer in Canada?
M1 Nail & Beauty Supply in Markham, Ontario carries Fiori steam towel warmers and dry-heat towel cabinets. See the Fiori collection, or compare other brands in all towel warmers.
Fiori steam towel warmers and dry-heat towel cabinets at M1.
Shop FioriCapacities, temperatures, dimensions and country of origin are from W.S. Industries, Inc. product information, read in October 2026. The sizing example and the care notes are general salon practice.
