Keeping the microwaved towels hot!

[eldonanda]

I started this prep practice today. It has serious serious potential. Luxurious, actually. I need some ideas on how to keep 'em hot for the 3-5 minutes it takes to go back downstairs and do the rest of the prep before I use them. Today I sandwiched them between a couple of plates. Worked so so. The answer isn't take the microwave downstairs (safety, wife, good common sense). Its a small bathroom. Can't shave in the kitchen, no mirror.

Thoughts, oh wise ones?

Thx, Paul in Colorado (snowed here today, of all things)

 

[Sodapopjones]

Is the dryer downstairs?

just sayin

 

[40_Caliber]

How about a small igloo cooler. They keep things hot too.

 

[eldonanda]

I like the small cooler idea. Walmart...cheap...that's my kind of solution.

 

[eldonanda]

By the way, I want to join the Penny Pinchers. This thing could get WAY out of hand.

 

[The Knize]

small cooler, absolutely

The tap hot water in my bathroom is not very hot, so I have an electric water kettle on my bathroom counter that fill up at the start of my shaving routine and start up . I roll up 2-4 towels and put then in the cooler and when the water is nice ad hot I pour it over the towels They keep nice and hot for a very long time. If you get the technique down there ie not excess water to squeeze out either. You can also immediately bring a towel you have used back up to snuff by pouring more hot wateer on it. Nice to have really hot water to heat up my scuttle type arrangment, too.

By the way, I should have remembered to say to be really careful with all of this. Not only a water kettle full of boiling hot water, that shoudl be obvious. You do not want that knocked over and spilling over the counter onto your bare feet or your three year olds head!

But also the towels themsleves. Particularly a microwaved one. Jsut because you can pick up a towel with your bare hands does not mean that you should be putting it on your face. And part of that towel my be much hotter than another part. Learn vircariously from my bad experiences!

 

[Luc]

Get a second microwave for downstairs...

 

[riooso]

I am surly missing something. Wet the towels, put them on a plate and heat them up while you are in the shower, for instance. Then go and grab the towel and wrap it around your neck and tuck in at the back. I then do the stropping and making lather while the towel is around the neck, which is that much better because you are soaking your beard all the while. I use something like a bar towel but, it has to be fairly thick and able to make it around your neck and beard.


Take Care,
Richard

 

[Saxmoore]

Here's a couple of ideas (I haven't tried this since I don't microwave my towels). How about those cheapo styrofoam tortilla holders? Aren't they meant to keep things hot for a bit? Maybe a little cheaper then a cooler. What about just throwing it on you neck while you're walking downstairs?
Personally, I take a kettle of hot water in with me.

Oh wait...you can do a search on Amazon for Tortilla warmer and find a bunch ranging from plastic to terra cotta. Heeeeyyyyyy....I might be onto something here.

 

[The Knize]

Here's a couple of ideas (I haven't tried this since I don't microwave my towels). How about those cheapo styrofoam tortilla holders? Aren't they meant to keep things hot for a bit? Maybe a little cheaper then a cooler. What about just throwing it on you neck while you're walking downstairs?
Personally, I take a kettle of hot water in with me.

Oh wait...you can do a search on Amazon for Tortilla warmer and find a bunch ranging from plastic to terra cotta. Heeeeyyyyyy....I might be onto something here.

Interesting in that I assume the entire tortilla holder can go into the microwave. But a tortilla holder would be pretty small for the towels I use. I do not think one of the towels I use would fit in the holder, much less the 2-4that I heat up now!

 

[eldonanda]

Being an engineer, there's an elegant solution here somewhere. Could be as simple as turning up the hot water heater!! Muchos gracias, amigos.

PJ

 

[Tolduonce]

Interesting in that I assume the entire tortilla holder can go into the microwave. But a tortilla holder would be pretty small for the towels I use. I do not think one of the towels I use would fit in the holder, much less the 2-4that I heat up now!

Just off the top of my head. Never tried it, but how about those mylar insulated pouches used to keep casserole dishes hot/cold during transport. They work really well on a pyrex dish of lasagne and are foldable for easy storage. Now that I think about it, I'm gonna try that this weekend.

 

[The Knize]

Being an engineer, there's an elegant solution here somewhere. Could be as simple as turning up the hot water heater!! Muchos gracias, amigos.

PJ

I really like my system with the electric water kettle and the small cooler a lot. Turning the water heater up is wasteful of energy, as I understand it, and a hazard if, say, you have children about. Moreover one is sure not going to turn it up to what the kettle puts out, although I suppose there is no great utility in that. Although, the way I do it, I have nicely wet, nicely hot towels that I do not have to wring out at all. If one gets the routine down that are pretty much exactly the temperature and dampness I want, just waiting there in the cooler to be used.

I am sure those mylar bags are a good idea, too.

 

[Lo'Tek]

Being an engineer, could you transport it in your pants?

My father was a portly fellow and I'd say it must have been pretty warm back there.

 

[holiday]

I used to microwave towels but don't bother any more. I always used to put them in a plastic container then cover it tight as possible with plastic wrap then microwave it. It kind of sucks in the wrap but keeps it really hot until the shave.

 

[82R100]

I think evaporative cooling's your big problem here. Get a jumbo zip-lock bag to microwave the towel(s) in (leave it open).

With most of the surface area covered, the towels should stay quite hot until removed.

- Chris

 

[Monkeydad]

Heat lamp/bulb on bathroom ceiling + golf towel with rings that can be hung under it = success

 

[valmara1971]

Its a small bathroom. Can't shave in the kitchen, no mirror.

Thoughts, oh wise ones?

Thx, Paul in Colorado (snowed here today, of all things)

Just a suggestion brother, how about buying one of these?
http://www.johnlewis.com/230573756/Product.aspx

Thes you could have everything in one place and it will be safer all round. Just a thought.

 

[BROWNS]

I've never microwaved my towels. I fill the sink with super hot water and soak two towels in the bottom while I shower (along with my bowl and brush).

Ring a towel out most of the way and hold it on my face and neck, when it starts to lose heat I drop it back in the water to soak and use the other towel. So on and so forth... seems to work great for me!

Otherwise, I'd give the small cooler a try, don't see why that wouldn't work?

 

[Niles]

Every time I read this thread the Seinfeld episode comes to mind when Kramer starts heating his shirts in that huge oven. Sorry, just had to say that. Continue.