Robe Hooks

A robe hook is the bathroom accessory you use every day and think about least: somewhere to hang a dressing gown, or to keep a towel off the floor. Robe hooks and towel hooks are the same thing sold under two names, and the hooks picked out below are all wall-mounted, so fitting comes down to drilling into tile or plasterboard with the right plug for the wall. You will find single and double hooks here in matt black, brushed brass, chrome and gunmetal.

If you want to match the rest of the suite, browse the wider towel hangers and hooks range or the matt black accessories. The buying guide and quick answers below cover single versus double hooks, picking a finish, fitting on tile and plasterboard, and putting a hook in or near the shower.

What to look for in a robe hook

There is not much to a robe hook, which is exactly why the small differences matter: single or double, the finish, and how it fixes to the wall. Get those three right and you are done.

Single or double hook. A single hook is the standard: one robe or one towel, and the least wall taken up. It is what most people want. A double hook gives you two hooks in one piece, so a robe and a towel, or his and hers, without fitting two separate hooks. If you are short on wall space behind a door or beside a basin, a double earns its place. The Sydney Brushed Brass Double Robe Hook at £29 does exactly that in a warm brushed brass finish.

Finish: match it to your taps and accessories. The finish is the whole decision for most people, because a hook is on show. Pick the one that matches your taps, towel rail and the rest of the accessories so it does not look like an afterthought. Matt black is the safe modern choice and goes with almost everything, and the Litchfield Knurled Matt Black Wall-Mounted Robe Hook at £18.99 lifts itself above a plain black hook with knurled, textured detailing around the bracket. Brushed brass is the warmer, softer look, and the Litchfield ORO Brushed Brass Wall-Mounted Robe Hook at £19.99 carries the same knurled bracket detail if you want it to run through the suite. It is solid brass and comes with a 5-year guarantee.

Chrome is the classic, and the easiest finish to match to existing fittings. The Alpha Chrome Wall-Mounted Robe Hook at £27.99 is a clean, no-fuss pick with a moisture-resistant finish, and it comes with its fixings. Gunmetal is the dark, moody alternative to black if you want something a bit different. The Napoli Gun Metal Wall-Mounted Robe Hook at £28 is solid brass, so it is corrosion and rust resistant, the fixings are included, and it sits well against grey or concrete-effect tiling.

Fitting: where it goes and what it screws into. Every hook picked out here is wall-mounted, so you are drilling and plugging into a solid wall, tile or plasterboard. On tile, you want a tile or masonry drill bit and the right plug for whatever is behind the tile, and a strip of masking tape over your mark stops the bit skating across the glaze. On plasterboard, use proper plasterboard fixings rather than basic plugs, because a robe and a wet towel together weigh more than people expect. As for what is in the box, the Alpha chrome and Napoli gunmetal hooks both come with fixings. For anything else, check the product page, and whatever is supplied, make sure the plug suits your wall.

A note on shower hooks. Plenty of people want a hook in or beside the shower, a shower wall hook to keep a towel or robe within reach. A standard wall-mounted robe hook does that job fine, as long as it is fixed to a sound, sealed wall. Just be sensible about placement so it is not sitting in the direct spray all day.

Quick answers

What is a robe hook? A small wall-mounted hook for hanging a dressing gown, robe or towel. It is about the simplest bathroom accessory there is: one or two hooks on a bracket that screws to the wall, so it stays put.

What is the difference between a robe hook and a towel hook? Honestly, not much. The same hook does both jobs, which is why you will see the same products listed as robe hooks and towel hooks. A double hook just gives you two places to hang things in one piece, handy if you want a robe and a towel side by side.

How do you fit a robe hook? Hold it where you want it, mark the screw holes, drill, plug and screw it to the wall. On tile use a tile or masonry bit and the right wall plug. On plasterboard use proper plasterboard fixings rather than basic plugs. It is a ten-minute job for most people. Check each product page for what fixings are included.

Can you use a robe hook in the shower? Yes, for hanging a towel or robe within reach. Fix it to a sound, sealed wall and keep it out of the direct spray so it is not soaking all day. For a damp spot, the Alpha chrome hook has a moisture-resistant finish, and the Napoli gunmetal hook is solid brass, corrosion and rust resistant.

What finishes do robe hooks come in? The hooks picked out on this page come in matt black, brushed brass, chrome and gunmetal. The rule of thumb: match the hook to your taps and towel rail so it looks deliberate rather than bolted on. Matt black and chrome are the easiest to match to existing fittings.

Do robe hooks come with screws and wall plugs? Some do, but it varies by product. The Alpha chrome and Napoli gunmetal hooks both come with fixings. For anything else, check the individual product page before you buy. Either way, the plugs in a box are not always right for your wall, and plasterboard in particular needs proper plasterboard fixings.