Factors To Consider When Buying A Hand Dryer

Hand dryers have been on the market for a long time. These helpful devices are present everywhere, from the libraries to the nightclubs. We all have used them numerous times, but unless you own a place that needs one, rarely have you thought about buying one or learning thoroughly about its characteristics and performances. Of course, they are perfectly adaptable to any bathroom, so you can have them in your home, especially if you want to get rid of paper towels and use a more sanitary and ecological option. This article is here to give a resume about hand dryers, their types, benefits, and some of the most important things to think about before buying one for yourself or your business.

You are helping the environment

We live in the 21 century and we must be ecologically responsible. Paper towels you might have used until now are handy, but they create a lot of unnecessary waste. Not only are they non-ecological, but they can make a lot of mess too. You have probably seen at least once a garbage basket full of paper towels in a bathroom of some nightclub or a restaurant. Also, throughout the months or even years of usage, they can result in being pretty expensive as well if you sum it up. People are not always moderate when using paper towels and sometimes they waste them which makes the garbage basket fuller and your budget emptier. If you are an owner of a bar, club, restaurant, coffee shop, or any place where many people come by and eventually wash their hands, you should consider getting a commercial hand dryer to make it all easier, cleaner, and cheaper long term. This investment can both be ecological and economical like we previously mentioned. Let’s give some more details about the types of these devices.

The materials of hand dryers

Hand dryers come with different wattage, inner technology, design, material, how fast they are, their noise level, etc. You can opt for automatic or push-button dryers. When it comes to material, they can be made of thick plastic, cast iron, and stainless steel, which is very easy to keep up and it makes a benefit of this material. Those are the most common ones, but in luxurious places, these devices can even be chrome-covered or gilded. When it comes to busy places like malls or clubs, the most common ones are those of 2.1kW and made of cast iron. This material is very sturdy and able to withstand rough use for a long period, so take into consideration the durability of your hand dryer and if you need a sturdy device. If your clients could be prone to using it roughly, a device like that could be necessary.

The most common hand dryers

Hand dryers types are various and come in different sizes, wattages, and performances. They can be:

• Traditional hand dryers are the most common ones. They are very affordable but perhaps not the most hygienic ones since you have to press the button to let the hot air come out. This type is ideal for places where not so many people pass by because too many people pushing the same button is not very sanitary. Not only that, but also they can be a little bit slow and last for up to 40 seconds to finish blowing the air.
• High-speed hand dryers are the ones that work faster than the traditional ones. They can dry your hands in 10-15 seconds so they are a better option for places that are crowded like nightclubs or bars. Not only are they faster, but they use less energy too since they have a shorter operating time. Their only disadvantage is that they are very noisy, which probably wouldn’t be such a problem in a club where the music is loud anyway. They are also more expensive than the traditional ones, but they compensate for the low energy use.
• Automatic hand dryers are the ones that have sensors so you don’t have to press the button to activate them. When you remove your hands, they turn off as well. Other than being sanitary, it is an energy saver as well since it never works in vain. They also are more expensive than the traditional dryers. Keep in mind that some hand dryers have characteristics that combine these that we have mentioned.

Choosing the best hand dryers for you can depend on different factors that we will discuss in the next paragraphs. It is important to choose the right type because that way you invest in a product that will eventually pay off. Whether it is fast drying for high-frequency usage or everyday low power use, you choose what suits you the best.

Hygiene factors

Like we mentioned before, automatic dryers are more hygienic since their infrared sensors permit us to activate them without touching them. That way, the germs can’t be spread across the bathroom. This is especially important nowadays because of the ongoing pandemic of Covid19 among other possible infections. There are high-end hand dryers with HEPA filters that make sure the air that is blown by the dryers is sanitary as well. Although they are very useful, we assume you won’t need them if you own a bar or a nightclub, but some business sectors would especially benefit from these dryers and those are food processing and health care sectors.

Noise

If you run a place that is busy and there is loud music, you might not care about this, but in quiet places, a noisy hand dryer can disturb your clients. Imagine a library where everyone comes to read in silence and there is a hand dryer that constantly makes that irritating noise. This is a situation that requires some previous planning. In this case, you could sacrifice the efficacy of the dryer for its quietness. Unfortunately, you can’t have both, since the more efficient ones are usually pretty loud and the quiet ones are those that need more operation time. There are some models with adjustable power that permit you to turn down the power if you want to have a quieter operation. For those of you who don´t mind the noise, a high-power device can be a perfect solution since it´s the most efficient one like we mentioned.

Energy

Some dryers don’t include heaters so they consume less energy. The old-fashioned way of drying your hands supposes that the heat would make the water evaporate, which is true, but it is not necessary. On the other hand, using heat wastes a lot of energy. Since the power is reduced in models like these, the costs are very low as well. The overall consumption is reduced as well along with the carbon production. Dry times are usually faster since the motor is quicker. The heat from the motor is recycled with the constant use of the dryer, so it can add up the heat to the dryer this way without actually using the excess energy. There are still some benefits of heat dryers. First of all, the users like them since they provide more comfort and they can also be quieter. The manufacturers have decided to design devices that have the best of both worlds, so nowadays you can choose models that come with the switch which can be turned on or off and you can decide if you want to use the heat or not. There are even some devices that adapt to the temperature of their environment so they will add up the heat if the room is cold and won’t do it if the temperature is normal or hot. This is very useful and energy-saving, so consider if you would need a device like this.

Cost

A standard and basic model of hand dryer is less expensive than paper towels long-term. If your business doesn’t require any more powerful model, then this is the right choice for you regarding the price. If you need something with more specific characteristics, then there will be more costs. You shouldn’t be too economical, though, because sometimes investing more money in the beginning in an energy saver model can pay off eventually.

If you run a business or you just want to get rid of the paper towels in your home, then hand dryers can be a lifesaver. Think about the model you need based on the type of business you have and choose wisely. Choose stainless steel or some more sturdy material in case you need to protect your device from the rough usage of your clients. Think about the hygiene factors, possible noise you might want to avoid, saving energy, and in the end the cost of the device. Pick the one that satisfies all of your criteria and you will be satisfied for sure for not having to deal with the messy towels anymore, other than the rest of the benefits that can be sanitary and economical, among others.