Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Right Hand Dryer

Hand dryers are a cost effective, eco-friendly and hygienic alternative to paper towels - but there are a few things to bear in mind before making a purchase. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the different types of hand dryer that are available, and help you figure out which is best for your venue.

How many?

First of all, you should work out how many units you’ll need to adequately service your washroom. As a rule of thumb, we normally suggest one hand dryer for every two wash basins; however, if yours is a high-traffic washroom, you may wish to install one or two additional units in order to prevent queues building up.

Features

Before looking at specific models of hand dryer, it can help to spend some time thinking about what features you require.

Eco vs high-speed

Air speed is probably the biggest deciding factor when it comes to hand dryers. Along with air temperature, air speed is what determines how quickly the user’s hands are dried. It may not seem like a long time, but most people are prepared to spend around ten seconds in front of the dryer before giving up in frustration and leaving with soggy hands - hardly good for user experience, or hygiene, for that matter.

As a rule, high-speed models are quieter and dry hands faster; the downside is that they are more expensive and use more electricity. Eco models are (unsurprisingly) more eco-friendly because they use less electricity, but they tend to be louder and take a longer time to dry; that being said, some high-end eco models boast impressively low decibel levels and drying times.

Quieter eco hand dryers may be preferable in venues such as care homes or schools, where a quiet and peaceful environment is desirable.

Button vs hands-free

When it comes to operation, there are two basic choices: button and sensor. Button operated hand dryers tend to be cheaper, but the fact that the user has to make physical contact with the unit means that there’s a higher risk of cross-contamination.

Sensor operated hand dryers use infrared technology to ensure a completely hands-free drying experience, making them more hygienic, but you can expect to pay a little more than you would for a button operated unit.

Hands-under vs hands-in

With a traditional hand dryer, the user places their hands underneath the unit, while newer, blade-style models require the user to place their hands within the dryer itself.

Blade-style models have quicker drying times and are more efficient; however, the trade off is that they can be less hygienic, since there is a risk of the user making physical contact with the unit.

Models

By now, you should have a fairly good idea of what you want from your hand dryer. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the specific models that are available:

White High Speed Hand Dryer (£160.00) plus VAT.

This basic hand dryer boasts a switchable heating element, hands-free operation and surprisingly low power consumption - and all for a bargain price.

Biodrier Biolite High Speed Hand Dryer (£260.00) plus VAT.

The Biodrier Biolite is our cheapest high speed dryer - but don’t let the price tag fool you. As well as low energy consumption and a nifty blue LED to direct users to the airflow, this dryer has an impressive air speed of 64 metres per second.

Biodrier Eco Hand Dryer (£250.00) plus VAT.

For a little more money, the sensor-operated Biodrier Eco offers the same airflow as the Biolite with even better green credentials. The ultra-low noise output makes it suitable for venues that need to keep noise to a minimum.

Biobot Children’s Hand Dryer (£405.00) plus VAT.

Youngsters can often find the noise of normal hand dryers intimidating; that’s why the Biobot combines child-friendly graphics with a low 76 decibel noise rating, making it ideal for nurseries and preschools. The Biobot is a great way for children to learn about the importance of handwashing and personal hygiene.

Biodrier Business 2 High Speed Hand Dryer (£550.00) plus VAT.

The Biodrier Business 2 is a hands-in, blade-style dryer which uses an innovative brush-free motor to generate its own heat, making it as environmentally friendly as it is effective. It even comes with an LED countdown timer to make sure your users’ hands are thoroughly dried.

Biodrier Executive High Speed Hand Dryer (£765.00) plus VAT.

The Biodrier Executive really is the mother of all hand dryers. The air speed comes in at a whopping 150 metres per second, and the unit also has an LED display with instructions and a countdown timer. It even comes with a replaceable air freshener and antibacterial filter. THe Biodrier Executive is available in four colours...including gold.