Why We Hate Handryers ?

Why do you think people hate using hand dryers so much?
 
The reason people hate using hand dryers is because they take so long
The average hand dryer takes anywhere from 30 to 45 seconds to effectively dry a user’s hands.  There are new models and designs of hand dryers that cut the drying time between 10 and 15 seconds such as the Jetoz and that would be achieved by increasing power and concentration of air flow. A sleek new design even makes it look futuristic.
Decreasing drying time is one of the major challenges for hand dryer designers, but it has to be balanced with other factors, About five years ago, OzWashroom did a massive survey of end users, distributors and cleaning contractors asking them a series of questions about hand dryers. The No. 1 dislike of hand dryers would be the drying time, but the biggest complaint was noise. It is widely acknowledged by the industry that decreased drying times usually mean louder machines. For distributors, the more pressing issue is whether or not hand dryers are a viable alternative to selling paper towels.

 It may be tempting for distributors to go toward paper towels because they’re repeat business, When they talk to their customers, they can point to the fact that facilities save a lot of money when they use hand dryers. Not only do the hand dryers themselves save a lot of money over paper, but they also save on the labour costs of cleaning up litter and stocking or restocking the machines.

Hand dryers also work very well in tandem with paper towel dispensers, it works best for end users if both options are available to customers, that way, even if paper towels run out, the customer knows that the hand dryer will still be working.

The issue of which product is more sanitary — paper towels or hand dryers — is one of constant contention between the two markets. For years, the idea that hand dryers are more sanitary than paper towels seemed to be widely accepted as fact. However, a 1998 study sponsored by a major paper towel manufacturer put forth evidence that older hand dryers are likely to spread bacteria if not properly maintained. 

The key to any industry study is to know who is putting the money into that study, several independent studies have come out recently which show that hand dryers are just as sanitary, if not more sanitary than paper towels. The key to being sanitary is good design when it comes to hand dryer, if the air that’s being passed through hand dryers is hot enough, then bacteria can’t survive. 


Although generations of people have felt more comfortable using paper towels, a generation of hand-dryer users is now approaching adulthood, and that the resistance to them is fading away.  The acceptance of hand dryers is generational. The kids who grew up with hand dryers at McDonald’s, movie theatres and schools are now graduating from college and they’re very familiar with the ease of using hand dryers. The previous generation has always used paper towels and they think that paper towels allow them to get in and out of the restroom quickly.

Many restrooms have moved to including more than one hand dryer in a restroom so that users aren’t forced to wait as long. When customers from high-traffic facilities mention that people often end up waiting in line to use hand dryer, distributors can bring up the option of having multiple hand dryers in a restroom. With regard to cost, one-time purchases of several hand dryers will still usually come out to be less for end users than the continuous purchasing of paper towels.

In large restrooms it just doesn’t make sense to have only one hand dryer unit because it’s inviting long lines. In the past, some hand dryers were overpriced, but I think that prices have come down so that end users can justify multiple purchases.

As hand dryers continue to gain acceptance, more markets are opening up for hand dryer use. Schools and educational facilities have especially taken to hand dryers in recent years due to the decrease in opportunities for vandalism.


As hand dryers become more efficient, less costly and more widely accepted, the opportunity for distributor sales is sure to increase.