Air Flow Location i Air Flow Location Hands-under Place your hands underneath the hand dryer to dry. Hands-in Place your hands inside the hand dryer to dry. | Hands-Under |
Air Aperture Type i Air Aperture Type Blade A blade (or set of blades) of air to wipe the water from your hands Jet Concentrated jet of air to blow water from your hands Conventional Wide nozzle with (usually warm) large volume of air | Jet |
Green Rating i Green Rating
This is a simple measure of the hand dryers green credentials. The higher the green rating, the more environmentally friendly the dryer. Green ratings range from 0 to 5, anything above 3.5 is considered carbon reducing. | 4 |
Drying Time (seconds) i Drying Time
Measured in seconds. Drying time is provided by the manufacturers and is always an estimate. It is worth noting that there are external factors that will affect drying time, e.g. room temperature, hand temperature, skin oil, hand cleanliness (or has all soap been washed off), temperature of water used and the user’s expectation of dryness. | 12 |
Top Air Speed i Air Speed
This is a measure of how fast the air is travelling as it exits the dryer. High speed low energy hand dryers rely on the air speed to blow the water from your hands. All our measurements are provided by the manufacturers and displayed as miles per hour (mph). | 225 |
Peak Noise Level (dB) i Noise
Measured in dB. This is given by the manufacturers. The noise level will vary depending on the surfaces of the room, whether the user’s hands are in the airstream - this might sound logical but the manufacturers don’t include this noise level in their measurements, which might increase the decibel rating by 10dB. | 63.5 |
Voltage i Voltage
Electricity supply in the UK is normally quoted as 230 or 240V. In reality the voltage will range from 220 to 250V. The frequency of the power supply is 50Hz. Some dryers will be rated as 50/60Hz. A 60Hz supply may be found in some industrial applications or on marine vessels. | 220-240V, 50/60 Hz |
Electrical Protection i Electrical protection
This is a measure of the protection provided by the dryer against electrical shock and ingress of particles and moisture into the dryer. The IP rating measures the ingress protection with the first numeric showing protection against dust with the second against moisture. IP66 for example is protected against dust and strong jets of water. IP11 has no protection against dust or moisture. An X will be used to signify it has not rated for that spec. Class I protection is protected via a permanent connection to Earth. A fault causing the casing to become live will trip a breaker. Class II protection is double insulated and does not have an Earth connection. The casing cannot become live. | IP35 |
Adjustable Direction Nozzle i Adjustable Nozzle
These can be useful in some circumstances so that the air flow can be redirected towards the face for hair drying. | No |
Max Power (Watts) i Power
This is a measure of the rate electrical energy is used by a hand dryer. The power rating does not always have a bearing on the efficacy of the dryer – ie some high power hand dryers may have very warm air but slower drying times. The higher the power, the lower the green rating. | 1000 |
Stand by Wattage (Watts) i Standby wattage
This is the power the dryer will draw when not in use. | 0.5 |
Metal or Plastic i Metal or plastic
Any easy indication of the casing material. | Metal |
Material i Material
The specific type of material which the dryer (either all, the most part, or the casing) is made from. | Stainless Steel |
Anti Microbial Coating i Anti-microbial coating
The surface of the hand dryer may be coated in a bactericidal coating. This Nano-technology reduces the build-up of bacteria on the outside of the dryer. The most common are Biotech, Microban and SteriTouch which use silver ion technology. See blog on hygienic hand dryers. | No |
HEPA Filtered Air i HEPA filtered
Some HEPA filters can reduce bacteria by as much as 99.95%. Grades of HEPA filter will vary, read our article on HEPA filters for more advice. Each dryer description will give the grade and thickness of the HEPA filter which should indicate is effectiveness. | No |
Sterilising i Sterilising
Some dryers have a sterilising action, although the method and efficacy will vary. The UV blade sterilises the air inside the machine, producing a cleaner air flow. The Sterillo uses a UV sterilising tube and titanium plates to create a sterilising action. The ExtremeAir uses Cold plasma to emit a sterilising stream of air. | No |
DDA Recommended Projection i DDA recommended
The recommended projection distance of a hand dryer from the wall for using in an accessible toilet is 100mm or less to allow for those with mobility issues to manoeuvre in the washroom. | Yes |
Heating Element i Heating Element
Hand dryers without heating elements will be lower power consumption and will rely on faster air speed to blow water from your hands. A hand dryer without a heating element may not necessarily have cold air, as it may be heated by friction or the motor. | Yes |
Auto / Manual i Auto/manual
Most hand dryers use a sensor to detect the presence of hands to operate, this can be using a PIR sensor or proximity sensors (as per Dyson Airblade V). Button operated hand dryers are available, although not as common. They are particularly useful for hair dryer hand dryers, for when you want a set time of operation or for users with prosthetic limbs. If you are experiencing issues with dryers turning on by themselves, it could be that the sensor is picking up a reflection in the bathroom, from a surface or reflective clothing. | Automatic |
Motor Type i Motor Type
There are 2 standard motor types, brushed and brushless. A brushless motor is expected to last longer than a brushed motor. Some manufacturers will class the brushes as a consumable, so when they wear out you will be charged for these are they are expected to burn out eventually and before the range of the warranty. The Dyson Airblade is an exception which uses its own unique Digital Motor for extreme speed and longevity. Another exception is the Veltia which covers its brushed ‘Super 7’ motor for the 7 year warranty period. | Brushed |
External Switch i External Switches
Some hand dryers allow for adjusting the air flow rate, heating elements etc. This is sometimes done by an external switch which may also be accessible to turn the hand dryer off. This allows for easy adjustment of the dryer’s operation or may be used by others to tamper. | No |
Width (mm) i Unboxed width Measured in mm horizontally across the wall | 38 (50 base) |
Height (mm) i Height unboxed | 38 |
Depth (mm) i Unboxed depth Measured as projection from the wall. Hand dryers projecting 100mm or less are generally classed as ADA/DDA compliant. | 220 |
Warranty (years) i Warranty
Warranty terms will vary depending on the manufacturer. Some warranties will be full on site, return to base, parts only etc. check the details in the hand dryer spec, and our buyers guide on this subject. | 3 |
