Benefits of Choosing a Jet Dryer Over a Conventional Hand Dryer

You most likely know about the age-old battle between paper towels and hand dryers, but do you know about the jet dryer vs. conventional hand dryer debate? When it comes to choosing the ideal one for your facility’s washroom, you need to weigh the pros and cons of each to find the one that better suits your needs. This is an in-depth breakdown of everything you need to know about both. Let’s dive in. 

Benefits of Conventional Hand Dryers

Conventional hand dryers operate with a heating agent that gradually dries the hands in anywhere from 15-25 seconds, depending on the model. These hand dryers can be either manual or automatic where you can initiate the operation either with a button or thanks to a sensor that detects the hands. 

A few of their primary benefits include:

• They produce less noise — The noise level is considerably low on conventional hand dryers compared to jet dryers. This makes them more appropriate for locations where noise sensitivity is important (i.e. special needs washrooms or schools).
  
  
• They are less messy most of the time — Because these dryers use warm air to gradually dry hands, the water actually evaporates. With jet hand dryers, the water is essentially pushed off the hands with force to dry them in record time. That may lead to wet or damp floors surrounding the dryer. 

Disadvantages of Conventional Hand Dryers

• They take too long to dry hands fully — A drying period of 15-25 seconds may not seem like a lot of time, but when you’re in a public washroom and just want to wash your hands and leave, the time can drag on. Especially if you are in a hurry or there is a line forming inside the washroom,
  
  
• They aren’t optimal for medium-to-high traffic washrooms. If you have a facility with too much foot traffic, a single conventional hand dryer won’t be compatible. Lines will form, hands will remain wet as more people are shuffling to quickly dry their hands, and you may witness more paper towel mess as a result of it when people opt for an alternative drying method.
  
  
• They aren't energy efficient. Most jet dryers or high-speed hand dryers now are made to be energy efficient compared to conventional hand dryers. That’s because more and more manufacturers are producing jet dryers now with the latest technology instead of traditional hand dryers that are more dated in style and functionality. 

The Advantages of Jet Hand Dryers

Jet hand dryers, otherwise known as high-speed hand dryers, operate by blowing out cold air with great strength to quickly rid the hands of water droplets. 

Their top advantages are:

• They’re ideal for washrooms with even the most foot traffic. Long lines won’t accumulate among people waiting to use the hand dryer because average drying times are shortened down to only a couple of seconds.
  
  
• They are time-saving for users. The fastest jet dryers on the market can fully dry hands in under 10 seconds, which makes it twice as easy for washroom users to get in and get out (with fully dry hands).
  
  
• The majority of jet dryers are energy-efficient. Thanks to the latest technology, jet hand dryers not only dry hands quicker, but that speed also contributes to the dryers’ energy efficiency, saving you money on your energy bill at the end of the month. 

Disadvantages Of Jet Dryers

• They are commonly noisy — Jet dryers produce more decibels of sound (70 dBa and higher) making their operation comparatively louder in the washroom. The number may vary slightly by the model and brand. It’s best that you don’t install one in a washroom that echoes a lot or has limited space. 

• They can spray water around. If you opt for a jet dryer that doesn’t have a water collection system or tray, then you may find water droplets pooling up on the floor or spraying on the wall. Additional clean-up will be necessary in this case.
  
  
• Jet dryers may also be on the costly side, depending on what brand or model you opt for. But generally, they have a higher price tag than most hand dryers available. 

At the end of the day, it comes down to which one suits your budget, location, needs, and expectations more!

Hopefully, this compare and contrast article will help you make the best decision for your facility’s washroom.