What makes a good school hand dryer?

A good school hand dryer is essential if you want to keep your school clean and your students healthy. However, it can be hard to know what to look for if you’ve never bought one before.

Don’t worry, that’s where we can help! Here are the key things you need to consider when picking a good school hand dryer for the first time. Hopefully, this will really help you make the right choice for your school.

Why do you need a good school hand dryer?

Without a good school hand dryer, your students will probably drip water up and down your school corridors. Not only is this a slip hazard, it’s also pretty disgusting. It’s better (and safer) for everyone if students can dry their hands quickly and effectively.

Hygiene is the primary concern when it comes to hand dryers. Wet hands are like petri-dishes for bacteria, leaving deposits wherever they land. By using jet dryers that blast away the bacteria, you minimise health risks for your students and staff.

5 features of a good school hand dryer

There is a huge choice of school hand dryers available, but you need one that works for your school. Here are the key features you should look for in a good school hand dryer:

1. Hygienic

Different types of hand dryers work in different ways; jet dryers push water from users’ hands, whereas warm air blowers evaporate the water.

Both methods work well, though we’d suggest avoiding models with buttons as that’s often where bacteria grow. Dryers with infrared motion sensors are probably a better choice. Other hygienic features to look out for include Cold Plasma Clean (CPC) technology and HEPA filters, though these are usually slightly more expensive.

To ensure a good hygiene rating, look for dryers with certificates from HACCP International Food Safety and the NSF – the global authority in public health and safety.

2. High speed

If your dryer takes too long to work, it will cause a queue, or worse. Students may skip the dryer entirely and wander through the school with wet hands loaded with bacteria.

The top-performing models can dry hands in under 12 seconds, but between 15 and 20 seconds is standard for a good school hand dryer.

3. Energy efficient

You don’t want to rack up your energy bill using an inefficient drying system. We’d suggest looking for a sub-1kw model – there are plenty out there to choose from.

However, to get this level of efficiency you may have to scrimp on other features such as noise and speed.

4. Quiet

A good school hand dryer shouldn’t disrupt lessons or assemblies, so you should aim to find a quiet model.

Look for hand dryers certified by Quiet Mark, and you’ll be sure to get a good one.

5. Vandal resistance

We’d like to think that students would respect these new hand dryers, but there are always a few who push their luck.

Whether they try to take it off the wall, scribble on it or try to jam the mechanism, a good school hand dryer should be able to withstand this type of treatment.

There are several mechanisms that can be put in place to prolong the life of your dryer, so discuss them with your supplier before making your choice.

Are the good ones expensive?

There is a great selection of hand dryers available, for every budget. However, you should always seek out a reliable system with a great care package (regardless of price) as it will help ensure you get the best use out of the product.

If this is going to stretch your budget, don’t worry. There are several payment options to choose from. We’d suggest leasing, as it’s an effective way to spread the cost of installation, ongoing maintenance and machinery upgrades.

It also means you don’t need to save up to make the investment. Just set up a lease, and enjoy the benefits of high-quality hand dryers right away! Need some help finding a good school hand dryer? Talk to our team to find out more about your options.