Josh Evnin

The Potential of Bathroom Air Dryers

save towelsIt’s a really nice bathroom sign. It really is. But seriously, can we do something about the air dryers in this country?

I appreciate the fact paper towels are a complete and total waste of resources, but the hand dryer situation is…well…out of hand. If those things could blow just 2 or 3 times harder, then they might actually work as intended.

My point is simply that signs on walls are all well and good, but its the design of the experience that determines success of a campaign. A huge proportion of people would indeed use air dryers, if they just did their job as expected.

Who’s with me? And who’s ready to build a new air dryer?

In

, , , , ,

8 responses

  1. Patrick Joyce Avatar
    Patrick Joyce

    Have you seen the Dyson Airblade. They use a 400 mph stream of unheated air to dry hands in 12 seconds while using 80% less energy than a traditional hand dryer. Only downside is they cost a little over $1000.

    http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/03/dysons-airblade-dries-hands-with-400mph-blast-of-air/

  2. Ajit Avatar
    Ajit

    Check out the http://www.dysonairblade.com/

    There’s one at the White Hart in London (near the ThoughtWorks office). It’s great.

    I suspect this sign, like the notes in hotels asking you to reuse your towels, are at least partly a cost-cutting measure.

  3. Nico Avatar
    Nico

    Snopes compared the eco-cost of both and it wasn’t too different.

    I use none. Five second carefully shaking the hands and then I pass my hands over my hair, both drying them and combing it a little.

  4. pk Avatar
    pk

    the hand dryer in chicago by the bike rental place was pretty sweet:

    hand dryer

  5. Peter Gillard-Moss Avatar
    Peter Gillard-Moss

    What you’re looking for is the XLERATOR http://www.exceldryer.com/?gclid=COy-md-69ZACFQxKQgodIiS41g. This guy is mean: the power moves the skin and makes your hands look freaky. Your hands are bone dry within a few seconds.

    They’ve had them in a pub near me for a few years and they turned into a bit of a tourist attraction.

    I’ll go with Nico usually, a quick wipe down the back of your jeans (though as my wife constantly reminds me wet hands are a great source of germs).

  6. Art Avatar
    Art

    The Target in Clifton, NJ (not sure if all Target’s are the same) has the Xlerator’s as well. Those things are great.

  7. Jeff Norris Avatar
    Jeff Norris

    The new Whole Foods in Chicago’s south loop has the super fast air dryers. They work really well.

  8. Bethany Avatar
    Bethany

    There are some amazing hand dryers all over the UK… they seriously take about 5 seconds to dry (as picture demonstrates above)

    Hi Josh, by the way 🙂 Hope you’re doing well!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *