Which Is The Best Hand Dryer to buy in Australia in 2022

6th January 2020

This post was last updated Wednesday 13th January 2022

The Australian hand dryer market has undergone a huge transformation in recent years thanks to the adoption of new high-velocity airflow hand dryer technology. But is there a definitive 'best hand dryer on the market?'

The answer is that it depends very much on the requirements of your facilities.

The MCG for example would need to get 1000's people through their washrooms in a very short space of time without the floors becoming dangerously wet. In this instance, the Dyson Airblade taps that drain water directly into the sink are a great option, with fast dry times to boot. You may also want to look at the Dryflow Vapordri hand dryer or the Dryflow Tri-jet with their rapid dry times and excellent drainage systems as other good options.

Is energy efficiency the most important aspect or are you looking for the fastest hand dryer possible? Do you need a hand dryer that improves the hand hygiene aspects of your washroom or do you need a quiet hand dryer that doesn't create loud noise in a sensitive area? The "best" hand dryer is the one that most suits your unique requirements.

The best hand dryers to buy in Australia in 2022 include:

More detail of where each of the above fit, dependent upon your needs, now follows:

Do hand dryers really dry in under 12 seconds?

(All our in house testing dry time videos can be viewed on the product pages of the hand dryers below)

If speed of drying is the most important aspect, then the Dyson Airblade AB14 has retained this crown with a 10-11 seconds dry time. Our stringent tests have shown this to be marginally faster than the other leading blade hand dryers.

However if you are looking for a lower cost alternative to the Dyson Airblade AB14, the Dryflow Tri-Jet, Dryflow Vapordri and Mitsubishi Electric Jet Towel have super-fast 11 seconds dry time, proven during our in house testing.

Users really do feel the drying power of the Dryflow Tri-Jet with its 3 bladed air outlets that forcibly removes moisture and sends it into a Microban antimicrobial protected water tank. This leaves walls and floors mess free.

The Dryflow Vapordri has relatively small dimentions for a blade technology style of hand dryer. It also has a water collection system, but facility maintenance teams love this one as it has a patented water energy efficient evaporator. As soon as water is blasted off the hands and into the machine it automatically detects this and vaporises it away. The convenience of no wet floors, with the added bonus that you do not need to ever empty the water tray!

If you are looking for this kind of blade style hand dryer but on a budget then you may not need to look any further than the Dryflow Jetforce Junior. This is well suited for low traffic washrooms of up to 100 uses a day. With a tested dry time of 14 seconds, HEPA filter and intelligent heating system, you won't believe what you are getting for the price.

In the "hands under" category the Mitsubishi Electric Jet Towel Smart has produced 11 seconds dry times in our stringent in-house testing.

The more energy efficient and quieter Dyson Airblade V HU02 has improved the already fantastic and popular AB08 unit. They have managed to maintain a super-fast dry time of 12 seconds while halving the sound and reducing consumption by 40%. This hand dryer really is worth looking at. Read more about its new features in the sections below.

Up and coming is the Dyson Airblade 9kJ, a bullish hand dryer which is stylish and well poised to take over from the HU02 in more upmarket kind of washroom environments.

The Dryflow Viper utilises the type of dual bladed air outlet of the HU02 to good effect, bringing in dry times of around 15 seconds (shown by our in house testing) which leaves no user disappointed.

See our overview of all high speed hand dryers.

What to look for if energy usage is your main concern?

If you are more concerned about energy efficiency then there are now lots of very low consumption products on the market with fast dry times and sub 1kW rated power.

Mitsubishi Electric’s Jet Towel Smart on its lower powered setting, has realistic sub 20 second dry times using just 480W rated power. As stated above, the Dyson HU02 has increased its energy efficiency by reducing its overall rated power from 1.6kW down to a very respectable 1kW rated power, whilst maintaining its high speed dry time. This now really does come in the classification of low energy hand dryer.

If you have a facility which will receive no more than 100 uses a day, such as a small office, the Dryflow Turboforce Junior Plus does not disappoint in the hand drying stakes. At the same time, it’s intelligent heating system means that it will be working at just 500W rated power, maximising dry times whilst keeping energy costs and environmental impact low.

Are hand dryers hygienic?

Hand dryers have been subject to much scaremongering from the paper towel industry about their hygiene, largely based on misleading test protocols. Our UK partners have written about this topic in one of their blogs named hand dryers, are they hygienic.

Although hand dryers are a hygienic form of hand drying, if hygiene is your main concern then we would point you in the direction of the Dyson AB14, Dyson V HU02, Mitsubishi Electric Jet Towel, and Mitsubishi Electric Jet Towel Smart.

The one thing these hand dryers have in common is the ability to dry the hands in around 12 seconds and under. This is essential in making sure users leave the wash room with dry hands, as wetness on the hands is known to be a breeding ground for germs when the hands are put back onto public used surfaces, in pockets, back on computer mouse’s etc.

The Dyson products both include high quality HEPA filters that have been rigorously tested to trap 99.95% of particles the size of bacteria to ensure clean air is blown over the hands. The AB14 has been certified by the HACCP International Food Safety certificate and also has, as well as the HU02, been certified by NSF, which is a global authority in public health and safety risk management solutions. The Mitsubishi Electric Jet Towel Slim and Mitsubishi Electric Jet Towel Smart have also been certified by the third party NSF accreditation.

Do good performing yet quiet hand dryers exist?

If noise is your main concern but you still want an effective dryer, then the new Dyson V HU02 has certainly come of age in this category. Not only is it certified by the Quiet Mark, it has remarkably achieved this whilst maintaining a dry time of just 12 seconds. The now smoother operation created by adjustments to the motor and internal parts, really does bring this unit into contention as being a great performing yet quiet hand dryer.

There are quieter hand dryers than the above which still have respectable dry times such as the Dryflow Elite MK2 and Dryflow Viper.

The ASI JD MacDonald Autobeam Hand Dryer has a quiet noise output but don't expect a quick dry though. These are great for nurseries, library areas etc. when minimal noise output is sort after. JD MacDonald hand dryers are very well known for their longevity. They keep running for years after their already long warranty has run out.

The Dryflow Elite MK2 does however give it a run for its money as not only is it a quiet hand dryer, it is one of the longest lasting hand dryers ever to be manufactured. Its motor is good for 17,000 hours of continuous use! It also has a significantly faster dry time to the Autobeam and we would say a more modern and slimline appearance.

The Dyson V HU02 has come a long way in trying to achieve this however for even lower levels of sound there is still some compromise on performance.

Other issues to consider

Other factors such as vandal resistance, motor life and looks also come into the decision making process and the industry has made great strides, but it is clear there is still room for one dryer that truly blows away the rest in every way!

If you would like to view our range of the best hand dryers on the market please follow the links below:

For more information or for help in finding your ideal hand dryer, please contact us on 1300 HANDRY, use our contact us page by clicking here or click to visit the website. You can also use our Intelligent Search Tool that helps you identify the perfect dryer for your location by clicking here

We can supply throughout Australia and installation can be provided in most major cities.

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