The original Dryflow® Elite is a slimline hand dryer specifically designed to meet the needs of disabled and child-friendly washrooms. It is marketed as a very quiet, long-life hand dryer with effective, if not spectacular dry speeds. We put the Dryflow Elite to the test to see how it performs.
From £247.50 + VAT
Value
At £247.50 + VAT the Dryflow Elite hand dryer is a mid-priced dryer. Given the fact it has an incredibly long life span and the build quality is excellent, the Dryflow Elite deserves a high score.
Dry Speed
The Dryflow Elite is stated by the manufacturer as having a 17-second dry time and we verified this. The airflow is not rapid so it doesn’t feel super-fast , but the reality is that it gets the job done faster than a lot of dryers that may be perceived as faster due to the noise and jet airflow. You won’t be disappointed with the dry-speed, the scoring is just a reflection of how fast the quickest dryers on the market are rather than this being a slow dryer.
Energy Efficiency
Calculating the energy efficiency of a dryer depends on 2 things, rated power and the dry speed.
The Dryflow® Elite has a rated power of 1.7kw and a per dry consumption of 8.06 watt/hours according to the manufacturer. This is good in comparison with traditional dryers that use 20-30 watt/hours per dry, but 75% more energy than the most energy-efficient hand dryers on the market. 622 dries possible per £1 spent on electricity compared to 143 dries per £1 spent on paper towels, which is a 93% saving vs paper towels.
Quiet Operation
71 dB(A) is the manufacturers stated noise level. It is worth mentioning that hand dryers are often louder in real environments than the test data shows, this is because sound bounces off surfaces and amplifies to different degrees depending on the design of the washroom.
High-powered dryers often get a little louder when the airflow comes into contact with the hands. In testing, the Dryflow Elite was a constant 71 dB(A) under normal conditions. This is excellent for an effective dryer and makes it appropriate for use by young children and those that are particularly sensitive to noise. The Dryflow Elite has been officially recognised by the Quiet Mark and in addition to being quiet, has a smooth sound quality that will be unlikely to scare people with sensitive hearing.
Vandal Resistance
This is a tough, slim dryer that will stand up to regular knocks, the plastic moulded end caps make it slightly less resistant than a single moulded steel cover but as this dryer is mainly aimed at locations for children and disabled toilets, the likelihood of someone smashing it with a hammer are low.
Life Expectancy
The Elite has an expected life of up to 20 times more than the industry standard and as much as 5 times of premium models!
Environment
The Dryflow® Elite is built to last, so if you think you may change some dryers 5-10 times within the lifespan of this dryer, it brings home the environmental benefit of buying quality. In many locations, if this dryer is looked after, it can easily last 20-25 years. The embedded emissions in the product are a 28.8kg/co2.
The packaging is mainly recycled and recyclable cardboard with limited plastic used to protect the cover. As mentioned earlier the energy-efficiency could be better, that said after only 2000 uses you will begin to generate considerable carbon savings vs paper towels even taking into account the entire footprint of the product. Each dry generates 1.76 grams of CO2 based on the current UK grid mix, vs 15-25 grams CO2 generated by each dry with paper towels.
Conclusion
If you are looking to fit a dryer in an area where lots of young children, people with sensory difficulties or the elderly will be using the dryer, this is an excellent option. It is quiet, intuitive to use and effective. The slimline design makes it ideal for locations with limited space, particularly disabled washrooms. It will also last an incredibly long time so it would be suitable for high traffic areas such as museums or University libraries.
The downside is that the energy usage is higher than a lot of the most efficient dryers on the market and there are also many faster dryers. You may also want to look at the Dryflow® Elite Mark II , the Dryflow Classic PLUS and the Mitsubishi Jet Towel Smart if you are looking for quiet, yet effective dryers.
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