Hand dryers have been popular with industries for the efficiency they provide. Energy use is cut by as much as 80% in comparison with hand towels, the only main competitor; consequently, together with reduction in other areas, hand dryers can cut costs by as much as 90%.Neither do they require maintenance after being installed, whereas paper towel stocks need to be replaced, and used paper towels removed.

Due to the reduction in litter and waste in comparison with paper towels (which cannot be recycled), hand dryers are also liked for their kindness to the environment. One source claims that an average fast-food restaurant using paper towels, annually, results in 9 fully-grown trees being cut down, and 1,000 pounds of landfill waste created (paper towels alone amount to 35% of landfill space currently used), though many are often unaware of these consequences. Even before the paper towels are used, each ton has claimed 20,000 gallons of water in chemical cleansing

Hand dryers, apparently, also improve hygiene. Doctors at the University of Ottawa claim that "the blowing of warm air may lead to an accelerated dehydration of the skin surface, thereby affecting the viability" of the microorganisms, and that the warm air may "penetrate all the crevices in the skin, whereas absorbent towels may not reach such areas, even though the skin appears dryer".

The general public find hand dryers slow to use. In addition, if a facility completely replaces its towel dispensers with hand dryers, then people often no longer have access to the towels for things like cleaning up spills, wiping up messes on their body or clothing, etc. Some also may find hand dryers to be too noisy.

Because hand dryers can be costly to purchase and install and maintain, facilities managers must do a careful cost analysis to determine whether they are cost effective in their building.

Handwashing for Life, an association of food service suppliers that includes paper makers, argues that hand dryers have "no place" in food areas "mainly because they are neither effective or fast."

Dyson have recently released a new type of hand dryer, the Dyson Airblade. It dries hands in 10 seconds using a thin blade of pressurised air, and is more cost effective for energy usage than traditional hot air blower hand dryers, as well as more environmentally friendly, saving 83% in energy in comparison to conventional hand dryers. Based on 200 uses a day for 365 days a year, the Airblade would cost £30 to operate for that full year

It seems that the Dyson Airblade maybe a copy the Mitsubishi Jet Towel, which uses a similar design and technologyThe Jet Towel has been used in Japanese bathrooms since 1997

Another UK company, Excel Dryer Ltd have also released a similar machine, advertised as being 98% cheaper than paper towels, and more environmentally friendly

Notice:The above information is from wiki