Meet The Dyson Airblade

I’m sure you’ve seen Dyson’s array of brightly-colored and unexpectedly stylish vacuum cleaners by now, but you (probably) haven’t seen their newest take on the world of cleaning - the Airblade. In an effort to design a more hygienic and energy-efficient hand dryer, the engineers at Dyson set to work on their latest work of art, an electric hand-dryer that is infinitely more hygienic and stylish than ever before.

Unlike most hand dryers, the Airblade fuses a touchless on-off system (triggered by an infrared scanner) with a unique Dyson-engineered motor that delivers gusts at up to 400mph - quick enough to dry your hands in a fraction of the time you’d expect from an air-powered hand dryer. Dyson quotes drying times of 10 seconds, which is indeed consistent with my own tests that revealed very similar results.

Beyond the sleek exterior, the Airblade’s innovative Dyson Digital Motor uses cold, filtered air to dry the user’s hands in a matter of seconds; and, with an average energy consumption that’s up to 83% less than its other electric counterparts, the Airblade may indeed become the option of choice in years to come.

If you live in the UK, chances are that you’re no stranger to Dyson’s experimental technologies. The Airblade has been in use in shopping malls, kitchens, and other locales throughout the UK for quite some time now with adoption throughout the rest of the world growing as business owners and customers alike become more and more conscious about both hygiene and energy (the two problems solved by the wonderful world of Dyson).

Like Dyson’s vacuums, the Airblade is no stranger to style. Its slick curves and user-friendly design make it far more appealing than the white push-button dryers of yesteryear; not to mention that the device actually works. I can’t even begin to count how many times I’ve left the bathroom with wet hands courtesy of the not-so-functional white box.

Look for an Airblade near you sometime in the near future, or, if you’re in the UK, just ask around and I’m sure you can find one. They’re great to look at, fun to use, and functionally perfect. Now if only Dyson would remake the toilets…I can only imagine what they’ll think of next.

View: Dyson Airblade Brochure