# So which is faster, using the dryer or towels? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 30, 2009, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-which-is-faster-using-the-dryer-or-towels/498106 "2009-05-30T00:29:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2009, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-which-is-faster-using-the-dryer-or-towels/498106/1 "2009-05-30T00:29:49Z")
Its the age old dilema, you are in a public restroom, worried about the strange smell, the less than impressive decor and that you will soon be accosted by George Michael. You wash you hands and then have a choice, either use the mechanical monstrosity known as the dryer, or use a towel. Which will dry your hands faster, the towel or the dryer? I hazarded a guess that the dryer will be fater for the female of the human species, since although dryers expend the same energy for all users, since female hands are well smaller, it would be faster for them, while with the gents the opposite would be true. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2009, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-which-is-faster-using-the-dryer-or-towels/498106/2 "2009-05-30T00:41:32Z")
As a “gent” I can tell you I’ve used both a lot in my life and towels are much, much faster. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2009, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-which-is-faster-using-the-dryer-or-towels/498106/3 "2009-05-30T00:49:18Z")
Towels. Hands down. Pun most definitely intended. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2009, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-which-is-faster-using-the-dryer-or-towels/498106/4 "2009-05-30T01:14:49Z")
Dyson has [airblade](http://www.dysonairblade.com/) had driers that are pretty fast - probably as fast as a thorough towel-drying. I’ve seen two of these in town. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2009, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-which-is-faster-using-the-dryer-or-towels/498106/5 "2009-05-30T01:33:52Z")
Towels are definitely faster. The blowers can dry your hands more thoroughly if you’re patient, but always take longer. ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2009, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-which-is-faster-using-the-dryer-or-towels/498106/6 "2009-05-30T01:36:15Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Dyson has [airblade](http://www.dysonairblade.com/) had driers that are pretty fast - probably as fast as a thorough towel-drying. I’ve seen two of these in town. Towels are faster. We had one installed in the ladies room at work as a test for about 3 or 4 months or so. Test failed. They were removed a couple of weeks ago and paper towels put back in. Towels are faster, more thorough, and much, MUCH quieter. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2009, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-which-is-faster-using-the-dryer-or-towels/498106/7 "2009-05-30T02:09:03Z")
In my experience towels are substantially faster. In addition you can take one with you and keep drying if you’re in a real hurry. However, I recently used one drier that was incredibly fast. I didn’t notice the brand, but it didn’t have the standard round nozzle. Instead the air outlet was longer and rectangular. It got a lot of air moving quickly. It dried my hands very quickly and very thoroughly. ---
**Author:** ![TaterRecon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f14d63/32.png) [@TaterRecon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TaterRecon)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2009, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-which-is-faster-using-the-dryer-or-towels/498106/8 "2009-05-30T02:48:31Z")
Towels will also allow you to open the door without becoming contaminated from the last douchebag who decided he is without germs. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2009, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-which-is-faster-using-the-dryer-or-towels/498106/9 "2009-05-30T02:53:51Z")
> [@TaterRecon](#): > > Towels will also allow you to open the door without becoming contaminated from the last douchebag who decided he is without germs. Waste of time. Ten minutes after you exit, your hands are just as contaminated as ever. The world is dirty, dude. ---
**Author:** ![IAmNotSpartacus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@IAmNotSpartacus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IAmNotSpartacus)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2009, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-which-is-faster-using-the-dryer-or-towels/498106/10 "2009-05-30T02:57:33Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Dyson has [airblade](http://www.dysonairblade.com/) had driers that are pretty fast - probably as fast as a thorough towel-drying. I’ve seen two of these in town. Used something similar to this at an indian casino in Washington state, except it was two long compartments that you lay your forearms in and then pulled through. **Much** faster than towel drying. 3 seconds and I was ready to go lose more at the blackjack tables ---
**Author:** ![snailboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/97f17d/32.png) [@snailboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snailboy)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2009, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-which-is-faster-using-the-dryer-or-towels/498106/11 "2009-05-30T02:59:30Z")
Just wipe your hands on your clothes and be done with it. ---
**Author:** ![bink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/439d5e/32.png) [@bink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bink)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2009, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-which-is-faster-using-the-dryer-or-towels/498106/12 "2009-05-30T03:59:35Z")
Towels save time, because you can grab one and dry your hands on the way to the trashcan/door. With the stupid dryers you have to stand there like an idiot for what seems like hours. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2009, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-which-is-faster-using-the-dryer-or-towels/498106/13 "2009-05-30T09:59:10Z")
Paper towels are done in about ten seconds. Who hasn’t just left the air dryer alone and let the water go on the floor because of how slow they are? ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Pedant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@Chief\_Pedant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Pedant)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2009, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-which-is-faster-using-the-dryer-or-towels/498106/14 "2009-05-30T11:47:53Z")
As a frequent traveler, I’m in hundreds of public restrooms a year. Airblade-type dryers are easily the fastest; because they blow the air away from your hands instead of drying them, they are essentially instantaneous, taking only the amount of time it takes to pass your hands into and out of them. Those posting about (all) air dryers being slow are apparently ignorant of what an airblade dryer is. Paper towels are next fastest, and ordinary blow dryers the slowest. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2009, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-which-is-faster-using-the-dryer-or-towels/498106/15 "2009-05-30T12:50:34Z")
> [@Chief\_Pedant](#): > > As a frequent traveler, I’m in hundreds of public restrooms a year. > > Airblade-type dryers are easily the fastest; because they blow the air away from your hands instead of drying them, they are essentially instantaneous, taking only the amount of time it takes to pass your hands into and out of them. > > Those posting about (all) air dryers being slow are apparently ignorant of what an airblade dryer is. > > Paper towels are next fastest, and ordinary blow dryers the slowest. This blade dryer wouldn’t be the dryer asked about in the original question. No substitution of different devices allowed for a poll. Our statements refer to the dryers that everybody knows have the instructions altered to start off “Press Butt”. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2009, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-which-is-faster-using-the-dryer-or-towels/498106/16 "2009-05-30T12:58:22Z")
If I were about to be accosted by George Michael, I wouldn’t be too concerned as to the cleanliness of my hands. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2009, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-which-is-faster-using-the-dryer-or-towels/498106/17 "2009-05-30T13:33:58Z")
Never seen a blade dryer. But I hate regular hot air blowers. I’ll pat my hands on my jeans before bothering with one of them. ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Pedant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@Chief\_Pedant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Pedant)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2009, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-which-is-faster-using-the-dryer-or-towels/498106/18 "2009-05-30T13:53:47Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > This blade dryer wouldn’t be the dryer asked about in the original question. No substitution of different devices allowed for a poll. Our statements refer to the dryers that everybody knows have the instructions altered to start off “Press Butt”. ?? ---
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2009, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-which-is-faster-using-the-dryer-or-towels/498106/19 "2009-05-30T14:08:39Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Never seen a blade dryer. But I hate regular hot air blowers. I’ll pat my hands on my jeans before bothering with one of them. I started seeing the blade-type dryers and the “Xlerator” (sp.) type high-velocity ones in Japan some years ago, and they seem to be gaining in popularity in the West. Still not as fast as towels. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2009, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-which-is-faster-using-the-dryer-or-towels/498106/20 "2009-05-30T14:11:28Z")
> [@Chief\_Pedant](#): > > ?? The instructions say “Press Button, Insert hands in air stream” or something similar. The National Association of Teenage Graffiti Artists has decreed that every one of these instruction panels must be defaced to read “Press Butt.” So far, they’ve done this to ever one I’ve ever seen. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-which-is-faster-using-the-dryer-or-towels/498106.md?page=2)