See the Mitsubishi logo and you think reliability, a brand you can trust and a high performing, quality product. This certainly applies to their Jet Towel hand dryer range. It’s a little-known fact that the Mitsubishi Jet Towel was the first and original “blade” style hand dryer back in 1993, and they have continued to improve it ever since.
Advantages
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Quick drying – First and foremost a hand dryer is judged by many on the ability to do the job it was intended to do and this does it exceptionally well. Some manufactures specifications state a sub 12 seconds dry time but don’t deliver that in reality. We can guarantee that these will get the digits completely dry in around 11-14 seconds depending on the setting used (we’ve in housed tested these to make sure).
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Reliability - Each Jet Towel has been proven to last for over 400 uses every day for 7 years. The outer casings have been tested to withstand an impact of up to 15J. Once these are bought, they don’t let you down or cause any maintenance headaches. A brushless motor carries a number of advantages including no need to maintain brushes that wear over time, greater efficiency using less energy per rotation, quieter operation and increased lifespan.
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Low energy use – Depending upon the setting, you will run this energy efficient unit at between 0.55 kW - 1.24 kW. Marry that with a rapid dry time and the energy used per dry is minimal. So much so that it will cost you around 26p - 45p per 1000 dries; that’s a 97 - 98.3% saving against paper towel use and much better for the environment.
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Quiet – Sometimes one downfall of a powerful hand dryer is that it sounds like a jumbo jet taking off. Not the case here. The design of the model over the years has allowed it to continue to be one of the quietest in its class yet not reduce anything in drying performance, including a patented wave nozzle reducing sound causing turbulence. Conversations can still be held whilst drying.
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Water collection drip tray – Any surplus water is diverted into a removable drip tray. The advantage of this is water doesn’t drip down the side of the machine and onto the floor, reducing mess and a potential slipping hazard.
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Customisable – For the real energy conscious, these units have a switch where the heater element can be turned off. In a busy facility, the heat generated from the motors continuous use warms the airflow. So, having the heater element on is only relevant in the colder months in lower use facilities to aid comfort. The drying time is not affected with the heater on or off.
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Antibacterial surfaces – These are certified by NSF International, an independent third-party public safety health and standards organization, confirming them to be compliant to its rigorous requirements (NSF/ANSI 169). The plastics used in Jet Towels curb the growth of bacteria on the surface. The secret is the metal ions added into the resin, which work to inhibit the functions of bacteria and reproductive growth. The plastic casings are safe for alcohol cleaning. Normal plastics react with alcohol, which can result in cracking and damage. Jet Towels use high-grade plastic that can be safely cleaned with cleansers containing alcohol (less than 83% ethanol content).
- Accessible for all – A large 6.8 l drying area provides easy access for all including children and wheelchair users, with alternative sensors placed inside the drying area to capture hands entering from the sides. The large cavity makes sure you don’t touch the sides of the drying area when in use.
Disadvantages
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Aesthetics – Although not important for all and of course it's a subjective factor, Mitsubishi have certainly put more into the performance and reliability of the hand dryer than the overall look of the machine. Some would quite rightly say that’s more important. Although not totally uneasy on the eye, if the décor of the overall washroom is important to you, there may be more attractive units on the market. That said the slim has certainly come a long way since 1993 and nobody would look at it and say it was out right ugly.
- Price per unit – The reliability and performance does come at a price; however, you certainly get what you pay for and more, giving total peace of mind. For lower use facilities there are still some fantastic models with similar dry times and efficiency.
Conclusion
For hand dryers in this price bracket, we feel the Mitsubishi Jet Towel provides the best all round performance, reliability and enhanced features. Nobody is ever disappointed when they purchase this model. It does exactly what it was meant to do extremely well, whilst costing very little to run, good for the environment and you hardly notice it working when in use, it’s that quiet. A sound investment when looking for a fast drying, long life hand dryer, especially for a high traffic building.
