Once we have come to the conclusion that we might need a hair dryer for our facilities, there are a lot of features that we should consider in order to guarantee that it is the most suitable model. Nevertheless, before starting to look for a commercial hair dryer, one must study the space available at the facilities and the average amount of users.
With the basic information about the location and visitors, we can then explore the market to compare power performance, water resistance, energy consumption or safety measures. Likewise, we could examine if the blow dryer is easy to operate and maintain, as well as if it matches the area regarding dimensions and décor.
Usage
We can distinguish two main types of commercial hair dryers in relation to the volume of daily visitors.
- Light duty hair dryers, like those at hotels, nursing homes, ship cabins or student accommodations, are expected to perform for up to 1,500 hours. They are meant for individual use.
- Medium traffic blow dryers, necessary in a bit more demanding yet small public places, for instance at spas, private clubs or swimming pools, must provide service for between 1,500 and 2,000 hours.
- Heavy duty hair dryers, such as those at leisure centres, campsites or big swimming pools, are designed to last from 2,000 to 10,000 hours. They are normally labelled as blow dryers for public areas or collective use.
Bear in mind that if one selects an inadequate hair dryer the unit will be either underused or overused, implying therefore a not very wise investment.
Please note that this guide does not refer to salon hair dryers.
Water resistance
The room where the hair dryer will be installed defines whether protection against water spray is necessary. Bedroom blow dryers require no water resistance while bathroom hair dryers must be more or less IP rated depending on how close they are to sanitary appliances. For example, we provide Hotello hair dryers , which have IP34 rating and are suitable for zone 2 in bathrooms (the wall next to the washbasin, shower or bathtub).
Mounting
Concerning where the handset of the hair dryer lays, we can choose among the following types of commercial hair dryers.
- Hair dryers without any specific mounting. A hair dryer holder can always be bought separately or a hole be made on a shelf.
- Hair dryers with drawer mounting. Especially at hotels, limited spaced areas and of course households.
- Wall mounted hair dryers, depending on the layout, can be placed in the holder in a lateral or front position, requiring in the second case less wall space.
- Wall mounted hair dryer motor with hose and handset. They are generally the ones with best water resistance. We supply bathroom hair dryers that have an independent back plate that separates the electrical area from the hair dryer body, easing up installation.
By the way, the length of the cord or hose and the recommended installation height from the floor should be taken into account in order to opt for a hair dryer that gives enough space to move or face the mirror.
Power connection
We can find in the market two main ways to connect the hand held hair dryers at public and commercial areas: with concealed connection or with plug. As a middle-term alternative, a professional electrician can remove the plug of a hair dryer and connect it to the socket permanently; we have seen this ourselves in a hotel bedroom.
Should you ask us for advice, hardwired dryers are safer and more vandal proof, because visitors do not handle the plug and the units are less likely to be lost. Nonetheless, like any product with plugs, the cable can be locked to the wall through an anti-theft system.
Operation
The motor will work once the user has picked up the handset, inserted a coin or interacted with a button. In general, blow dryers with hoses are found at high traffic locations, coin operated hair dryers are designed for changing rooms and units with button are common at hotels.
There is a lot of variety on hair dryer buttons. Traditional wall mounted blow dryers have a push button that operates the unit for a determined period after is pressed solely once. On the other side, hair dryers can have a latching switch that must be pressed or slid to turn on or off the airflow. Combining the best of both, several models have a press & hold button to be constantly pushed, so the motor only runs while the user needs it, customising the operation time and preventing accidents. Furthermore, for added safety, the holder can also show an extra on/off button, which sends or blocks the power to the handset itself.
Drying performance
The hair dryer rated power will be between 500 to 2,000 watts. Whereas a low wattage allows saving costs and favours the environment, note that the heating element at a warm temperature and at 15 cm distance from the hair helps drying without dehydrating as much as cold air, does not create static electricity and contributes to visitors’ comfort.
Blow dryer heaters can be made of iron ( regular hair dryers) or other more quality and expensive materials (professional hair dryers) that dry faster, more evenly thanks to the infrared heat and providing good hair properties, like porcelain ceramic or titanium do.
Contemplate as well that the air speed is also capital. Two different models with the same rated power can give a divergent result due to its design. Moreover, how the airflow performs and the air volume seem relevant too. A hair dryer does not have to only dry, but also to appear it is drying. Anyway, noise level should always be as low as possible.
As another interesting characteristic to look at, blow dryers with professional ion technology emit negative ions that aid to break down water, speeding up drying time while improving volume, hair hydration and softness. Tourmaline hair dryers are the upgraded version of ionic dryers.
Very often units have several air speeds and a temperature dial , so that the user can choose the most appropriate. The cool shot button is one of the most appreciated features to give the final hair style shape. Instead of just buttons, digital hair dryers display these settings on a screen, where guests can check the exact air temperature.
Other safety features
We have already mentioned some security elements like the class of button, the protection against splashes or the fact that the unit is hardwired. Furthermore, commercial hair dryers normally include a (sometimes adjustable) maximum operation time to prevent misuse or lapses, as well as a cut-off system to stop the motor temporarily in case overheat is detected. Also, blow dryers frequently come with locking systems.
Accessories and others
To save space, some bathroom hair dryers are equipped with a shaver socket . Likewise, instead of the typical coiled cords, certain models have flat cables to reduce tangles or special mechanisms like Valera’s rotocord, which allows to spin the hair dryer 360º without messing up with the cable.
Besides the fixing material for mounting, the box could include hair dryer accessories like a concentrator nozzle to focus the airflow onto a specific section of the hair and/or a diffuser for curly hair.
A few blow dryers have a removable filter in order to ease maintenance and extend the life of the unit.
Other aspects like the finish and handset weight would be important. For instance, whereas rubber protects the case from scratches or even breaking, it could get sticky with improper upkeep and end up attracting unwanted particles.
Although this summary points to many concepts and the market offers plenty of possibilities, the selection will not be complicated if one knows the needs of the facilities and guests. In addition, unlike other products whose price range is very wide, the difference in price between a basic blow dryer and a long-lasting and safe hair dryer would be acceptable for most.
At IFS we aim at supplying an assorted range of energy efficient appliances and washroom fittings for commercial areas and public buildings. We have classified our products in web categories such as hair dryers , hotel accessories or vanity mirrors . Since accessibility is paramount for us, you can order varied sorts of grab rails and shower seats, automatic taps and soap dispensers or bariatric equipment . Our team would be happy to assist you, should you have any request, so please do not hesitate to contact us.
