Dryflow EcoWave

The Ecowave is an attractive unit, specified by some major coffee and fast-food chains in the UK but is it a good buy, we ask our expert! 

 The Ecowave is ultra, slim-line, measuring just 10cm in depth and available in Black and Brushed Stainless. It uses a long air outlet strip, with a powerful 22,000 rpm motor forcing concentrated air onto the hands. It is a mid-priced unit so there is lots of competition around the same price point. 

 Our experts review where the Ecowave sits relative to competing units.

£179.90 + VAT

The Dryflow EcoWave - Value

At just £179 + vat, this falls into the lower/mid-price range. All Dryflow hand dryers represent good value and the Ecowave is no different due to the 3-year comprehensive guarantee and lifetime free repair service. The Ecowave looks like a more expensive dryer due to quality of finish and robust, heavyweight feel of the product. 

The value of this specific dryer depends more on what your main criteria are. This is not a particularly long-life dryer, so it only represents good value in locations where it will receive low use (under 100 uses per day).

The Dryflow EcoWave - Speed

The manufacturer states 10-15 seconds, which is maybe a bit ambitious; 14-17 seconds to a completely hygienic dry is realistic.

The Dryflow EcoWave - Efficiency

The energy efficiency of a dryer is measured by taking the rated power of the device and the dry speed to calculate the consumption per dry. 

 The Ecowave has a rated power between 0.4 kW – 0.95 kW, which, based on the manufacturer’s stated dry times, means that each dry would consume 1.67 – 2.64 watt/hours per dry. In reality, it’s probably about 30% higher than this, due to the slightly longer dry times we found. Nevertheless, consumption is still very low. 

 To put this into context, the Dyson Airblade AB14 uses 4.44 watts per dry, a traditional dryer uses 20-30 watts per dry, and the best available dryers use 1-2 watt/hours. 

 It is possible to dry 3000 pairs of hands for just £1, which represents a 97% saving compared to paper towels.

The Dryflow EcoWave - Quiet operation

Where this dryer excels is in producing quick dry times while maintaining quiet operation. It has a very smooth and tolerable sound, making it ideal for younger children and those with sensory issues.

The Dryflow EcoWave - Vandal resistance

The dryers have been installed in unmanned public toilets and fast-food chains due to their thick, solid, vandal-resistant covers and slimline contours. It’s a tough, durable dryer.

The Dryflow EcoWave - Life expectancy

500 hours is the stated, tested motor life which is around 120,000 dries. This is acceptable but makes it only really suitable for locations that will get less than 100 visits per day. A 3-year warranty is provided, which is longer than most competing dryers in this price bracket.

The Dryflow EcoWave and the environment

This hand dryer is part of the only Carbon-measured and balanced hand dryer range available. An official cradle-to-grave life cycle analysis on the product by Climate Partner measured the embedded carbon at 40.57 kg/CO2. Please note that if you have read other reviews and this seems high, the reason is that the other reviews were estimates and did not have an expert third party scrutinising every aspect of the product. Every Ecowave sold has all the emissions from the raw materials, manufacturing, transport, and end-of-life disposal calculated and offset. The lifetime free repairs warranty ensures that the product is kept working rather than thrown away and replaced. The impact of this is hugely significant when looking to reduce CO2 emissions. 

The Dryflow Brand is a member of 1% for the planet, so 1% of every sale goes to help positive climate change projects in the UK, such as Moors for the Future, Carbon Literacy Project, and Keep Britain Tidy. Over £35,000 has been donated in the last 18 months.

The Dryflow EcoWave - Conclusion

The Dryflow Ecowave is a really nice bit of kit for a low traffic washroom. 

A free lifetime repairs guarantee for a dryer that costs just £179 + vat is exceptional. It’s a really nice-looking, slimline dryer with a nicely sized wall footprint to ensure fixings from old dryers are obscured. Perfect for accessible and normal washrooms alike, it’s reasonably quick, energy-efficient and has low noise levels. The standard HEPA filter ensures the highest hygiene standards. 

The downside is that its motor-life is not that great, and you can buy cheaper dryers with a better lifespan. So, if you are buying for a busy location, look to one of the other recommended dryers.