The Dyson Airblade Wash + Dry is a Hand Dryer and Tap combined into a single, over-the-sink device. The product was designed to solve the issue of water dripping on the floor when someone travels from the sink to the hand dryer and again when they use the dryer. Prior to this innovation, none of the Dyson Airblade hand dryers solved this issue and require an additional tray to be purchased. It also means that no water needs to be stored as it drains straight off the hands and into the sink. The product is available in a wall-mounted (AB11/WD05) or a short (AB09/WD04) or long (AB10/WD06) surface-mounted version. Sounds great, what did our reviewer think?

From £1,050.00 + VAT

The Dyson Airblade Wash+Dry - Value

At over £1000 the Dyson Tap – Wash and Dry is not cheap as you would expect, especially when a separate sensor tap and dryer could be purchased for under £200. The value in this product really depends on the location. For example, if you think of a stadium or airport then its necessary to have as many dryers as sinks to support the constant flow of traffic, the value proposition of this product hugely increases. In such high traffic locations, the cleaners will need to regularly mop floors, so there is a labour cost saving. These issues can be solved by other means i.e. behind the mirror installations that drain into the sink, the effects minimised by mats or other dryers that capture or drain the water directly into the waste pipes. None are as effective or as simple as installing the Dyson Airblade Wash and Dry. In high use locations you are likely to need a hand dryer that costs at least £350 plus a good quality tap at £150 so the difference in price reduces, then add the reduced labour costs and maybe this product starts to look like a good long-term investment. On the other hand, if your washrooms are rarely at capacity then paying £1000 for every sink will not represent good value.

The Dyson Airblade Wash+Dry - Dry speed

The manufacturer states 14 seconds, our stringent testing showed this was accurate. Most customers lose interest at about 20 seconds, so 14 seconds is more than satisfactory. This is faster than the majority of hand dryers we test and only a few seconds slower than the very fastest .

The Dyson Airblade Wash+Dry - Energy efficiency

Calculating the energy efficiency of a dryer depends on 2 things, rated power and the dry speed. The Dyson Airblade Wash and Dry has a rated power of just 1kw therefore the energy consumption is 3.8 watt/hours per dry. This makes it one of the most energy-efficient hand dryers available. To give some perspective the Dyson Airblade AB14 uses 4.44 watts per dry, a traditional dryer uses 20-30 watts per dry, and the best available uses 1.9 watt/hours. 1285 dries possible per £1 spent on electricity compared to 143 dries per £1 spent on paper towels, a 95% saving vs paper towels.

The Dyson Airblade Wash+Dry - Quiet operation

The Dyson Airblade Wash and Dry has an official noise level of 81dB(A). This is on the higher side as specifications go, however, this is a realistic measurement from 1 meter and the sound quality is smooth. That is why Quiet Mark has recognised it among their list of products. It is important to remember that many dB(A) levels you find online are not real life and often dubious, to say the least.

The Dyson Airblade Wash+Dry - Vandal resistance

The product is very compact and extremely strong, it’s also fixed to a sink, so almost impossible to move without access to behind cladding or under the sink.

The Dyson Airblade Wash+Dry - Life expectancy

All Dyson hand dryers are reliable and this product is no exception. We would probably score it higher but Dyson doesn’t provide any data beyond the dryers being tested to 240,000 cycles. We are sure they will last longer in a real-life scenario. Warranty for 5-years, we rarely ever hear of a fault.

The Dyson Airblade Wash+Dry and the environment

The Dyson Airblade Wash+Dry - Conclusion

A brilliant dryer for high-traffic locations. A perfect solution to the problem of wet floors. We really can’t fault it for new projects where it will be incorporated with a suitable sink design. It is a bit more complicated as a retro-fit item as it doesn’t just work with any sink. It’s also hugely expensive to fit one of these at every sink. You may want to check out the alternative tap hand dryer options . 

 That said they are really cool, they are not too loud, super energy-efficient, highly reliable, and fast as you would expect. This is our favourite Dyson hand dryer. Not sure if this style of installation is right for you? Why not check out our main hand dryer section and filter down by your criteria or use our awesome smart search tool below.

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