MarketTrip: A New Era Blows In...

"Dries hands in 10-12 seconds." The gadget I'm currently enthralled with is something that we can definitely file under "Why the heck didn't someone think of this sooner?!" The XLERATOR commercial hand drier - hands dried by the designated device hanging on the wall rather than on your jeans? BRILLIANT! I first encountered this wonder-device at my local Target store. And instantly thought to myself "I need this for my house."

The basic premise is this - lots of hot air blown with actual force onto your wet hands will dry them! Revolutionary, I realize! Apparently, manufacturers of previous devices were either a) challenged by the technological hurdles required to achieve actual drying with air OR b) they were convinced that they were protecting the public by limiting the velocity with which air was used in the act of drying! Regardless of why it took so long for someone to bring some conviction to public bathroom hand sanitation, once you've used it, you'll appreciate that a new era has arrived. Is my enthusiasm disproportionate to the achievement here? Well, how many times have you given up half way through hand drying and left the restroom with wet hands muttering under your breath?!

With this on my wall, how easy to be green...especially since the manufacture claims it uses 80% less energy than a standard (I'd say "substandard") commercial hand drier. But my hopes of bringing the revolution home were dashed by the price tag ($450 for the sleek chrome model), the rewiring required to place this in the proper location and the better judgment of knowing that this was one "toy" my wife would never understand my fascination with. So for now, it's still towels at home (unless I happen to be wearing jeans!).