dysonairbladeWho knew paper towels could be so problematic?

Convenience store and gas station owners know. It seems like as soon as they put out fresh paper towels, the towels vanish from their restrooms and pumps.

The good news is, there’s a proliferation of devices that help solve the problem of disappearing towels, from automatic dispensers to high-tech hand dryers.

At the gas pumps, paper towels are always appreciated by customers who accidentally get fuel on their hands, or who want to wipe the blade on a squeegee for a meticulous window cleaning.

Automated dispensers detect motion and push out towels one at a time. An investment in a new dispenser and the batteries to run it should save you money in the long run.

Automatic dispensers range in price from less than a hundred dollars (about $60 for a Georgia-Pacific product) to almost $250 (enMotion’s stainless steel model) to brands that include a waste bin for almost $600. Consider what you need in terms of durability, especially if you want to put it outdoors, and read product reviews online to figure out which one is right for you.

In the world of hand dryers, the sluggish, lukewarm blowers of days gone by look positively antique compared with the new generation of machines. You can still get a dryer for $99, but if you really want to whip up some wind, be prepared to pay $400 or more for the high-end products.

Brands to look for include the Xlerator line. One of the less costly models features a focused stream of air at 16,000 linear feet per minute, heated to a temperature of 135 degrees Fahrenheit.

Or maybe you want to spend well over a thousand dollars for a high-end Dyson Airblade, which lets customers dip their hands into a powerful stream of air. Want your hands dried at airspeeds of 420 mph? Who doesn’t?

Whether you want a budget machine or a sleek, top-of-the-line model, look at the descriptions to check for their resistance to tampering and theft. Also look in the description for the cost of operation. Surprisingly, some of the high-powered models actually cost less to operate because of their efficiency.

These speedy machines make drying your hands kind of fun. And they won’t make most patrons miss paper towels at all.