10 Things To Know Before Buying A Paper Towel Dispenser

With the Covid pandemic still going on, most people have realized how important that is to maintain hygiene at home or in the office.

The research focused on related articles from 1070 to 2011 (12 studies in total) has revealed that paper towels can dry hands efficiently, remove bacteria effectively, and cause less contamination of the washroom environment. From a hygiene viewpoint, paper towels are superior to electric air dryers. Paper towels should be recommended in locations where hygiene is paramount [1]. Please see all the 6 highlights we put together below.

Have you ever wanted a paper towel dispenser? Maybe you’d like to DIY, or maybe you’re looking into buying one. Either way, there are some things you need to know before making any purchase decisions.

That’s why today we’ll talk about 10 things you need to know about buying a paper towel dispenser installed in your home or your commercial places.

Choose A Place For A Towel Dispenser

If you are getting a paper towel dispenser for home, you may consider a dispenser for specific styles you love and coziness. If the towel dispenser is for a commercial place such as a restaurant, hotel, coffee bar, school, gallery studio, or church, you may choose a professional, heavy-duty, and easy-to-use model. 

How Much Does A Dispenser Cost? - Your Budget

A paper towel dispenser may cost from 15 to 100 dollars depending on the material, how it works (mechanical or automatic), and brands. 

Paper Towels - Do You Like To Use Rolls Or Folded Sheets?

Some people prefer to use folded paper towels (such as multi-fold, tri-fold, z-fold, c-fold, and single-fold). It is a great idea for home. For commercial places, either folded paper sheets or big rolls are popular. With that said, the towel dispenser will be different accordingly since big rolls need a round-shaped dispenser.

Where Will You Put The Towel Dispenser?

A towel dispenser could be placed on a surface such as a countertop or mounted on the wall or rack. For those with pull-down dispensers, place them over an existing towel rack. If you have hinged dispensers, simply hang them from a nail near where you keep towels. No matter how they are installed, make sure there is at least 6-8 inches of clearance between the bottom edge of the dispenser and the floor or countertop.

What Size Roll or Paper Towels Will Fit The Dispenser?

This is an important factor. If you have a preferred size of the roll or paper towel sheets, you need to make sure the roll/paper towel sheets are compatible with the towel dispenser that you wanted to buy. Or, if you don't care about the paper towels much, you may just order a nice paper towel dispenser that you love and then buy paper towels that fit that dispenser. Yes, make sure of the size! Otherwise, it will be very frustrating. 

Is There Any Way To Prevent Paper Towel Clogging/Tearing/Ripping?

These are typical issues people see when they are using a towel dispenser. This is highly related to the original design of the towel dispenser. For bamboo or wood-based towel dispensers, the Cozee Bay bamboo paper towel dispenser has an anti-tearing adapter included in the design so these issues can be effectively avoided. 

To pull the paper towels from the bottom, the adapter can be placed to face up and paper towels can be smoothly pulled one sheet at a time. On the other hand, for surface mounted (on a countertop) dispensers, the adapter can be placed face down. The clearance between paper towels and the counter surface is about 3 cm and it effectively prevents cross-contamination. Here the contamination refers to dust or moisture on the counter surface. This feature is very important as well because scientific research also indicates that zig-zag transfer of bacteria between paper-towel dispensers and hands can take place if either one is contaminated [2]. This potential should be considered in the design, construction, and use of paper-towel dispensers.

Choosing A Material For A Paper Towel Dispenser

A paper towel dispenser or roll holder could be made of plastic (typically it is acrylic), stainless steel, bamboo, or wood. Plastic towel holders/dispensers are cheaper but may not be very durable. More importantly, plastic is not an environmentally friendly material. Metal ones will last longer but are more expensive. In general, however, if you're looking at buying one now, don't spend too much money on it. You'll still want to change it out every few years, so look for good value in design and materials. For example, bamboo paper towel dispensers are very popular since they are sustainable, affordable, and stylish. Again, please make sure to buy one with an anti-tearing adapter to prevent paper ripping or tearing. Some of the bamboo-based towel dispensers look good and stylish but customers just suffer from serious towel ripping or tearing. Cozee Bay is the only brand on the market that has the originally designed anti-tearing adapter for all our paper towel dispensers. 

Some Paper Towel Dispensers Require Maintenance

A paper towel dispenser typically should be cleaned once or twice a week with warm, soapy water or pressurized air to remove the dust. Also, some towel dispensers require additional maintenance if there are clogs or if you notice any unusual sounds coming from them. Based on the product reviews, people also have reported issues with some countertop dispensers (get paper towels from the top) with a spring inside. After a certain time, they noticed the spring just does not work well anymore.  

Most Paper Towel Dispensers Come With A Warranty Or 30-day Return Window

Before placing an order for your loved paper towel dispenser, please make sure to check the return policy (typically it is 30 days after receiving the item) and warranty terms. 

Which Type Of Paper Towel Dispenser Is Best For You?

Now you should know what to check before you buy a paper towel dispenser. If you still have questions, please leave a comment below and we can discuss.

References

1）Susan S. et al, The Hygienic Efficacy of Different Hand-Drying Methods: A Review of the Evidence,Mayo Clin Proc. 2012 Aug; 87(8): 791–798. 

2) Wendy A. Harrison et al, Bacterial transfer and cross-contamination potential associated with paper-towel dispensing,Am J Infect Control2003;31:387-91.