For decades, the manufacturers of electric hand dryers have been claiming there product is the most hygienic approach to hand drying. For example, Excel publishes what they call "a definitive statement on the bacteriological safety of warm air." It cites research reports from 1953 until 2000 to support its claim that "Warm air dryers prove to be the leader in efficient and hygienic methods of drying"

Now we learn that "Modern hand dryers are much worse than paper towels when it comes to spreading germs, according to new University of Leeds research."

These findings come on top of a report that a "review of 12 studies found that, overall, paper towels were ‘superior’."

It will be interesting to see how research claims will be bantered back and forth, and how the market will respond.