*DryerBuyer.com is reader-supported. When you buy through Amazon and affiliated sites links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission (at no extra cost to you). Learn more.
If you ever wanted to buy them, I am pretty sure you have asked this question at least once. It could have been a random passing thought, or if you’re like me, you must have asked one of your buddies. Do boot dryers really work?
Yes, boot dryers work very well. Some of them work differently than others, but the results are the same. They employ different technology, but they are each designed to accelerate the drying process of wet, shoes, sports equipment, and even garments. You will discover which of these methods is the most effective, further along in the post.
This post will help you understand this topic better. I will be elaborating on the types of dryers, and how efficient they are.
How do boot dryers work?
Most boot dryers work by the principle of thermal convection. The air at room temperature is sucked in and transferred through the vents. This air is warmed up to get rid of moisture in the boot, garment, or accessory.
There are four types of boot dryers you can choose from. And almost all of them use the same principle, except for the UV dryer. The four categories, along with the pros and cons, are explained below.
Forced Air Dryers
These are the dryers that produce the fastest results among all the boot dryers. These machines have built-in fans that transfer the air into the shoes or the garment to be dried.
Their best feature is undeniably their speedy drying. However, the drawback of these dryers is the noise. The fans make use of a motor to run, which produces a small amount of noise.
Both Dryguy and MaxxDry dryers use this technology in almost all of their models.
Convection Dryers
These dryers make use of an internal heater that slowly warms the air. The air that is pulled into the dryer is typically at room temperature. The heater causes a gradual rise in the temperature before it hits the boots or shoes.
These types of dryers are very quiet, which is a significant advantage. However, they are not as quick as a forced-air dryer. Almost all Peet dryer models use this technology.
PTC Dryers
PTC or Positive Temperature Coefficient are ceramic heating elements. These small stone-like components are equipped with self-limiting temperature features. These dryers are very efficient, as well as quick. The heating mechanism and the response time are also among the fastest. These dryers are also energy efficient.
The best thing about this category of dryers is that the heating temperature gradually stabilizes after it reaches the predetermined level. So there is no chance of overheating the device. They are not the fastest dryers though.
This technology is most often used in portable boot dryers.
UV Dryers
These dryers make use of ultraviolet light technology to get rid of microorganisms that cause foul odor and dry the footwear as well.
Ultraviolet rays are the gold standard for eliminating molecular bonds in molds, mildew, virus, bacteria, and other contaminants. This is the reason why microorganisms die when exposed to sunlight.
How fast do they dry?
The efficiency and the speed of the results from boot dryers are primarily dependent on two factors.
- The technology of the boot dryer.
- The degree of wetness of the boot, garment, or accessory.
That being said, it is best to engage in the drying process within the recommended speed and frequency. Attempting to dry the footwear at supersonic speeds can damage the dryer and cause it to malfunction. Overheating can also damage the shoe or the garment as well.
The average duration of time required by each dryer, subject to the saturation of water in the footwear or garment is:
- Forced air dryers – One to three hours for drying an article of completely wet clothing. As mentioned above, they work the quickest.
- Convection dryers – Three to eight hours.
- PTC dryers – Four to eight hours.
- UV dryers – Three to eight hours.
Conclusion
Do boot dryers work, how to do boot dryers work are legit questions that can plague its users. But, although they employ different methods, they do work. Otherwise, we would not use them at all.
I hope this post has cleared up all your questions about these topics. If you have any doubts or questions, please feel free to share them with us.