Excel Hand Dryer Knockoffs: How to Identify Fakes and Protect Your Investment
Counterfeit hand dryers are a serious concern for facilities seeking reliable, hygienic, and energy efficient hand dryers. These fake units can be seen on e-commerce platforms like Amazon and eBay at deceptively low prices, which threatens product performance while posing safety and liability risks to facility owners and operators
At Excel Dryer, we’ve made it our mission to empower customers to spot these fakes and ensure they receive only genuine Excel Dryer products. With our Made in the USA Certified hand dryers and a commitment to innovation, quality, and sustainability, we want every customer to experience the excellence our name promises. From design to dry time, nothing compares to a genuine Excel Dryer like the XLERATOR® Hand Dryer.
We’ll help you spot Excel Dryer knockoffs, understand how they differ from our trusted hand dryers, and provide steps to verify authenticity before it’s too late.
Ready to confirm your dryer’s authenticity or shop our verified product lineup?
The Problem with Counterfeit Hand Dryers
Counterfeit hand dryers are a threat in the commercial restroom space. These lookalike products often mimic the appearance of legitimate models like the XLERATOR hand dryer but lack the internal engineering, performance, and certification of authentic Excel Dryer products. Despite Excel Dryer’s 2017 legal victory at the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), which ruled in favor of banning knockoff imports, counterfeits continue to infiltrate the market. When organizations unknowingly purchase Excel Dryer knockoffs, they risk poor performance, costly repairs, and voided warranties.
In today’s global market, counterfeit goods have infiltrated everything from electronics to personal care items, and hand dryers are no exception. If you’re in charge of facility operations, maintenance, or procurement, identifying and avoiding fake hand dryers is crucial for safeguarding your investment.
These imitation units are typically produced overseas using low-cost components and sold online with misleading claims. While their low price tags may be tempting, these dryers are not built to last. They lack safety certifications, often carry falsified CE markings, and fail to meet the performance expectations of commercial hand dryers. In short: they are not worth the risk.
Performance Differences: Genuine vs. Knockoff Dryers
There’s more than meets the eye when comparing a genuine Excel Dryer to counterfeit hand dryers. Authentic models, like the XLERATOR, XLERATOReco®, ThinAir®, and XLERATORsync® hand dryers, are designed with precision engineering, sensor-activated touchless operation, and third-party verified, energy efficient technology. These commercial hand dryers consistently deliver fast dry times ranging from 8 to 14 seconds and are supported by industry-leading certifications such as Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), Health Product Declarations (HPDs), and a comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). This level of verification ensures not only performance, but transparency and trust in sustainability metrics.
In contrast, Excel Dryer knockoffs are often poorly assembled with substandard motors and components. These counterfeit hand dryers may look similar on the outside but fail to meet safety standards, lack reliable performance, and are not backed by any recognized assessments or certifications. Without verified data on dry time or efficiency, these products deliver inconsistent results, fall short on hygiene, and offer no customer support or part replacement services. Worse, many feature fake serial numbers or misleading branding, creating confusion and potential liability for facility managers.
Only genuine Excel Dryer products come with a 7-year XLERATOR hand dryer warranty, underscoring our commitment to product quality and customer confidence. Investing in a knockoff may seem cost-effective upfront, but it can quickly lead to unexpected repairs, replacements, and safety risks that far outweigh any short-term savings. When it comes to performance, reliability, and long-term value, there’s no comparison between Excel Dryer authenticity and a counterfeit.
Looking for touchless hand dryers for your restroom? Our product line of genuine Excel Dryer products offer superior hygiene and sustainability benefits.
Where Counterfeit Products Are Most Commonly Sold
Most Excel Dryer knockoffs are found through unverified sellers on e-commerce platforms. These products may use Excel’s images, descriptions, or naming conventions but ship from unauthorized vendors. When sourcing hand dryers online, always be wary of unfamiliar brands mimicking the look of an XLERATOR hand dryer or offering units at a suspiciously low cost.
How to Verify You’re Buying a Genuine Excel Dryer
To combat this issue, Excel Dryer has launched a dedicated initiative to help customers verify authenticity.
Here’s how to confirm your dryer is the real deal:
- Check for Third-Party Verification: Real Excel Dryers feature verified certifications of quality, efficiency, or safety. Plus, they have a PCR to verify quality assurance. Counterfeit hand dryers do not have this.
- Inspect Serial Numbers: Our authentic, touchless hand dryers are serialized.
- Evaluate Dry Time & Build Quality: Fake hand dryers often take longer to dry hands and are made of substandard components.
- Customer Service Access: Excel Dryer offers full support and warranty coverage plus part replacement options. This is something knockoffs cannot provide.
- Avoid Plug-In Models: Authentic Excel Dryers are hardwired. A cord-and-plug configuration is a red flag.
Still unsure whether or not your hand dryer is authentic? Contact our team today.
Excel Dryer vs Knockoffs: What’s Really at Stake
Choosing a genuine Excel Dryer is about more than brand loyalty, it’s about protecting your investment, reputation, and the health of your facility’s users. A knockoff may look the part but will ultimately cost more in the long run due to frequent failures, potential safety hazards, and zero support.
Let’s also not forget the ethical and legal ramifications: counterfeit hand dryers violate intellectual property laws and pose a challenge to fair business practices. Despite the 2017 ITC ruling, imported knockoffs continue to be a burden on our customers and our brand integrity.
Let’s Stop the Sale of Counterfeit Hand Dryers Together
Excel Dryer is committed to delivering the safest, most reliable, and sustainable commercial hand dryers on the market. But we can’t do it alone. With your vigilance and our resources, we can work together to stop counterfeit hand dryers from undermining trust, performance, and public safety.
Always verify your source. Always check the serial number. And when in doubt, reach out.