You don't need to dig out an old bath towel from the closet to dry your car after a wash. There are a number of wonderful products to help you dry your car and they make the process far easier. The best car dryers also save you some time along the way. There are a few different drying options to have in your detailer kit, so we rounded up the best car dryer tools in the hopes it makes keeping your car clean a simpler task. We also share some handy car-drying tips below.
Metro
If you want the best way to dry a car off after a wash, look no further than an air blower. And if you want the best air blower, you'd best check out Metro's Master Blaster. It moves air at 58,500 feet per minute and provides a seriously powerful blast of air to wipe away water and droplets from a freshly washed car to reduce water spots. If you routinely wax your car, this will be even easier.
The process is almost 100% touch-free, which saves a car from potential scratches or swirl marks from a chamois towel or microfiber cloth, and the unit comes with a reusable filter to keep maintenance nice and easy. It comes with five attachments to work water out of crevices and rolls to make it super easy to use. The price isn't for everyone, but an air dryer is absolutely the best way to dry a car after cleaning instead of a cloth and squeegee.
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Adam's
Adam's Air Cannon Car Dryer Blower
Adam's air blower is a lot like the Metro unit, but it's a little more affordable, which makes it our runner-up. Adam's unit moves less air at 58,000 feet per minute, and overall, we preferred the way the Master Blaster operated. Both are great machines, however.
Adam's air dryer tosses in a few attachments for whatever style of drying you're looking for and the unit also rolls like our top pick, which makes maneuvering around the car super easy. We also like the long hose this car blower unit comes with. If you can't swallow the Master Blaster's price tag (or find it on sale), you won't be disappointed with Adam's unit.
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CleanTools
Air dryers aren't for everyone's wallet, but there are other alternatives that are way friendlier to anyone's budget. That's why we need to talk about The Absorber. This is a synthetic chamois drying towel product from CleanTools that does a downright amazing job.
You can use the chamois like a cotton towel to dry off areas of the car, or spread it across a larger part of the car like the roof or hood and drag it to suck up water left without swirl marks after a car wash. In both instances, the absorbency of the chamois cloth leaves a nearly dry surface that should take just a few minutes to totally clear up before you move on to claying, wax or calling it a day.
The Absorber makes drying the car a simple process and it should be on your shopping list.
Mighty Cleaner
The Absorber is the top dog, but Mighty Cleaner's Shammy Towel isn't in the dog house at all. The chamois cloth does a great job picking up water and not leaving much moisture behind. The company also offers its product in a two pack, which might make it a better deal if you want a couple of these around for drying duties. I know I like to have one per car hanging around the house at the moment.
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Liquid X
Best car drying towel
If a shammy isn't your style, there's nothing wrong with a microfiber drying towel outfitted specifically for car drying duty. Liquid X's Rapid Dry microfiber towels are top notch absorbers that do a heck of a job drying a car after a wash. This large towel might take more than one of them, but in our experience, you can get away with just the one because this microfiber towel is massive. One microfiber car drying towel measures 50 inches by 30 inches, so yes, it covers a large area and scoops up water well along the way. Or buy two microfiber drying towels if you want to make sure your drying needs are covered.
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Zwipes
The Liquid X car towel is expensive, but it works well. If you need a more budget-friendly option, Zwipes Microfiber Waffle Drying Towel comes in a two pack and it's a lot cheaper. But, in our experience, absorbency isn't quite as good with the waffle weave towel as the Liquid X microfiber per pass. Nevertheless, it's not a bad drying aid to consider.
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Huiscu
The final option we recommend for drying a car is a squeegee, and Huiscu's water blade is our top pick. It's sturdy, features a flexible blade to make swiping away water simple and measures 12 inches for a good-sized drying footprint with each pass. In our experience, it worked well and didn't feel flimsy when wiping away water.
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Great Barrier
It may be a personal preference, but Great Barrier's Water Blade features a stiffer, dual-blade design that in our experience worked well, but not as well, as our top pick. That's not to say it didn't do the job because it still lands as a runner-up choice. It's also a little cheaper, so there's an added bonus for you if you like this design better.
Best car drying tools details
| Best car drying tool | Brand | Name | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air blower drying cannon | Metro | Master Blaster | $484 |
| Car drying chamois | CleanTools | The Absorber | $15 |
| Car drying towel | Liquid X | Rapid Dry Towel | $79 |
| Car drying squeegee | Huiscu | Water Blade | $19 |
Car drying tips and tricks
- A waxed car is way easier to dry:Save yourself some energy and invest in the time to apply a coat of wax to your car's finish after a thorough car wash. After that, water beads super well and it becomes way easier to dry a car off no matter what tool you use.
- Watch out for debris caught in chamois, towels or squeegees:These tools work well, but there's always the chance they can pick something up like dirt particles. Then, as you wipe a car off, you rub contaminants on the paintwork. Worse, you could create scratches. Just be on the lookout to keep your car's paint looking great.
- Air is your friend:Even if you can't afford an air blower, other tools to blow air into crevices can push water out that will eventually dribble out and streak on the paint.
- Don't let the car sit in the sun:Why? Water spots. The sun will dry water and leave gray shadows behind on paintwork, especially if you're not using completely filtered water. Try to dry a car off after a car wash in the shade if you can.
Dry off with our favorite tools
Any one of the car drying tools above will make the process mighty easier. We can guarantee that, and with something for every budget, there's no reason not to start enjoying a simpler drying process.
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FAQs
Are car dryers worth it? ›
If you care about your car, the answer is always yes! You have a lot of money invested in your vehicle. Using the air dryer assures a touch-free dry job. This means you avoid swirl marks, scratches, or abrasions on your car's expensive surfaces.
How many CFM does it take to dry a car? ›Any leaf blower that produces at least 400 cubic feet of air per minute (CFM) will get the job done. However, the higher the CFM rating, the faster you will dry your vehicle and EGO manufactures some of the most powerful electric leaf blowers on the market today.
What blower can I use to dry my car? ›An electric leaf blower will suffice if it pushes air out in the 90-100 mph range. While a battery-powered or even a gas-powered leaf blower could substitute, an electric one is more efficient and straightforward.
How do I choose an air dryer? ›- Maximum air flow in standard cubic feet per minute (scfm)
- Inlet air pressure.
- Inlet air temperature.
- Ambient air temperature (and water temperature if condenser is water-cooled)
- Desired pressure dew point.
- Utilities required.
- Installation.
You may have heard of a heated clothes airer before, and you might have wondered if they're actually worth the money. Well, in our opinion, the short answer is yes, especially as the cost of living crisis bites and more of us become aware of how much it costs to run a tumble dryer during the winter months.
What is good for drying a car? ›The best way to dry car after wash is using a high-quality chamois or microfiber cloth will do the job well because it can absorb more moisture without scratching your paint. For example, The Absorber from CleanTools uses a unique polyvinyl alcohol material that helps soak up more water than other types of towels.
What is the fastest way to dry your car? ›How can I get my car dried faster? Using large microfiber towels designed specifically for drying your car. They quickly absorb water and require only a few wipes to cover large areas. A forced-air dryer is much faster, but they are more expensive.
Can I use an air compressor to dry my car? ›Why not use it to dry a car? Air compressors are adequate for blowing water from crevasses and contours of your vehicle. However, they aren't as effective when it comes to blowing the water off your car's surface. One of the main reasons is air compressors don't provide sufficient airflow.
What do you use to dry a black car? ›Drying a black car incorrectly can be dangerous territory too, so use the right products. “If you are going to use a towel, use a proper scratch-free microfiber drying towel, often in the form of a waffle-weave microfiber drying towel.
How can I dry my car by myself? ›- Get the stool out. As a rule of thumb, you always want to start with the highest surface on the vehicle. ...
- Spray a drying aid on surface. ...
- Wipe/blow away water. ...
- Wring out/switch to clean towel. ...
- Move to the next-highest part of the vehicle and repeat.
Which type of dryer is more efficient? ›
Heat-pump dryers are the most energy-efficient option. A heat-pump dryer extracts heat from a room's air and uses it to heat the air in the dryer. A conventional electric dryer relies on a heating element. Some dryers use both technologies and are known as hybrids.
Which is better condenser or heat pump dryer? ›When compared to a heat pump dryer, a condenser dryer can be costly and is less energy efficient. Using a closed-loop heat exchange system, heat pump tumble dryers dry clothes at a lower temperature, keeping energy usage low and providing better protection for your laundry.
Is it better to blower or towel dry a car? ›If you're looking for the most efficient option of simply removing beads of water, a blower is a great option, as long as you get one powerful enough. It's also the best method for luxury vehicles since it eliminates contact with paint completely; many show cars don't risk towel usage for drying.
What are three types of air dryers? ›There are three common types of compressed air dryers: refrigerated compressed air dryers, membrane compressed air dryers and desiccant compressed air dryers.
What size of air dryer do I need? ›To calculate the right sized dryer, you therefore need to divide the total flow by the total correction factor: 5.5 m3/min / 0.837 = 6.57 m3/min (at standard conditions). Now, you can look at the dryers' stated capacity on the dryer brochure and see which one will dry 6.57 m3/min effectively.
How many CFM do I need for my dryer? ›A typical residential clothes dryer exhausts approximately 200 CFM of air to the exterior. If the dryer is installed in a confined space, such as a closet, there should be a provision to provide make-up air to the area.
Which is better air vented or condenser dryer? ›A vented tumble dryer will be more cost effective than a condenser in both the purchase and running stages, if you are able to find somewhere to run the hose externally. It will also dry your clothes more quickly than a condenser dryer, as it is not required to spend time converting the hot air into water.
What is the cheapest way to dry clothes in winter? ›Drying clothes outside is naturally the cheapest option. But when weather conditions won't allow this, the cheapest way to dry clothes indoors is to use a heated clothes dryer.
Is air drying more damaging? ›A 2011 study supports that assertion. It found that, though hair dried with increasing levels of heat showed surface damage, hair that was air-dried showed more damage to its cortex.
Is microfiber or chamois better to dry car? ›Microfiber is the clear winner when it comes to car cleaning. Chamois has its benefits, but microfiber is super absorbent, gentle on surfaces, and easier to use. So if you're looking for the best way to dry your car quickly and safely, microfiber is the way to go.
Are microfiber towels good for drying cars? ›
For the most polished finish after washing your car, dry your car with a microfiber towel. Microfiber drying towels are not only absorbent, but they won't leave swirl marks or damage to your paint.
How many microfiber towels does it take to dry a car? ›Quick Detail or Final Wipe: 2 to 4 reTHICKulous Towels per car. Use a "one wet, one dry" technique for final wiping to achieve a streak free finish.
Which type hair dryer is best? ›| Product Name | Amazon Price | Customer Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Philips Professional Hair Dryer BHD356/10 | Rs. 2,800 | 4.4/5 |
| Vega Pro-Expert Professional Hair dryer | Rs. 2,799 | 4.4/5 |
| Wahl 5439-024 Super Dry Professional Hair Dryer | Rs. 2,640 | 4.5/5 |
| Remington Compact Hair Dryer | Rs. 2,399 | 4.5/5 |
A thick hair type will need more heat and therefore work better with titanium. Ceramic, on the other hand, is suitable for Fine hair which causes less heat damage. If you've damaged or color treated hair, you obviously require moisture, the best for that is a ceramic.
How do I choose a compressed air dryer? ›- Maximum air flow in standard cubic feet per minute (scfm)
- Desired pressure dew point.
- Inlet air pressure.
- Inlet air temperature.
- Ambient air temperature (and water temperature if condenser is water-cooled)
- Installation environment of the dryer.
Experts recommend purchasing a hair dryer with 1800 watts of power. "Although some professional hair dryers even go up to 3600 watts, I would recommend a hair dryer of 1800-1875 watts for the consumer to use," says Jennifer Buchalla, celebrity hairstylist and makeup artist.