How to choose the right fragrance dispenser
Fragrance dispenser is a device that neutralizes odor with the purpose of improving air quality in work and living spaces. It is mainly used in high-end hotels, hospitals, movie theaters, bedrooms, restrooms, entertainment complexes, conference rooms, office buildings, transportations, and any type of public facilities with high crowd density. Following the increase in demand of the quality in everyday surrounding, the need for fragrance dispensersis rising rapidly leading to the appearance of many new labels and products in the market. It is now important to learn how to choose the appropriate fragrance dispenser.
The following is a list of key points to distinguishing a good fragrance dispenser:
1. Material of the body
The material used to manufacture will determine the quality of said product. Thus a good product is always made from good raw materials. Fragrance dispensers on the market today is mostly made with PP and ABS. Earlier models are mainly made with ABS but this material discolors easily and becomes crisp with time. It is not UV-resistant and offers very low chemical resistance which results in deterioration of the nozzle. PP is superior in these aspects but products made with PP are softer. The final product will tend to shrink and deform, therefore it has a higher degree of difficulty in terms of the design of the product and the molds used in production. Most imitation manufacturers don’t dare to challenge products that are made with PP. Consumers must take in account their preferences and usage when choosing a product. If chemical-resistant is not an important factor, consumers may choose products made with ABS otherwise PP should be considered. European corporations prefers almost by 100% products made with PP in order to achieve the requirement of high-end quality. On the other hand, some manufacturers recycle plastic materials to control cost so consumers must pay close attention when purchasing. Products made with recycled materials are mostly of darker colors or black to mask imperfections. These products become crisp easily, are not impact-resistant, have spots and streaks on the surface, the colors are not pure, rough surface textures, and etc. These do not appear on products made with pure raw materials so consumers must look closely when they are shopping for a fragrance dispenser.
2. Functions
The functionality depends on the use it is meant for. It is usually divided into the simple/basic type, those that use optic sensors, and the programmable type.
Simple/basic type
These dispensers do not carry any display hardware and/or optic sensors. It consists of only an ON/OFF mode. Work mode only includes common work hours like 24 hours and preset operation intervals. They are usually low in cost and easy to manage. Most commonly used in standard households.
Optic sensors
These dispensers work with the lighting level found in its surrounding. Standard work modes includes only 3 options: 24 hours, night time, and day time. For example, if the consumer chooses the night time mode, the dispenser only works during the night (when there is very low lighting in the surrounding). The dispenser will not work during the day time because there is more lighting in the surrounding.
Programmable type
This type of dispenser has the richest functionality in all current fragrance dispensers. It is versatile and mainly used in professional areas such as hotels, hospitals, entertainment complexes, buildings, and etc. These type of devices must be highly functional, easy to manage, and recurrent; allowing the possibility of adapting to any needs in functioning like being able to determine a start and stop time, working period such as only work during the morning or afternoon, and work days. The control panel must be up-front and easy to understand. Recurrence is a feature established to comply with maintenance service cycles like the standard 30/60/90 days to greatly decrease the cost in human resource distribution and cost.
3. External appearance
The choice of external appearance is subjective. Other than choosing an appealing device, the material used to manufacture and the designated use must also be taken in consideration. If the dispenser is meant to be placed on a table, stability and direction of the fragrance distribution (upwards) must be the main concern. Similarly, if a professional type dispenser that is meant to be hung on the wall, the direction of opening (lateral or upward), forward fragrance distribution, ease of refill exchange, battery size and type, and presence of accessories for installation with corresponding installation guide must be taken in account.
4. Battery life
A dispenser that works with at least 8 refill cans (on the base of 3000 uses per can) on the same set of battery is considered as having a good battery life. Some products of lower quality only has a battery life of about 2 to 3 months because the gears and the motor are not designed to work 100% in congruence. This is one big factor in cost control for service providers because the use of batteries and labor will increase.
20 years have gone by since the initial development of the first fragrance dispenser and have been evolving constantly throughout the years. The future for fragrance dispenser, combining the changes it has gone through in cost, materials, and functions, is leaning towards even lower cost, energy efficient, multi-functional, and easy to manage. Currently there are some companies that have pushed out a new innovative product using USB cables or infra-red technology for programming; even Bluetooth technology on cellphones are being utilized nowadays. The goals are the same: decrease cost, decrease labor, and simplify management. As for energy efficiency, there are now currently devices that run on only 2 AA-size battery and may use 15-30 aerosol cans (based on 3000 uses per can).
This article targets mainly in explaining the key points in choosing the right fragrance dispenser. Hope it will serve as a guide for consumers, retailers, and professional service providers.