When I saw the Lysol No Touch Hand Soap System, I thought it was an amazing product, but I have since found a different brand of soap dispenser that I feel is superior. I am talking about the SimpleHuman Sensor Soap Pump.
I first saw the SimpleHuman Sensor Soap Pump at my local Bed Bath & Beyond store. They actually have one in the women’s bathroom, with a sign next to it saying it can be purchased for $45.99. That price seemed a little high to me, but I found it at their website for a little less, $39.99. The SimpleHuman Sensor Soap Pump comes in chrome and white, and is an excellent hand washing tool if you have children.
The version I saw and used was colored white, with a small chrome backsplash of sorts on the front of the dispenser. This is larger than most bottles of liquid soap I have used, and while I didn’t have a tape measure with me, I would guess that it is about 8 inches in height, and it’s quite deep as well with a long spout. Taking a quick peek at the Bed Bath & Beyond website, I see that I am fairly close with my guess as to the size, they list the measurements as 3 1/10″ W x 5 9/10″ D x 8 1/5″ H.
The Bed Bath & Beyond website states that this SimpleHuman Sensor Soap Pump uses an “IR Sensor” to detect the motion of your hands, and it quietly expels maybe a half teaspoon of liquid soap. What makes the SimpleHuman Sensor Soap Pump worth a higher price is the versatility it has! On the top back of the dispenser there is a dial, and turning the dial allows you to adjust how much soap will come out at any given time. If you have one soap that is thicker than another, this adjustment feature could come in very handy.
A second feature that I find quite a novelty, especially with children, is a 20 second timer that blinks a LED light to assure that you are washing your hands for the proper length of time to effectively kill germs. I can see kids really getting a kick out of this, just tell them to wash their hands until the light stops blinking.
The back side of the dispenser holds a clear plastic container, that holds a generous amount of soap. The SimpleHuman Sensor Soap Pump does not come with soap, so you can add your favorite liquid soap to the container, and the clear canister lets you know when it is getting low. To add soap, you only need to remove the lid and pour your soap in. Unlike the Lysol version, the SimpleHuman unit does not come with batteries, and requires four double A batteries to power it.
I did notice that the silver “backsplash” was quite dirty (either from water splashes or from soap residue), and that when I used this product I felt the need to gently wipe the top of the spout so that it wouldn’t drip any excess onto the counter.
To conclude, what a great way to get consumers to buy a product! Put it in the bathroom so customers can try it out first hand. This was a very smart move by Bed Bath & Beyond. I think this is a very unique and highly functioning product. You can add the liquid soap of your choosing, and buying them in the large refill size bottles can save a lot of money. Do beware that it does take up quite a large footprint for a small bathroom counter.
