Obsessive-compulsives rejoice! After an exhaustive search I’ve found the perfect soap dispenser: the sleek Sensor Soap Pump from Simplehuman. It’s a touch-free soap and lotion dispenser—ideal for avoiding cross-contamination. No more trying to awkwardly pump wobbly bottles with your wrist. Simply slip your hand or sponge under the infrared sensor, and soap will gently stream down. Four presets adjust the amount, plus there’s a continuous dispensing button on top for big jobs. An LED light blinks for 20 seconds to tell you how long to lather for germ-free hands. But you can turn the timer off if you just can’t handle that kind of pressure.
Simplehuman Sensor Soap Pump, $39.99
Over the holidays I had seriously looked into buying this soap dispenser at Bed, Bath and Beyond for a relative. The idea of it was pretty cool after all, and the Simple Human brand makes nice stuff. The dispenser by nature is battery-operated and what made me decide NOT to get it is that the battery hatch is on the bottom of the unit and there’s no clearance space to keep it dry. I’m personally no neat-nick while handwashing; sometimes I reach back with wet hands for more soap, so all I could think was that the base would ultimately get splashed or be stuck in some sort of puddle and the contacts would corrode . That would mean End of Life for said $39.99 gadget.