I. Eco Umbrella Dryer
Sold by various companies under different names, the Eco Umbrella Dryer is one solution to wet umbrellas and messy floors
Pros and Cons
Easy to Use ✔
Easy to install ✔
Expensive ($1133-$1600) ✘
Needs drying pads ($60 each) ✘
II. Umbrella Wrapper
A popular existing solution, this device allows you to wrap your wet umbrella in a plastic sheath, preventing water drippage.
Pros and Cons
Easy to Use ✔
Works for range of umbrellas ✔
Utilizes single-use plastic ✘
Does not actually dry umbrella ✘
Costly ($200 + 5¢ per plastic bag) ✘
III. Shaking umbrella manually
Most intuitive solution out there. Simply shake the umbrella to get rid of excess water.
Easy to Use ✔
Convenient + Free ✔
Requires notable physical effort ✘
Can make clothes + floors wet ✘
These were the solutions we examined to evaluate the need we were addressing.
Later in the project, they were also used to perform benchmark testing.