Abstract: A hand dryer comprising an elongate air-knife discharge outlet for discharging an air-knife across the width of a user's hand held flat in front of the outlet, thereby mechanically to scrape water from the hand as the hand is moved lengthwise relative to the air-knife. The elongate air-knife discharge outlet comprises a straight section for facing the palm or back of the user's hand and a curved, wrap-around end section for extending at least part way around one of the sides of the user's hands. The geometry of the air-knife discharge outlet creates a flow profile which targets the side of the hand with a relatively high-velocity jet of air effective in particular for drying the area around the thumb of a user.