If you have tried everything you can think of to make your shoes smell better or to improve your foot health but nothing has worked, then you will fully understand the frustration of the whole process. Rather than go through all of that, though, you can skip right over it and turn to a UV shoe sanitizer, which offers a myriad of benefits to help you on your quest to better health and smells. Today, we are going to take a close look into the world of this technology to help you break down why you need it and exactly what it is in our buying guide. We will also take a look at some of the most popular items on the market in this sector. So, let’s get started then!
Top UV Shoe Sanitizers Comparison Chart
Product | Feature | Price | Where to Buy? |
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1. SteriShoe+ Ultraviolet Shoe Sanitizer and Deodorizer | Approved by APMA | $$$$ | Check Price On Amazon |
2. PEET Ultra Dryer, Sanitizer, and Deodorizer | Portable | $$ | Check Price On Amazon |
3. Autwink UV Shoe Sanitizers | Three time settings (15 min, 30 min, 60 min) | $ | Check Price On Amazon |
4. Kendal UV Shoe Sanitizer and Dryer | CE certified | $$ | Check Price On Amazon |
5. StinkBoss Ozone Sanitizer and Dryer | Unique enclosed design | $$$$ | Check Price On Amazon |
UV Shoe Sanitizers Buying Guide
What Is It?
For many people, the idea of a shoe sanitizer is a foreign one, so it’s a good plan to start from the beginning and explain what it is. A shoe sanitizer is a piece of equipment that, you guessed it, sanitizes your shoes. It does this by using ultraviolet light, which is a step beyond what you would get with other means of cleaning or sanitizing your shoes. This is an ‘extreme’ length, we suppose, but it’s not dangerous- provided you follow some simple rules and steps, that is. If you have tried dryers, sprays, and all types of other stuff under the sun and haven’t found results, this is simply the next logical step.
Why You Want One
If you have ever noticed that you have smelly feet, whether it’s because you picked up on it or were told so, then you might just wonder why this occurs and if something is wrong with you. You may well have a condition, sure, but it’s unlikely you do. In reality, it’s a common occurrence that most of us go through, only some of us are worse than others. Odors are caused in shoes not by us, in most cases, but rather by the bacteria that we leave behind. A UV shoe sanitizer will help get rid of the smell by eradicating the bacteria that we left there to begin with. By doing that, the smell will subside and you can get back to living life the way you were intended to: without any embarrassment or shame. Apart from this, though, there are more reasons that need to be expanded upon for going with a UV shoe sanitizer. Here’s a closer look:
Smelly Feet
If you can’t shake that bad smell, then, as we have touched on, a UV shoe sanitizer might be the last-ditch effort that you need to turn to in order to curb the issue at the source.
Fungus
Fungus and bacteria go hand in hand, but the two are slightly different in all reality. Fungus is going to creep its way into your toes and your feet, giving you the dreaded athlete’s foot for many. This is painful and delivers a burning sensation to you, so it’s difficult to shake that off. In order to fully do so, you can use a UV shoe sanitizer to help ward it off.
Diabetes Patients
If you have diabetes, then you will know all too well how important it is to take care of your feet at all times. Rather than crossing your fingers and taking a chance at getting an infection that can fester and cause more problems, you can get rid of the likelihood entirely by turning to a sanitizer.
Usefulness
The truth of the matter is that some UV shoe sanitizers are better than others. One of the things that you generally are going to get regardless of the model is that they will make your shoes smell better. That is the basic starting point that they almost always offer you. However, many of them do not go beyond that by actively killing the fungus and bacteria. You can kill the bacteria or fungus and make the shoes smell better, but that does not necessarily mean that by making the shoes smell better that you have killed those off. So just be aware of that and know that not all of these items are equal to one another.
Things To Consider
There are a lot of different things to consider when you are looking at buying a UV shoe sanitizer. Below is a number of them so that you’ll know what is and what isn’t important.
Type of Shoe
If you want the utmost success out of your machine, then you will want to make sure you are thinking about the type of shoe you are wearing. If you want to cleanse your tennis shoes or any other type of closed toe pair, then you are most likely going to be just fine. However, if you are looking to sanitize a pair of sandals or something else that is open toed, then you will want to be careful and make sure that the device will fit into it and actually clean. Sometimes they are not conducive to doing so.
Size
The size of the device is also going to be important to you to take a close look at. If you’re someone that has either large feet or small feet, then you may face some challenges that the majority of us don’t have. Most devices are one size fits all on the market, so if you realize it will not be a fit for your size, then you’re going to want to steer clear of that particular device.
Safety
We mentioned earlier about how UV shoe sanitizers are generally safe, but even with that being said, you will want to make sure that certain procedures and steps are taken. One thing you need to see is that there is an automatic shut off option. This will keep the device from running constantly so that it does not get too hot. Furthermore, you also want to make sure that the device is unable to penetrate outside of the shoes. UV light can be harmful to humans if we are exposed directly to it, especially constantly. So the light needs to fully immerse the inner workings of the shoes. One way you can make sure of this is to put it in a large, dark bag. This is one such way that some companies have gone with to make sure they protect their consumers from possible side effects.
Warranties and Guarantees
There are a ton of products out there, and not all of them are equal. To help separate one from another some companies will attempt to give you unique offers to prise your business away from others. One way of doing this is by offering you warranties, guarantees, or just overall good customer service. If a company offers a warranty, it’s generally going to be viewed as a major plus since you’ll have some way to go back to them if the machine tears up on you.
Prices
The price you pay is going to depend on the quality at which it is made, in large part, and the materials used to make it. With UV shoe sanitizers, you see some that run the gambit. From the fairly low double digits up to triple digits, you can have a wide variety in price. While it is tempting to assume that you’ll be getting the very best out there by turning toward the most expensive, that is not always the case. Instead, you still have to make sure it’s what you need and can afford. Plus, there are plenty of items that are overpriced on the market, so just because the price is more does not mean it’s better, even if the general rule does indicate as much.
Combination Sanitizers
There are a few types of sanitizers that you can find out there, but not all of them are the same, as we have talked about previously. One way that they can stand out from each other is to have other purposes built into them. One popular piece of equipment out there is what is called a boot dryer. A boot dryer does a good job at reducing odors and drying shoes, as its name would suggest, but it does not get bacteria and fungus like a sanitizer can. With that said, some sanitizers could have a dryer include, or even what is called a deodorizer, which is going to help reduce the smell and restore your senses to you. In addition, some will also be called a “sanitizer” but will will be one of the two other choices or a combo between them. So, it’s possible to see that while on your search!
The Top Five UV Shoe Sanitizers of 2019 Reviews
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SteriShoe+ Ultraviolet Shoe Sanitizer and Deodorizer
Kicking off our list today is going to be an offering that has been given the thumbs up from the American Podiatric Medical Association, meaning the backing of the medical community is behind it. This sanitizer fits in the shoe and will kill off fungus and bacteria from the heel to the front, all in a span of just 15 minutes. It also does not run on Ozone, all the while using a built in dryer via a fan and small pouches that deodorize the shoes while it goes through the entire process. One of the factors that makes it stand out even further from the rest of the crowd is that it is made out of rugged steel, rather than plastic like so many of the others that are on the market currently. This makes the likelihood of it falling apart and having poor durability much lower, setting you up for plenty of time without poor smelling shoes around you. It also has a one year warranty, helping boost your confidence. The draw back to this is that it is an expensive choice.
Pros:
- Well built piece
- Dries and deodorizes, too
- Approved by APMA
Cons:
- Quite expensive
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PEET Ultra Dryer, Sanitizer, and Deodorizer
If you are looking for something that is a bit more portable and a lot cheaper, then look no further than Peet. Peet has an all in one model here, equipped to not only sanitize but also to dry and deodorize for you at the same time. It’s very subtle, something many products in this genre can’t say, doing its works quietly so you don’t have distractions while listening to it roar and hum. It does take a lot longer to do its work, doing so over hours, so that is a potential negative to it when compared to the SteriShoe+ that we discussed above. It’s fit and able to work on all types of materials that you find making shoes, all the while they give you a two year warranty, which is really great to have since it will increase your confidence in them.
Pros:
- Very easy to carry around
- Much cheaper alternative
- Quiet and confident
Cons:
- Takes hours not minutes
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Autwink UV Shoe Sanitizers
Up next is one of the more inexpensive options, the lowest priced one in fact, on our list today, brought to you by Autwink. This sanitizer comes with several timing options, allowing you to go for 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or an hour before it switches itself off. It does use a combination of UV rays and ozone, so that is something you should be aware of. Ozone is said to be harmful in some instances, so that might not be what you want to go with. It just depends on what you are looking for and what you are willing to pay, though. So it could still be a viable option for you to turn to. Many people seemed to have doubted these, but they ended up having their minds changed as the smell was heated up and taken away eventually. That’s the whole goal, and these will meet it. The other issue to be made known is that they don’t have the best quality control, so you might end up with a bulb going out relatively early on. Such is the risk.
Pros:
- Very low price
- Three time settings
- Awesome for reduction of smells
Cons:
- Uses Ozone
- Lacks quality at times
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Kendal UV Shoe Sanitizer and Dryer
Following on from the Autwink is another very low priced sanitizer that you could find yourself happy with as well. This one is much the same, fitting easily into the bottom of the shoes and killing off those odors, fungi, and bacteria for you. This one has a 15 minute running time, so you will have to manually change that if you want to keep it going for longer. The other difference you get with this one is that it has both a dryer and does not utilize any Ozone, unlike the Autwink. This means you’ll be totally safe for sure with it. On top of that, the bulbs can be screwed on and off easily, making it easy to replace them if you encounter any issues. These are light and easy to carry on any trip, so you’ll be glad you got them for their versatility.
Pros:
- Good, low price
- No Ozone usage
- Easy to replace bulbs
Cons:
- Only runs for 15 minutes
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StinkBoss Ozone Sanitizer and Dryer
This offering is one of the more unique ones on the list, looking so much different than the others do. That’s because this one exclusively uses ozone rays to kill off bacteria and fungi from your shoes. But it’s not only just used for that. Because of the way it looks, which is a big box like shape, you are able to put all kinds of stuff in it. Your gloves, hats, pads, anything that gets sweaty from sports, can be stuffed inside and sanitized and dried. This is really great and makes it more worthwhile to pay the fairly high price of the machine. The other plus is that it does shut at the top, so the ozone rays should be diminished greatly as a result of that. It does appear that their customer service is a little lacking, so that is not encouraging to anyone that may be worried about something going wrong for them.
Pros:
- Shoes and more sanitized
- Shuts at the top and encloses
Cons:
- High price
- Customer service is not the best
Conclusion And Final UV Shoe Sanitizers Recommendations
Finding information about items that can make your shoes and your feet smell better is not exactly the easiest to come by. For many, it’s an embarrassing phenomenon, so you wouldn’t dare ask in person. That means you have to turn to online searches, which aren’t necessarily bad. It’s just that even there it can be a bit far between to find the info that you need. Today, we have helped you out greatly by taking a closer inspection at UV shoe sanitizers, all in a bid to help you shake off those detriments and get back to a healthier and happier way of living. Through our reviews you’ll now be able to make a good choice, or at the very least will have some place to start your quest!