You can now buy Dyson’s Bane-like air filtering headphones, but should you?
It’s official. British manufacturer Dyson is now selling its latest (and weirdest) gadget – the Dyson Zone – in the US.
Buyers can purchase the combination air purifying mask and noise-canceling headphones in what the company is calling an ‘Ultra Blue/Prussian Blue’ colorway directly on the Dyson site for $949.99 or they’re also available on Best Buy for the same price.
However, if you’re not feeling the Transformers’ Optimus Prime vibe, then you can also purchase the Dyson Zone Absolute+ bundle in the following colors ‘Prussian Blue/Bright Copper’, which gives it more of a copper tone. The bundle has a higher price tag of $999.99. No matter the color though, you’re bound to look like either Bane from Batman or Hannibal Lecter from Silence of Lambs.
You’ll also get five accessories alongside the air-filtering headphones, including a very generously long USB-C charger that stretches 4.9ft (close to 1.5 meters) and two electrostatic carbon filters – how often these need to be replaced will be managed by an app called Your Dyson.
The device also comes with protective equipment, such as a visor sleeve for the air purifying mask and a case that holds the headphones, with a rotating catch mechanism to close. Dyson has also thrown in a visor cleaning brush in an effort to stay on brand.
And for those who purchase the pricier model, you’ll also get an in-flight adapter kit to connect your device to most (Dyson haven’t said which) airlines’ entertainment systems, a soft drawstring punch and a more portable case that has a strap to keep all those extra bits and pieces from falling out.
For those of you in the UK that feel like you’re missing out, the Dyson Zone will be available to purchase on May 1.
Dyson Zone: weirdest product of the year?
When Dyson first revealed that it was working on a new product in the wearables and audio area, many thought that it was an April Fools’ joke. The company, which has no history in manufacturing audio products, has in fact been working on the device for more than five years, with the patents being unveiled in February 2020.
Its decision makes sense when you cast your mind back to the coronavirus pandemic. At the time, masks were becoming an essential everyday item for everyone around the world, as many became hyper aware of airborne diseases and air pollution. However, Dyson has already clarified that the mask can’t filter Covid-19 – although there is a medical-grade face mask attachment for it.
News about the Dyson Zone really began to pick up pace last year, as the company had initially planned to launch the device late in 2022, which was moved to March 2023. While this was of course delayed till now, the product’s specs were released, which gave us time to get to grips with what these odd-looking headphones were offering.
Dyson boasts that they feature noise-canceling, which is touted as being advanced because of the use of eight built-in microphones to monitor external noise at rates of up to 384,000 times a second. They also claim to have full-spectrum audio at frequencies from 6Hz to 21kHz and up to 50 hours of battery life.
The company also claims that the air filtering mask works by engaging two motors, which are housed in the rounded ear cups, alongside compressor fans and a dual-filter that sits in front of a person’s mouth (although this doesn’t touch your face).
We haven’t yet tested the Dyson Zone ourselves, which means we’re not sure how they perform compared to the best noise-canceling headphones, but can certainly say on first impressions that it’ll turn heads.
What reviews are saying so far
Initial reviews of the Dyson Zone have been fairly mixed so far. The product appears to be an air-filtering mask first and a pair headphones second. Indeed, The Verge said that it had a long set up time and that the filter killed the battery. It also said that the microphones had a “tinny” sound to them.
On the other hand, CNET said in its review that the headphones had great sound quality and a “generous battery life for music”. However, it agreed with The Verge in criticizing the high price and extremely heavy build.
As more and more people get their hands on the Dyzon Zone, there will likely be more insights into how they perform as both a headphone and air-purifying mask. It may even turn out that the Dyson Zone’s best feature is its ability to reduce the smell of odors, as PCMag pointed out. Is that worth a thousand bucks, though? Depends on how many poorly house-trained cats you have, perhaps.