Let's just say that the Dyson Zone air-purifying and noise-cancelling headphones isn't the next Dyson Airwrap. I wore the futuristic headset for travel and commuting and it didn't go as expected. In this full Dyson Zone review, I reveal what went wrong.
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TechTranscript
00:00 We need to have a little chat about the Dyson Zone, the $950 air purifying and noise cancelling
00:08 headphones.
00:09 Now I'm guessing that if you're watching this video, you might have seen Marques Brownlee's
00:13 review called "This is the dumbest product I've ever reviewed."
00:16 And after using the Dyson Zone for a little bit now, I mostly agree.
00:20 But there were a couple of things from my experience that I think are worth talking
00:23 about.
00:24 So let's go take a closer look.
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00:31 The Dyson Zone was first announced in 2022, but that was already well after the peak of
00:36 the pandemic.
00:37 Mass mandates had definitely eased up, and in general, people were out and about in the
00:41 world again.
00:42 Still, the product came out specifically saying that it's not for airborne viruses like COVID.
00:47 Instead, it promised this futuristic experience of having air pollution filter out for things
00:52 like city commutes.
00:53 Plus, the noise cancelling headphones aspect of it meant that you could also filter out
00:57 sound.
00:58 If you've been watching my videos for a while, you might know that I'm not a fan of noise
01:02 cancelling headphones anywhere where I might need to be aware of my surroundings for safety
01:07 sake.
01:08 So, on a city commute to work.
01:09 I use ANC for working in the office or on flights.
01:13 So I actually took the Dyson Zone on a cross-country flight, and let's just say it didn't go great.
01:18 There was something ironic about sitting in a seat that cost significantly less than my
01:22 headphones, but anyway, the first issue I had was with packing.
01:26 This is a bulky product.
01:28 The best way to carry it around is with this chic little purse thing.
01:31 For the city, I love this.
01:33 It's just functional enough to feel cool.
01:35 But to keep these safe, I personally didn't feel comfortable just throwing them in a bag,
01:39 which isn't the case for my other headphones.
01:41 I had to leave my other headphones at home for this trip because the Dyson Zone took
01:45 up so much space in my bag.
01:47 That leads me to the awkwardness of this product.
01:49 The visor is detachable so that it can't be snapped or broken, but it's a lot of parts
01:53 to think about.
01:54 Getting it all on the plane on my lap was very uncomfortable.
01:57 Add in a neck pillow, eating, and drinking, and it's just not ideal.
02:01 I do really like how the visor flips down while staying attached magnetically.
02:04 This also switches the headphones to transparency and pauses my music when the flight attendant
02:08 comes by.
02:09 This would be good if I stopped to order food on the way to work, too.
02:13 But it's still just a lot to bring around.
02:15 Maybe if these weren't so heavy, I'd feel different.
02:17 These basically weigh 1.5 pounds, and that's a lot to have on my head and to walk around
02:22 with.
02:23 Both the AirPods Max and Sony Mark Vs are well under a pound for comparison, so I do
02:27 think that these are just too heavy.
02:30 I bet you my headphones weigh twice as much as hers.
02:34 I'm sure it needs the space for the air purifiers, but maybe other parts of this design and the
02:38 headband are just trying too hard to follow Dyson's design language.
02:42 I feel like the heft is in the headband and these parts that attach the cups to the band.
02:46 The materials on the headphone itself actually feel very premium, but by contrast, this visor
02:51 feels cheap.
02:52 It's mostly plastic and it looks like it could snap.
02:55 The visor also attracts mad fingerprints and is also kind of noisy.
02:59 But I guess if you want the air purification, you can deal with that.
03:02 I will say it's pretty impressive how Dyson packed all of this technology into the ear
03:06 cups.
03:07 It's also smart to have this easy filter replacement system and include an extra set
03:11 of filters in the packaging.
03:13 Plus the app tells you when your filters need to be replaced so there's no guessing involved.
03:17 The app is also how you see the air quality around you, both in your broader location
03:21 and actually what the headset is picking up around it.
03:24 It reads the level of nitrogen dioxide in the air.
03:27 Nitrogen dioxide gets into the air from burning fuel, so think of places with a lot of buildings
03:31 or industrial parks or big trucks and buses, even just a ton of cars in traffic.
03:35 It's true that breathing in excess nitrogen dioxide can lead to health problems or aggravate
03:40 existing ones like asthma.
03:42 If these are things that concern you, personally, you know what, I think that this is smart.
03:46 I also think the answer is for greater action against air pollution and burning fossil fuels
03:51 so that we don't get to the point of needing to breathe through something like this in
03:54 the first place.
03:55 Again, despite looking like a mask, the Dyson Zone is not a mask that prevents viral illness.
04:00 I am worried that no amount of emphasizing that point will prevent this kind of misconception
04:04 when you see someone out and about wearing the headset.
04:07 Luckily, when I posted a somewhat joking TikTok about wearing it on a plane, several people
04:12 pointed out that I wasn't getting protection and that the HEPA filters on the plane were
04:15 doing enough work.
04:17 But I did still want to wear it because I do like the feeling of fresh, cool, and odorless
04:21 air reaching my face.
04:23 It almost feels like I'm getting a direct oxygen line.
04:25 It's honestly a nice sensation.
04:27 If I were to start moving around or running to catch a train on auto mode, it'll automatically
04:31 kick up the amount of air being pushed through the visor.
04:34 Otherwise, the Zone has three settings that can be adjusted either in the app or directly
04:38 on the headset.
04:39 The airflow poses a major setback though.
04:42 With the whole operation going, the Dyson Zone only lasts about two, two and a half
04:46 hours max.
04:47 That means on a six hour flight, I need to keep them plugged into an outlet most of the
04:52 time.
04:53 It also means that if your commute is longer than that, you're going to be SOL carrying
04:56 around this lifeless, heavy contraption.
04:58 You'll also be charging the Zone alone.
05:00 I mean, maybe the fancy carrying case has room for a portable charger?
05:03 I really had higher hopes for this product.
05:06 In the short demo sessions, I felt so cool and futuristic.
05:09 But I quickly realized that it lacks enough practicality to justify the high price.
05:14 Forget concerns about how other people might think I look and forget the audio quality
05:17 because honestly, it's fine for most people.
05:20 It's actually pretty good considering that this was made by a company that doesn't do
05:24 audio.
05:25 And if you actually have a situation where you think or know that your health is harmed
05:28 by air pollutants, if this gives you peace of mind or ultimately improves your life quality,
05:33 that's fantastic.
05:34 Maybe I'm even a little jealous.
05:35 I feel so cool that I wish I had a real reason to own these.
05:39 But for the masses, this isn't it.
05:41 I think a lighter, more portable design and a better battery life is an absolute must
05:45 if Dyson comes out with a version 2.0.
05:48 Those are things that someone shouldn't have to struggle with if they're basically spending
05:51 $1,000.
05:52 What's your take on the Dyson Zone?
05:54 Be sure to let me know in the comments.
05:55 We've posted some additional content with these on social if you want to check it out.
05:59 It's @tomsguide on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
06:02 As always, I'm @katecosage.
06:03 I'll catch you next time.
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