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 (upbeat music)
00:02 We need to have a little chat about the Dyson Zone,
00:05 the $950 air purifying and noise canceling headphones.
00:09 Now I'm guessing that if you're watching this video,
00:11 you might have seen Marques Brownlee's review called,
00:14 "This is the dumbest product I've ever reviewed."
00:16 And after using the Dyson Zone for a little bit now,
00:19 I mostly agree.
00:20 But there were a couple of things from my experience
00:22 that I think are worth talking about.
00:24 So let's go take a closer look.
00:25 (upbeat music)
00:29 (upbeat music)
00:32 The Dyson Zone was first announced in 2022,
00:34 but that was already well after the peak of the pandemic.
00:37 Mass mandates had definitely eased up,
00:39 and in general, people were out and about
00:41 in the world again.
00:42 Still, the product came out specifically saying
00:45 that it's not for airborne viruses like COVID.
00:47 Instead, it promised this futuristic experience
00:50 of having air pollution filter out
00:52 for things like city commutes.
00:53 Plus, the noise canceling headphones aspect of it
00:56 meant that you could also filter out sound.
00:58 If you've been watching my videos for a while,
01:00 you might know that I'm not a fan
01:02 of noise canceling headphones,
01:04 anywhere where I might need to be aware
01:05 of my surroundings for safety's sake.
01:07 So, on a city commute to work.
01:10 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,
01:16 and let's just say it didn't go great.
01:18 There was something ironic about sitting in a seat
01:20 that cost significantly less than my headphones,
01:23 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
01:29 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,
01:36 I personally didn't feel comfortable
01:38 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
01:44 because the Dyson Zone took 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
01:52 or broken, but it's a lot of parts to think about.
01:54 Getting it all on the plane on my lap
01:56 was very uncomfortable.
01:57 Add in a neck pillow, eating, and drinking,
01:59 and it's just not ideal.
02:01 I do really like how the visor flips down
02:03 while staying attached magnetically.
02:04 This also switches the headphones to transparency
02:07 and pauses my music when the flight attendant comes by.
02:10 This would be good if I stopped to order food
02:11 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 one and a half pounds,
02:19 and that's a lot to have on my head
02:21 and to walk around with.
02:23 Both the AirPods Max and Sony Mark Vs
02:25 are well under a pound for comparison.
02:27 So I do think that these are just too heavy.
02:30 I bet you my headphones weigh twice as much as hers.
02:33 I'm sure it needs the space for the air purifiers,
02:36 but maybe other parts of this design and the headband
02:39 are just trying too hard to follow Dyson's design language.
02:42 I feel like the heft is in the headband
02:44 and these parts that attach the cups to the band.
02:46 The materials on the headphone itself
02:48 actually feel very premium, but by contrast,
02:51 this visor feels cheap.
02:52 It's mostly plastic and it looks like it could snap.
02:55 The visor also attracts mad fingerprints
02:57 and is also kind of noisy.
02:59 But I guess if you want the air purification,
03:01 you can deal with that.
03:02 I will say it's pretty impressive how Dyson packed
03:05 all of this technology into the ear cups.
03:07 It's also smart to have this easy filter replacement system
03:10 and include an extra set of filters in the packaging.
03:13 Plus, the app tells you when your filters
03:15 need to be replaced, so there's no guessing involved.
03:17 The app is also how you see the air quality around you,
03:20 both in your broader location and actually
03:22 what the headset is picking up around it.
03:24 It reads the level of nitrogen dioxide in the air.
03:26 Nitrogen dioxide gets into the air from burning fuel,
03:29 so think of places with a lot of buildings
03:31 or industrial parks or big trucks and buses,
03:33 even just a ton of cars in traffic.
03:36 It's true that breathing in excess nitrogen dioxide
03:38 can lead to health problems
03:40 or aggravate existing ones like asthma.
03:42 If these are things that concern you,
03:44 personally, you know what, I think that this is smart.
03:46 I also think the answer is for greater action
03:48 against air pollution and burning fossil fuels
03:51 so that we don't get to the point of needing
03:52 to breathe through something like this in the first place.
03:55 Again, despite looking like a mask,
03:57 the Dyson Zone is not a mask that prevents viral illness.
04:00 I am worried that no amount of emphasizing that point
04:03 will prevent this kind of misconception
04:05 when you see someone out and about wearing the headset.
04:07 Luckily, when I posted a somewhat joking TikTok
04:10 about wearing it on a plane,
04:11 several people pointed out that I wasn't getting protection
04:14 and that the HEPA filters on the plane
04:16 were doing enough work.
04:17 But I did still want to wear it
04:18 because I do like the feeling of fresh, cool,
04:21 and odorless 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
04:29 or running to catch a train on auto mode,
04:31 it'll automatically kick up the amount of air
04:33 being pushed through the visor.
04:34 Otherwise, the Zone has three settings
04:36 that can be adjusted either in the app
04:38 or directly on the headset.
04:39 The airflow poses a major setback, though.
04:42 With the whole operation going,
04:43 the Dyson Zone only lasts about two,
04:45 two and a half hours max.
04:47 That means on a six-hour flight,
04:49 I need to keep them plugged into an outlet most of the time.
04:52 It also means that if your commute is longer than that,
04:54 you're gonna be SOL,
04:55 carrying around this lifeless, heavy contraption.
04:58 You'll also be charging the Zone alone.
05:00 I mean, maybe the fancy carrying case
05:02 has room for a portable charger.
05:03 I really had higher hopes for this product.
05:06 In the short demo sessions,
05:07 I felt so cool and futuristic,
05:09 but I quickly realized that it lacks enough practicality
05:12 to justify the high price.
05:14 Forget concerns about how other people might think I look
05:16 and forget the audio quality,
05:18 because honestly, it's fine for most people.
05:20 It's actually pretty good,
05:21 considering that this was made by a company
05:23 that doesn't do audio.
05:24 And if you actually have a situation
05:26 where you think or know that your health
05:28 is harmed by air pollutants,
05:29 if this gives you peace of mind
05:31 or ultimately improves your life quality, that's fantastic.
05:34 Maybe I'm even a little jealous.
05:36 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
05:43 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
05:50 if they're basically spending $1,000.
05:52 What's your take on the Dyson Zone?
05:54 Be sure to let me know in the comments.
05:56 We've posted some additional content with these on social
05:58 if you want to check it out.
05:59 It's @tomsguide on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
06:02 As always, I'm @KateKozich.
06:04 I'll catch you next time.
06:05 (gentle music)
06:08 (gentle music)
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