If you hate breathing in pollutants and don't mind being stared at, then your time might have come: The Dyson Zone headphones are finally available to buy in the US. They mark the company's first foray into wearable technology and it's certainly making a statement with them. The headphones include a sizeable (but detachable) visor that stretches across your mouth to provide cleaner air.
The visor's ectrostatic filter is designed to remove up to 99 percent of pollutants like nitrogen dioxide and ozone. It works in tandem with the ear cups — as they draw in air, it gets filtered. Then two purified streams of air flow into your mouth and nose — so, be prepared to feel that air if you use it. You can change the speed with a button on the left ear cup. The filter lasts for up to 12 months and, notably, it doesn't protect against COVID-19. A mask can be worn with it, but the product alone is not designed to block the virus.
The Dyson Zone headphones last up to 50 hours with "isolation" or "transparency" noise cancelling options. You can control this and the airflow speed through the MyDyson app. It will also let you know how much nitrogen dioxide is in the air.
When we tested the Dyson Zone headphones, they were surprisingly comfortable — though it did take some time to figure out how to snap the visor in properly. The breeze of the air felt nice, almost like a personal air conditioning. The visor merited some stares when on a quick walk outside, so it could be more lowkey to use on an airplane.
The headphones come with one filter, a USB-C charging cable and a visor cleaning brush and sleeve. They can be bought in satin silver and ultra blue or prussian blue and ultra blue. These two colorways have a 'Quarter Turn' hard case to keep them safe.
They're available on Dyson Direct in prussian blue and bright copper. This model comes with two filters, explorer case, in-flight adaptor kit and soft pouch. These unique headphones don't come cheap, though, starting at $949, they might merit trying them for yourself before going all in.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/dysons-949-air-purifying-zone-headset-is-now-available-in-the-us-150040191.html?src=rss
