Dyson's Wacky Air Purifying Zone Headphones Have Finally Launched

The unusual air-purifying headphones Dyson first teased in March 2022 are finally available to purchase in the United States. The launch comes several months after the initial autumn 2022 release date and beyond the timeframe in which many people are still wearing face masks over COVID concerns. That may not matter much, however, as Dyson is positioning the headphones as a way to filter out city pollution while out and about rather than as a way to protect against wayward sneezes.

Called Dyson Zone, the headphones are the brand's very first foray into the realm of wearable tech. At first glance, the Zone appears to be a regular, if stylishly retro-futuristic pair of noise-canceling headphones. They pack Bluetooth 5.0 and active noise-canceling tech up to 38 dB. As well, the Zone's battery is gargantuan, rated for 50 hours of continuous use before needing a recharge. If that was where the matter ended, they'd be a notable enough pair of headphones, though nothing to write home about. But that is very much not where the matter ends.

The Zone headphones come with a detachable no-touch visor that goes over the wearer's mouth and nostrils. The vents on the sides of the headphones' ear cups draw in air, run it through dual-layer electrostatic filters to capture 99% of particle pollution, and pump it into the wearer's face. It's easy to see the appeal for regular city walkers: you get noise-canceling tunes in your ears while cleaner air is delivered to your lungs. A downside of the filter visor is that it sucks up a lot of energy, lowering the device's total use time from 50 hours to just 4 hours — plus, you know, there's the odd appearance.

On the bright side, the Zone headphones are compatible with the MyDyson companion smartphone app. Through the app, you can control the equalizers and isolation effects on the ear cups and the airflow speed on the filter visor. Plus, a special air quality sensor in the ear cup vents keeps track of pollutant levels in the air and displays it on the app. If you're interested in this... interesting new take on wearable tech, the Dyson Zone is available now in the United States (after first launching in other markets) at Best Buy and Dyson Demo Stores starting at $949. The headphones and visor come in two color pairs: Ultra Blue and Prussian Blue, and Prussian Blue and Bright Copper.