/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24711796/IMG_1578.JPG "My Experience Wearing the Dyson Zone in Smoky NYC")
Like the rest of New York City, I glanced out my window yesterday and felt like I had been transported to the apocalypse. The sky was orange, which was unusual considering it had been cloudy during my morning run. It was then that I realized I had missed a flurry of notifications from my family and friends. They were about Canadian wildfires, air quality indexes, and numerous memes. One text stood out, asking when I would put on the Dyson Zone.
When I first reviewed the Zone in April, its air purification features seemed more like something out of a science fiction movie than real life. My main concerns had been the smells from car exhausts, the New York City subway system, and excessive pollen. The $949 Zone felt like an experimental gadget designed to solve air quality issues in the future or in places with worse pollution than NYC. However, this was an opportunity to momentarily ignore the Environmental Protection Agency’s recommendations, step outside with the Zone on, and truly test its air purifying capabilities. As you may have seen on TikTok, things did not go as expected.
Let me clarify that I do not recommend wearing a futuristic pair of headphones that also work as a wearable air purifier in hazardous conditions. My spouse insisted on me wearing an N95 mask, and my editor made it clear that I should not endanger my safety for content. Furthermore, my mini-test was far from scientifically rigorous as it lasted only 20 minutes and I had no other sensors to compare data with. My goal was to quickly assess the Zone’s readings and get a glimpse of a future where people might wear such devices on days when smog obscures the sun.
To my surprise, after a few minutes of walking, I checked the MyDyson app and saw that the “Air Quality (NO2) around me” metric was in the green, indicating good air quality. Although the graph showed positive readings, the air still smelled heavily of smoke, despite adjusting my N95 mask for a better fit. I continued to walk around my neighborhood, astounded by the readings on the graph, while the Zone’s fans whirred loudly. I was both baffled and overwhelmed by the sensory experience. The Zone, primarily a pair of noise-canceling headphones, effectively drowned out the sound of wailing fire truck sirens from Manhattan. However, you could still hear them if you didn’t play music (which seemed inappropriate at that time). It was astonishing how quickly I adapted to the unusual circumstances. Once I regained some of my composure, I remembered that the Zone only tracked nitrogen dioxide levels. Dyson determines air quality based on nitrogen dioxide concentration and other oxidizing gases. The filters in the headphones are designed to capture ultrafine particles, odors, and nitrogen dioxide present in city pollution. On the other hand, the apocalyptic atmosphere I was in was a result of wildfire smoke, which consists of various particles and gases. The Zone solely measured nitrogen dioxide concentrations, ignoring the overall air quality.
On the app, you can view average regional data, but you have to swipe down to access detailed information. The app displays PM2.5 and PM10 ratings, which indicate the concentration of microscopic particles measuring less than 2.5 microns and slightly larger particles under 10 microns, respectively. Both types of particles can cause health problems when inhaled. For assessing air quality during wildfires, these metrics along with the Air Quality Index (AQI) are more useful. If you swipe down on the app, you will see a larger readout of the data average for your region. In my case, it displayed “Very Unhealthy” and the AQI underneath. Looking at this information, it was clear that the air quality was poor, despite the Zone’s indication of good air quality based on nitrogen dioxide levels. Dyson should provide more context to avoid confusion.
Dyson claims that the Zone can filter particles as small as 0.1 micron, theoretically smaller than the PM2.5 and PM10 particulates. I cannot verify this claim, but I can attest that the visor does not form a seal around the nose and mouth. Against my better judgment, I walked around for a few minutes without my N95 mask, with the fans running at maximum speed and the visor as close to my face as possible. I did feel a cool blast of cleaner air, which was somewhat refreshing. However, I also smelled and inhaled the polluted air around me. With the N95 mask on, I didn’t feel any noticeable difference in air quality.
From a practical standpoint, it doesn’t make sense to spend $949 on the Zone expecting it to protect you during situations like an orange sky caused by wildfires. The Zone is primarily a pair of headphones that can filter nitrogen dioxide in normal city pollution levels. It does not provide a complete seal around the nose and mouth, rendering it ineffective during events like wildfires. Additionally, the battery life is limited, and the air filtering feature drains it quickly. It is somewhat ironic to see an expensive, futuristic gadget fail to offer full protection. Considering the current economic uncertainties, it would not be a wise investment for such specific scenarios.