review
Dyson Zone 2 Review — Air Purifying Headphones Worth It?
8 min readPublished 2026-04-24Updated 2026-04-24
Headphones that clean the air you breathe while playing music. It sounds absurd, and it kind of is — but after two weeks of testing, the Dyson Zone 2 surprised us. Here's how.
Let's Get the Obvious Out of the Way
Yes, they look weird. The optional visor that channels purified air to your nose and mouth makes you look like a character from a dystopian movie. People will stare. People will photograph you. People will ask "what the hell are those?"
Now that we've addressed that: is there a real product underneath the spectacle? After two weeks of daily use in London — one of the most polluted cities in Europe — the answer is a qualified yes. But you need to understand exactly what you're buying.
Now that we've addressed that: is there a real product underneath the spectacle? After two weeks of daily use in London — one of the most polluted cities in Europe — the answer is a qualified yes. But you need to understand exactly what you're buying.
Air Purification: Does It Actually Work?
Yes. The Dyson Zone 2 contains actual electrostatic HEPA filters in each earcup that pull in ambient air, filter it through activated carbon and HEPA media, and channel purified air toward your breathing zone. Dyson claims 99% particle removal at 0.1 microns — essentially the same filtration as their standalone air purifiers.
We tested with and without the visor attachment. With the visor: purified air is directed to your nose and mouth, creating a personal clean air zone. The effect is noticeable — cycling through high-traffic areas, the typical exhaust smell was dramatically reduced. On high-pollution days (PM2.5 above 50), the difference was genuinely appreciated.
Without the visor: the filters still run but purified air disperses before reaching your face. You get minimal benefit. The visor is necessary for the air purification to work meaningfully, which means you need to wear the thing that makes you look absurd.
The honest assessment: For people with respiratory conditions, severe allergies, or those cycling/commuting in heavily polluted cities, the air purification has genuine utility. For everyone else, it's an expensive novelty.
We tested with and without the visor attachment. With the visor: purified air is directed to your nose and mouth, creating a personal clean air zone. The effect is noticeable — cycling through high-traffic areas, the typical exhaust smell was dramatically reduced. On high-pollution days (PM2.5 above 50), the difference was genuinely appreciated.
Without the visor: the filters still run but purified air disperses before reaching your face. You get minimal benefit. The visor is necessary for the air purification to work meaningfully, which means you need to wear the thing that makes you look absurd.
The honest assessment: For people with respiratory conditions, severe allergies, or those cycling/commuting in heavily polluted cities, the air purification has genuine utility. For everyone else, it's an expensive novelty.
Sound Quality
Stripping away the air purification gimmick, how do the Zone 2 sound as headphones?
Surprisingly good. The 40mm neodymium drivers deliver a balanced sound signature with punchy bass, clear mids, and detailed highs. They're not Sony XM6 or Sennheiser Momentum 4 level, but they compete with $300-350 headphones in pure audio quality.
ANC is good, not great. The dual-mic system provides effective noise cancellation that handles commute noise and office chatter well. It's approximately 80% as effective as the Sony XM6's class-leading ANC. For a headphone whose primary selling point isn't ANC, this is respectable.
The weight problem: At 595g, the Zone 2 is the heaviest headphone we've tested. The Sony XM6 weighs 254g. You feel that extra 340g within the first hour. For commutes under 45 minutes, it's manageable. For all-day desk wear, it's too heavy.
Surprisingly good. The 40mm neodymium drivers deliver a balanced sound signature with punchy bass, clear mids, and detailed highs. They're not Sony XM6 or Sennheiser Momentum 4 level, but they compete with $300-350 headphones in pure audio quality.
ANC is good, not great. The dual-mic system provides effective noise cancellation that handles commute noise and office chatter well. It's approximately 80% as effective as the Sony XM6's class-leading ANC. For a headphone whose primary selling point isn't ANC, this is respectable.
The weight problem: At 595g, the Zone 2 is the heaviest headphone we've tested. The Sony XM6 weighs 254g. You feel that extra 340g within the first hour. For commutes under 45 minutes, it's manageable. For all-day desk wear, it's too heavy.
Battery Life
Here's where it gets complicated:
Audio only (no purification): 50 hours. Excellent — better than any competitor. Audio + air purification (low): 8 hours. Decent for a full workday commute. Audio + air purification (high): 4 hours. One commute round-trip and it's dead.
The air purification motors consume significant battery. If you're buying these for the filtration, you'll need to charge every 1-2 days. If you use them purely as headphones (which raises the question: why not buy better headphones for less?), the 50-hour battery is outstanding.
Audio only (no purification): 50 hours. Excellent — better than any competitor. Audio + air purification (low): 8 hours. Decent for a full workday commute. Audio + air purification (high): 4 hours. One commute round-trip and it's dead.
The air purification motors consume significant battery. If you're buying these for the filtration, you'll need to charge every 1-2 days. If you use them purely as headphones (which raises the question: why not buy better headphones for less?), the 50-hour battery is outstanding.
The Verdict
The Dyson Zone 2 is a better product than the original Zone, which was frankly terrible. The sound quality has improved, the weight is reduced (slightly), and the air filtration is genuinely functional.
But at $699, the math doesn't work for most people. You can buy Sony WH-1000XM6 ($399) AND a Dyson personal air purifier ($200) for less money and get better performance at both jobs. The Zone 2 is a compromise product at a premium price.
Buy the Dyson Zone 2 if: You commute by bike or walk in a heavily polluted city AND you want noise-cancelling headphones AND you don't mind the weight and the looks. This is a genuinely narrow use case.
Skip it if: You want the best headphones for the money (Sony XM6), the best comfort (Bose QC Ultra), or the best sound (Sennheiser Momentum 4). All three cost $250-350 less and outperform the Zone 2 as headphones.
Rating: 3.8/5 — Impressive engineering, questionable value proposition.
But at $699, the math doesn't work for most people. You can buy Sony WH-1000XM6 ($399) AND a Dyson personal air purifier ($200) for less money and get better performance at both jobs. The Zone 2 is a compromise product at a premium price.
Buy the Dyson Zone 2 if: You commute by bike or walk in a heavily polluted city AND you want noise-cancelling headphones AND you don't mind the weight and the looks. This is a genuinely narrow use case.
Skip it if: You want the best headphones for the money (Sony XM6), the best comfort (Bose QC Ultra), or the best sound (Sennheiser Momentum 4). All three cost $250-350 less and outperform the Zone 2 as headphones.
Rating: 3.8/5 — Impressive engineering, questionable value proposition.
Get our weekly picks
Honest reviews, seasonal selections, and deal alerts — no spam, no sponsored content.
🎧$699
Dyson Zone 2
$699★★★½☆3.8/5
Pros
+Actually filters air — HEPA removes 99% of particles down to 0.1 microns
+ANC quality is genuinely good (not Sony-tier, but close)
+40mm custom drivers deliver surprisingly detailed sound
+The conversation starter factor is through the roof
Cons
-$699 is absurd for headphones by any standard
-Heavy at 595g — noticeably heavier than any competitor
-Air purification battery lasts only 4 hours (audio alone: 50h)
-The visor attachment looks ridiculous — there's no getting around this
-You're buying a concept, not the best headphones for the money
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have to wear the visor?▾
How often do you replace the filters?▾
Is the Dyson Zone 2 better than the original Zone?▾
Can the Dyson Zone 2 protect against COVID/viruses?▾
Enjoyed this review?
Get our weekly selections delivered to your inbox — honest reviews, seasonal picks, and deal alerts.
Related Reviews
Editorial Note: Selectoire is editorially independent. We research, test, and recommend products based on our own criteria. If you purchase through our affiliate links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. This does not influence our recommendations.