The company behind one of the world's best vacuums just came out with a $400 hair dryer
Sir James Dyson, the famed industrial designer, tells New York Magazine's The Cut that he and 103 engineers worked on the project. Dyson's company filed over 100 patents and sunk $67 million into transforming the hairdryer to what you see here.
There's just one catch: The Dyson Supersonic will set you back almost $400.
The Dyson Supersonic looks nothing like your run-of-the-mill hair dryer. A hot pink base, reminiscent of a sprinkled doughnut, sits on top of the cylindrical handle. Unlike traditional dryers, Dyson's device stores the motor in the handle. The fan blades spin, sending a jetstream of air up through the handle and out of the front of the dryer, Mashable explains.
Dyson's legacy lies in making everyday products, like the vacuum and hand dryer, less annoying to use. The British technology company makes some of the best vacuums you can buy, according to Consumer Reports.
The Dyson Supersonic carries on that tradition. It's lightweight and quiet enough that users don't need to shout to hold a conversation while drying their hair. As Dyson explained to The Cut, the motor runs at ultrasonic frequencies, which are outside the human hearing range. That alone might (might!) be worth the $399 price tag.
But the Dyson Supersonic's greatest feat of engineering is the speed with which it dries hair.
When air funnels out the drier, the circle design pulls almost as much air back in. This system generates twice as much air force as a similarly sized hair dryer, making for quicker styling.
In spite of its cost, the Dyson Supersonic has garnered plenty of admirers.
"The Supersonic, true to its name, dried my hair faster than my traditional machine," The Cut's Linda Wells writes. "My hair didn't feel scorched, since the heat never climbs above 300 degrees."
"My wife was not only impressed with how the Dyson Supersonic works, but how it felt," Mashable's Lance Ulanoff says. "She told me she was surprised that the unusual design didn't feel awkward. It felt light, easy to hold ...."
The product is also beautifully packaged.
"The way it is presented almost reminds me of an Apple product with its simple packaging," hair and makeup artist Lauren Ross tells CNN Money.
Is it worth the price? Reporters who have reviewed the device say maybe.
While it offer plenty of perks, the hair dryer is a luxury more than a necessity.
The Dyson Supersonic is available at Sephora.