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I know a few former and current Dyson engineers/designers, I really highly rate the engineering teams there. I think Dyson (the company) are at their best when

I know a few former and current Dyson engineers/designers, I really highly rate the engineering teams there. I think Dyson (the company) are at their best when they are working in a new product category. They are very good at thinking “outside the box” and coming up with very innovative ideas. I’m somewhat less convinced by their vacuum cleaners now, they were obviously incredible 25 years ago but now competitors can achieve the same (and often better) product for far less cost to the customer. The Air Blade hand dryer is a good example, it’s so much better than anything that came before it (if you ignore the noise) and for 3-4 years they were the best. Now others are catching up and producing products on par or better. (I would still prefer paper towels and a recycling bin) My wife was incredibly sceptical of their hair care range when it came out. She tried a friends hairdryer and loved it, now she owns one and one of their other curler type product. Absolutely loves them. Again very different product than what came before, very innovative - and expensive - but very good. I sure that in a couple of years competitors will catch up and potentially surpass on quality and price but for now they have a winning product. So, as mad as this thing looks, I will give them the benefit of the doubt and will watch how it goes. It would not surprise me if it does incredibly well. However there have been Dyson flops, their washing machine for example was incredible engineering but they didn’t understand the market. For the first few years you could only get it in bright “Dyson” colours, where, with a lot people here in the UK having their washing machine in their kitchens, it didn’t sell well. Eventually they launched a white version but it was too late. I think they have since learnt from that marketing mistake though. Just on the “tangent” of their lighting system, that was actually a separate company founded by James Dyson's son Jake. And as I recall, a few years ago Dyson acquired the company and folded it in.

mkj 5y ago
> if you ignore the noise That seems to be the problem with all the Dyson products. I don't think it will work for headphones!
dTal 5y ago
> The Air Blade hand dryer is a good example, it’s so much better than anything that came before it This is the one with the ultra-thin slots you must carefully thread your hands into and hold still against buffeting air currents, or touch the sides and sully your just-washed hands? The one that sprays bacteria directly into your face? Because I always thought that was monumentally poorly designed.
- ricardobeat 5y ago
  I don’t know how the ones you’ve used were mounted, but there should be no airflow coming to your face… the keep-your-hands-still part is indeed annoying, but when used correctly it does do the job of drying hands in a fraction of the time the old blow dryers took. That’s the main design breakthrough and it’s selling point.
- shmoogy 5y ago
  The idea was fantastic. A blade of air that swipes water off of your hands - one of the only air dryer products where you actually had dry hands after using the product. Not sure I ever ran into the problem you did.
IshKebab 5y ago
I used to work for Dyson. The hair dryer is probably one of their worst products - there are actually quieter normal-priced ones on the market so really the only reason to get it is if you like the look. The hand driers really are good though (especially the tap and V ones). I don't know why so many people dislike them. I think some people think it makes them cool, like if they don't have a smartphone. I joined after the washing machine but from what I could gather the real reasons it was ditched were: 1. there was some kind of flaw with the drum that meant they all needed to be replaced costing some insane amount per unit; basically they were losing money on every one sold, 2. it tended to destroy clothes, especially bras. Nobody mentioned canceling it because it didn't sell well. The lighting thing is just Jake Dyson failing to make a viable business and James bailing him out. The task lights were kind of cool but way overpriced. The massive heatsink lights (I forget the name) were terrible. Pretty much what you'd build if you wanted to deliberately make a terrible light. Also you missed a flop: Dyson Hard (cordless vacuum for hard floors). This thing seems extremely ridiculous. Clearly not intended for the western market though. Maybe it will be big in Japan?

mkj 5y ago

> if you ignore the noise That seems to be the problem with all the Dyson products. I don't think it will work for headphones!

dTal 5y ago

> The Air Blade hand dryer is a good example, it’s so much better than anything that came before it This is the one with the ultra-thin slots you must carefully thread your hands into and hold still against buffeting air currents, or touch the sides and sully your just-washed hands? The one that sprays bacteria directly into your face? Because I always thought that was monumentally poorly designed.

ricardobeat 5y ago
I don’t know how the ones you’ve used were mounted, but there should be no airflow coming to your face… the keep-your-hands-still part is indeed annoying, but when used correctly it does do the job of drying hands in a fraction of the time the old blow dryers took. That’s the main design breakthrough and it’s selling point.
shmoogy 5y ago
The idea was fantastic. A blade of air that swipes water off of your hands - one of the only air dryer products where you actually had dry hands after using the product. Not sure I ever ran into the problem you did.

IshKebab 5y ago

I used to work for Dyson. The hair dryer is probably one of their worst products - there are actually quieter normal-priced ones on the market so really the only reason to get it is if you like the look. The hand driers really are good though (especially the tap and V ones). I don't know why so many people dislike them. I think some people think it makes them cool, like if they don't have a smartphone. I joined after the washing machine but from what I could gather the real reasons it was ditched were: 1. there was some kind of flaw with the drum that meant they all needed to be replaced costing some insane amount per unit; basically they were losing money on every one sold, 2. it tended to destroy clothes, especially bras. Nobody mentioned canceling it because it didn't sell well. The lighting thing is just Jake Dyson failing to make a viable business and James bailing him out. The task lights were kind of cool but way overpriced. The massive heatsink lights (I forget the name) were terrible. Pretty much what you'd build if you wanted to deliberately make a terrible light. Also you missed a flop: Dyson Hard (cordless vacuum for hard floors). This thing seems extremely ridiculous. Clearly not intended for the western market though. Maybe it will be big in Japan?