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Is Dyson's $400 Hair Dryer Design Worth It?

The discussion topic of the week breaks down Dyson's newest product

By Core Jr - May 3, 2016

in Forum Frenzy | Product Design

This week we bring you our pressing topic of the moment straight from our reader-driven discussion boards! Dyson has just released its new ultra-quiet Supersonic hairdryer with a hefty price tag of $399—to many this is a laughably high price point while others argue, if it works, that it could be well-worth the expense.

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From a design and manufacturing standpoint, what design elements would make a product worth the ultimately high retail cost? When considering the Dyson hairdryer, a few Core77 readers pontificate on the potential reason behind the price spike. One reason, as slippyfish writes, could be its particular focus on ergonomic considerations:

"I'm guessing that the super-short barrel obviates the need for any angle on the handle, or other ergonomic-related form development. Body care stuff seems like it should have some formal relationship to how its used. (Gillette Sensor women's razor for one example)."

Reader FH13 thoughtfully writes the price could have resulted by virtue of marketing and manufacturing,

"I guess a lot of the cost is in the re-engineering of the internal components and impeller...there's a science behind it, selecting the right motor/impeller design. I love the look. I don't think it would sell for that price looking similar to the rest. Also, a cylindrical handle is perfect for the use since most people hold it in many different ways to reach different parts of their head, kind of like electric toothbrushes...$400 is a lot but hey, if you use it everyday to make you look good I think people would spend it. Also if it works better and is less noisy then it would be a big plus."

So: why do you think this Dyson product has racked up the $400 price tag? And as a designer, what do you think makes a product worth a large price? Share your thoughts and design insights in the comment feed below!

(Also feel free to check out the original post and contribute on our discussion board!)

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Patrick Spargur

8 years ago

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I've got several dyson products and they all perform really well, but none of them qualify as 'super quiet' or even 'moderately quiet'.

There is a simple engineering standard that can be applied here. Turn it on, if your cat bolts out of the room, it's not quiet.

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Noodle Time

8 years ago

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smoke and mirrors like most of dysons products... they take a minute engineering element and market the hell out of it... sometimes stretching the truth a bit (like the physics bending dyson fan) ...

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Gideon Bergmans

8 years ago

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Probably the price will lower. Dyson will come some time with a mid end dryer with a more affordable price. Now, if you want tot be the first, you pay. If you want to feel exclusive, you pay. After that, Dyson will open the market for a larger number of customers with other versions.

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Charles Rist

8 years ago

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I draw a lot of parallels between Dyson and Apple. Fitting tech into smaller packaging to achieve a more desirable result. The flipside is longevity and whether a brushless impeller will overheat or burnout quicker than a traditional design. The article suggesting the Dyson hand dryer spreads over 1000 times more germs than a paper towel made me think ultimately these high end products are purely smoke and mirrors. It is the association and social status driving the market though. We shall see. 😀

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