When it comes to wireless earbuds, not all products are created equal. (And these things can be expensive, so we’re here to help you out.)
Whether you use yours to workout, take your pup for a stroll, listen to podcasts, or take virtual calls, you want your wireless earbuds to perform — that means crisp sound quality and superior noise cancellation are paramount. Not to mention, you need them to fit comfortably for long stretches of time (hello six-hour plane ride) and connect seamlessly to your devices.
The best wireless earbuds can do all of the above — and aren’t complicated to use. Our PEOPLE Tested team spent 400 hours testing noise-canceling headphones in different scenarios, checking for sound quality, noise level, comfort, and ease of setup.
These four picks made our list of the best wireless earbuds, because they are actually worth the money and praise.
PHOTO: Amazon
Star Qualities
Seamless setup for Apple users
Great noise cancellation and sound quality
Fit test and adjustable ear tip options available
Our best overall pick, Apple AirPods Pro 2, are like the 7.0 version of the original Apple AirPods, with more features, better sound quality, and an overall elevated listening experience.
One of the first things we noticed was how easy it was to set up and use them with other Apple devices. They’re so lightweight and fit comfortably in the ear. They even come with four different size silicone ear tips (extra small, small, medium, and large) so that you can adjust yours for maximum comfort. The five-second Fit Test that Apple offers ensures that the earbuds are fitted properly, which is important when you really need noise cancellation. If you use earbuds for phone calls, then you’ll be blown away by the crispness of the sound, even for the person on the other end, as the built-in microphone delivers clearer sound for them, too.
The auto-adjustments and automatic pausing features can be annoying, and the noise cancellation can be jarring if you like a little ambient sound, but this isn’t a dealbreaker (it’s also easy to switch to transparency mode). If you’re not someone who loses small things often, these earbuds are worth the cost.
“If you use airpods as much as I do, it’s absolutely worth it to invest in an amazing multi-functional pair, so I would pay full price for these, and I would flip over backward to buy them if they were on sale.” — Erin Johnson, Associate Editorial Director
Fit Options: 4 | Colors: White | Battery Life: Up to 6 hours
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PHOTO: Amazon
Star Qualities
Set up is easy and straightforward
Comes with app for customizing features and button functions
Most affordable of all the earbuds we tested
Red Flags
Sound can be tinny while in normal mode
Slight white noise in transparency mode
Unable to pair with multiple devices at the same time
If you’re looking for a good pair of wireless earbuds for less than $50, then the Soundcore Life P3i Hybrid Active Noise-Canceling Earbuds need to be on your radar (and in your cart!). The earbuds were very easy to set up and they can be paired with Bluetooth right from the menu if you have an iPhone. It’s also easy to customize the button functions and there’s an app that allows you to customize the equalizer, with 22 sound options to choose from.
When we first opened the case we noted that they were much larger than other wireless earbuds, like Apple AirPods, but once they were in ear we couldn’t tell. They fit comfortably and even passed our “wiggle” test, staying put when we wiggled the earbud with our fingers to see if it would pop out. Sound quality is decent and gets better as the volume gets higher, though it’s not as clear as some more expensive options we tested, and on normal mode it was somewhat tinny.
You also lose the bass in your music on normal mode, but if you switch to transparency or noise canceling mode it improves. There’s also a hint of white noise on transparency mode, and you can still hear some sounds when using the noise cancellation feature.
With a long battery life and ultra comfy fit, these wireless earbuds are an overall great value for all the features they offer.
Fit Options: 3 | Colors: Black and oat white | Battery Life: Up to 9 hours
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PHOTO: Target
Star Qualities
Excellent sound quality
Immersive, live-concert-like experience
Accompanying app offers customizable noise cancellation settings
Red Flags
Muffled call quality and occasional disconnection from devices
Bulky and not ideal for all day wear
Case is large and less portable than others we tested
If you’re a commuter who needs their music to be louder than the train, meet Bose QuietComfort Bluetooth Wireless Earbuds. Setting up these earbuds was simple following the steps in the app. It even lets you create your own work, play, and exercise modes where you can adjust the level of noise cancellation, treble, and base. The case and the buds are bulky, and the suction cup feeling that’s necessary for the noise-cancellation feature isn’t ideal, but otherwise they fit well and are comfortable.
When it comes to sound quality, these earbuds were unmatched. According to our tester, the immersive setting makes you feel like you’re listening to a live concert when your music is playing, and when you’re in noise-canceling mode, it really shuts out surrounding sounds; we could mow the lawn and keep our volume at a normal level. Though in-ear sound was superb, outgoing sound wasn’t the best and people said we sounded muffled on calls. The earbuds would randomly disconnect from devices too, which is especially annoying if you’re on a work call.
Celebs Love Bose, too!
Grammy-award winner Tyla revealed that Bose earbuds are on her backstage rider. The “Water” singer was featured in a commercial alongside fellow musicians Central Cee, Don Toliver, and LISA, wearing Bose earbuds while preparing for a performance.
Fit Options: 3 (XS and XL options sold separately) | Colors: Black, white, moonstone blue, lunar blue, diamond 60th | Battery Life: Up to 6 hours
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PHOTO: Amazon
Star Qualities
High quality and crisp sound
Comfortable and lightweight fit
Notable sound and chat features that adjust in the moment
Red Flags
Bluetooth range is limited
Noise cancellation feature not as high-quality as other brands we tested
High price point for limited range
The Sony Truly Wireless Noise-Canceling Earbuds are our top pick for anyone who loves features, features, and more features. The best part is that they’re not fussy or hard to use, and the setup was as simple as following the infographic inside the manual and downloading the app.
One of our favorite features is “Speak to Chat,” which recognizes when you’re speaking and pauses any media playing so you don’t need to take out the earbuds. This is so useful if you like to listen while shopping or sit in an office with chatty coworkers. Another standout, “Adaptive Sound Control,” detects and automatically adjusts how ambient sound is filtered.
The listening experience with these earbuds is top notch. The sound was so crisp; we didn’t lose details even when we raised the volume, which happens with other earbuds on the market.
Experts Say
“If you have your earbuds in and music on, and someone else in the room (with normal hearing) can hear it, then it’s too loud,” says Dr. Brittany Buchs, clinical audiologist. She recommends using the auto-adjusting feature that lowers the volume when it gets too loud.
Alternatively, the noise cancellation feature wasn’t as strong as others we tested. The bluetooth strength and reach also weren’t strong, and at times resulted in a loss of signal when we walked just two rooms over from the source (we’re talking feet, not yards), so you’ll need to keep your phone or computer close to you when paired with these feature-packed earbuds.
Fit Options: 4 | Colors: Black, silver, smoky pink | Battery Life: Up to 8 hours
What to Know About Wireless Earbuds
Sound Quality
One of the most important features of headphones, wireless earbuds or otherwise, is sound quality. Sound quality makes all the difference in whether you hear every treble in a song, whispered lines in a movie, the background producer’s chatter in your favorite podcast, or the low-talker on your weekly team call. Your sounds should have frequency balance and shouldn’t muffle or cause discomfort as you increase it.
Experts Say
Hearing is unique to the individual, so volume preference will vary from person to person. But “if you can feel (the sound), it’s not a good sign,” warns Dr. Buchs. She adds that you should avoid listening at high volumes for prolonged amounts of time: “The extended amount of time is more likely to cause damage.”
Comfort
You’ll want your earbuds to fit snugly but not feel uncomfortable inside your ears. While some earbuds come as one-size-fits-most, many brands offer various sizes, like Bose Quiet Comfort Bluetooth Wireless Earbuds, which comes with three sizes of interchangeable buds and has two more sizes available for purchase.
Additionally, lightweight earbuds are ideal, especially if you plan to wear them for long stretches of time. Be mindful of the material of the ear cushion (most are made of silicone) to ensure ultimate comfort for your listening experience.
Noise Cancellation
The noise-canceling feature on earbuds is becoming less of a value add and more of a standard feature these days. With our on-the-go lifestyles, it’s important to be able to isolate just what you want to hear and block out the rest of the world, like your dog barking while you’re in a meeting.
Our overall pick, the Apple AirPods Pro 2 wireless earbuds, are exceptional in this department, so much so it may even take some getting used to the lack of ambient sound.
Pairing/Connectivity
No one wants to spend hours trying to pair their earbuds with their go-to devices. Pairing should be easy and your earbuds should stay connected. Bluetooth range and signal strength will also matter when it comes to keeping your devices and your earbuds connected. Every wireless earbud option that made it to this list was easy to pair with our devices.
Battery Life
Average battery life per charge for wireless earbuds was around the five hour mark, with some picks, like the Soundcore Life P3i Hybrid wireless earbuds, going above and beyond at nine hours. Note that for some brands there’s also a difference in battery life when just listening versus when using certain features on your earbuds.
People / Henry Yung
Behind the Scenes
To find the best wireless earbuds, we pulled insights from a test conducted for the best noise-canceling headphones. A team of 13 testers used several wireless earbuds and over-ear headphones daily for many different tasks, noting how they performed across categories. The picks that made this PEOPLE Tested list were wireless earbuds that stood out in the following ways:
Ease of Setup: We checked how intuitive or easy it was to pair the wireless earbuds with our devices. If there was an app, how clear were the instructions or how did it enhance the experience?Sound Quality: Sound quality seems simple enough, but we assessed the overall sound quality for different types of content (audiobooks, music, phone calls) as well as rated the sound quality for strength and clarity at different volumes and pitches.Comfort: Some earbuds can feel bulky or heavy, especially after many hours of wear. We assessed comfort based on how they felt in the ear (barely there or cumbersome), whether they stayed in place, and noted any standout fit features that enhanced or diminished the listening experience. Noise Cancellation: Our team wore the earbuds while performing various tasks, including mowing the lawn, commuting to work, and hiking. We observed if we could hear our surroundings or background noise. We also noted how strong the noise cancellation was and whether it met or exceeded expectations.
People / Sarah Roberts
Why Trust PEOPLE?
Shalwah Evans is the senior shopping editor at PEOPLE, and an often all-day earbuds wearer. She travels several times a year, walks long distances, and works from home a few days a week, all while wearing wireless earbuds. In addition to her own expertise, she used insights from our testing team to create this list. Our team of 13 testers ran more than 400 hours of tests across a plethora of real world tasks and settings, including listening to podcasts at the beach, listening to music on noisy trains, mowing the lawn, running, and talking on virtual calls with another loud talker in the room.
Our Expert Panel
Dr. Brittany Buchs is a practicing clinical audiologist in Conyers, Georgia. She spoke with us about the importance of volume control in relation to overall hearing health.
What Is PEOPLE Tested?
We created the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval to help you find the very best products for your life. We use our unique methodology to test products in three labs across the country and with our network of home testers to determine their effectiveness, durability, ease of use, and so much more. Based on the results, we rate and recommend products so you can find the right one for your needs.
But we don’t stop there: We also regularly re-review the categories in which we’ve awarded the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval — because the best product of today might not be the best of tomorrow. And by the way, companies can never buy our recommendation: Their products must earn it, fair and square.
In short, PEOPLE Tested provides recommendations you can trust — every day, every purchase.
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