Now that the majority of new headphones and earbuds offer at least a modicum of noise canceling, it’d be impossible (and unproductive) to list everything we like above. If you haven’t yet found your fit, here are some more favorites worth considering.
Soundcore Life Q30 for $60-85: Anker’s Soundcore line is nothing if not value conscious, and the Life Q30 provide an embarrassing list of extras for their often bargain-basement pricing. You’ll get clear and warm sound, great features, tons of battery life, and noise-canceling that gets the job done even on a long flight, though it can’t keep up with flagship pairs. It’s hard to complain when they cost hundreds less, especially with sale pricing that sometimes drops them just above $50.
Soundcore Space A40 for $60: Another top value buy from Anker’s Soundcore brand, the Space A40 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) are some of our favorite cheap earbuds, especially as their price continues to fall. You’ll find a classy design, lots of features, quality sound, and great noise canceling for their class.
Apple Beats Fit Pro for $199: The Beats Fit Pro are an aging but still knock-out pair of wireless buds, with great sound, easy-access physical buttons, and solid noise canceling to boot. Add to that six hours of battery life, spatial audio compatibility with Apple Music and other services, and you’ve got one of the best pairs of earbuds ever “designed in California.”
Sony WF-1000XM4 for $290: Sony’s WF-1000XM4 (7/10, WIRED Recommends) still have some of the best noise reduction we’ve heard from a pair of earbuds and offer the same super-customizable sound we love from Sony’s over-ear headphones. These are becoming harder to find, and they’re a bit too large for smaller ears but the extra size allows for fantastic battery life.
Amazon Echo Buds for $45: Amazon’s second-gen Echo Buds (8/10, WIRED Recommends) don’t provide quite the same silence as the top buds on our list, but they’re still a good low-cost option. Amazon’s built-in Alexa voice assistant lets you set timers, check the weather, and control your buds hands-free. The buds sound pretty good too, making them worthy of consideration several years on.
Epos/Sennheiser Adapt 660 for $152: Want excellent sound, a comfortable fit, and high-quality noise-canceling tech for less than what you’d pay for Sony or Bose headphones? Check out this collaboration between Epos and Sennheiser. The Epos/Sennheiser Adapt 660 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) sound fantastic, and are some of the lightest noise-canceling headphones I’ve ever worn. They also feature excellent microphones for great silence on calls and Zooms.