Working out the best wireless earbuds is a tricky task. There are plenty of options that do a stellar job, but only one can really be the best. After careful deliberation and having tested hundreds of earbuds, one pair emerged the clear winner:
The Sony WF-1000XM5.
They sound great, they're packed with very good noise canceling, and Sony has filled them with a wide range of useful features.
I've been testing headphones for years, and with the help of the Tom's Guide reviews team, we've decades of experience between us. We spend hundreds, if not thousands of hours every year testing earbuds with our strict criteria to see how they match up, and then rank them according to use case so that you can find out which are best for you.
My favorite earbuds right now
While the Sony XM5's are the best, perhaps you want something more focused on one particular attribute. Or maybe you don't have hundreds to spend on earbuds, and you want to save some money.
Either way, here are six of the best earbuds that we've tested, from battery life kings to budget heroes.
As always, Sony has managed to make another 'best' list topper. Just like the previous model, they're good at just about everything they put their mind to. Excellent sound, great ANC and solid battery life cement their place as the best wireless earbuds you can buy in 2025.
The WF-C710N are a veritable bargain. They're cheaper than the competition, yet feature stunning specs for the price. Excellent sound and some great ANC round out the feature set at a surprisingly affordable price The clear blue colorway also happens to be one of the nicest we've ever seen.
With their super secure ear hooks and comfortable ear tips, the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 go in your ears and stay there. They're packed with helpful fitness features as well, and they've got Apple-beating ANC to bring some peace and quiet to your exercise. Sweat proofing helps, of course.
Earbuds jargon buster
When we review earbuds and the best headphones here at Tom's Guide, you'll probably spot a whole load of terms and words that you don't understand. To break it down and make it easier to digest, here's what some of the most common ones mean:
ANC
"Active Noise Cancelling" is what ANC stands for. This one you'll see appear quite a lot whenever we talk about earbuds, given that it's quality is very important to a recommendation we make. It uses audio magic and some very clever algorithms to quiet the outside world, and make your commute more manageable.
How does it work? It uses a combination of the music you're listening to and inaudible white noise to counteract the noise of the outside world. It uses the microphones inside the earbuds to read the noise, and then dynamically shifts certain sounds to make it go away. Sometimes this can change the sound of your music, so we'll report when the ANC is either too weak, or too invasive.
EQ
This stands for "equalization", and it allows you to dial in how your headphones sound. You'll generally find it as a series of sliders that represent different parts of the music, so that you can increase the bass, the mids, or the treble in your favorite tunes. Some manufacturers give you preset EQ options, which save you from getting lost in sliders or graphs. These are almost always found in apps for earbuds.
Frequencies
These are the different sounds that make up your music. You'll generally read them divided into three simple sections — the lows, the mids, and the highs. The lows are the bass frequencies. Think bass guitars, and kick drums. You want them to be impactful and low. The mids are the main parts of your music, like vocals, guitars, and synths. Because they're so important, you want them to be thick and wide. Finally, the highs are cymbals and other higher sounds. These should be crisp, and clear.
Meet the Tom's Guide testing team
I'd love to be able to test all the earbuds, but I have other things I need to write and test. Like the best headphones. Or the best soundbars. And I've only got so much time.
Thankfully, I've got Tom's Guides panel of testing experts on hand who review every single pair of earbuds I throw at them — some of which are on this list. Meet our earbud experts:
Tammy is Tom's Guide's Audio Editor, and oversees all the audio content that goes live on site. She also spends a great deal of her time testing the best earbuds, evaluating them for sound, ANC, comfort, and battery life. She's always got at least three pairs of earbuds to choose from at her desk.
Erin is a proud music nerd and needs the best earbuds around. Whether it's eardrum-shedding nu metal or tranquil folk, she'll listen to it. If a pair of earbuds has awesome sound quality, bouncy ANC, and are comfortable? It's an immediate recommendation, regardless of price or brand.
As a music nerd, Nikita is always listening to music. As a reviews writer, she tests earbuds by pushing battery life to the limit and analyzing performance across various genres to ultimately answer the question: are they good value for money? She listens to music almost throughout the day and plays the guitar and bass, so she knows how to determine whether a pair of buds reproduces sound well or not.
Best wireless earbuds overall
Sony's all-conquering earbuds are an in-ear triumph. Extremely comfortable, with great sound and ANC that almost takes the fight to Bose. Battery life is very solid as well — you can't go wrong with Sony's in-ears.
Sony doesn't do anything by halves, and the WF-1000XM5 are all the proof you could need. They're a solid performer in all aspects, from sound, noise canceling, and an extensive feature set.
Like our choice for the best headphones, the WH-1000XM5, other options are better at one particular feature, but there's nothing as good at everything. They're the perfect all-rounder — and it's why I've put them at the top of the list.
As you might be able to guess from our 4.5-star review, we loved the XM5 when we tested them. Our reviewer was highly complimentary about their "remarkably effective" noise canceling, as well as their excellent sound and comfortable fit.
Battery life is fine — 8 hours is about par for the course — but there are now options out there like the Cambridge Audio Melomania M100, which offer more staying power. Their case is a little bulky as well, especially when compared to the likes of the AirPods Pro 2.
But at the end of the day, even with their slightly higher $299 price point, the WF-1000XM5 are about as good as earbuds get before you look at paying even more money.
let's get in depth...
Sound
Sony has a very particular 'house sound.' No, not the musical genre, only that headphones and earbuds the firm makes tend to a warmer sound signature that'll please most listeners.
There's a general neutrality to the sound on offer here, although most will love the slight bass weighting. We've found that it makes genres like pop and R&B really sing when you're on the go.
That doesn't mean there's not plenty of detail to get your teeth into — it was "one of the most striking things" that our tester discovered while reviewing the buds. All in all, you're in for an "Engaging and musical listen."
Comfort
You're well served for fitting options in the XM5. In the box, you get a whole host of different earbuds options, including silicon and memory foam. There's a wide range of sizes too, so you'll find a fitting option for everyone.
Long-term comfort is good. I've had no problem wearing my copy of the buds for long periods of time. One thing to watch out for, though — the earbuds' smaller size means they take a bit more adjustment to fit properly. You might also need to step up your tip size. Both our reviewer and I did when wearing the buds.
ANC
Sony's ANC algorithm continues to be amongst the very best around. It blocks out an incredible amount of noise, all but completely silencing commutes and the outside world.
The transparency mode is good, easily activated by placing your hand over your right ear. You'll want to ensure that your buds fit properly, however — I found that the ANC wasn't working at its best when the eartip didn't fit into my ear properly.
Make sure you use the Optimal Earbud Tips in the Sound Connect App to get the best fit, and ensure your ANC is working properly.
App
The recently updated Sound Connect app from Sony is one of the best around. It might take you a little while to get used to finding where all the features are, but I quickly adjusted.
It's packed full of features, from the many, many ANC modes to adjustable EQ and more. This is where you'll find the aforementioned Optimal Earbud Fit Tips so that you can dial in the comfort and seal of your earbuds.
Battery life
The battery life of the WF-1000XM5 is more than adequate. There are now some options that last slightly longer than Sony's effort, but you're unlikely to need more than what's on offer here.
There are 8 hours out of the buds themselves, which is extended to 24 when you pop them in the charging case. This is with ANC turned on, so you can expect slightly more staying power if you leave it turned off.
- Read the full Sony WF-1000XM5 review
Best value wireless earbuds
With flagship specs and one of the coolest color options you'll ever see on a pair of earbuds, the C710N are a spectacular pair of earbuds at a great price. When our only real complaints are a slightly plasticky case, you know you're onto a winner.
There's one thing that immediately sticks out with the C710N — that glorious, transparent blue colorway. I'm generally not a massive fan of transparent tech, but these little buds are a surprising exception.
Thankfully, their internals match that flashy outside. Despite their sub-$150 price point, they pack in features that we thought would be the stomping ground of the more expensive XM5 above.
Nikita found a pair of buds punching far above their price class when she wrote their 4.5-star review. The "highly effective" ANC rivalled that of the more expensive mid-range Bose option, and completely obliterated anything else that costs the same number of dollars. Or pounds. Or Euros. Or Yen...
They sound good too across a range of different genres, and then manage battery life that is more than sufficient with ANC turned on. There's really not much better for the price from just about any manufacturer, and it means Sony has two places on our list.
let's get in depth...
Sound
The sound of the WF-C710N is better than anything else at this price point. They've got a fairly neutral sound signature, although there's still Sony's familiar warmth to make sure that you're having fun while listening.
The sound is good, in fact, that Nikita reported having "no complaints." High praise indeed, and when you get them in your ears, you'll soon see why. They've got plenty of detail on offer, and we found a great balance between the mids, the lows, and the highs.
Linkin Park's Up From the Bottom revealed plenty of body thanks to rapped verses, and Lady Gaga's Disease showed off some serious dance with great dynamics. Loads and loads of fun.
Comfort
There are loads of different fitting options in the box when you buy the WF-C710N. There are several tip options to dial in a secure fit, so that you can nail down the seal and make sure the ANC is working its best.
They're small and compact too, so you'll find them comfortable for long periods of time. "Some of the most comfortable buds I've ever tested," reported Nikita, with confidence.
ANC
So they're not going to stand up to the more premium options like the WF-1000XM5 and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra, but we were very impressed with how close they managed to get, considering they're less than half the price of both.
They do a magnificent job of blocking out any noise that we threw at them, from busy trains and buses to chaotic office environments. Loud keyboards melted away, noisy engines were silenced, and idle chatter was a thing of the past.
App
The WF-C710N use the same as all Sony devices, the Sound Connect app. It's a good app, that's fairly easy to get used to using. There are plenty of features on offer in the app, and it's easy to use once you've driven the buds for some time.
This is where you'll find all the noise-canceling modes, as well as the EQ settings so that you can really dial in the sound to your liking. There are menus and sub-menus to sort through, but it's a helpful app nonetheless.
Battery life
Battery life is very good, although there are now some buds with more staying power than the WF-C710N. With ANC enabled, you get 8.5 hours out of the buds themselves, which extends to 30 when you put them in their charging case.
We found that the battery life figures ran true, with our use adding up fairly consistently with the claims from Sony itself. You can always extend the battery life by turning off ANC as well, should you find yourself in an undesirable power-socket-less location.
- Read the full Sony WF-C710N review
Best wireless earbuds for fitness
The Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 are the fitness lovers dream. A very comfortable, secure fit so that they stay in no matter how you move around, and great sound quality to power your workouts. The built in heart rate monitor is a great cherry on top.
Now, I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a fitness expert — but I sure am an earbuds expert. As earbuds, the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 are great. They've got excellent ANC from the AirPods Pro 2, and there's some great sound for a solid audio experience.
Given that I'm not a fitness expert, I also spoke to someone who is, so that we can get a picture of why they're on the list. From my review, our fitness expert Nick said:
"I genuinely believe that the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 are outstanding sports headphones and would be top of my list for people who need an earhook to keep their buds in place during runs and other workouts."
It's thanks to those secure-fit hooks, that keep the earbuds in place no matter how much you run or move around. The heart rate monitor is a nice extra, but we were slightly disappointed with its accuracy.
For all kinds of exercise, the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 are an excellent earbuds option for everyone.
let's get in depth...
Sound
While not high-fidelity, there's a rhythmic energy to the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 that's infectious. They've got some great bass presense, as you might expect, but they're also good in the upper register too.
They fall down slightly in the mid-range, with a dip in the upper mid-range. That can take the edge off guitars and other instruments, although R&B listeners aren't going to notice too much.
There's head-tracked Apple Spatial Audio as well for Apple Music listeners, and it works well. It does a number on your battery though, so bare that in mind.
Comfort
Thanks to their excellent earhook, the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 aren't going anywhere when you do your exercise. It can be a challenge to get them in place, but they're very stable when in place.
The buds themselves are comfortable for long periods of wear as well, thanks to the silicon eartip options that you get in the box. The fit finder in the app is good as well, so that you can dial them in perfectly.
ANC
The ANC on board is very similar to that which you'll find in the AirPods Pro 2. That means that they're not quite up to speed with the likes of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds or the Sony WH-1000XM5, but they still manage to block plenty of noise.
The transparency modes work well enough, although I found that voices occasionally became fuzzy or tricky to hear depending on the surrounding noise. A shame, but not a deal breaker.
App
On Apple devices, the Beats are integrated into your settings menu. It works well, with all the options at your fingertips. Android users have to use the Beats app, which is fine, although we did find some heart rate monitor weirdness on Android devices.
Both methods let you control the ANC, and dial in the EQ settings. They're simple, but they work well enough. Android users might find the occasional crash, however.
Battery life
The battery life of the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 is exemplary. They feature 10 hours of battery life in the buds themselves, which beats out pretty much all of the other options on this list.
That's perfect for long-distance runners and cyclists, or gym goers that want something that will take them to the gym, last their exercise, and then take them home again. We found those battery life claims ran true in our review. Pop them in the charging case for 45 hours of staying power.
- Read the full Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 review
Best wireless earbuds for noise canceling
Bose upped the noise canceling ante again with the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. They're not the cheapest, but they're the best way to completely seal yourself off from the outside world.
I would happily (and in fact have) go on record and claim that the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds were one of my favorite releases of the entirety of 2024. It's that ever-tempting noise canceling that brings you into a form of sonic bliss whenever they slip into your ears.
If you're looking for the best way to listen to your tunes without being disturbed by a busy train carriage or a chaotic commute, this is it. You turn the ANC on and the rest of the world just kind of disappears. It's a bit like magic.
That magic is dulled slightly by their less-than-stellar battery life of 6 hours, but I still feel it's worth it for the ANC. They're super comfortable, as you might expect for something with 'comfort' directly in their title.
Our tester Kate gave them 4 stars in her review, thanks to the ANC and the new Immersive Audio feature. They're the master of one to Sony's WF-1000XM5 flavored jack of all trades — and it might just be worth the sacrifice in battery and charging options for that all-conquering ANC.
let's get in depth...
Sound
Bose has a tendency towards bassier sound signatures, and that's no different here. There's a definite weighting to the low-end in the QuietComfort Ultra earbuds, and it lends itself to a very welcoming, pleasing listen.
There's a little detail lost as a result, with cymbals melding with some of the sound, but they're otherwise a very solid audio experience. The headline audio feature is Immersive Audio, one of the more special spatial audio implementations.
It doesn't rely on Dolby Atmos, instead making the music more spatial on its own with a Bose-written algorithm. It works, too, with music feeling more massive when its turned on. It's not to everyone's taste, as with most spatial audio solutions, but it's a good one.
Comfort
As you might hope from something that has the word 'comfort' written directly into its product name, the QuietComfort Ultra earbuds are very comfortable. That's down to the number of fitting options in the box.
You mix and match between several different ear tips and rubber fins. They work together for a comfy fit, and one that you can wear for hours on end. I have, in fact — or at least for the six hours the battery lasted before they needed recharging.
ANC
This is the bud's greatest strength. They block out everything. Even when your music isn't playing, the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds make the noise of the outside world appear completely elementary, like you're in a void of your own making.
It's the best ANC around. Kate called it "class leading," and I completely agree. There are levels you can choose as well, although I like to leave it on high. Transparency mode is good too, and I've used it to chat to bus drivers and shop clerks alike.
App
The Bose app is one of the most attractive apps that you can find for a pair of buds right now. It works well too, with plenty of different options should you want to customize the buds.
This is where you can change the ANC modes, or adjust the EQ with presets or a three-band EQ. It's very simply laid out, and it's easier to use than the Sony alternative. It can crash occasionally, though, which is annoying.
Battery life
The battery life of the QuietComfort Ultra is, unfortunately, not the very best. It's around the same as the AirPods Pro 2 at 6 hours with ANC enabled, which extends to 24 hours when you put them in the charging case.
The Sony WF-1000XM5 last for longer than the QuietComforts, and the battery life becomes even more disappointing when you initiate the Immersive Audio feature. The battery life then drops all the way down to four hours.
- Read the full Bose QuietComfort Ultra review
Best wireless earbuds for sound
They might be the most expensive earbuds on the list, but if you want sound quality, it's Bowers & Wilkins or nothing. They sound sublime, with some top-quality audio tuning from some of the best in the business.
First things first — the Pi8 cost the $399. That will have filtered out those disinterested, and those that remain should be made aware that the Pi8 are, perhaps, the best sounding earbuds that Tom's Guide has ever tested.
If you spend a few hundred bucks more you might find something that has more detail, or slightly more low-end control, but at the highest end of attainable, the Pi8 are a sonic masterwork.
They sound incredible. Detail for days, bass for miles, and mids that could wrap around the whole world. They're a great example of audiophile sound quality in a pair of earbuds, and present something that all other earbuds should be measured against sound wise.
There are pitfalls. Battery life isn't spectacular, and their ANC is bettered by other, cheaper options, but as Jeff discovered in his 4-star review, there's little that sounds like the Pi8. Sublime.
let's get in depth...
Sound
This is where the Pi8 shine above almost everything else that you can spend your money on. The sound of the Pi8 is nothing short of heavenly, with great representation across the frequency range for a stunning audio experience.
You'll hear details in your tracks that you didn't think were there, as Jeff did when he tested out tracks he thought he knew well. The opening guitar line of RHCP Under The Bridge was "richer and more vibrant" than the AirPods Pro 2.
Audio feels uncompressed and more open, with greater instrument separation than alternatives. They sound better than the WH-1000XM5 for certain, with greater detail and a more controlled low-end. They're really something special.
Comfort
Bowers & Wilkins has done a top job in making a pair of very comfortable earbuds. There are loads of fitting options in the box, for one, so finding your ideal fit is super easy and quick.
But the shape of the buds also lends a more comfortable wear for longer periods of time. They're subtle in their curves and shape, but it's done wonders in making sure they don't hit any of the pressure points in your ears. Top notch.
ANC
The bud's ANC is very good, but it lacks something when compared to the Bose alternative. They're on par with the Sony WH-1000XM5, just about, although the latter are slightly better at high-end blocking. Either way, the ANC is fine here for most people.
Transparency (or pass-through as B&W calls it) is good too, and lets you hear the outside world without taking your buds out. It's a great way to order your McDonald's Happy Meal, or grab a ticket for the bus.
App
The Bowers & Wilkins app is a little smarter than some of the other options on the list. You can log into your best music streaming app of choice, like Tidal or Qobuz, and then listen to music from there.
You can then switch audio from your buds to any B&W speakers or headphones you've got around the house to pick up where you left off. It's great if you've invested in the ecosystem.
You can also change the ANC settings and adjust the EQ here. It's a very attractive app, and it's very easy to use — top marks.
Battery life
Battery life is, unfortunately, where the Pi8 trips up. You get 6 hours of listening time out of the buds, which isn't quite up to scratch with the Sony WH-1000XM5. That's extended to 24 when you charge them in the charging case.
It's plenty for most people, but long-distance travelers and frequent long-session listeners might want something with a bit more staying power.
- Read the full Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 review
Best wireless earbuds under $100
The EarFun Air Pro 4 prove that cheap doesn't have to mean compromised. They sound excellent, not just for the price, and feature better ANC than anything else under $100. We've seen them drop below their normal $100 price tag, too, for a true budget audio experience.
We don't all have hundreds of dollars to spend on the latest version of Sony's headline earbuds. Sometimes, we need to save money — and the EarFun Pro 4 are a great way to spend a little less on some new audio gear.
While they're initially priced at $99, we've seen these stellar little buds priced at $79 in a kind of perpetual Amazon deal. That makes them the audio steal of the century, and well worth dropping into your pocket.
Nikita loved them so much when she tested them that they replaced her aging Bose pair in a heartbeat. The ANC is much better than you'd expect, blocking out a whole range of sounds with aplomb.
Sound is excellent, and Nikita particularly liked the very comfortable fit. They're a very solid pair of buds that feel like they should be priced even higher.
let's get in depth...
Sound
"Now to the main event: how do the EarFun Air Pro 4s sound? In one word: magnificent." Strong praise indeed from our tester Nikita, who absolutely loved the way that the buds sound.
They're loaded with a fairly neutral sound signature that doesn't give bias to any one part of the frequency range. That means you get to hear every bit of the music just as the artist intended.
Some might not like the lack of bass emphasis out of the box, but the 3-band EQ makes quick work of any sound issues you might have. They sound great for a pair of sub-$100 earbuds.
Comfort
There's loads of different fitting options in the box of the EarFun Air Pro 4, so you'll be able to find the best fit without any problem at all. They're light too, so you can wear them for long periods of time.
Their long stems make it easy to dial in the fit, so you can get super comfortable while wearing the buds. It does make them slightly larger, though, so fans of tiny buds might not like them as much.
ANC
You can't expect anything like the ANC you'll find on the WH-1000XM5 or the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, but they do a great job at blocking out plenty of noise.
Bus journeys become a whole lot more comfortable when you're not being bothered by the sound of the engine, and crying children and chatting travellers disappear completely.
There's a transparency mode as well, and it works well enough. It at least means you don't need to pull them out of your ears to talk to someone.
App
The EarFun Audio app is a solid enough way to customize your buds, from the way that they sound to how the ANC modes and controls work. It's available for Android and iOS, and gives you a bunch of different settings.
There are multiple EQ presets so that you don't have to worry about making your own, and then a helpful 'find my headphones' feature should you lose your buds. We didn't experience anything untoward like crashes as well, which is a bonus.
Battery life
With ANC turned on, battery life is about par for the course in the EarFun Air Pro 4. They feature 7.5 hours out of the buds themselves, which raises to 27.5 when the charging case is brought into play. You can't really ask for more battery from buds this price.
Turn the ANC off and things get even better — 11 hours in the buds and 41 in the charging case. Nikita found those figures to be accurate, with 8 hours of ANC use before they needed charging.
- Read the full EarFun Air Pro 4 review
Also tested
Not every single pair of earbuds that we test can land on the best list — otherwise you'd be just as clueless as if you were to land on an Amazon search page with hundreds of entries. These are the honorable mentions in our quest to find great wireless earbuds.
How we test the best wireless earbuds
Before we make a recommendation about any pair of wireless earbuds, we want to make sure that we've put them through their paces. It helps us find out how good they'll be when you find them in your hands, and makes sure that we can pen our informative, buying advice-packed reviews.
It's all work — no fun. Listening to our favorite music for hours on end to test the sound, taking the headphones out and about on day trips to test their long-term comfort and ANC algorithm. In all seriousness, we put a lot of effort into making sure that you'll be happy with a purchase you make after reading our buying guides and reviews.
Here are the key factors in our testing and how we evaluate each pair of earbuds that falls across our desks.
Comfort
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Earbuds are going to be jammed directly into your ear-holes, so one of the most important things that we test is how comfortable they are over long periods of time, and how difficult it is to dial in the fit. How many bud bits do you get in the box, and are they easy to fit on the buds? Are they loose? Are there extra fitting options like earhooks?
To find out, we put the buds through their paces. We try out a range of the tips that come with the buds so that we can find the perfect fit that makes the ANC excellent and sound good. After all, if they don't make a good seal on the inside of your ear, you're not going to get the best out of your buds. We report on our findings, telling you how easy it was to get the perfect fit, and how comfy they are when dialled in.
Then we test their long-term comfort. That means wearing them for hours during a work day, so that we can see how they feel when they're worn for hours on end. If they start impacting certain pressure points in the ear, we'll notice, and it'll go into our review. We're looking for earbuds that can't be felt during wear, so that you forget you're wearing them.
Sound quality
This is my favorite thing to test. Hours and hours of my favorite tunes played into my ears while I work, and I don't have to make excuses to my boss about why I need to be doing it? Excellent news. When we test the audio quality of a pair of buds, we play the Tom's Guide testing playlist on Qobuz so that we can get a good picture of how they sound with some top-quality hi-res tracks to put them through their paces.
We listen at first in a quieter environment so that we can get an idea of how they sound in a vacuum without the ANC to cause potential problems. We compare the earbuds to the sound profiles of those in the best list above, and then we write down our findings for the full review.
Then, we take the headphones out with the ANC to see if it changes the sound. It might all sound like we're having fun, but there is a point to it all. It gives us a clear picture of the buds' performance in an everyday use case, so that we can see how they'll serve you if you decide you'd like to buy a pair.
ANC
Pretty much every pair of earbuds that you can buy today comes with some form of ANC (unless you buy some of the very cheapest ones at the very end of a lengthy Amazon search, you madman), and we want to make sure that it performs well in a variety of use cases.
How do we do it? By taking the earbuds with us wherever we go. That could mean on all our daily commutes, to see if they perform well on the train, or out for hikes so we can see how well they handle normal atmospheric noise. Maybe we're going on a flight — then we can test how well they handle loud engines and crying children.
Once we've thoroughly tested how much noise they block, we also test the transparency modes when we go to buy our tickets or a bag of candies from the grocery store. We look out for how clear the voice of our conversation partner is, and whether they're audible through any other noise. We're also looking out for the quality of the audio that's being pumped in. Is it too loud? Again, we note down our findings for the review.
Finally, we want to make sure that the ANC doesn't change the sound of the music too much. After all, you want your music to sound great, and if the ANC changes things too much, it can create annoying sonic issues.
Call quality
Given that your earbuds are often going to pull double duty as a form of hands-free calling system, we want to ensure that they're going to be good at it. We make a whole bunch of calls to check things out.
We're looking out for a couple of different things. First of all, we want to make sure that we can hear our call partner well, and that they're coming through clearly. We listen out for clarity, and judge whether we can hear them properly throughout the duration of the call, and whether their voice sounds natural.
Then we ask our call partners how we sound. Can they hear us properly, or do the noises of our environment make it hard to hear what we're saying? We note down our findings, and then we report back on them in our review to give you an idea of how they'll perform if you want to take (or make) a call.
Battery life
We know that manufacturers sometimes have a habit of overestimating their battery life figures. To make sure that you're getting the best information possible, we spend the time to test the battery life claims and whether they ring true. We listen to the buds for hours on end, and count how many hours we used them before they needed to go back into their case. We do this with ANC turned on and with the volume at a comfortable level.
For charging cases and very long-lasting buds, we extrapolate battery data in a different way. We measure how long we've used them, and then compare that with how much life we've got left. This gives us a good picture of how the battery is going to last in the long run, and whether you'll get those rated claims.
How to choose the best earbuds for you
Hopefully, our list will have made it easier to cut down the options when you're looking for your next pair of buds. To cut it down even more, here are some extra points you should think about.
What do you want out of your buds?
There are as many reasons to buying earbuds as there are earbuds themselves. You need to work out what you're looking for first and foremost — it's why I've divided the list up into their most important headline features.
Do you want the best sound, and would you be willing to give up some battery life and pay a bit more for it? If not, then you should go for the best earbuds overall, but if you don't mind some compromise then you should go for the best sounding earbuds.
It's important to make a list of the features that are most important to you, and then work out from there which of the earbuds on the list fit those criteria the best. Afterall, what might be the best for one person might not be the best for you.
Do you want headphones or earbuds?
If you're looking for the most compact, easily transported audio device around, then the best earbuds are probably going to be right for you. But there are a couple of things to remember — they're going to live inside your ears, and not everyone likes the feeling of in-ears after longer periods of listening.
If you'd prefer something more comfortable for longer periods of wear that offers more battery life, and potentially better audio quality, you should consider some of the best wireless headphones. They might cost a bit more, but you might be more comfortable.
Don't be fooled by frequency response readings
I talk about this on our best headphones list, but I think it's well worth reiterating here. It's very easy to get hooked on frequency response graphs and numbers, and think you're getting a surefire cheat code to finding the best sounding earbuds around.
You'll spot them as a pair of numbers in specs lists, like "15 Hz - 22 kHz." The first number is how low the earbuds can go, and the second number is how high they can go.
You might think that finding a pair with the greatest frequency range is going to net you a pair of excellent sounding earbuds. While that can be true, it's not worth seeking out. Just because a pair of headphones can go really low doesn't mean they're good at replicating those frequencies, and neither does it tell you about what's going in the music itself.
There's only one way to really tell how good a pair of earbuds is — and that's to give them a listen. Or, of course, you could read one of our excellent and informative earbuds reviews.
Wireless earbuds repairability
Repairability is becoming ever more important, as we try to find new ways to lengthen the life of our devices, but also look after the planet that we call home. Repairing products is great for both, and it's important to consider it when buying new tech.
Unfortunately, earbuds are one of those products that are extremely rarely user-repairable. Thanks to their size and the amount of tech that companies have to pack into their buds, it's generally impossible to make the insides accessible to you or I.
Not all is lost, however — some manufacturers do offer some form of repair service, so you don't have to worry if your buds stop working. It's worth checking before you buy — and if you're still not sure, don't hesitate to get in contact with one of the Tom's Guide Audio team!
