Wireless Earbuds – Live Laugh Love Do

The 9 Best Wireless Earbuds of 2025, Tested and Reviewed

admin — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 23:51:08 +0000

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A compact, comfortable pair of wireless earbuds is non-negotiable for red-eye flights, workspace concentration, or gym workouts. I have a hard time in crowded places, and I rarely leave my house without a pair of earbuds tossed in my bag, whether I’m heading to a coffee shop, on a long train ride, or hitting the gym. I’ve been testing wireless earbuds pretty consistently for the past five years to find the pairs with the best combination of battery life, comfort, sound quality, and water resistance.

I have different pairs for different uses, and I’ve tested several earbuds on this list, including the Ozlo Sleepbuds, Apple AirPods, and Anker Soundcore Space A40. A few of my favorites didn’t make the cut, like Skullcandy’s Method 360 and Raycon’s tiny-yet-powerful Fitness Earbuds. This year, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds took the top spot with the team’s tested earbuds thanks to their incredible sound quality, world-class noise canceling, and comfort during long wear. Read on for the rest of our top picks.

Credit: Amazon

Bose is consistently our top choice for both comfort and sound quality, and their QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds took yet another top slot this year. These earbuds are supremely comfortable for extended wear, and we felt no pressure or aches even with all-day wear. Setup isn’t quite as simple as pairing AirPods with an iPhone, but it was easier than others we tested, with the QR code taking us right to the Bose app for syncing. The earbud controls are fairly straightforward, and you can even adjust for sound levels without using the app. These are both comfortable and secure, with four eartips and additional stability bands that kept these in place on rushed commutes and during sweaty workouts.

The sound quality is what we’d expect from Bose, with dynamically placed speakers that allow for a fully immersive music experience as well as crisp podcast and audiobook dialogue. The active noise-canceling did an impressive job blocking distractions while the transparency mode was perfect for hearing what we needed to without turning off our music. The only issue we ran into with these earbuds was the confusing call mode. The incoming call volume was much lower than our music, and the person on the other end was able to hear our surroundings, and we had trouble overall with the quality of calls.

Credit: Amazon

While Apple’s original AirPods didn’t have the best noise-cancellation qualities, we have been impressed by the ANC in the fourth generation. These connected easily to our Apple products, including laptops and iPhones, and the setup was seamless. The sound quality is clear and more defined than in previous models, and the spatial audio and head tracking (while a bit odd at first) works well for dynamic interactions and changing surroundings.

The sound was “very clear, strong and vibrant whether I’m listening to music, a podcast, an audiobook, or a phone call,” said Travel + Leisure senior writer Merrell Readman, though the updated control functions did take some time to get used to. Instead of tapping the earbud to change the song or pause, the AirPods 4 are controlled by squeezing the stem to activate the noise cancellation or control the music. The reliable noise-cancellation made up for this though, and we were even able to use them as earplugs when working in loud spaces. The transparency mode is also impressive, letting in surrounding noise for easy conversation without taking the earbuds out. It’s worth noting that you can buy Apple’s AirPods 4 without ANC for $60 less, but we found the ANC mode to be worth the extra spend.

Credit: Google

Google’s Pixel Buds Pro are the Android’s answer to Apple’s AirPods, and the tiny, lightweight, Pro 2 is a noticeable upgrade from the first iteration. The gesture and touch controls are almost the same as the Pixel Buds 1, but we found the new model to respond more reliably. The soft silicone ear tips are also more comfortable than the previous version. With the PB2, we could wear these indefinitely, and did not experience any discomfort thanks to the slimmer profile that reduces pressure without losing stability.

We used these earbuds for everything imaginable during the test period, including gym workouts, commutes, and walks along busy streets, appreciating the strong noise cancellation that made even the nearby train station almost unnoticeable. The app has decent features for sound customization without going overboard, though Apple users won’t get the full feature set, and even Android users might want more options.

Credit: Amazon

The Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX earbuds have been our top pick this year (and last year) for tossing in our gym bag. Similar to our top Bose pick, the sound quality was impressive for everything from nuanced instrumentals to clear dialogue while listening to audiobooks, and T+L senior editor Lydia Price had no trouble watching movies with complex sound design.

The four sizes of eartips made it easy to get a comfortable, custom-feeling fit, and the waterproofing eased any stress of damaging the (expensive) earbuds during humid runs or getting caught outside in the rain. Like the rest of our most comfortable picks, there were no sore spots or pressure points during long-term wear, and the phone audio was clear on both ends of the line. The neutral and transparency mode worked well, and while the noise cancelling was sufficient, these aren’t quite up to par with number one Bose earbuds or Apple’s AirPods 4 noise-cancelling model.

Credit: Amazon

One of the main issues I’ve run into with the original AirPods are the non-silicone buds, which fall out of my ears and I can never quite seem to get the correct fit for the speakers. The AirPods Pro and Pro 2 took care of this, offering Apple’s simple setup and reliable connectivity in a model that comes with silicone ear tips. T+L editor Taylor Fox agreed, saying “I was surprised at how they instantly cancel out any noise, and the fitted silicone tips help make sure the sound isn’t going outside of the ear.”

Like Apple’s other updated AirPod models, the Pro 2 come with spatial adjustment, responding when we turn our heads and allowing us to hear from different directions. The on-bud controls are also still intuitive, with buttons changing the mode between ANC and pass-through. This is an upgrade from the previous model, and we prefer the discreet button over squeezing the AirPod stem in the AirPod 4s. These worked well for taking and making calls on busy streets, and they also stayed in place well during workouts. The four eartips allow for easy, comfortable fit, and they feel like next-to-nothing in our ears, even during all-day use at work.

Credit: Amazon

I am a nightmare both when I don’t get enough sleep and when I’m jet lagged, which means getting enough sleep on international red-eye flights is necessary for the sanity of my travel companions. Ozlo’s Sleepbuds were the perfect solution this past year, with the softest eartips and most secure design of any sleep-oriented earbud I’ve tested. The app offers myriad noise options from brown and white-noise tones to nature sounds like rainfall and thunderstorms.

Even without the noise playing, these fit snugly (and comfortably) enough to block out noise. This is a good thing, since the big detractor from the Sleepbuds is the fact that they straight-up die in their case within a few days of not being used. Almost every other pair of earbuds we tested is ready to go after being in storage, holding a charge both in the buds and in the charging case. Not the case with these, as we’ve pulled them out for an international flight after charging the case a few days before to find them fully dead. We also had trouble getting them set up in the app, and it took several tries to connect to the app, phone, and earbuds. Lastly, it’s important to note that while you can play music from other apps and utilize the Ozlo app, these are not microphone enabled or phone-combatible, so you can’t conduct calls with them. For their intended purpose, they’re fantastic, and we don’t travel without them anymore.

Credit: Amazon

I packed the Soundcore Space A40 on my 500-mile thru-hike of the Colorado Trail, where battery life and space-saving are of paramount importance. These headphones came through brilliantly, with the most impressive battery power in my collection of wireless earbuds and a charging case that can be abandoned for months at a time and still hold plenty of life. These earbuds aren’t the cheapest on the market, but what you get for $150 (and often found on sale) is an incredible value in sound quality, durability, and battery life.

The case fully charges for up to 50 hours of listening time in just two hours, and you can also do a fast-charge, which provides four hours of listening with just 10 minutes of charge time. Our tester wore these regularly for nine days at a time, and the earbuds were still fully charged afterwards, with 25 percent power still left in the case. They come with four silicone eartips for a comfortable fit, and didn’t press in our ears uncomfortably but still felt secure while walking around and running errands. Aside from my Colorado Trail hike, these were tested for everything from Zoom meetings to calls on commutes and full workday sessions, and we came away impressed in every scenario.

Credit: Amazon

It can be hard to get the nuanced sound in an open-ear style, but the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are as close as we’ve gotten. These are designed to help you stay aware of your surroundings without losing all quality in the audio, and I’ve used this style for cycling, road running, and hiking in grizzly bear country. We also recommend these for people who have sensitivities to pressure inside their ear, and want to listen to music without pressure around or in their ear.

You won’t get active noise cancellation with an open-earbud design, but we were still impressed with the layered sound quality during testing. These use the same Bose app as our top pick, and they were similarly easy to pair. The on-bud controls are located on the part of the earbud that wraps around the back of our ear, and they are easy to access. We did have some trouble getting the controls to work, and some actions worked better than others. Going back a full song was a lot harder to get to work compared to starting a song over, and pausing was easier than getting a song to play. We still highly recommend these as a comfortable option for people who don’t want devices in their ears, and who might need more spatial awareness when wearing headphones.

Credit: Bowers & Wilkins

These high-end earbuds from Bowers & Wilkins have some of the best customization we’ve seen on an in-ear design, including settings that can adjust noise cancellation, activate voice assistant, and control volume and levels and balance. For music aficionados, this is a huge bonus. We found the controls easy to use and reliable, not encountering any glitches or lags regardless of what controls we used.

The different modes are clearly defined, and toggling between ANC and pass-through creates a noticeable difference. T+L senior testing editor Jackie Cucco was impressed by both the in-ear stability and sound quality, telling us “you can hear voices, beats, and instruments crisply and distinctly,” and mentioning how they stayed securely in her ears even when running. The noise cancellation is top-notch, creating peace and easy listening even on crowded NYC subways and busy streets. These are some of the largest earbuds on this list, and some people with smaller ears might find them uncomfortable after a while.

Our Testing Process

To find the best pairs of earbuds for work, commuting, travel, and sleeping, I and several T+L team members tested dozens of pairs of earbuds over the past year, with three weeks of note-taking specific to this story, where testers recorded their impressions and results. These included all listening mode options, and feedback on how well both transparency mode and noise cancelling worked. We noted our initial impressions and ease of setup, as well as compatibility with different tech and apps. Comfort was paramount here, and we recorded how long these were worn for and in what capacity, then how comfortable they felt for varying lengths of time.

As always, we had our testers list who they thought each pair would be best for, and in what scenario. Some earbuds are better for high-energy gym workouts, and some are better for redeye flights and long commutes. We also noted sound quality in different categories, including nuances in music, dialogue in audiobooks and podcasts, and varying elements for watching movies. We rated each category and gave detailed insights, only recommending the headphones that hit top marks while noting where each set fell short. We will continue testing these headphones and providing feedback, and will update this guide after more long-term testing.

Travel + Leisure

Tips for Buying Earbud

Prioritize a Comfortable Fit

Since ear buds sit inside your ear, it’s important to get a soft, comfortable pair that doesn’t put undue pressure on the edge of your ear canal, and fits the specific shape of your ear. Look for a model with multiple customization options (like most on our list) and has soft materials for the eartips and any other silicone stability wings.

I usually experiment with a few different sizes of eartips before committing to each one. Make sure they provide a good seal for sound quality and stability, but don’t feel uncomfortable after at least an hour of use. Finally, check the weight. I look for earbuds that weigh six grams or less for each one.

Assess the Battery Life

The battery life on our top earbuds runs the gamut from five hours to more than 15 hours of play time. Choose the earbuds that best match what you need them for. If you’re going to use them for a full night of sleep, choose a pair that lasts at least eight hours. If you prioritize excellent noise cancellation and more active modes for calls, your battery won’t last as long, but you probably won’t be using them for as long either.

Each case supposedly holds two or three full charges as well, so check the retailer pages to see how much full battery life you’ll be getting from each case charge. If you’re taking them to travel, you’ll have fewer chances to charge in between, so prioritize cases with fast charging and more stored battery life.

Make Sure They’re Compatible With Current Tech Devices

Tech obsolescence is a real thing, and while we appreciate the latest and greatest devices and apps, it can be frustrating when your accessories don’t work with your current technology. If you have a much older iPhone for instance, there’s a chance the latest AirPods won’t pair, or if you don’t have any storage left on your phone, you might not be able to download the Ozlo app for your Sleepbuds. Make sure your phone is updated before pairing wireless earbuds, and be aware that some Apple features won’t work on Android devices, and vice versa.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best way to clean wireless earbuds?

To clean your wireless earbuds, make sure you remove any silicone eartips and stability wings. Then, take a clean, lint-free cloth and wipe down the body of the earbuds and the case where they sit to charge. I use a dry cloth for this, but if it’s super grimy, the cloth can be slightly damp. To clean the tiny speakers, take a Q-tip or soft toothbrush and clean the mesh and connectivity points on the bud and case. You can clean your tips by soaking them in warm water and unscented dish soap. Set everything out to dry and make sure it’s entirely dry before charging.

How do you connect wireless earbuds to your phone?

To connect wireless earbuds to your phone, you’ll need to enable Bluetooth, have the case open or in pairing mode, then search for the earbuds on your Bluetooth dropdown menu. This can be a little finicky, and since wireless earbud cases don’t have a screen, you’ll be relying on a button or mode to get them to pair. This can mean holding down the power button, or opening the case and pressing a low-profile button to pair. I often have trouble getting this to work at first, and recommend reading the instructions. Some earbuds, like Bose models, come with a simple QR code that you can scan and will take you directly to the app which can speed up the process.

Are wireless earbuds best to bring on flights?

Wireless earbuds aren’t my first choice to bring on flights, but I do pack several pairs of headphones when I travel so that I have a few options. If you plan to watch in-flight movies and don’t want to mess with a finicky (or non-existent) Bluetooth connection on your seatback screen, I recommend bringing a wired pair of headphones, or an over-the-ear wireless pair that has an AUX cord. That said, since earbuds are so compact, I’m able to pack a few pairs, and I always bring a reliable pair of wireless buds along with my wired pair. That way I can go cordless and listen to my own music or audiobooks when I don’t want to watch seatback movies.

Why Trust Travel + Leisure

Maggie Slepian is an avid traveler who spends a significant portion of the year either abroad or traveling domestically on road trips during backcountry travel. She always packs a pair (or two) of wireless earbuds whether she’s hitting the gym, the local trail system, a red-eye flight, or trying to sleep in a noisy budget motel on the beach. She also frequently works from loud coffee shops, where noise-cancelling, comfortable earbuds are a must. Maggie put this buyer’s guide together using the tested input from the T+L team as well as her own experience.

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Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen): Excellent Buds

admin — Mon, 08 Sep 2025 10:32:45 +0000

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When it comes to cutting out annoying outside noise, there is no brand in history that has denatured more decibels than Bose. The pioneers of noise-canceling haven’t been without challengers in recent years, including Sony, Apple, and others, but Bose has maintained the crown for generation after generation. Perhaps no product showcases this iterative talent more than its latest earbuds, the QuietComfort Ultra 2.

There wasn’t anything wrong with the first pair. I liked their ergonomic fit, excellent noise reduction, and bold low end, not to mention their excellent microphones, angled toward your mouth in an homage to Apple’s popular AirPods Pro.

With the new QC Ultra 2, we get wireless charging, more customizable sound, better immersive audio, and improved noise reduction. As far as I’m concerned, if you’re a business traveler or someone who wants a compact pair of headphones that truly removes the sound of the world around you, these are—once again—the best you can buy.

Generation 2

Photograph: Parker Hall

I find it very hard to fault Bose for its rubber-stamped design approach; the previous pair were very comfortable and functioned extremely well. The slight changes that appear on the new model are welcome, and I’m not mad at the lack of physical changes.

You now get wireless charging in the clamshell case and a guard to prevent earwax buildup, and you can toggle the included touch controls in the app, which is very helpful when doing activities where you might brush your ear.

Places I don’t find improvements include the weight (the new buds are about a gram heavier but still perfectly fine in your ears) and battery life (the new buds have the same six hours with ANC on, 24 hours in the case as the old model). Bose has even opted for the same drivers in this new generation of buds, with slight tuning adjustments that I’ll get into in a bit.

Features Galore

Courtesy of Bose

If you’re new to the world of wireless earbuds or are coming from a more basic pair, the amount of customization that you can do with Bose’s latest buds can feel daunting. You can choose various “modern traditional” adjustments like EQ and noise canceling/transparency modes, but the buds also allow you to dial in two kinds of immersive 3D upscaling (one for staying in place, one for while you move around), among other wild and fantastical new settings that take advantage of modern processors and machine learning tech.

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Amazon is selling powerful $200 wireless earbuds for $17

admin — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 16:28:03 +0000

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TheStreet aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.

Why we love this deal

Audiophiles covet earbuds made by Bose and Apple, but one of the best-kept secrets is that you can get pretty close in quality to these premium offerings without spending half your paycheck.

The $200 Beniduck Wireless Earbuds are on sale at Amazon for only $17, and they pack a surprising amount of features that make them comparable to more expensive brands. Shoppers love them, calling them “a marvel” and saying that they provide “powerful bass and clear treble.”

Beniduck Wireless Earbuds, $17 (was $200) at Amazon

Courtesy of Amazon

Why do shoppers love it

For one, these earbuds come in a super sleek case that has a small LCD screen on it. From here, you can get a peek at the remaining battery life. Speaking of which, these earbuds can run continuously for up to seven hours. After that, simply park them back in their charging case, which holds up to 50 hours of extra battery life, so it’s perfect for travelers and commuters. In fact, these earbuds charge to full in as little as 90 minutes, so you won’t be waiting long before you’re able to listen to your favorite tunes, audiobooks, or podcasts.

What shoppers should know

Battery: 60 milliampere-hour earphones with a 400 milliampere-hour charging case. Average earbud runtime is five to seven hours, with an additional 50 hours of battery life in the charging case.
Weight: 4-gram earphones in a 43-gram charging case.
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3.
Max Range: 49 feet.

Of course, aside from dependability and durability, these earbuds pump out some seriously impressive sound. Its 9D stereo sound floods your ear with deep bass, crisp highs, and vocals that feel so realistic you’d swear your favorite artist was in the same room with you. These earphones also connect quickly and easily to whatever device you want to pair them with. You can even step away from your phone or laptop and still enjoy rich audio, in case you have to do the dishes or start a load of laundry. They’re also IPX7 waterproof, which means they can take a little rain or sweat from an intense workout.

What shoppers are saying

“Honestly, these feel like earbuds that cost twice as much. Getting features like Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, good sound quality, and a reliable connection feels like a steal. They look sleek, too.”
“I’ve tried several headphones before, but these truly stand out. The sound is crystal clear with deep bass and sharp highs, perfect for music, calls, or even editing videos for my content. The noise cancellation is top-notch, blocking out distractions when I need to focus.”
“What I really love is how comfortable they are, even after hours of use. The battery lasts long enough to get me through the day, and they charge super fast.”

The Beniduck Wireless Earbuds retail for $200, but you can shop them at Amazon for only $17 for a limited time.

Shop more deals like this

Tagry Bluetooth Earbuds, $26 (was $50) at Amazon

Xinwld Wireless Earbuds, $22 (was $160) at Amazon

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These AirPods-Style Earbuds Are Nearly Free, Amazon Slashes Prices by 86% Just Before Prime Day

admin — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 11:32:09 +0000

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These wireless earphones may look very much like AirPods or Galaxy Buds at first glance, but they’re obviously distinct products. But with a record low price tag of just $21, currently discounted by 86% from a typical $160 price on Amazon, these represent a compelling trade-off for whoever is willing to sacrifice wireless audio quality but without a huge expense outlay.

While you should not expect the premium finish or advanced features of higher-priced companies, these earbuds have been highly rated with a 4.7 out of 5-star rating and nearly 10,000 units sold in a single month. For this price, it is hard to find a better bargain in the market today.

See at Amazon

Up to 40 Hours of Playtime

On the technical front, these wireless earbuds are powered by Bluetooth 5.4 technology which offers seamless pairing, reduced latency and a steadier connection over a range of 15 meters. While this latest version of Bluetooth enhances the experience itself, it also extends battery life which is a crucial aspect for a user who uses earbuds throughout the day. The earbuds themselves deliver up to 8 hours of playback at 80% volume and the charging case provides an impressive total of 40 hours of playtime.

These earbuds feature a 13mm vibration diaphragm and AAC/SBC audio codec for deep bass and clear, detailed sound. They also have their Hi-Fi stereo sound boosted by ENC (Environmental Noise Cancellation) technology that uses four microphones to eliminate background noise and wind noise when making calls. They thus qualify as suitable bets for hands-free calling in even louder environments or while outdoors.

The earbuds come with uncomplicated touch controls so that you can play/pause music, answer/terminate a call, skip songs and even activate voice assistants like Siri without putting your hands on your phone. The charging case features a dual LED display that shows the remaining battery level for both the earbuds and the case, so you’re never caught off guard by a dead battery.

They also have the IP7 certification for water resistance which means they can withstand immersion into water one meter deep for 30 minutes. This implies that they can be used while exercising, running, or even in the rain. They have an ergonomic shape that forms a snug, secure fit on most ears, and the light material that they are made of makes them tolerable for extended use. The fit is tight enough for active wear so you don’t need to worry about them coming off while you work out or make your daily commutes.

If you’re searching for a reliable pair of wireless earbuds at a decent price point, don’t miss this deal.

See at Amazon

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