Since the rising popularity of bluetooth earbuds, a huge variety of brands have flooded the market. There are products to cater to everybody's needs, from runners looking for the perfect way to stream their motivation mix, to commuters looking to drown out the drone of public transport with their favourite podcast. However, with such a range of features available, it's hard to know which earbuds will be the best investment for you.
Most people use their headphones every day for commuting, working out or chilling out, but how do we know which to pick? In our buying guide, we'll tackle aspects like ear tip comfort and battery life, and we cater to a range of budgets, including the most instrumental iPhone and Android compatible brands, such as Apple, Sennheiser, Samsung and Sony. All of these are available from Amazon, eBay and John Lewis!
For a more in-depth look at the comprehensive top 10 selection, make sure to read on to learn more about the different types of wireless earbuds available and understand how our ranking was determined.
Image | 1 ![]() Sony | 2 ![]() Cambridge Audio | 3 ![]() JBL | 4 ![]() Apple | 5 ![]() Bose | 6 ![]() Jabra | 7 ![]() Apple | 8 ![]() Sony | 9 ![]() RHA | 10 ![]() Sennheiser |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Truly Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones | Melomania Touch Wireless Earbuds | Reflect Flow Sport | AirPods Pro | QuietComfort Wireless In-Ear Headphones | Elite Active | AirPods | Truly Wireless In-Ear Noise Cancelling Headphones | Trueconnect | Momentum Wireless Earbuds |
Features | The Earbuds That Come With Everything | A Sleek and Stylish Set With a Battery to Last | Sturdy and Stable With a Mammoth Battery Life | The Latest Apple Offering With Their Best Quality Yet | The One With a Big Bass Sound | For Those That Are Constantly on the Phone | The Third Generation of Apple's Iconic AirPods | Golden Oldies You Can Rely on With Interchangeable Tips | If You're Worried About Comfort, Give These a Bash | Luxury Price From a Leading Brand |
Price | £115.00 | £79.95 | £59.99 | £199.99 | £249.00 | £73.99 | £159.00 | £119.00 | £97.31 | £99.95 |
Battery Life | 6 hours (+18 hours from case) | 9 hours (+50 hours from case) | 10 hours (+20 hours from case) | 5 hours (+19 hours from case) | 6 hours (+12 hours from case) | 5 hours (+10 hours from case) | 5 hours (+19 hours from case) | 3 hours (+6 hours from case) | 5 hours (+20 hours from case) | 4 hours (+8 hours from case) |
Noise Cancellation | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
Earpiece Controls | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Customisable Ear Tips | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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When choosing earbuds you must consider their battery life. If you regularly use public transport and audio is the saving grace of your commute, then you'll know there's nothing worse than clocking off after a tough day at work, only to find your earbuds are out of charge.
Battery life generally ranges from 5-8 hours, plus an additional charge from their cases. The power of charging cases can vary wildly, offering between 20 to 45 hours of extra juice depending on the brand. If you're on the forgetful side, grab a pair with a combined charge of around 15 hours, which will ensure you don't end up replacing one wire for another due to a constant need to be plugged in.
Keep a charger to hand with one of our Best Laptop Backpacks!
Noise cancellation (or NC) is a wonderful creation that can drown out the drone of an aeroplane engine, the clacking of train tracks, or the same old gym playlist. Contrary to its name, NC doesn't actually cancel sound, rather it listens to any 'ambient' sounds in your environment and produces the opposite sound to combat them.
The major disadvantage of NC, however, is that it tends to sap battery life, with some sources saying you can get up to 50% more juice with it turned off. Another problem is that it only really works with low-end frequencies, so, unfortunately, it won't banish those wailing babies in row 14.
Improve your commute with one of our Best Reusable Coffee Cups!
When perusing wireless earbuds of the more premium variety, you'll find the majority come with earpiece controls. This saves you having to get your phone out to perform functions such as skipping tracks, answering phone calls, or turning up and down the volume. Earbuds with these functions are great to use while you exercise, because they'll save on distractions so you can keep your focus.
A minor glitch is that sometimes these gizmos can be a little too sensitive, and can be activated by accident just as you're getting into the groove. Therefore, it's worth double-checking the reviews before purchasing the set you've got your eye on to see what other users have to say about the controls.
For more ways to upgrade your exercise routine, check out our Best Cycling Gloves!
Picking comfortable earbuds can be difficult if you can't try them on, but we do have some tips if you often struggle to find well-fitting ones. First and foremost, avoid universal earbuds if you do have picky ears. These are often made of plastic and go by a 'one-size-fits-all' mentality. You can also look for earbuds with customisable ear tips, as many companies offer at least a couple of different sizes of silicone tips.
Finally, if these variations of size in silicone still don't work, you can also remove the ear tips and swap them for a set made from a different material (which is far cheaper than purchasing new headphones!). We suggest foam tips, which are far more adaptable.
This ranking has been compiled by the writing team at mybest UK via careful evaluation of the points made in the buying guide and thorough research of each product and comparing multiple verified customer reviews across the EC sites used.
WF-1000XM3
£115.00
Battery Life | 6 hours (+18 hours from case) |
---|---|
Noise Cancellation | Yes |
Earpiece Controls | Yes |
Customisable Ear Tips | Yes |
LI0080000EU6006
£79.95
Battery Life | 9 hours (+50 hours from case) |
---|---|
Noise Cancellation | Yes |
Earpiece Controls | Yes |
Customisable Ear Tips | Yes |
£59.99
Battery Life | 10 hours (+20 hours from case) |
---|---|
Noise Cancellation | No |
Earpiece Controls | Yes |
Customisable Ear Tips | Yes |
£199.99
Battery Life | 5 hours (+19 hours from case) |
---|---|
Noise Cancellation | Yes |
Earpiece Controls | Yes |
Customisable Ear Tips | Yes |
£249.00
Battery Life | 6 hours (+12 hours from case) |
---|---|
Noise Cancellation | Yes |
Earpiece Controls | Yes |
Customisable Ear Tips | Yes |
65t
£73.99
Battery Life | 5 hours (+10 hours from case) |
---|---|
Noise Cancellation | No |
Earpiece Controls | Yes |
Customisable Ear Tips | Yes |
Generation 3
£159.00
Battery Life | 5 hours (+19 hours from case) |
---|---|
Noise Cancellation | No |
Earpiece Controls | Yes |
Customisable Ear Tips | No |
WF-1000X
£119.00
Battery Life | 3 hours (+6 hours from case) |
---|---|
Noise Cancellation | Yes |
Earpiece Controls | No |
Customisable Ear Tips | Yes |
£97.31
Battery Life | 5 hours (+20 hours from case) |
---|---|
Noise Cancellation | No |
Earpiece Controls | Yes |
Customisable Ear Tips | Yes |
£99.95
Battery Life | 4 hours (+8 hours from case) |
---|---|
Noise Cancellation | Yes |
Earpiece Controls | Yes |
Customisable Ear Tips | Yes |
Written and researched by Lewis Clark
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