The 8 Best Wireless Earbuds of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

Bose, the reigning icon of sound systems, kept its place at the top with these versatile, comfortable, and (relatively) reasonably priced earbuds. From sound quality and comfort to ease of controls and setting versatility, we were beyond impressed during our testing period. A simple QR code took us straight to the Bose app for fast syncing to our phone, and we quickly figured out the on-bud controls for noise canceling as well as adjusting bass, treble, and volume. We found these to fit snugger and more securely than other earbuds we’ve tested, and we feel confident wearing them at the gym and on runs.

And since this is Bose, the sound quality is top notch for everything from listening to music and podcasts to watching movies. Finally, we were surprised by how different and effective the listening modes were. The active noise-canceling (ANC) mode successfully blocked out everything around us, while transparency mode allowed us to be aware of our surroundings while listening to music. Our only gripe is the somewhat muffled sound quality in phone calls, but even that wasn’t a deal breaker.

The Details: ANC and transparency modes | 10-meter Bluetooth range | Up to 6-hour battery life | 2-hour charging time | USB-C charging | 3 sizes of ear tips and 3 stability bands included | 7.7 grams per earbud; 2.1-ounce charging case | Water-resistant | Compatible with Bose App

These sleek Bowers & Wilkins earbuds have customizable control settings for noise cancellation, voice assistant, and volume control. Similar to the Bose set, you can control the levels and balance of sound, which we found to greatly enhance the listening experience. The tap controls were easy to use, including pause, skip, and play, and they responded immediately.

“There’s a noticeable difference whether listening with ANC or pass-through mode, and you can hear voices, beats, and instruments crisply and distinctly,” says T+L testing editor Jackie Cucco. The noise cancellation works so well that we could hardly hear any outside noise, even when taking subways and strolling the busy streets of New York City. Pass-through mode allows some surrounding noise through while you’re listening to your music, which is helpful if you want to be aware of any announcements in an airport or people trying to get your attention. The earbuds themselves were a little bulky and fit deep in the ear, which meant that they’re not as comfortable as some other pairs that are smaller and more cushiony.

The Details: ANC and pass-through modes | Up to 6.5-hour battery life (with ANC mode on) | 2-hour charge time | USB-C and wireless charging | 4 sizes of ear tip included | 7 grams per earbud; 1.6-ounce charging case | Water-resistant | Compatible with Bowers & Wilkins app

Apple products are some of the most seamlessly integrated on the market and that includes these headphones. We found that the AirPods Pro (second generation) connected to T+L editor Taylor Fox’s phone automatically and even generated the same naming format as her previous set. The updated AirPods have extra sound settings via a discrete button on both buds, one of which activates the noise cancellation, while the other activates the pass-through setting. We found the noise cancellation to work especially well thanks to the updated silicon tips that help block noise better than the original plastic models.

This does mean that the transparency mode doesn’t work quite as well. “The silicone lends itself to more of a noise cancelation style,” Fox says. “When transparency is activated, it’s a little muffled/echoey in the background, but it’s enough that I could use these with transparency walking alone at night and be able to hear what’s going on around me.” The earbuds also feature touch controls with advanced sensor technology that can isolate conversation, sense where your head is turning, and include adaptive audio for easy and clear phone calls.

The Details: ANC and transparency modes | Up to 6-hour battery life | 2-hour charge time | 4 sizes of ear tips | 5.3 grams per earbud; 1.79-ounce charging case | Water-resistant

Bang & Olufsen is on the more luxurious side of the headphone category and that becomes apparent with the rich, crisp sound quality, lyric clarity, and resonant bass in a tiny package. T+L senior editor Lydia Price was deeply impressed with the sound, whether she was listening to podcasts, movies, or music, mentioning that the sound quality was “beautifully layered and crisp” and that “each individual instrument was distinct.”

The earbuds feature ANC and transparency modes, though the noise canceling wasn’t as up to par with other sets we’ve tried. The touch controls have a lot of options and are fairly responsive, and the four silicone ear tips are soft and comfortable. Our main issue while testing these was some difficulty in setting up the earbuds via Bluetooth (it only detected one earbud, the software wasn’t syncing, and the connection kept getting lost), as well as a somewhat counterintuitive app. We did love the earbuds after we managed to set them up, though, and think the sound quality is top-tier.

The Details: ANC and transparency modes | Up to 6-hour battery life (with ANC mode on) | 90-minute charge time | 4 sizes of ear tips | 6 grams; 1.87-ounce charging case | Waterproof | Compatible with Bang & Olufsen app

Sony’s supercustomizable Linkbuds Fit are an excellent set for people who have trouble fitting earbuds in their ears, getting them to stay put, or both. Designed with their ergonomic “Air Fitting Supporters,” these little curved tails tuck up into your ear above the ear canal and help keep the silicone buds in place. We tried our best to get them to fall out by shaking our head around and jumping up and down, but they stayed incredibly secure and would be a great fit for high-impact activity.

The ambient sound mode automatically adjusts to your environment, tuning the music to levels that allow you to hear what’s going on around you without being totally blocked out. The ANC is somewhat less effective, with more of a muffled background than true cancellation. You can use the Sound Connect app to adjust your ideal shortcut and sound settings, helping you make sure your listening habits are safe for your ears. You can also see your listening history to see where you were when you were listening to a specific song. Lastly, you can customize your earbuds with accessories and case covers in different colors.

The Details: ANC and ambient modes | 10-meter Bluetooth range | Up to 5.5-hour battery life | 2.5-hour charge time | 4 sizes of ear tips | 4.9 grams per earbud; 1.45-ounce charging case | Water-resistant | Compatible with Sound Connect app

The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds have an open-ear design that is different from the other earbuds on this list, made to help you stay aware of your surroundings through conduction as opposed to the earbud sitting inside your ear. These are great for people who run outside or cycle in traffic, though there are no ANC features. These earbuds are also a terrific option for people with sensitive ears.

We were thoroughly impressed with the layered, deep sound quality during testing, and had nothing but good things to say about the QR-connected Bose app that links directly to these earbuds for fast Bluetooth syncing. We were also able to personalize the sound calibration through the app, track battery life, and update shortcut options. In addition, the earbuds showed no sign of insecurity during high intensity workouts, though it might take some getting used to without the feeling of an actual silicone ear tip.

The Details: Immersive audio | 10-meter Bluetooth range | Up to 7-hour battery life | 1-hour charge time | 6.4 grams | Water-resistant | Compatible with Bose app

With a zero-effort setup and comfortable fit, these user-friendly earbuds had excellent sound quality during our testing period and plenty of high-tech features like head tracking and simple mode switching between transparency and ANC. We loved the ability to tap the earbuds to navigate music and found the controls intuitive and responsive. Interestingly, we were almost more impressed with the sound quality when the earbuds were in transparency mode than ANC.

These felt really comfortable during extended periods of wear, and were lightweight and flexible for long workouts. Though they’re water-resistant rather than waterproof, they stayed put during sweat sessions. Like some other models, the call quality felt somewhat lacking, but for ease of use, comfort, and security, we’re willing to take the hit.

The Details: ANC and transparency modes | 10-meter Bluetooth range | Up to 6-hour battery life | 2-hour charge time | 3 sizes of ear tips | 2.4 ounces | Water-resistant | Compatible with Beats app

Now for a somewhat different (but no less important) type of earbud: the kind designed to help you get better sleep. These soft, form-fitting earbuds are built to fit snugly in your ear and stay comfortable for side sleepers, and they have a four-point noise-masking system that helps block out external noise without fully tuning out sound (which can also create sleep disturbance). They come with a special app that we found easy to connect to, packed with features that include a customizable white noise library, alarm-setting, and sleep tracking. You can play music or white noise, or simply use them as a high-tech set of earplugs.

These beyond-comfortable earbuds come with four sets of ear tips in different sizes as well as “wings” that help seat the earbuds securely in your ears, and while they don’t have the high-quality sound as some of the more expensive sets, they are reasonably priced and do a great job for their intended use. Importantly, these are not noise-canceling headphones, and they also don’t have a transparency mode, but they do have passive noise blocking from the audio tech itself as well as the fit. They also have the longest battery life of all the earbuds on this list: up to 14 hours.

The Details: Passive noise blocking | Up to 14-hour battery life | 2-hour charge time | 4 sizes of ear tips | Water-resistant | Compatible with Soundcore app