The best noise-cancelling earbuds include the most comfortable buds I've ever tested

Read our full review of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds.

Who it's for:

I didn't know I could feel passionate about earbuds until I tried the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds, a Mashable Choice product. Truthfully, I can't imagine a person that wouldn't appreciate these buds. The noise cancellation is the best I've ever experienced, and the music feels like it surrounds you thanks to spatial audio. Plus, the fit is like no other.

If you've ever struggled with ear fatigue or getting earbuds to fit comfortably, these earbuds work for multiple sizes of ears, providing a secure yet comfortable fit for hours. You might be put off by the $299 price tag, but they're worth every penny.

Why we like it:

Having tested the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones and read Mashable editor Timothy Beck Werth's review of these earbuds, I expected them to be good, but I didn't expect to be so blown away by them. I've struggled with earbuds in the past, never finding ones that offer the perfect fit, but the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds sat comfortably in my ears with a secure fit. Whenever I wear earbuds on a walk, I constantly push them in, but I swear I didn't have to adjust these once on my entire 3-mile loop.

If you're after noise cancellation, you really can't beat these. When I first put the earbuds in, I was in a room with a loud fan, and when the earbud's ANC kicked in, it completely blocked out the fan in a way that felt like magic. Even though I didn't have music playing, there was no buzzing, just perfect quiet.

Plus, the audio quality was superb. Bose offers immersive audio mode on these wireless earbuds, but it felt like the music was all around me even when I wasn't using it. They helped me get in the zone, thumping the beats of Nelly Furtado's "Man Eater" as I stomped the pavement. I heard every note of the delicate instrumentals of the Final Fantasy VII soundtrack, even while walking alongside a busy road. Plus, I felt like I was in the room listening to a live recording of Daft Punk's "One More Time."

In Werth's standalone review of the earbuds, he said that they're wasted on podcasts. While he's right, they do shine when playing music, and they do make podcasts sound better. When I was listening to episodes with lower-quality tracks, they made even the worst audio sound crisp and distinct without having to crank up the volume.

Who it's for:

The Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds are also fantastic. If you are slightly less concerned about noise cancellation and instead prioritize audio quality, these might be better for you. These earbuds pick up on the subtleness of every lyric and beat. If you're already in the Sony ecosystem, maybe you use the WF-1000XM5 headphones. If so, these buds are the perfect companion.

Why we like it:

I like music, but the Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds made me truly appreciate it. When I tucked them into my ears, I was plunged into every hit of the drum in Slipknot's "(sic)" and the 1975's "This Must Be My Dream." When listening to SOPHIE's "Faceshopping," I heard the pop of her lips on every word. All this to say, the Sony earbuds offer distinct audio that even the pickiest of audiophiles will enjoy.

Compared to the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds, the Sony earbuds have a slightly flatter sound, not as immersive as the Bose. Despite this, I still think the Sonys were strong in capturing the subtlety of music. The WF-1000XM5s are a little weaker on ANC compared to Bose, but just barely. While using the earbuds indoors, I found they did an excellent job blocking out cooking noises or someone speaking. However, when I was outdoors, the bustling road seeped through in a high-traffic environment.

The Sony WF-1000XM5 were less comfortable than the Bose QC Ultras. To get a secure fit, I had to push them in, and they felt jammed in my ear. Despite the initial discomfort, they were pretty comfortable over an hour of listening.

They're a single dollar less than the Bose earbuds, so if you're in between, go Bose. The Sony earbuds also fall behind with a weaker companion app. The Sony app is very technical and difficult to navigate, whereas Bose's is straightforward and easy to use.

Read our full review of the Bose QuietComfort earbuds.

Who it’s for:

If you want good-quality sound but don’t want to spend over $200, the Bose QuietComfort is an affordable answer to the brand’s line-up. They’re focused on a great fit, as they not only come with multiple ear tips but multiple bands that can be changed out on the earbuds for a better fit on the crest of your ear. 

The accompanying app lets you adjust audio levels, but you won’t need to, as these earbuds make all your music sound better. They’re reliable, have a long battery life, and are sure to please the pickiest of audiophiles.

Why we like it:

I’ve sung the praises of the QuietComfort Ultra, but Bose’s latest earbuds, the entry-level QuietComfort, are also fantastic, especially with their under-$200 price tag. Even after adjusting the ear tips and bands, I didn’t find the fit on these quite as secure as the Ultras. However, my colleague Bethany Allard, who also tested the QuietComfort earbuds, said they were the best earbuds that have ever fit her.

The QuietComfort’s sound quality is just phenomenal. With these earbuds, listening to Ethel Cain’s A House in Nebraska immersed me in the orchestrations. When Brick House by The Commodores came on, the earbuds elevated the snappy drum beats so that I may have been listening live.

The noise cancellation on the QuietComfort earbuds isn’t as sophisticated as the Ultras; I found they had more sound leakage and that classic ANC buzz when I was in noisy environments. However, the ANC on these is still great, especially in quiet spaces. 

One tiny beef I have with the Bose QuietComfort earbuds is that they require a different app than the standard Bose one. This is annoying if you’re an existing Bose user and need to download another app; plus, this earbud app just isn’t as good as Bose’s flagship app.

All in all, these are a solid pair of headphones that, for $179, are an unbeatable value.

Read our full review of the Apple AirPods Pro.

Who it's for:

If you're an iOS user who wants to avoid dealing with an auxiliary app, Apple AirPods Pro is your best bet. They have impressive noise cancellation and seamlessly connect to iOS systems. To pair them to your iPhone, just open the charging case. Need to go hands-free? The AirPods will announce your texts to you.

Why we like it:

As an iPhone user, I'm partial to Apple AirPods Pro's connectivity. They connect easily, and no app is needed. Instead, you can just go into your phone's settings; the AirPods have their own settings menu there.

But beyond their iOS compatibility, they're also fantastic earbuds. I was taken aback when outdoors and found that their ANC drowned out the busy street I was walking along. The audio quality is generally good, but it wasn't nearly as impressive as the Bose or Sony earbuds. These buds played my songs as I would expect, but with no extra flair.

The biggest downside to the Apple AirPods Pro is that they don't come with multiple ear tips. The AirPods Pro fell out often, and I wished for a smaller ear tip for a better fit.

If you like the idea of the AirPods Pro 2 but can't swing the price, you could go for the new AirPods 4, which now come with active noise cancellation, but in my testing, they're not nearly as good as the Pros. The noise cancellation on the Pros is much stronger than on the AirPods 4. Plus, the rubber tips on the Pros provide a better, more secure fit than the AirPods 4.

Who it’s for:

If you want a pair of fail-safe, trusted headphones for working out, the Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 is the one. They have the most secure fit of all the headphones on this list. Whether you're running on pavement or at the quick pace of the elliptical, these headphones aren't moving in your ears.

If you are concerned about them falling out in tough conditions — maybe you're a trail runner — these are the only headphones on this list with a US military-grade standard of durability. Aka, they aren't going to crumble if you step on them. Plus, an IP68 rating makes them dust- and water-resistant.

While the sound might not impress the pickiest audiophiles, it delivers clear, consistent sound. The ANC quiets the surrounding world so you can focus on your music as you move through your reps.

Why we like it:

I tested the Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 for my guide to the best headphones for working out, and having tested them last in the bunch, I had the advantage of knowing exactly what I needed from a pair of headphones for exercising: a secure but comfortable fit, sweat resistance, easy connectivity, good sound quality, active noise cancellation, and responsive touch controls. The Jabra Elite 8 Active measure up on every front.

The ear tips come in three sizes; the small ones fit perfectly in my narrow ear canals. The buds sit snugly in the ear and don't budge when chugging along on the stair climber or elliptical. Plus, the touch controls have an actual button to press that is responsive but not too overly touchy, like the Beats Fit Pro, where I accidentally ended one too many calls.

For the weeks I used them, they instantly connected every time I opened the case and put them in my ears. The only other earbuds with such easy connectivity are AirPods. Plus, the battery life can't be beat. The earbuds run for nine hours, and the charging case provides another 32 hours with ANC and 56 hours without ANC.

Where the Jabra earbuds fall flat (literally) is with sound. The ANC isn't the strongest on this list; there is some sound leakage; however, for working out, this isn't much of an issue since it was better to stay aware of my surroundings. It delivers good sound; I didn't feel like I was wasting anything while tuning into my podcasts. But the sound wasn't quite as rich as the Bose or Beats headphones on this list; the Jabra delivers a clear but flatter sound than the more audio-focused headphones. But overall, it's one shortcoming that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the headphones as I blasted Brat while getting my sweat on.