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- Wireless earbuds are the most popular style of headphones, and we’ve tested over 300 pairs in the past five years.
- Our team of experienced reviewers spend at least two weeks testing every pair of earbuds featured on the site, using them in their daily lives, and assessing every aspect of the user experience.
- That user experience includes areas that are judged subjectively, such as sound quality and ease of control, along with objective signifiers, including battery life and build quality.
- Our number one pick is currently the Technics EAH-AZ100. Those earbuds deliver stellar sound and effective noise cancellation wrapped up in an attractive and very comfortable package.
The best wireless earbuds are lightweight, portable and far more versatile than over-ear headphones, making them ideal for work, travel and exercise.
Our current favourites, the Technics EAH-AZ100, are perfect for use in all three of those scenarios, thanks to their great noise cancellation and fantastic sound. As true wireless all-rounders, they’re unbeatable, but there are plenty of other options worth considering.
Having tested more than 300 pairs of earbuds during the past five years, we’re in a strong position to recommend options for every budget, regardless of what you plan to use your buds for. Below, you’ll find our top picks, chosen by our experienced team of audio specialists.
If you don’t know where to begin, you’ll find everything you need to know about this popular category of headphones in a detailed buying guide at the bottom of the page. You can also find out more about our rigorous testing procedures in our “How we test” section.
Best wireless earbuds: At a glance
- Technics EAH-AZ100: Best wireless earbuds overall | Check price
- CMF Buds 2: Best wireless earbuds under £50 | Check price
- Bowers & Wilkins Pi8: Best wireless earbuds for sound quality | Check price
- Sony WF-1000XM5: Best wireless earbuds for smart features | Check price
The best wireless earbuds to buy
1. Technics EAH-AZ100: Best wireless earbuds overall
Price when reviewed: £255 | Check price at Argos
- First-rate sound quality
- Premium aesthetic
- Class-leading multipoint functionality
- Limited eartip selection
Reviewed by Andy White
The Technics EAH-AZ100 are the best true wireless all-rounders we’ve tested, excelling in nearly every aspect of performance. Their magnetic fluid drivers handle a range of frequencies beautifully, leading us to say that Tappan Zee by Bob James was “knitted together with mesmeric elegance”. Dolby Atmos with Head Tracking elevates their spatial audio capabilities above those of most of their rivals, and their audio chops are matched by a premium design that’s both comfortable and visually appealing.
Noise cancellation is effective, and the EAH-AZ100’s microphones ensure that communication during calls and in meetings is clear and well-defined. On top of this, the EAH-AZ100 feature class-leading Bluetooth multipoint connectivity: no other earbuds we’ve tested can be paired with three devices simultaneously, making this pair of buds a fantastic choice if you’re regularly swapping between your phone, laptop and tablet.
Read our Technics EAH-AZ100 review from January 2025
Key specs – Sound signature: Neutral; Battery life (total): 28hrs; IP rating: IPX4; On-ear controls: Touch; Weight: 5.9g per earbud, 42g charging case
2. Cambridge Audio Melomania A100: Best value wireless earbuds
Price when reviewed: £120 | Check price at Cambridge Audio
- Lively and detailed sound
- Effective noise cancellation
- Premium specs
- Average low-frequency integration
- Lots of competition
Reviewed by Simon Lucas
Pound-for-pound, wireless earbuds purchases don’t get any better than the Cambridge Audio Melomania A100. They’re specified well beyond their affordable price tag, with support for the LDAC and aptX Lossless Bluetooth codecs complementing their combination of 10mm Neodymium dynamic drivers and Class AB amplification perfectly. We described their midrange articulation on Lay This Burden Down by Mary Love as “sweet and articulate” and the soundstage they create as “spacious and quite carefully controlled”.
In testing, their noise cancellation dealt with the vast majority of external distractions without compromising sound quality, and the A100 have a unique selling point up their sleeve in the form of audio prompts from What We Do in the Shadows star, Matt Berry. An intoxicating combination of price, performance and comfort, the Melomania A100 are a five-star purchase.
Read our Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 review from July 2025
Key specs – Sound signature: Neutral; Battery life (total): 39hrs; IP rating: IPX5; On-ear controls: Depressable; Weight: 4.7g per earbud, 38.7g charging case
3. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen): Best noise-cancelling wireless earbuds
Price when reviewed: £270 | Check price at John Lewis
- Super-effective ANC
- Great fit
- Immersive spatial sound
- Average battery life
Reviewed by Andy White
If you want a pair of wireless earbuds to drown out the world around you, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) are the buds to buy. Their ability to attenuate external distractions is unmatched, with our reviewer saying he would “often wear them and not listen to anything” so that he could read a book in peace. Their ANC prowess is backed up by an equally effective Aware mode, which enables you to tune into your surroundings at your leisure.
Sound quality is great, too. The buds oozed confidence across every genre during testing, delivering low frequencies with impact and control, while Bose’s Immersive Audio technology is a fun tool to play around with, especially if you use the new Cinema mode while watching films. ANC may be the big draw of these earbuds, but they perform fantastically in enough other areas to make them worth every penny of the price of entry.
Read our Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) review from July 2025
Key specs – Sound signature: Warm; Battery life (total): 24hrs; IP rating: IPX4; On-ear controls: Touch; Weight: 7.7g per earbud, 61g charging case
4. CMF Buds 2: Best wireless earbuds under £50
Price when reviewed: £24 | Check price at Nothing
- Feature-rich
- Clear sound
- Great battery life
- ANC isn’t the best
- No high-resolution support
Reviewed by Steve May
The CMF Buds 2 cost a fraction of the price of flagship earbuds, yet sport many of the same features. There’s active noise cancellation, audio processing from the renowned Swedish manufacturer Dirac, and even a spatial audio mode. You’re also getting dual-device pairing, a low-latency gaming mode, and wind noise reduction, which we found to be effective when wandering through London.
That’s a frankly ridiculous feature set for under £50, and the Buds 2 also have excellent battery life of up to 55 hours if you’re not using noise cancellation. Veteran audio journalist Steve May summed up the CMF Buds 2’s charms by saying, “If there’s a better pair of ANC earbuds at this price, I haven’t heard them. And I’ve tested countless pairs of headphones of this style.”
Read our CMF Buds 2 review from July 2025
Key specs – Sound signature: Bright; Battery life (total): 55hrs; IP rating: IP55; On-ear controls: Touch; Weight: 4.9g per earbud, 55.3g charging case
5. Bowers & Wilkins Pi8: Best wireless earbuds for sound quality
Price when reviewed: £299 | Check price at John Lewis
- Sensational audio quality
- Comfortable and stylish
- Handy audio retransmission
- No spatial audio
- Limited control customisation
Reviewed by Andy White
The Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 top our list of audiophile earbuds by serving up an audio performance we described as “nothing short of superb”. They articulate dynamic transitions remarkably well and communicate finer details better than any other earbuds we’ve tested. While listening to Bon Jovi’s Livin’ on a Prayer, they revealed audio information our reviewer was simply unable to pick up on the countless other premium options he’s had the pleasure of putting through their paces.
In addition to their sonic excellence, the Pi8 look the part; their refined design is eye-catching, comfortable and suitably premium. Meanwhile, the buds offer something rather unique in the form of high-resolution audio retransmission via their case. This allows you to use the Pi8 (and get the best from them) with analogue sources and helps further elevate an incredible-sounding pair of wireless earbuds.
Read our Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 review from August 2024
Key specs – Sound signature: Neutral; Battery life (total): 20hrs; IP rating: IP54; On-ear controls: Capacitive; Weight: 7g per earbud, 46g charging case
6. Apple AirPods Pro 3: Best wireless earbuds for calls
Price when reviewed: £219 | Check price at John Lewis
- Rock-solid call quality
- Very comfortable
- Superb noise cancellation
- Audio quality could be better
Reviewed by Jonathan Bray
True wireless earbuds with many strings to their bow, the AirPods Pro 3 stand out as the best option around for calls and meetings, thanks to their rock-solid microphone quality. Regardless of whether our reviewer was sitting at his desk in a busy office or walking down a hectic street in London, they always delivered clarity when communicating with others. The option to answer calls with a nod of your head or cancel them by shaking it is another handy feature that makes the AirPods Pro 3 a wonderful communication tool.
ANC is another great strength. Speaking about the AirPods Pro 3’s ability to mitigate the impact of external sound, Jon Bray said: “The noise cancellation is nothing short of phenomenal, providing a near impenetrable wall against the noise and hubbub of everyday life.” Add impressive comfort levels, heart rate monitoring and seamless iOS ecosystem integration into the mix, and there’s no wonder the AirPods Pro 3 are the best-selling earbuds around.
Read our Apple AirPods Pro 3 review from September 2025
Key specs – Sound signature: Neutral; Battery life (total): 24hrs; IP rating: IP57; On-ear controls: Capacitive; Weight: 5.6g per earbud, 44g charging case
7. Sony WF-1000XM5: Best wireless earbuds for smart features
Price when reviewed: £179 | Check price at John Lewis
- Adaptive Sound Control
- Streamlined design
- Engaging sound quality
- Better ANC is available elsewhere
Reviewed by Andy White
The Sony WF-1000XM5 are our pick for people looking for super-smart earbuds, largely due to their inclusion of Sony’s Adaptive Sound Control. When engaged, this intelligent technology automatically adjusts noise-cancelling and audio settings based on what you’re doing (walking, running, etc.) and can also switch settings depending on your location. This takes any hassle out of controlling the earbuds manually and worked exceptionally well when we put the earbuds through our series of tests. You’ve also got Speak-to-Chat, which pauses music immediately when your voice is detected, enabling you to engage in conversation instantly.
A slimmer design ensures that the WF-1000XM5 look and feel better in your ears, allowing you to wear them for hours at a time with no issue, which you’ll want to do given how great they sound. We thoroughly enjoyed the generous helping of well-rounded bass on the Chris Lake remix of Calvin Harris’ How Deep Is Your Love, and found the XM5 detail-rich, dynamically astute and immensely articulate.
Read our Sony WF-1000XM5 review from November 2024
Key specs – Sound signature: V-shaped; Battery life (total): 24hrs; IP rating: IPX4; On-ear controls: Touch; Weight: 5.9g per earbud, 39g charging case
8. Shokz OpenFit 2 Plus: Best open-ear wireless earbuds
Price when reviewed: £144 | Check price at John Lewis
- Loud, punchy audio
- Comfortable and lightweight
- Strong battery life
- Limited codec support
- Lack a little bass
Reviewed by Ben Johnston
Shokz has long been the king of open-ear headphones, be they bone-conduction or air-conduction, and the OneFit 2 Plus are the finest example of the latter to date. Their earhook design positions their speaker drivers perfectly in front of your ear canals, and the sound they deliver is both loud enough to be heard in noisy environments and tuned very nicely. During testing, we found their new dual-driver layout provided a much richer mid-range, along with a higher ceiling for top-end frequencies.
Of course, the big benefit of open-ear earbuds is the ambient awareness they allow for, and the OpenFit 2 Plus are exemplary in this regard. You’ll be able to hear everything that’s going on around you, while still enjoying music, a podcast or an audiobook. Dolby Atmos is a welcome bonus, as are wireless charging and bumper battery life of up to 48 hours. If you want open-fit freedom coupled with great performance, look no further.
Read our Shokz OpenFit 2 Plus review from June 2025
Key specs – Sound signature: Bright; Battery life (total): 48hrs; IP rating: IP55; On-ear controls: Depressible buttons; Weight: 9.4g per earbud, 75g charging case
9. Beats Powerbeats Pro 2: Best wireless earbuds for exercise
Price when reviewed: £171 | Check price at John Lewis
- Heart rate monitoring
- Supremely stable earhook design
- Top-notch battery life
- ANC impacts audio quality
- Water resistance could be better
Reviewed by Andy White
The Powerbeats Pro 2 nail all of the things we look for in a pair of earbuds for exercise. Their earhook design did a flawless job keeping them secure during testing, and is aided by a snug in-ear seal, which also benefits the Pro 2’s ANC. That ANC is great for blocking out distractions in the gym, while the accompanying Transparency mode worked wonderfully in situations when we needed to be alert to potential dangers, such as traffic or cyclists in the park.
But the most appealing thing about the Powerbeats Pro 2 for exercise fiends is their ability to monitor your heart rate using optical sensors. The recorded data can be accessed in the Health app on iOS or a variety of third-party fitness tracking apps, and is very useful for seeing how your body reacts to different types of training. The Powerbeats Pro 2 are also water-resistant to IPX4 standards, meaning they’ll survive a sweaty session or sudden downpour. If you’re into racking up the kilometres or pumping iron, the Powerbeats Pro 2 are the ideal audio companion.
Read our Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 review from June 2025
Key specs – Sound signature: Warm; Battery life (total): 45hrs; IP rating: IPX4; On-ear controls: Depressible buttons and rockers; Weight: 8.7g per earbud, 69g charging case
How we test wireless earbuds
We put every pair of true wireless earbuds through many rigorous tests while focusing on the following key features:
Sound quality
- We listen to a huge variety of musical genres from a range of sources during testing, including Spotify, Tidal and locally stored audio files.
- We put each pair of earbuds through their paces using all the Bluetooth codecs they support, across a variety of compatible devices, and feed them high-resolution content where relevant.
Isolation
- When testing isolation, we find a good fit using supplied eartips and proceed to take the earbuds to different locations, ranging from our offices to the London Underground.
Battery life
- We assess each manufacturer’s battery life claims by logging our hours of use whenever we’re connected to a pair of earbuds. We use the earbuds as our daily drivers to give a realistic impression of how long they’ll last in typical circumstances. This involves dipping into a companion app, accessing the full range of features available, and listening to audio at various volume levels.
Comfort and build quality
- While comfort is subjective, we judge how snug each pair is while wearing them for extended periods (often three hours or more) and assess whether they have the build to withstand use in various weather conditions.
Microphone performance
- Microphone performance is tested on phone calls and conference calls using platforms like Google Meet, Teams and Zoom. We also analyse mic quality by recording voice clips, which are compared to recordings we’ve made using other models.
Extra features
- We delve into all the extra features and functionality found in a companion app where applicable, such as EQ settings and touch controls.
Why trust us?
As you can see above, we follow an extremely thorough process when testing true wireless earbuds and have tested hundreds of pairs to bring you our picks of the best around.
Our audio reviewers have over a century of experience between them, and some of the team have been testing audio products individually for decades.
How to choose the best wireless earbuds
Ultimately, picking the wireless earbuds for you will come down to these core characteristics: sound quality, comfort, noise-cancelling, compatibility (with your devices), battery life, durability (IP rating), microphone quality and other additional features (touch controls, voice controls, app support, etc).
However, the importance of each of these factors will inevitably vary from person to person. To work this out, you need to ask yourself three questions first:
1. How much should I spend on wireless earbuds?
Let’s start with the big one: how much money are you willing to fork out? The inescapable truth is that better audio quality costs more. There tends to be a correlation between the number of useful features and price point, too, be it greater battery life, stronger noise cancelling or further audio enhancements like spatial audio.
These days, you can pick up a pair of reasonable buds – potentially with noise cancelling and even Hi-Res codec support – for £50 or less. If you want the very best-sounding wireless earbuds with various bells and whistles, expect to pay upwards of £250.
2. What am I using my wireless earbuds for?
Now that your budget is set, you’ll want to ask yourself a second series of questions about where, when and why you plan to use your wireless earbuds. This way, you can decide which of the characteristics of wireless earbuds listed above is most important for you.
For instance, if you are someone who needs a pair of earbuds for commuting on busy transport, then strong active noise cancellation may be key. Should you also be into listening to audio while you exercise, you’ll want to look for earbuds with a relatively high IP rating to protect from sweat and rain, and that offer a secure fit so they don’t come loose. Here are the things to prioritise for some popular use cases:
Fitness: Weatherproofing (high IP rating), stable fit, transparency mode (to stay alert exercising outside), strong noise cancelling (for noisy indoor gyms).
Critical listening: Hi-Res Bluetooth codecs, high-quality drivers, comfortable fit for long listening sessions, and impactful equaliser settings.
Work: Strong active noise cancelling for focusing, high-quality microphones for calls, comfortable fit.
Commuting: Strong active noise cancelling, long battery life and comfortable fit for extensive travel.
Gaming: Low latency transmission, comfortable fit, immersive audio (or better yet, spatial audio support)
3. What do my wireless earbuds’ features do?
Now you should know what sort of traits you want in your earbuds. But you may be left wanting more details about the features we’ve just mentioned. Fear not, we’ve got you covered:
IP rating
The best wireless earbuds all come with an IP rating, which reflects their ability to resist dust and water/sweat. If you live in a wet country, as we do at Expert Reviews, or use earbuds while exercising, then you should pick up a pair that offers strong protection against these external agents.
Active noise cancellation
Active noise cancelling is pretty much ubiquitous in earbuds above £100 – and found on earbuds well below that threshold. If you didn’t know, it reduces the impact of external sound on your audio and is simply a must-have for many people. You can read more about it in our What is ANC? article.
Battery life
Earbuds will always have a stated battery life, as will the case used to charge them. Between 15 and 20 hours of total listening time is around average, though your mileage will vary depending on the volume at which you play your audio. Having advanced features such as ANC active will also drain your battery faster.
Bluetooth multipoint
This allows earbuds to remain connected to more than one source simultaneously and is particularly useful if you regularly switch between using your buds with your laptop, tablet and phone. Most earbuds support two, though a select few let you connect to three at a time.
In-ear (wear) detection
Smarter earbuds can detect when you take them out of your ears and pause your audio automatically when you do so, resuming when they’re put back in. It’s a neat feature that’s fast becoming a staple inclusion for pricier headphones.
Voice assistant support
If you like to make use of Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri, you should ensure that your earbuds support your voice assistant of choice. Most do nowadays, but it’s always worth checking.
On-ear or touch controls
Don’t want to have to dig your phone out of your pocket to skip a track? Well, you’re in luck, as many of the best wireless earbuds feature touch sensors that allow fingertip control of your music. Each company implements this slightly differently, and you may find certain commands omitted, so it’s important to ensure the wireless earbuds you like offer control over the features you use most frequently.
Companion apps
Many companies have downloadable applications designed to enhance the audio experience provided by their products. Each offers a different range of customisation options, though the most common are the ability to remap touch controls and select between different EQ presets.
Best wireless earbuds: Jargon buster
What are sound signatures, and why are they important?
The final, but by no means least important consideration when buying wireless earbuds relates to how they sound. Each pair of earbuds is tuned slightly differently, with a specific focus placed on different sections of the audible frequency curve. How this curve is articulated defines a pair of headphones’ sound signature.
Some models emphasise bass, others boost the mid-range for vocal clarity and others treble detail, or varying degrees of all three. You’ll need to work out which sort of tuning suits your musical taste best.
Here’s a brief run-down of the types of tuning you may come across and their sonic characteristics. Inevitably, each set of earbuds will vary somewhat from these descriptions, and it’s important to remember that everyone hears things differently, so what sounds great to one person may not work for another.
Neutral: No levels of the frequency range are emphasised above others. It may be described as “balanced” or “flat”. Some may find it uninspiring, but it’s good for a variety of genres.
Bright: Boost to high and upper-mid frequencies for a forward-sounding listen. May cause listening fatigue during long listening sessions, but ideal for classical and jazz music.
V-shaped: Boost to both the upper and lower frequencies compared to the mid-range. Energetic and dynamic. The popular choice for rock and pop music, though sometimes vocals can sound a little recessed.
Warm: Boost to the low frequencies. Perfect for lovers of hip-hop and electronic music, but not for the faint-hearted; some may find the bass-heavy presentation overwhelming.
What are Bluetooth codecs, and do they matter?
While tuning will dictate how your earbuds sound, the quality is largely down to the Bluetooth codecs that are supported. Codecs determine how Bluetooth transmits information to your device, and there are plenty to pick from, including the key players of SBC, AAC, AptX and LDAC.
Keep in mind that your output device must also support the relevant codec: iPhones don’t support aptX, for instance, so even if you own the very best wireless earbuds money can buy, you won’t be able to make full use of them.
For a full breakdown of the available options and an exploration of which are the best for various purposes, check out our What are Bluetooth codecs? Which are the best for my headphones? article.
