Since the demise of the headphone jack, earbuds have been the must-have tech accessory. We’ve catered to every budget in this round-up of the very best earbuds with offerings from Sony, Apple, Earfun and more.
Compact and convenient, earbuds have enjoyed a boom in popularity in the last few years. And while devices like Apple’s Airpods have dominated the market in terms of exposure, you’ll find a staggering range of earbuds out there. Most major tech brands have at least one set of signature earbuds out there, including Apple, Samsung and Huawei. Meanwhile, veteran audio brands like Sennheiser, Bose and Skullcandy also all have their own earbud ranges.
Indeed, the sheer choice of earbuds can make purchasing a pair feel intimidating – especially since there’s also a dizzying range of prices too. So which pair of wireless earbuds is best for you? And how much should you spend on a reliable pair of earbuds? And will you accidentally throw them into the washing machine at some point?
We cant help you on that final point, but otherwise, we’ve got it covered. Our experts have put a wide range of earbuds to the test: some brilliant, some bad, and many somewhere in-between. In our round-up below, you’ll find only the very best wireless earbuds – each inclusion in our list has been tried and tested and put through the same rigorous testing criteria.
How to choose the best wireless earbuds
- Work out how much you’re willing to spend. You’ll find wireless earbuds on the market for as little as £30 and as much as £1,000. But, for a pair of earbuds that deliver an assuredly high-quality level of sound, device compatible and ease of use, we’re going to give you the ball-park figure of £200. The good news is that you’ll find a wealth of excellent budget-friendly options, and you’ll find a couple of great options in this list for less than £120. Head to our best budget wireless earbuds round-up for a more expansive list.
- Consider the features that are important to you. Audiophiles will likely say that a good pair of earbuds are all about the quality of sound – but in reality, there’s a host of other features to take into account. Do you want to customise that sound in an app? Do you want noise-cancelling tech (and effective noise-cancelling at that)? Do you need a pair of earbuds that offer high levels of water resistance?
- Keep an eye out for earbuds deals during sales periods. The prices we’ve listed below are all RRP-based figures, but you’ll often find earbuds included in tech and electronic sales. This is especially the case during key sales periods like Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday when retailers ruthlessly price-match each other. You’ll find the best offers listed under each of the products in the round-up below.
- Open-minded about colour? To expand on the previous point: a lot of wireless earbuds come in a range of colourways, and you’ll often find that price drops are only applied to specific colours. Yes, it’s rarely the most crowd-pleasing options that have the best discounts – but if aesthetics aren’t your top priority, make sure you click through each colour option on a product page to see if there are any bargains hidden away.
Best wireless earbuds at a glance
Here’s our pick of the best wireless earbuds. Read on for a more in-depth look at each of these excellent-quality devices.
- Best all-round earbuds: Sony WF1000-XM4 £249.99
- Best budget earbuds: EarFun Free Pro, £59.99
- Best ANC earbuds: Jabra Elite 85t, £219.99
- Best earbuds for workouts: Beats Powerbeats Pro, £219.95
- Best earbuds for sound quality: Grado GT220, £249
- Best Apple earbuds: Apple Airpods Pro, £249
- Best premium earbuds: Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2, £279
- Best earbuds for battery life: Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Plus, £99.95
The best wireless earbuds in 2021
Here’s our pick of the best wireless earbuds, which we’ve arranged in price order. Each of the products in the list below has been put to the test by our team of experts.
Sony WF1000-XM4
Best all-round earbuds
!["Sony]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/10/PXL_20211008_103351651-8db1194.jpg?quality=90&resize=551%2C413" "\"Sony")
Pros:
- Amazing sound quality
- Great battery life
- Reliable connectivity
- Good build quality
- IPX4 rating
Cons:
- Only two tip choices
- Lack multipoint pairing facility
- Adaptive sound control frustrates
- Can’t use left earbud on its own
- Expensive
The Sony WF1000-XM4 are a seriously impressive set of earbuds from Sony, building on the success of their predecessors, the XM3 earbuds.
They’re expensive but deliver top-notch sound quality, a great fit and impressive noise cancellation. They also pack a fantastic battery, an IPX4 rating and — ultimately — they’re a top-notch product, built to a high standard. We loved testing them and recommend them highly if they’re not out of your price bracket.
Read our full Sony WF1000-XM4 review.
Latest deals
EarFun Free Pro, £59.99
Best budget earbuds
!["EarFun]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/05/earfun_free_pro_review_1-dc2fba1.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"EarFun")
Pros:
- Terrific value for money
- Decent ANC
- Ultra-compact and comfortable
Cons:
- Over-complicated UI
- No EarFun app available
You can find a number of different affordable options in our best budget wireless earbuds article, but for sheer value for money, the EarFun Free Pro really stand out. They might not have the cache of a better-known brand, but this set of wireless earbuds from Hong Kong-based EarFun give rival sets from Skullcandy and Huawei a serious run for their money. Noise-cancelling tech at this price point was once unheard of – and it happens to be pretty good too. Best of all, they’re a genuinely comfy fit.
Read our full EarFun Free Pro review
Latest deals
Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Plus, £99.95
Best earbuds for battery life
!["Cambridge]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/05/Cambridge-Audio-Melomania-1-plus-review-2-91e8366.png?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Cambridge-Audio-Melomania-1-plus-review-2\"")
Pros:
- Great value for money
- Brilliant sound quality
- Long battery life
- IPX5 water-resistant
Cons:
- No active noise cancellation
Cambridge Audio’s Melomonia 1 Plus earbuds are at the higher end of the budget price point but also deliver much for a relatively small sum. Our experts were particularly impressed by the well-balanced sound, the hefty 45 hours of battery life and the inclusion of physical buttons. A notable absence here, perhaps, is noise-cancellation tech – but we really don’t believe this to be a deal-breaker, not at the cost of £100.
Read our full Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Plus review
Latest deals
Beats Powerbeats Pro, £219.95
Best earbuds for workouts
!["Powerbeats]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/04/powerbeats_pro_review-c506eed.jpg?quality=90&resize=619%2C413" "\"Powerbeats")
Pros:
- Comfortable fit
- Rich sound that isn’t bass-reliant
- Smooth OS compatibility
Cons:
- No Beats app
- No noise-cancelling tech
One question that many people ask before investing in a set of earbuds is: ‘Will these actually stay in my ears?’ It’s a legitimate question, and all the more so if you plan to use your earbuds at the gym or while out running. For peace of mind, the Powerbeats Pro are a perfect choice: in the Beats tradition, they feature a hook-like design that you fix over your ears rather than into your ear canals.
Just as importantly, they’re a stupendously good piece of audio tech, helped in no small part by Apple’s H1 chip, which offers super-smooth compatibility for iOS users. Our only wish is that Beats, at some point, develops an app for extra sound customisation.
Read our full Powerbeats Pro review
Latest deals
Jabra Elite 85t, £219.99
Best ANC earbuds
!["Jabra]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/06/Jabra-Elite-85t-review-3-741c81c.png?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Jabra")
Pros:
- Great sound quality
- ANC works well
- Comfortable and secure fit
- IPX4-rated water resistance
- User-friendly app
Cons:
- Left earbud doesn’t work on its own
Our experts have tested both the Elite 75t and Elite 85t by Danish brand Jabra – and while they’re both exceptional earbuds, it’s the higher-end 85t that we decided to include in our best wireless earbuds list. The Elite 85t offer Active Noise Cancellation, IPX4-rated water resistance, built-in Alexa, and an impressively snug fit.
The Jabra Sound+ app also makes for the perfect compliment: a nerve centre where you can tweak EQ levels and also make use of a series of pre-set modes that include bass boost, focus and commute modes.
Read our full Jabra Elite 85t review
Latest deals
Grado GT220, £249
Best earbuds for sound quality
!["Grado]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/05/Grado-GT220-earbuds-7f075de.png?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Grado-GT220-earbuds\"")
Pros:
- Brilliant sound quality
- Good battery life
- Intuitive touch controls
- Lightweight and comfortable
Cons:
- Quite chunky
- No active noise cancellation
- No in-ear detection
If the quality of sound is the most important thing in a pair of earbuds, the Grado GT220 are your best choice on this list – and interestingly, they’re not the most expensive. The custom-made 8mm polyethylene terephthalate dynamic drivers in these earbuds deliver a brilliant depth of sound and one that also makes voice sound clear and crisp. Our experts would have liked to have seen in-ear detection and active (rather than passive) noise cancellation – but these are, without a doubt, the sonic connoisseur’s choice.
Read our full Grado GT220 review
Latest deals
Apple Airpods Pro, £249
Best Apple earbuds
!["AirPods]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/04/AirPods-Pro-3-6e13781.png?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"AirPods")
Pros:
- Comfortable
- Quick and easy set-up
- ANC works well
- Sweat-resistant
Cons:
- Limited battery life
- A little expensive
As you can read in our Apple Airpods review, the standard edition of Apple’s earbuds are a reliant piece of tech. But there’s only space for one Apple product on the list, and that definitely has to be given over to the Airpods Pro, which – as the name most probably suggests – far surpass the Airpods in terms of quality and capability. The Pro offers noise-cancelling tech, an excellent sound profile and – of course – incredibly smooth ease-of-use if you’re pairing with an iPhone. Read our Apple Airpods vs Airpods Pro article if you’re unsure which of the two devices to buy.
Read our full Apple Airpods Pro review
Latest deals
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2, £279
Best premium earbuds
!["Sennheiser]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/05/Sennheiser-momentum-true-wireless-2-b3127f1.png?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Sennheiser-momentum-true-wireless-2\"")
Pros:
- Great sound quality
- Comfortable fit
- Good battery life
- Sleek design
Cons:
- A little pricey
The priciest earbuds on this list are, arguably, a little too pricey. But Sennheiser is a heavyweight audio manufacturer, and if any brand earns its stripes at this price point, it’s this one. These are premium earbuds in the best possible sense: the Momentum True Wireless 2 offer you a robust build, adjustable EQ in the brand’s app, superb ANC and a level of sound that outstrips the Airpods Pro.
Read our full Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 review
Latest deals
How we tested budget wireless earbuds
It’s not just earbuds that we put to the test at RadioTimes.com. Our experts also regularly review smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, soundbars, printers and smart home devices. That’s a lot of different types of tech, but each time you’ll always receive the same honest and unbiased advice.
Each time we test a pair of earbuds, we judge it by the same standardised set of criteria. We do this to make sure we don’t overlook any of the product’s strengths or weaknesses – we know it’s easy to get too hung up on particular aspects.
Each of our reviews featured a star rating out of five, and to one decimal point. This overall score is one the average of five different criteria: ease of set-up, design, features and sound quality (which are double-weighted scores) and lastly, value for money.
We’re constantly putting new releases through their paces – and we quite often do this before they hit store shelves. To stay up-to-date with all our latest reviews, along with all the latest news and deals from the tech world, you can sign up for our tech newsletter below.
Looking for home audio too? Don’t miss our best soundbar list.