Top Earbud Headphones 2023

The Audio-Technica ATH-TWX9, which costs $299, has good 3D sound and ANC, but its battery life is too short for the price.

With the highest waterproof rating and much better than expected sound quality (though music is a bit bass-y underwater), the H2O Audio Tri Multi-Sport Waterproof Open Ear Headphones give you the option of listening to whatever you’ve downloaded onto its 8GB flash memory or streaming directly from your phone via Bluetooth. We just wish the control buttons were a little less finicky.

The JBL Live Pro 2 are a fantastic pair of all-rounder true wireless earbuds, bringing you good sound, a comfortable fit for all-day listening and crucially excellent noise cancellation. At only £129.99/$149.95 this makes them good value for money – you’d have to pay double that price to beat the noise cancelling on offer here.

The Outlier Air V3 are Creative’s best true wireless yet. The Active Noise Reduction and Transparency mode are both well implemented, and sound quality is an improvement on previous models. Issues with touch controls and wireless connectivity still persist, but to a lesser extent. One of the best true wireless earphones below £100.

Before we get carried away, the JLab Go Air Pop are not the last word in sonic brilliance. But if this is where your budget maxes out, you'll get reliable Bluetooth connectivity, killer battery life, comfortable and light earpieces and solid music on the go. It would be churlish to expect more.

Lypertek’s first foray into noise-cancelling impresses with the PurePlay Z5 with an entertaining audio performance and strong ANC for the price. Comfy fit, easy operation and app customisations help make the Z5 an easy-to-use pair of headphones, though battery life and signal connection aren’t the best.

The Jabra 85t packs excellent sound, superb active noise-canceling, and high customization into a compact package. These aren’t the perfect buds for everyone, but they’re still a fantastic option for many people.

The Redmi Buds 3 Pro get the basics right and then go further than rivals by offering wireless charging, ear-detection and fast charging. These unusual bonuses make them a great budget choice.

If you're an over-ear headphones aficionado, the Sennheiser IE 900 are the best in-ear headphones for trying out the smaller form actor - if you can afford them, that is. These pricey audiophile earbuds deliver an incredible audio performance that's testament to their great design. It's a shame there's no in-line remote on any of the cables, but that's a small bugbear.

Sony's true wireless WF-1000XM4 earphones pair excellent audio performance with class-leading active noise cancellation.