As a regular T3 contributor and veteran tech journalist, I've tried dozens of pairs of headphones over the years, so when it comes to picking a definitive list of the very best headphones out there – whether over-ear or in-ear options – I can recommend some amazing options for you.
This guide rounds up the best of the best, as reviewed in depth by T3's team of experts – so you know you're looking at a group of elite-level headphones. I've highlighted key sells per product, so whether it's best ANC, comfort, or battery life, you know what you're going to get.
Elsewhere on T3 we have expert guides for the best active noise cancelling (ANC) headphones, the best earbuds, the best high-end wired-only headphones, and even the best running headphones if you have a specialism – but in this guide we've tried to have every base covered.
Dave has been busy writing about headphones and audio hardware in general since before music turned digital – and that vast amount of experience means he's the ideal candidate to guide you to the best kit.
Update 5 August 2025: We've significantly revamped our best headphones guide, dropping in newer models and those that featured in the recent T3 Awards 2025, and keeping the best of the older models that are still around.
T3's Top Picks
The Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 headphones excel in every area, from the superior construction to the gorgeous audio fidelity, and these headphones are our pick for the best pair overall.
With superb sound and a return to the folding design, as well as wired and wireless connection options, the Sony WH-1000XM6 are our pick for the best headphones for travelling with.
If it's earbuds you're after then our top pick are the Technics EAH-AZ100, which combine a superb design and fit with audio quality that is top tier considering the size of these earbuds.
Best overall
To be declared the best headphones overall on our best headphones list, it takes something special: and that's exactly what the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 deliver, with bold and confident sound quality that really excels.
As our Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 review will tell you, once these cans are on your head, you'll be amazed at the fidelity and power of the audio experience. What's more, they look great, and are very comfy to wear.
"These over-ears are among the very best money can buy," we said in our review, giving out special praise for the active noise cancellation: this has been significantly upgraded in these headphones, and works really well.
Best for travel
Speak to anyone who owns a pair of Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones and they'll tell you how much they love them, which is a testament to the audio quality, comfort, style, and features that are available to you here.
In our Sony WH-1000XM6 review, we described the ANC as defying belief, and the sound quality as phenomenal. Sony has also brought back the folding design here, which makes them much better travel headphones.
We could've done without the price hike over the previous model, but this has been a consistently fantastic series of headphones from Sony, and the sixth version of the iconic cans are the best yet by every measure.
Best earbuds
You don't need to go far into our Technics EAH-AZ100 review to realise what a special pair of earbuds these are. They're an "easy 5-star recommendation" that could well be the best pair of earbuds around.
Just about everything has been improved from the Technics EAH-AZ80 earbuds that preceded this pair, including the battery life, the active noise cancellation, and even the aesthetics – it's a superb all-round upgrade.
The sounds you're going to get from these are going to be full and punchy, no matter what source you're using, and the EAH-AZ100 are available for a competitive price too, compared to many of their rivals.
Best ANC
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are not only ultimate at audio, their active noise-cancelling is unrivalled too, amid strong competition. There's also a fantastic Immersive Audio (spatial audio) feature here.
The QC Ultra Headphones are versatile, and exceptional for travel – with a great carry case and folding design – which makes these Bose over-ears ideal for those on the go, as well as those who want to listen at home.
As we said in our Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones review: "All hail the noise-cancelling king! If you're looking for incredible travel headphones then you can do no better." Give your ears a real treat.
Best ANC earbuds
We can well understand those of you who prioritise active noise cancellation (ANC) above everything else, and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are our winners here, for blocking out extraneous noise.
As we put it in our Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds review, "if you're in the market for one of the best-sounding pairs of earbuds, these sit in scarce company". The accompanying app is really well done too.
It's hard to find anything to complain about with the build, the design, and the comfort of these earbuds either. While we've highlighted the ANC in particular here, these earbuds score highly in just about every category.
Best for Apple
If you live and breathe the Apple ecosystem, then the AirPods Max could well be the best headphones for you: these over-ear cans deliver simply stunning sound, wrapped up in a polished and streamlined package.
You (almost) always know that you're going to get quality hardware and software performance from Apple, and that's the case with these headphones too, even if they're a little bit pricier than some alternatives.
Our Apple AirPods Max review sums it up best, describing these headphones as offering "unbeatable sound and seamless Apple ecosystem integration" which make them "a standout choice".
Best comfort
The Sonos Ace headphones are the first pair launched by Sonos, and while it's quite a surprise that they don't offer full integration with existing Sonos Wi-Fi speaker systems, there's an awful lot to like about them.
For example, they offer a superior level of comfort, thanks to the memory foam headband and snug fit. In our Sonos Ace review, tech editor Mike Lowe called them the most comfortable headphones he's ever worn.
It's not just that they're super comfy though – the Sonos Ace pump out a fantastic level of audio quality, feature some really well thought out design choices, and offer a very respectable amount of battery life too.
Best outlier
In our Nothing Headphone (1) review, we called these headphones "a brilliant new option for those who want a different approach to their headphones" – they're certainly significantly different from the norm.
Of course, it's not just the design we like about these over-ear cans, the first to appear from the Nothing brand. They also supply listeners with impressive audio fidelity and superior build quality you can rely on.
Now this is a headphone design that's not going to appeal to everyone, but if you are a fan of the aesthetics, then you won't be let down by anything else here, and Nothing seems to have a bright gadget future.
Best AirPods
The AirPods Pro 2 have been out for a while (and rereleased with a USB-C port), but the noise-cancelling earbuds are still some of the best headphones for Apple devices – and for any other Bluetooth gadget too.
Not only do they have handy automatic pairing and switching ideal for those embedded in the Apple ecosystem, but they’ve also got wireless charging functionality, as well as handy IPX4 water resistance.
The audio still massively impresses, with solid noise cancelling and decent battery life as well. We described them as a "big win" for Apple in our Apple AirPods Pro 2 review, though keep an eye out for the 3rd-gen.
Honourable mentions
There are some mighty fine pairs of headphones in our list above, but we couldn't quite squeeze in all the gadgets we wanted to mention in this category. The headphones below are also worth a look:
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e: a really impressive pair of premium headphones, where the quality of the audio and the number of features you get justify the relatively high price you pay for the hardware.
Nothing Ear (2): Nothing's audio range started with wireless earbuds, and these can hold their own against any on the market at the moment – especially if you're looking for a budget, value for money option.
Sony WH-1000XM5: the predecessors to the WH-1000XM6 we've mentioned above remain on sale at a cheaper price, and remain a top-tier choice of you're looking for brilliant over-ears with superior ANC.
Jabra Elite 8 Active: these superior wireless earbuds will be of particular interest to sporty types, because they're extremely durable, extremely comfortable, and waterproof (and the sound is rather good as well).
Bowers & Wilkins PX8: another B&W option for those of you really looking to spend big on luxury headphones, these cans come with a fantastic level of sound quality, and impressive battery life as well.
Denon PerL Pro: not all wireless earbuds are created equal, and the Denon PerL Pro are proof of that. The quality of the audio you get from these earbuds is matched by the quality of their style and finish.
How we test
At T3 how we test our headphones is beautifully simple: we listen to them a whole lot. And not just when sitting in a quiet room – we do it out in the street. On public transport. On planes. When out shopping. That way we can judge seal and active noise cancelling (ANC) where applicable.
We also like to test out multiple genres of music to make sure we can hear the full spectrum of sound, which is different for rock or underground compared to, say, classical. The full soundstage, from treble to bass and everything in between, is analysed to ensure we get the most accurate real-world impression.
Such testing also means we get a good impression of battery life based on real-life scenarios. Not just imaginary ones. When a manufacturer promises a given amount of time using ANC, for example, we want to make sure that's achievable.
We also get that people's lives often mean music isn't the entirety of their wants and needs: that's why we test call quality, where applicable, to see just how well headphones can deliver voice. Whether in quiet or in noisy conditions, it's another key part of a headphones feature set.
All that combines, as does consideration to the design and comfort factors, to cumulate into a score out of a maximum 5-stars. We only rate in full stars, no halves, here at T3, so only the best-of-best get the full marks.
How to choose
When it comes to picking the best headphones for you personally, thankfully for your budget you don’t always have to go for the most expensive option – although sometimes you'll want to.
Firstly, it's important to think about where you want to use your headphones. Are they for exercise? Wearing in the office? Or maybe to put the mute into your morning commute?
Dreadful puns aside, if you do want the rest of the world to disappear, you definitely want to invest the extra in a pair of active noise cancelling headphones, and if you're a gym bunny you'll really want something sweat proof.
Once you've worked out what you need, your next choice is what style of headphone you want. And truthfully it's all about comfort and subjectivity. Maybe you want the subtlety of a pair of true wireless in ear buds or maybe you want the world to know you are actively listening to music.
We've given you the best headphone for all budgets, all you need to do is choose what's right for you. Try and weigh up what you want out of your purchase, and then spend your money accordingly.
FAQs
There are now a lot of different headphone models to choose from, and if you've got questions, that's understandable. These are some of the most common ones you might have, together with our answers.
Wired or wireless?
A lot of the best headphones out there give you the choice of wired or wireless connectivity. There's no doubt that the wireless option is more convenient, with no trailing cables to worry about when connecting.
However, don't rule out wired completely: wired connections still work even without battery power, and are never going to be laggy or unstable. If you want the very best option, maybe find a pair of headphones with both.
Do my headphones need to match my phone?
You'll find there are several technology manufacturers – including Apple and Nothing, for example – that will sell you both a phone and a matching pair of headphones. It's an obvious pairing to make, but is it always the best one?
If you buy both gadgets from the same manufacturer, you're guaranteed seamless compatibility and maybe some useful extras. However, it's not always the right choice: make sure you check what else is out there.
What extras should I look for?
Beyond the basics of how good these headphones sound, what else should you be looking for? Battery life is an obvious one, and it's also worth investigating mentions of comfort and fit in the reviews that you read.
See what options you get in terms of personalisation and customisation (an accompanying app is often involved here), and look for the connectivity options you need too – as well as how portable (or not) the headphones are.
Reviewer panel
T3's editor of tech, Mike Lowe, has been writing about headphones for over a decade. He has a massive personal interest in sound and music, and several of the above picks have been reviewed by his learned ears.
Staff writer Max knows about a host of different types of technology, and that includes headphones of all types: his ears have taken in audio from a host of different pairs, so you can trust his reviews to be well informed.
There isn't much that staff writer Sam Cross doesn't know about tech, and that detailed knowledge extends to earbuds. From budget to high-end, Sam's canals have met with a host of pairs right across the range.
As T3 Active Editor, Matt's work focuses on fitness, training, running shoes and the like – but when doing all those workouts, a good pair of earbuds can be needed, so fitness and running headphones fall into his remit.