The best earbuds available right now at those that deliver incredible sound directly into your ears, often alongside excellent battery life and features such as active noise cancelling (ANC).
The veteran team of experts here at T3 have spent many hours testing out these products, so we know what we're talking about when we make recommendations. If you prefer over-ears then be sure to check out our separate best headphones list too.
In our best in-ear list here we've covered a variety of price points, plus all the key brands, so there should be something for everyone when it comes to choosing ideal new earbuds.
Dave has been busy writing about earbuds and plenty of other audio hardware since before music turned digital – and that vast amount of experience means he's the perfect person to guide you to the best kit.
Update 2 August 2025: We've given our best earbuds guide a thorough revamp, adding in newer models and those that featured in the recent T3 Awards 2025, while making sure some old favourites still make the cut.
T3's Top Picks
The best overall earbuds need to score highly in every category while also being competitively priced – and the Technics EAH-AZ100 absolutely deliver, offering a sensational treat for your ears.
Looking to shut out the world with your earbuds? Then we recommend the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, with active noise cancelling that excels for such a small pair of buds.
A pair of top-quality earbuds don't have to break the bank, as the Nothing Ear (2) prove. Despite the low price, they're stacked with features, and make any audio source sound fantastic.
The best earbuds in 2025
Best earbuds overall
The Technics EAH-AZ100 are a phenomenal pair of wireless earbuds, and we think they're the best earbuds for most people overall: they combine full and punchy sound with great battery life, and a neat and slim design.
If you're not already convinced, you probably will be after you read through our Technics EAH-AZ100 review, which includes phrases such as "5-star recommendation", "excellent sound", and "comfortable fit".
Okay, these aren't the cheapest earbuds you're going to come across at the moment, but the investment is worth it – and then some. It could be a while before any earbuds knock the Technics EAH-AZ100 off the top spot.
Best earbuds for ANC
Some people prioritise active noise cancellation (ANC) above everything else, and with good reason and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are our winners here: expensive, sure, but excellent at blocking out all outside noise from your ears.
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, adding to the appeal of the headphones.
It's hard to find anything to complain about with the build quality, the design, and the comfort of these wireless earbuds either. While we've highlighted the ANC in particular here, these are earbuds that score highly in every category as well.
Best budget earbuds
The second-gen Nothing earbuds, the Ear (2), knocked the T3 team's socks off (well, ears off really). Our Nothing Ear (2) review describes these as "everything you need and nothing you don't", and they're a great pick for something more affordable.
We know that Nothing tries to be as fashionable and as innovative as possible, with its phones as well as its earbuds, and admittedly the design might not be to everyone's tastes – but from our perspective it's something refreshingly different.
It's hard to find any faults with these affordable ANC in-ears, unless you don't particularly enjoy the design, and you get audio quality that's better than you might expect for the price. You even get in-ear access to ChatGPT, via your phone.
Best earbuds for Apple users
The Apple AirPods Pro 2 come with active noise cancellation and a bunch of other audio-enhancing features that help to give you a more immersive experience compared to your average earbuds – and these extras are really effective, too
Have a peek at our AirPods Pro 2 review and you'll see we said that "Apple learned from the mistakes of the past and improved their top-performing true wireless earbuds to not only match the competition but, on occasion, surpass it."
The sound is brilliant, as is the fit in your ears, and the price isn't bad either. Bear in mind that all AirPods work perfectly well with Android phones and other equipment too, you just get more features when you use them within Apple's own ecosystem.
Best luxury earbuds
The Bowers & Wilkins PI8 earbuds aren't perfect, but they manage to get pretty close – and the exemplary sound quality and in-ear comfort is so good you're going to quickly forget about the negatives (like a high price).
In just about every aspect that matters, the sound offered up by the Bowers & Wilkins PI8 scores highly, from densest to the lightest audio experiences, and across multiple content sources and format types.
Our comprehensive Bowers & Wilkins PI8 review has all the details you're going to need on these earbuds: it describes them as "a deft, informative and thoroughly entertaining listen" and "very competitive indeed".
Best earbuds for sports
We've picked the Jabra Elite 8 Active as the best earbuds for sports at the moment, and that's down to a number of factors – including the durable, premium-level quality of their construction, and the tight fit offered by these wireless earbuds.
Of course it's not all about the tough design: these Jabra Elite 8 Active headphones are able to pump out some fantastic-sounding audio as well, complete with noise cancelling. Whether you're jogging out working out, you'll love the soundscape.
Read our full Jabra Elite 8 Active review and you'll see that we described these earbuds as "brilliant workout buds, the most rugged on the market, with excellent sound" – which is quite an advertisement if you're looking to make a purchase.
Honourable mentions
A small space for everything we couldn't quite fit in above...
Sony WF-1000XM4: these superb wireless earbuds are a little older now, but they used to top this list, and that's testament to what a fantastic pair of buds they are. The latency, quality, and features are all top notch.
Sennheiser IE600: earbuds don't have to be wireless, and if you don't mind wired, you can do a lot worse than these. You get elite-level sound and build quality here, though you will have to pay a bit more for it.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 S2: they may not be the newest model in this particular series any more, but these earbuds still have a lot to offer, and the precision engineering deployed here results in a fantastic sound.
Sony WF-C500: if active noise cancellation isn't top of your priorities and you'd rather save some money instead, consider the Sony WF-C500. These stellar buds are lightweight and sound great, and increasingly cheap.
Denon PerL Pro: alongside truly astonishing sound, the Denon PerL Pro bring with them plenty of extra features – from personalisations to spatial audio – that make them well worth considering for your next earbuds.
How we test the best earbuds
At T3 how we test our headphones is beautifully simple: we listen to them. A lot. And not just sitting in the office or in a quiet room. Out in the street. On public transport. On planes. Out shopping. The only way to really test earbuds properly is to find as many different environments as possible to test them in.
That goes for music sources too. We hit every genre of music to make sure we can hear the full breadth of what each pair of buds can offer. Treble, bass, mid tones and EQ all come under an aural microscope to make sure we get the most accurate impression (and helps with testing battery life too).
Finally we also understand that our busy lives mean music is only half of what we expect from our headphones. We spend plenty of time testing call quality, not just in terms of speaker clarity but also making sure that those on the other end can actually hear what we have to say.
How to pick the best earbuds for you
When it comes to picking the best earbuds for you, the good news is that you don't automatically always have to go for the priciest pair. It's important to also think about where you want to use your buds. 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 earbuds, and if you're a gym bunny you'll really want something sweat-proof too. You have to think about the factors you're keen to prioritise.
If you're shopping for wired or wireless in-ear buds, then you're looking for something that's compact and unobtrusive, that can still deliver high-end sound – and we've got you well covered here. We've also tried to give you a range of prices and designs to weigh up and choose between.
FAQs
Choosing the best earbuds for you isn't necessarily a straightforward decision – though hopefully our guide makes it a little easier – and these are some of the questions you might find yourself asking.
Wired or wireless?
While wireless earbuds might be the norm now, don't dismiss wired earbuds completely: for some people they might be the better option, even if you have to put up with the inconvenience of trailing wires.
Wired earbuds never need recharging, so you're never not going to be able to use them, and because there's a direct connection to your audio source you don't need to worry about lag or dropped connections either.
Do my earbuds need to match my phone?
Of course a growing number of phone manufacturers – including Google, Apple, Samsung, and Nothing – make earbuds to go with their phones. Sometimes, but not always, it pays to get earbuds and phone as a combo.
This usually means a more seamless connection and extra features (like a digital assistant), but as the earbuds in this list prove, there are lots of fantastic options available that aren't connected to a particular phone.
What extras should I look for?
Beyond the basics of audio quality and battery life, what should you look for? Supporting the latest Bluetooth codecs is important for compatibility, while different ANC modes and a sound equalizer can help as well.
It's also worth investigating the quality of the companion app (if there is one), and any personalisation features you get. Look for waterproofing too, especially if you plan to use your new earbuds while working out.
Reviewer panel
Staff writer Max can turn his hand to writing about anything techy, and that includes earbuds. He's had plenty of them stuffed into his ears, and knows more than enough about how to pick a dud from a diamond.
Sam has a knowledge of tech gadgets and earbuds in particular that's so in depth, it borders on the worrying. He's not afraid to say when sound quality hits the spot, and when it doesn't, as you'll find in his reviews.
As a writer and editor with a wealth of experience in tech, Matt is one of the audio experts here at T3. You'll find his reviews are as well balanced and as engaging as the best earbuds we've picked out in this guide.
Simon is a tech journalist with many years of experience assessing audio, video, and home entertainment kit – and his expertise extends as far as having edited magazines on these topics, so you can rely on his reviews.