I have a confession to make guys, I think I might have weird ears. Whenever I try using objectively excellent headphones like the AirPods Pro 2, I just can't get them to stay in my ears. Any headphones with an 'in-ear' design seem to effectively bounce straight back out my ears. Maybe I'm just being phobic of shoving the tips in ear-holes but give me an old-school 'half-in' headphone any day.
Luckily for those like me, the Nothing Ear (Stick) are only £69 on Amazon. Not only do the Nothing Ear (Stick) pass my fit test, but they are also some of the best cheap headphones on the market, and after owning them for almost a year, I agree.
In a world of similar-looking headphones, Nothing has made a conscious decision to stand out with its minimalist take similar to the Nothing Phone. You can see exposed circuit boards aplenty, while the cylindrical case is similar to a roll of mints, and makes for an excellent fidget toy.
Of course, this would all be a moot point if the Ear (Stick) performed horribly but luckily they have a great sound profile and an impressive 29 hours of battery life (between buds and case). In our four-star review we described them as a "worthy AirPods alternative that won’t cost you the earth." and that's a pretty great sell on its own.
In a world where most of the best headphones feature the more invasive tip design, It's a blessing that there are still some high-performing half-in earbuds too. Maybe one day they'll become the norm again.
