The Best Wireless Headphones That Are Actually Worth the Money

When it comes to wireless headphones, the Sony WH-1000MX5 is one of the best options on the market s. The headphones come with powerful noise canceling technology that actively blocks out sound through frequency. Sony has also designed the headphones to boast some of the highest quality audio that the company has ever produced in wireless headphones. The WH-1000MX5 boasts a 30-hour battery life and a fast charging system that can give you up to three hours of playtime after just three minutes of charging. One of the more interesting features of the headphones is they will automatically pause whatever you are listening to if you take them off, so even when you have to stop and talk to someone else, you’ll never miss a moment of your favorite song.

Consistently near the top of the audio world, Bose has one of the highest quality lines of products from top to bottom when it comes to sound. This certainly is the case for the Bose 700 Wireless Noise Cancelling Over-the-Ear Headphones. The headphones obviously have top of the line audio quality simply because Bose has forgotten how to make anything below that standard, however, they truly shine due to the noise-cancellation features. With 11 levels of noise cancellation, you can control how much you want to let in from simply reducing background noise to complete audio isolation. The Bose headphones have 20 hours of battery life which is less than Sony, but unless you plan on listening to music from the moment you wake up until you fall asleep this really shouldn’t make a huge difference.

A relatively new player to on/over-ear wireless headphones, Apple has made a splash with its powerful albeit expensive Apple Airpods Max. The Airpods Max come with the signature sleek minimalist style of Apple products as well as the hardware to back it up. With 6 microphones tracking internal and external sound, Apple’s active noise cancellation feature lines up near the top of the market. The headphones have high-fidelity audio and are designed to seamlessly connect and switch between multiple Apple devices depending on what device you wish to use. The headphones come with a lightning charge and continue to and a soft carrying case that covers just the ear cups.

A more affordable and slightly less well-known brand, Soul Electronics has a host of high-quality wireless headphones for less than $150. The best of these would be the Soul Emotion Max which, despite costing less than half of many other options on the list, boasts a 38-hour battery life. The headphones also come with active noise cancellation and mesh ear cups for added comfort. The Emotion Max headphones can connect to multiple devices simultaneously as well, which allows you to jump between your phone and computer without ever missing a beat. This can be particularly useful for hopping on to a virtual meeting on your computer with the rest of the day being connected to your phone to listen to music.

I will admit that I truly love the way that the Sennheiser MOMENTUM Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones look. There is something both elegant and pragmatic about the design that simply hits right. The company also completely backs up its style with powerful audio that can be completely personalized to your personal tastes through the accompanying smartphone app. With an over-the-ear design and ear cups made of sheep leather, the MOMENTUM headphones are also some of the most comfortable that you can buy. The headphones also come with active noise cancellation and a choice between black and white color.

Soundcore has essentially established itself as the end all be all cheap wireless headphones that are actually worth getting. I know this well because as much as I’d like to think I would pony up for a more expensive pair, when making this list, the Soundcore by Anker Life Q30 Hybrid Headphones were the ones calling my name. Despite the low price, the headphones don’t skimp out on sound or power with the company offering custom equalization through the app and a whopping 40 hours of battery life. Furthermore, the headphones come with 3 different modes of active noise cancellation which has become increasingly more accessible across all levels of headphones. While they won’t blow you away, these headphones will get you some of the best bang for your buck.

These are by no means a traditional pair of wireless headphones, but the JBL Under Armour Project Rock Wireless Headphones are absolutely perfect for working out. Unlike other wireless, headphones, the Project Rocks are designed with durability and sweat resistance as key priorities so you can comfortably wear these to the gym without ruining the ear cups. Even if you aren’t working out and are just sweaty and clumsy (like me), these headphones will stand up to nearly anything you throw at them while still delivering JBL quality audio. The headphones also come with 45 hours of continuous play battery life, quick charging and an automatic pause and play if you take the headphones off.

Another affordable option, the Jabra Elite 45h wireless headphones come with several of the same features as more expensive models but at just $100. While not quite at the same level of total quality, the Jabra Elite 45h headphones still come with top-notch audio, customizable equalization and a close to industry-best 50 hours of battery life on a single charge. The headphones are lightweight and capable of nearly everything you could ask a pair of headphones to do. The one notable exception is the lack of active noise cancellation, however this may not be a dealbreaker considering the quality and price point.