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Believe it or not, there are other headphones besides the AirPods Max (although we do love those). To help you narrow it down, we put them to the test, more than ten pairs to be exact, over the course of weeks. We judged them on how well they work, how long they last, and, of course, how good they look. They are also an accessory, after all — look at Bella Hadid.
What makes a good pair of headphones?
A good pair of headphones is subjective, sure. It really depends on what you’re going to be using them for, but there are some things we can all agree on, like battery life, sound quality, and whether or not these give us headaches after a few hours of wear.
How did we test them?
Here’s my testing criteria: First, mostly working remotely, noise-cancellation is a nonnegotiable. Whether I’m in a café or the office or just on my couch, I need to cut the background noise. Next, fit. Comfort is key. While working out in over-the-ear headphones isn’t ideal, I don’t want them flying off my head. I also need them to be comfortable enough to wear for hours and for the battery to last even longer.
Then there is the obvious: How do they sound? Ultimately, headphones are made for listening to music, podcasts, movies, and everything else in between. Clarity is key, but so is a good bass and adjustable sound settings and the ability to use them for calls. Lastly, the aesthetic. Whether or not they’ll ruin an outfit or make it better is also a plus.
All that being said, here are our top picks.
so, you need new headphones?
➼ Our top picks
➼ More tried-and-true favorites
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Our top picks
The Fashion-Girl Favorites
Battery life: 20 hours | Colors: 10
Pros: Easy connectivity, comfortable, long battery life, great noise cancellation
Cons: Fit, volume doesn’t go up too high
I’ve written extensively about my love for these headphones, but here’s a quick refresh. This stylish pair went viral and quickly became a favorite accessory of fashion girls when Bella Hadid wore them. Now that I’m at the two-year mark, some of the pros include battery life; I charge it every few days. The noise-cancellation is some of the best, and these have gotten me through all of the possible noises you could be plagued with working from home, from sirens to construction to noisy neighbors. What I enjoy most (besides the aesthetic and cute covers I have) is the on-head detection and easy connectivity; it’s easy to connect to my devices quickly for calls, and I don’t have to remember to turn these on or off. While I find them comfortable, I’ve heard from other people that they’re too tight. I also don’t like working out in these because they’re a bit loose.
Best Headphones Overall
Battery life: 30 hours | Colors: 3
Pros: Comfortable, lightweight, great sound quality and features
Cons: Some difficulty with connectivity, needs to connect to an app for some features
With some of the best sound quality and the coolest features, this pair from Sony is the best overall. The sound is crisp and clear, and the bass is amazing. The noise-cancellation isn’t my favorite, but it works well. The additional features are what really sells them; cover one side and it will quickly lower your music and toggle noise-cancellation on and off. Turn on speak-to-chat to pause music and noise-cancellation whenever you start talking. You have to download an app to learn about the features, including how to use them, but it’s easy to figure out once you’ve done so. While these pause when you remove them, you must remember to turn them off to avoid draining the battery. However, despite hours of use, I’ve haven’t had to charge these yet.
Best Sound Quality
Battery life: 40 hours | Colors: 7
Pros: Great sound quality, color options
Cons: Fit, lack of clarity on calls
Beats is known for having some of the best sound quality, and that’s where it excels. If you use headphones for mostly listening to music, I’d highly recommend these. They’re clear and can get loud but not uncomfortably loud. They’re also lightweight and compact, so you can travel with them easily in the carry case. I also love the color options from the Kim K collab — there are a number of earth tones that are really chic. However, for me, these weren’t the best fit, and I think that affected the noise-cancellation features. They’re a favorite of fashion and beauty writer Asia Milia Ware. “I love using these for the gym and matching my outfit to them, because it’s an added layer of motivation,” she says.
Best-Looking Headphones
Battery life: 50 hours | Colors: 3
Pros: Great sound quality, design
Cons: Price, some reviewers find them uncomfortable
There are a lot of impressive designs on this list, but this pick from Cut senior shopping editor Bianca Nieves is probably the best. These have become one of her most recognizable accessories. Along with looking great, they offer everything you need from a pair of headphones: clear sound, noise-cancellation, and excellent battery life.
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More tried-and-true favorites
Best Customizable Headphones
Battery life: 55 hours | Colors: 4
Pros: Long battery life, customizable sound quality
Cons: Heavy, can’t control transparency settings on calls
These are on the heavier side, but despite that, they’re some of the most comfortable and best fitting. The battery life is great, and the sound is easily customizable through the app, so you can opt for more or less bass and so on. For an additional $50, you can buy extra ear cushions and caps to change up the colors. However, for every pro there is a con, and the biggest con is that you can’t control the noise-cancellation while on calls and use the transparency settings. So I can’t use these during meetings or calls because I can’t hear myself talk.
Most Comfortable Headphones
Battery life: 30 hours | Colors: 2
Pros: Comfortable, lightweight, great sound quality
Cons: Incompatible with other Sonos devices
Sonos is known for great sound, and these deliver. They are a good option if you prioritize listening to music above anything else, but they can pretty much handle everything. They’re probably the most comfortable, with cushions that leave enough space for the ears and don’t press onto the head too tightly. The noise-canceling is good, but the wear detection is a plus. Reviewers have noted that these aren’t compatible with other Sonos devices, which isn’t a deal-breaker for me, but something to note.
Best Budget Headphones
Battery life: 40 hours | Colors: 4
Pros: Great sound quality, comfortable
Cons: Noise-cancellation is lacking
Noise-canceling headphones are expensive, and spending $500-plus on something is a splurge no matter how much you’re going to use it. Luckily, these are a decent budget option. They’re lightweight, compact, easy to use, and have clear and crisp sound. The color range and look are also similar to some of the pricier brands on the list.
Best Headphones for Music Lovers
Battery life: 100 hours | Colors: 1
Pros: Great sound features, lightweight, and fold easily into the provided case
Cons: Fit, needs an app to connect for some features
Another very cool-looking option comes from Marshall. I’ll admit I was initially drawn to the look of these; they even come with a matching hard-shell case to fold into. However, they also deliver in terms of sound quality, which is clear and customizable through the app. So you can use Marshall’s built-in sound-boosting settings like soundstage, which makes it sound like you’re enjoying your music live or figure out your own settings with the equalizer. There’s also a standby mode that turns the headphones off when you’re not using them, which comes in clutch for when I forget — which is often. While you can toggle the noise-control settings and volume, and change songs, without the app it is annoying to have to download yet another app. Other than that, these are a solid choice for enjoying music.
