The Best Earbuds To Buy In 2025
1. Technics EAH-AZ100
1-minute summary: I’m blown away by what the Technics EAH-AZ100 can do. Even though they’re far from cheap, they’re somehow amazing value, because they not only pack in so many great features (including triple-point Bluetooth connectivity, which is still something only the older Technics EAH-AZ80 and this newer model can do), but they sound absolutely phenomenal with the active noise cancellation turned on, thanks to their Magnetic Fluid speaker driver, which has been distilled from Technics’ much more expensive in-ear monitors. It’s a bit of a shame that they sound noticeably worse with the ANC turned off, though I personally never have it turned off, so this minor flaw won’t stop me from loving these buds. I should also note that if the best possible noise cancellation is your priority, then Bose still has these beat – but the ANC is very good in general.
The Technics are just such incredible all-rounders, and offer so much: they’re comfortable and fairly light, they switch instantly between three devices of any platform, they support Dolby Atmos from any compatible device, they sound good enough to satisfy audiophiles, the 10-hour battery life with ANC on is great… their faults are real picky stuff, and I think they’re the real deal for most people.
2. Nothing Ear (a)
1-minute summary: I cannot believe the price of these earbuds for what you get. Not only do they look the absolute business, they sound it too. Nothing’s 2024-issue earbuds are the cheaper siblings to the flagship Nothing Ear (which launched on the self-same day), but unless you want the hearing test and subsequent personalized sound profile reserved for the flagship set, I’d save your money and opt for these. You do get in-ear detection, excellent ANC, a low-lag toggle for gaming, detailed sound quality, issue-free multipoint to two devices, an ear tip fit test plus a Find My Earbuds feature, which issues a rattlesnake-style sound from whichever bud you’re trying to locate. They’re a joy to listen to, especially given their lowly sub-$100 / £100 asking fee – and let’s not forget that those pinch-able stems now offer you a direct line to ChatGPT whenever you need it, as long as you have a Nothing phone with the latest Nothing OS installed. Hardly nothing worth shouting about, I think you’ll agree.
3. Sony WF-C510
1-minute summary: I’m a big fan of Sony’s more affordable headphones and earbuds, because even if they end up missing a few features, you always know that the company will offer an excellent balance to the sound, so you’ll get the most from your music despite the low price. The Sony WF-C510 continues that tradition, dropping a few mod-cons in exchange for sound that’s really engaging and well-defined, and Sony’s DSEE upscaling tech really improves tracks from places like Spotify. The very comfortable design is a big win in my book., too. It’s a shame not to have active noise cancellation in particular, but if you can live without it, this is basically the best sound quality you’ll find for the price.
4. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
1-minute summary: When I originally reviewed the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, I was impressed by so many elements of them, but for their very high price, I didn’t think they were worth it when Bose’s older earbuds were so good, and so much cheaper. Since then, the Ultra Earbuds have become regularly a much lower price, and a July 2024 software update addressed one of the biggest drawbacks by adding multi-point connectivity for two devices, so now they’ve rightfully taken center stage as our top pick for noise-blocking power. These earbuds deliver exceptional ANC, and also offer exciting Immersive Audio spatial sound from any sound source, so it works with any device, and it works amazingly well. I also like their improved fit, and while they’re still bulkier than most earbuds, they don’t feel that way as strongly as Bose’s previous buds.
5. Earfun Air Pro 3
1-minute summary: I’ve watched the price of high-quality earbuds come crashing down in the last few years, and the Earfun Air Pro 3 are a great example of what amazing value you can get these days. Good audio, useful active noise cancellation, higher-res wireless audio, great battery life, multi-point pairing, and even future-proof Bluetooth LE Audio support… the Earfun Air Pro 3 don’t think you need to give things up just because you’re on a budget. When it comes to checkboxes, I’m always blown away by these buds – but naturally, if you spend a bit more (for the Nothing Ear (a), especially), you’ll get a clear upgrade in sound quality and ANC power. But as an all-rounder for a low price, these are excellent. Incidentally, the Earfun Air Pro 4 are out now, and while we liked those, we found that they packed in so much they became a bit fussy to use. The older model, available at a lower price since it’s been usurped, is the sweet spot.