If your bank balance allows it, you could spend thousands on a single pair of headphones. We know that the average consumer doesn’t have anything like so we’re looking at more affordable sets here.
We’ve got a wide range of prices here so you could spend under $50/£50 or over $500/£500 depending on what you’re looking for. You might want a pair for commuting every day so it could be worth investing more, or you might just want a cheap pair for occasional use.
Bear in mind that in general, spending more on audio really does mean getting better quality as well as features.
Best headphones 2022
1. Sony WH-1000XM5 – Best Overall
Pros
Phenomenal audio quality
Great noise cancellation
Serious smarts
It seems Sony can do no wrong with its flagship XM headphones, well almost. They’re more expensive than their predecessors and the design no longer folds down which will irk some users.
However, the price can largely be put down to inflation and if the non-folding design doesn’t bother you then these headphones are essentially flawless starting with the kinds of high-end sound and noise cancelling you’d expect from Sony, despite smaller drivers.
Elsewhere, the improved headband allows smooth adjustment and there’s an unrivalled selection of smart features from Adaptive Sound Control to Speak-to-Chat. It’s a small step forward but they remain the best over-ear headphones you can buy.
The caveat, as usual, is that considering this is refinement and not reinvention, you can buy previous generations, even the WH-1000XM4, for much lower prices providing a better value option.
Read our full
Sony WH-1000XM5 review
2. Sony WF-1000XM4 – Best Wireless Earbuds
Pros
Class leading ANC
Incredible sound
Smart features
Cons
More expensive than some
Bulky for small ears
Sony has done it again with its latest pair of flagship earbuds with an unmatched combination of sound quality, top-notch noise cancelling and high-end smart features borrowed from the WH model.
They also have strong battery life so they are the best package on the market if you can afford them.
There’s very little to be disappointed with here, perhaps only that the earbuds themselves are still bigger than some rivals so aren’t well-suited to smaller ears.
Read our full
Sony WF-1000XM4 review
3. Cambridge Audio Melomania Touch – Best Battery Life
Pros
Epic battery life
Great sound
Useful app
Comfortable
Cons
No ANC
Slow to switch modes
Slightly awkward case
They don’t have noise cancelling, but the Melomania Touch are still a great pair of wireless earbuds.
As long as ANC isn’t a must-have feature, they offer excellent sound quality and a comfortable design with changeable fins.
The standout here is unrivalled battery life with the ability to go for a whopping total of 50 hours if you use them in low power mode. They can still last an awesome 44 hours in high performance mode.
Read our full
Cambridge Audio Melomania Touch review
4. NuraLoop – Best Custom Sound
Pros
Superb personalised sound
Excellent ANC
Good value
Cons
Proprietary eartips and adapter
No digital assistant support
Bulky case
NuraLoop manages to condense the audio wizardry found in the company’s first product and deliver an in-ear alternative that’s hard to beat in terms of comfort, quality sound, top-notch noise cancellation and battery longevity.
Better yet, at this price, they undercut Apple’s AirPods Pro while delivering a better audio experience overall. Just be aware that they lack virtual assistant support and relies on some proprietary components that might cost a little extra to replace.
They are now cheaper due to the introduction of the
NuraTrue earbuds.
Read our full
NuraLoop review
5. Bose QuietComfort 45 – Best Comfort
Pros
Light and comfortable
Effective noise cancelling
Solid battery life
Cons
No ANC adjustment
Lacking smart features
Plasticky build
It was a long wait for Bose to update the QC35 II and five years later the QuietComfort 45 still live up to the name.
With cloud-like cushions and a lightweight design, they are the best choice for long listening sessions – whether you’re simply at your desk or on a long haul flight.
Noise cancelling performance is top-notch as you’d expect from Bose and battery life is solid – with wired mode still an option.
Things are surprisingly simple though with just two ANC modes – Quiet and Aware – missing the 11 levels of adjustment found on the QC Earbuds. They also lack smart features such as ear detection.
Read our full
Bose QC45 review
6. Enacfire A9 – Best Budget Wireless Earbuds
Pros
Great sound
Cheap
Include ANC
Cons
Average Ambient mode
Only black
For those that don’t have hundreds to spend but still want wireless earbuds with active noise cancelling should opt for the Enacfire A9.
They have decent enough noise cancelling along with better sound quality than you might expect at this price. A comfortable fit, decent battery life, simple controls make them easy to recommend.
It’s a shame that they only come in one colour and the ambient mode is nothing to write home about.
Read our full
Enacfire A9 Wireless Earbuds review
7. Adidas RPD-01 – Best for Running
Pros
Impressive fit
Great audio quality
Budget friendly
Cons
Slow charging
Middling battery life
Awkward media controls
If you need headphones for running or other forms of exercise then this pair from Adidas is a steal.
They don’t charge very fast and the controls are tricky to master but they get a lot of more important stuff starting with a range of tips and wings to ensure a secure fit.
They are also lightweight and have an IPX4 splash resistant. Sound quality is great, particularly the bass, and the price is rather agreeable. If you need longer battery life look to the more premium
Adidas FWD-01.
Read our full
Adidas RPD-01 review
8. Marshall Monitor II ANC – Best Style
Pros
Build quality
Comfortable & compact
Good battery life
Cons
Middling ANC
Joystick control won’t suit everyone
If noise cancelling is your top priority then Marshall is a little behind rivals in this area, but the Monitor II ANC headphones have a lot to offer.
For starters, they have a more affordable price (RRP) and offer one of the most compact and comfortable designs for a pair of over-ear headphones. They also sound very good, too.
We also like the useful buttons, long battery life and the way the app allows you to customise various elements.
Read our full
Marshall Monitor II ANC review
9. Rockjaw Alfa Genus V2 – Best Under £50
Pros
Cheap
Great sound
Interchangeable filters
If you want great-quality sound at an affordable price, the Alfa Genus V2 should be on your shortlist.
They’re excellent in-ear headphones for this price providing good build quality but more importantly, great sound quality. This is largely due to the interchangeable filters.
It might sound like a gimmick but they mean you can change the audio profile depending on your personal taste and/or what you’re using them for at any given moment.
Read our full
Rock Jaw Alfa Genus V2 review
10. Apple AirPods Max – Best Luxury Listening
Pros
Incredible sound quality
Premium build
Great ANC
Impressive smarts
Cons
Limited Android support
No power button
Silly Smart Case
No Lossless support
They got off to a rocky start but after some firmware updates, the AirPods Max are an excellent choice for Apple users who can afford them.
The design and build are among the most luxurious we’ve ever seen (ignoring the ridiculous Smart Case) and they sound great too, even without Lossless playback support.
You also get active noise cancelling with an excellent transparency mode along with smart features like Hey Siri and Spatial Audio with head-tracking for a more immersive listening experience, whether that’s music or movies.
Read our full
Apple AirPods Max review
Your buying guide to the best headphones
Headphone types
One of the main things you need to do, apart from deciding how much to spend, is choose the type of headphones right for you.
In the grand scheme, there are three types but there are also sub-categories within those, often with a bit of crossover. Here’s what you need to know:
In-ear – Small, lightweight and generally inexpensiveOver-ear – Comfortable and space to house larger driversOn-ear – A good balance of the above
Now take a look at the below options for more types:
Earbuds – Another way of saying in-ear headphonesNeckbuds – Wireless headphones connected together with a section designed to sit around the neck
True wireless earbuds – Earbuds that are not connected to each other with a wire
Find out
how we test audio.
Features to look out for
A lot of people buying headphones will want them to be wireless. It’s not just more convenient but many smartphones don’t come with a physical headphone jack so plug a cable in anymore.
For many, wireless will never reach the quality of a trusty wire, although some pairs may offer both options. Read our reviews to see how good they sound over the air and look out for the latest versions of Bluetooth as well as codecs like aptX for better audio.
We have a chart just for the
best wireless earbuds.
The other modern feature to look out for is noise cancelling. Beware that many sets will try to promote this despite it being ‘passive’, which simply means the headphones are physically blocking sound like earplugs.
What you really want is ‘active noise cancelling’ (ANC) which means the headphones are listening to the outside world with microphones, then getting rid of that sound. This is done by cleverly playing you an inverted version of the signal.
Not all noise cancelling is equal though, so read our reviews to see how good it is. Some also have various levels of the feature as well as additional modes that let some outside sound in to keep you safe or so you hear important announcements. They go by various names like ‘aware’ or ‘social’.
We have a dedicated round-up for the
best noise cancelling headphones.
