The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 is our favorite pair of noise-cancelling headphones, but we also have recommendations for people who want to spend less or prefer earbuds over headphones.
For frequent flyers or commuters on public transit, reducing the noise around you is the difference between enduring a trip and enjoying it. Noise-cancelling headphones can make your music easier to hear and your world a little more peaceful.
This pair of over-ear headphones cancels noise impressively, sounds great, is comfortable to wear, and has a long battery life—all for less than $100.
This pair of wireless earbuds sounds fantastic and cancels noise better than any others we’ve tested. However, people with very small ears might struggle to keep them securely in place.
True wireless earbuds should play for at least five hours, ideally more. Over-ear headphones should go for at least eight to 10 hours.
A good design should fit most ear shapes and head sizes, so we have a variety of people try on our top contenders.
We use a specialized audio-measurement system with a simulated ear to test how much noise the headphones can reduce.
The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 is the best set of over-ear noise-cancelling headphones that Bose currently offers. This pair is worth the investment for the frequent traveler who puts a premium on performance and comfort, and we recommend the 700 over newer, pricier Bose offerings for as long as it is still available.
These headphones can provide the superior noise cancellation that Bose has been known for, but the level of the active noise cancellation (ANC) is adjustable on a scale from 0 to 10, enabling you to find the amount that works best for you.
This pair also has a lightweight design that is comfortable to wear for hours, and features an easy-to-use combination of touch controls and physical buttons that you can access without looking. Plus, you can use the headphones in wired mode with the ANC engaged if, for example, you want to access an in-flight entertainment system. They fold flat for easy storage in the supplied case, too.
The Bose 700 isn’t entirely without flaws, however: The sound quality is good but not as crisp as that of our favorite everyday audiophile headphones, the app can be vexing, and the battery life isn’t the longest we’ve seen—though at 20 hours, it’ll still get you through a very long flight.
The Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds are small but powerful. This pair combines excellent active noise cancellation and passive isolation to better suppress all the sounds around you—not just the low-frequency ones. The sound quality is fantastic right out of the box, and you can customize it further in the Sony app. The eight hours of battery life (with ANC enabled) will get you through a long day of listening.
If you want to hear your surroundings, simply hold a finger to the left earbud, and the hear-through mode (sometimes called awareness or transparency mode) kicks in. Or, an optional feature automatically enables hear-through when you speak—handy for people who frequently have their hands occupied. The large, touch-based controls handle the full suite of music playback, call answering, and digital-assistant activation, and they aren’t as prone to misfires and missed taps as the controls on other earbuds we’ve tested.
The XM5 is loaded with helpful features, including Alexa and Google voice activation, dual-device connectivity, noise-reducing microphones, and even the ability to accept or reject calls with a nod or shake of your head.
The earbuds are quite small. Sony includes four sizes of tips, but this pair may still prove challenging to keep in place for folks with small ears or who are very active. And the unique foam and silicone tips can make your ears feel full, a sensation some people may find uncomfortable. Additionally, as with all true wireless earbuds, you can’t use these in wired mode, so you’ll need a Bluetooth transmitter to use this pair with certain in-flight entertainment systems that require a cable connection.
If you want a surprisingly great pair of wireless noise-cancelling headphones for around $100, we recommend the Soundcore Space One. In our tests, the active noise cancellation was nearly as effective as that of the Bose 700, and the level is adjustable. The sound, while not as refined as that of the Bose 700, is nonetheless enjoyable to listen to and can be customized to your preference in the Soundcore app. The chassis is lightweight and comfortable to wear, with full controls.
Dual-device connectivity is supported, and a hear-through mode can be activated by the press of a button or automatically when you speak. The 40-hour battery life with ANC on (55 hours with it off) means you may only have to charge this pair once a week or less.
The Space One comes with a cable so you can use it in wired mode on a flight or when you run out of power—but note that the ANC and microphone do not work if you’re out of battery. Luckily, the quick-charge feature will give you four hours of listening after just five minutes plugged in.
While this set has three noise-reducing microphones, we found that voices can sound compressed and somewhat distant to callers—especially when compared with more expensive headphones.
Our top pick for the best wireless earbuds, the Soundcore Space A40 pair is also a great option if you want a more affordable pair of noise-cancelling earbuds. Though this set’s active noise cancellation isn’t as broad or effective as what you can get from the Sony WF-1000XM5, it still ranked near the top in our tests.
The sound quality is enjoyable right out of the box, but if it’s not your ideal, you have multiple ways to fine-tune the sound using the Soundcore app. The small, lightweight earbuds should fit most ears comfortably, and 10 hours of battery life per charge is impressive. The tiny charging case holds an additional 40 hours’ worth of power and supports wireless charging.
Six microphones deliver clear phone calls, and the pair’s dual-device connectivity allows you to effortlessly switch between listening to music on your laptop, for example, and taking a call on your phone.
The touch-based controls work reliably and are customizable in the app, but they don’t offer everything: You have to choose one function, such as track reverse, to omit. As with all true wireless earbuds, you can’t use these with a cable, so you’ll need a Bluetooth transmitter to for use with some in-flight entertainment systems.
Mark Levinson No. 5909: The No. 5909 are premium audio brand Mark Levinson's first headphones and, yes, they're really expensive at $999. But they're also really good. They have a sturdy design without managing to feel hefty on your head (read: they're substantial but not too heavy) and they're comfortable to wear over long periods thanks to their nicely padded (and replaceable) leather-covered earcups and headband. Read our Mark Levinson No. 5909 hands-on.
Focal Bathys: French audio company Focal is known for its high-end speakers and headphones. You might call it the Bowers & Wilkins of France. And now it's finally done what a lot of high-end audio companies have had to do in this age of on-the-go wireless music listening: make active noise-canceling Bluetooth headphones. These $699 cans sound fantastic and are great overall but their noise-canceling is fairly light, so don't buy them for their ANC.
Master & Dynamic MW09: Master & Dynamic headphones and earbuds have always featured unique, eye-catching designs that include premium materials like aluminum, sapphire glass and Kevlar. Its latest MW09 flagship earbuds look pretty similar to its earlier MW08 buds, but have some upgrades on the inside that deliver better performance, particularly when it comes to battery life and noise canceling (it's now very close to what Bose and Sony offer, though not quite at their level for ANC).
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro: The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro offer improved noise canceling along with very good sound and voice-calling performance, plus support for high-resolution wireless audio streaming if you're a Galaxy device owner with the right setup. That said, their biggest upgrade may be their new design and smaller size, which make them a better fit for more ears. Aside from their somewhat high price tag, their only drawback is that some of their key features only work with Samsung Galaxy devices.
Beats Studio Buds Plus: Alas, for those of you who bought the original Beats Studio Buds, which remain on the market for now, I'm sorry to report that these new Plus buds are significantly improved, with better sound, noise canceling and battery life. Additionally, they now deliver top-notch voice-calling performance.
Beats Fit Pro: While the Beats Fit Pro technically aren't AirPods, they're built on the same tech platform as the AirPods Pro (yes, Apple owns Beats). Unlike Beats' earlier and less expensive Studio Buds and new-for-2023 Studio Buds Plus, the Beats Fit Pro include Apple's H1 chip and have most of the AirPods Pro's features, including active noise canceling, spatial audio and Adaptive EQ. I'd venture to call them the sports AirPods you've always wanted.
Technics EAH-A800: There's a bit of an old-school vibe to the Technics EAH-A800 -- and it's not just the Technics brand, which Panasonic resurrected in the last few years. Their design is something of a throwback but the headphones are comfortable and both fold up and fold flat. They feature a big, energetic sound with powerful bass and good detail (however, they take a day or two to break in).
Technics EAH-AZ80: Panasonic has done a nice job of creating an all-around top-performing set of buds that offer an improved fit with terrific sound, good noise canceling and a robust feature set.
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3: Featuring excellent sound, improved noise canceling and voice-calling performance as well a smaller, more refined design that includes stabilizing fins (so the earbuds stay in your ears more securely), the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 are among the best true-wireless earbuds, giving the Sony WF-1000XM4 a run for the money. Read our Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 review.
Sennheiser 450BT: Sennheiser updated its well-regarded 4.50BTNC noise-canceling headphones in 2020. The new headphone model is called the 450BT and it has some notable upgrades, including better battery life (up to 30 hours with noise canceling on), USB-C charging, Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX support for devices like the Samsung Galaxy smartphones that support it and more comfortable earpads. The 450BT noise-canceling headphones list for $200, but usually cost around $150 although they have dipped to as low as $100 in flash sales (they're a good value at that price).
Google Pixel Buds Pro: The Pixel Buds Pro are Google's first earbuds to feature active noise canceling. While it's nice that they finally have a feature that a lot of true-wireless earbuds have had for a while, what ultimately sets the Pixel Buds Pro apart and makes them worth considering -- particularly for Android users -- is their distinct design and winning fit. That helps enhance their performance on both the sound quality and noise-canceling fronts. While not quite elite for voice-calling, they also performed well as a headset for making calls. Read our Google Pixel Buds Pro review.