The Best Wireless Earbuds

Buying Guide

When it comes to convenience, it’s hard to beat a good pair of wireless earbuds. Whether you’re working out or just doing chores around the house, you’ll avoid the inconvenience of needing your phone within reach. And, you won’t need to deal with removing that pesky wire that seems to get caught on everything.

But if you’ve ever tried to find a good pair of earbuds of any type, you know how challenging it can be. You’ll need the earpieces to fit snugly and comfortably into your outer ear. Ears are, of course, shaped differently from one person to another, which only adds to that challenge. However, there are some wireless earbuds on the market that are built to compensate for those shape differences, conforming perfectly to the contours of most ears.

A comfortable fit goes beyond simply letting you wear your earbuds for hours without fatigue. Well-made earbuds also fit in a way that keeps outside noise out, which is especially important if you listen in crowded areas, like gyms. Chances are, though, you’re most concerned about audio quality, especially if you’re a music lover. Some earbuds provide better sound than others, especially for sophisticated listeners who look for features like bass response.

With wireless earbuds, there are a couple of extra elements you’ll need to consider. One is battery life since you’ll have to put your earbuds on a charger when you aren’t using them. If you leave the house with your earbuds and use them throughout the day, you may find you run out of juice with some earbuds.

The other consideration with wireless earbuds is pairing. Instead of plugging a cord into the jack of your smartphone, you’ll have to connect using Bluetooth technology, and some earbuds handle this task better than others. Ideally, once you’ve connected, you’ll stay that way throughout the day. But some earbuds will lose connectivity intermittently, forcing you to repeat the process of manually pairing them.

• Sound quality can be a subjective thing, but some companies have developed a reputation for their superior audio.
• Audio doesn’t just matter when you’re enjoying your favorite tunes. Some wireless earbuds use four microphones and audio stability to ensure your phone calls go as smoothly as possible.
• As valuable as crystal-clear audio performance is, though, it won’t mean anything if you’re miserable while wearing your earbuds. Look for headphones that are designed with winged tips to help keep them in your ears. Some models even provide three to six different-sized tips to ensure you find the fit that’s right for you.
• One pitfall of wireless earbuds is that, unlike their wired counterparts, you have to charge them after a certain number of hours of use. You’ll get the longest battery life out of models that promise up to eight hours of use on a charge.
• If you’re concerned with connection issues, you may want to stick with a model that is known to rarely drop a Bluetooth connection.
• Sometimes it isn’t necessarily the audio you’re getting from your earbuds, but the extent to which it masks the noise around you. The silicone tips that ship with some wireless earbuds provide a sealing effect that that offers good noise-isolating functionality. Some headphones offer noise suppression to keep those outside sounds out.
• When it’s time to switch songs or adjust the volume, it can be annoying to go back to your device. Go with a wireless earbud set that has onboard volume, track and digital assistant controls to let you leave your device in your pocket or workout bag while you’re listening.
• Moisture is always a concern with electronics, and it can be tough to keep earbuds dry. This is especially true if you wear your earbuds while exercising. Look for wireless earbuds that are both water and sweat-resistant, although you shouldn’t swim or shower in them like you would a waterproof pair.
• If the high price of wireless earbuds has kept you away, you may be excited to know that there are plenty of affordable models on the market that are still high-quality.
• Look for a set of wireless earbuds that comes with a carrying case. Some models even have zippered carrying cases that can attach to a keychain.
• If you’re looking for a pair of earbuds that you can wear without people noticing, you’ll want to avoid models with headphones that are on the bulky side.