Best Noise Canceling Headphones (2025): Over-ears, Wireless Earbuds, Workout Pairs

Now that the majority of new headphones and earbuds offer at least a modicum of noise cancellation, it would be impossible (and counterproductive) to list everything we love above. If you haven’t found yours yet, here are some favorites worth considering.

Soundcore Life Q30 for $60-85: Anker’s Soundcore line is nothing if not value-conscious, and the Life Q30 offers an embarrassing list of extras for its often basement prices. You’ll get clear, warm sound, great features, tons of battery life, and noise cancellation that gets the job done even on a long flight, though it can’t keep up with the flagship pairs. It’s hard to complain when they cost hundreds less, especially with sale prices sometimes dipping to just over $50.

Soundcore Space A40 for $60: Another great value buy from Anker’s Soundcore brand, the Space A40 (8/10, WIRED recommends) are some of our favorite cheap earbuds, especially as their prices continue to drop. You’ll find a sleek design, plenty of features, sound quality, and great noise cancellation for its class.

Apple beats the Fit Pro for $199: The Beats Fit Pro are an older but still pair of wireless buds, with great sound, easy-to-reach physical buttons, and solid noise cancellation to boot. Add to that six hours of battery life, and spatial audio compatibility with Apple Music and other services, and you’ve got one of the best “designed in California” pairs of earbuds ever.

Sony WF-1000XM4 for $290: Sony WF-1000XM4 (7/10, WIRED recommends) still has some of the best noise reduction we’ve heard from a pair of earbuds and delivers the same ultra-customizable sound we love from Sony’s over-ear headphones. They get a little hard to find and are a bit large for small ears but the extra size allows for great battery life.

Amazon Echo Buds, $45: Amazon Echo Buds 2nd Generation (8/10, WIRED recommends) They don’t provide quite the same silence as the top buds on our list, but they’re still a good low-cost option. Amazon’s built-in Alexa voice assistant lets you set timers, check the weather, and control your speakers hands-free. The buds look very good too, making them worth paying attention to after several years.

Epos/Sennheiser Adapt 660 for $152: Want premium sound, comfortable fit, and high-quality noise-cancelling technology for less than you’d pay for Sony or Bose headphones? Check out this collaboration between Epos and Sennheiser. Epic/Sennheiser Adaptation 660 (8/10, WIRED recommends) They sound great, and are some of the lightest noise canceling headphones I’ve ever worn. They also feature excellent microphones to provide great silence on calls and zooming.