The 11 Best Premium Wireless Earbuds to Buy Right Now

The convenience of earbuds must no longer come at the cost of premium performance, and no current pair offers better proof of this than the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8. The British brand’s range-topping in-ear models offer everything you could want from a pair of headphones. They are comfortable to wear thanks to their lightweight construction (which also means they stay put in your ears), come loaded with features you’ll actually use, and, most importantly of all, sound great. These ‘buds may be tiny, but they offer the kind of performance that comes close to those of bigger over-ear models. The Pi8 also provide the type of noise cancellation that will help you focus in noisy environments and equally solid call quality whether you’re inside or outside.

If you’re in the market for a pair of premium earbuds that you’ll primarily use to listen to music, then Technics has you covered. The Japanese brand, which is known far and wide for its superlative turntables, introduced a new in-ear headphone model last year called the EAH-AZ100 that comes closer to replicating the sound of over-ear headphones than anything else on this list. The flagship pair is tiny but produces vibrant sound that’s at once powerful and pristine. Each ‘bud houses a magnetic fluid driver that helps minimize distortion to ensure that your music sounds the way it is supposed to. That includes just about everything, whether you’re into glitchy techno or Beethoven. There’s also ANC to help block out unwanted noise and other distractions on your commute or at the office. Their 28-hour battery life also comes in handy if you don’t have to spend your entire day at your desk with access to an outlet.

Predictability isn’t always a bad thing. There are exceptions, of course— including one lower down this list—but for the most part, you know exactly what you’re going to get from a pair of Bose headphones: solid sound, a clean design, and stellar noise cancellation. This is especially true of the brand’s flagship QuietComfort headphones. Of those, our preference is for the in-ear model, the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. Thanks to a variety of ear tips, stability bands, and ANC tech that Bose has been honing for years, this pair can block out just about all the unwanted ambient noise you’ll encounter during your day. Those first two features also ensure these earbuds are comfortable to wear from morning to night, allowing you to listen to music, catch up on podcasts, and take calls without a second thought.

Earbuds are, by definition, more comfortable than their over-ear siblings. There’s no pair currently on the market that this is truer of than the Beyerdynamic Amiron 300, a pair so small and lightweight you’re liable to forget that you are even wearing them. Because they’re so light, getting them to actually stay put is easy—no mean feat, as even the most seasoned earbud convert will tell you—since they’re less likely to be jarred loose while you move through your daily activities. Despite their slight size, these earbuds also pack an audio punch, with music coming through loud and clear regardless of the genre, whether or not they’re surprisingly effective ANC is on or not.

In the audio world, no brand puts out as consistently stylish gear as Bang & Olufsen. Just look at the latest version of its ultra-chic in-ear headphones, the Beoplay Eleven. Thanks to their graceful shape, smooth finish, and jeweled touchpads, this pair will complement your outfit, not detract from it. But B&O knows that style only gets you so far, which is why these earbuds offer significantly better performance than their predecessors, the Beoplay EX. Each headphone houses a 9.2 mm driver strong enough to ensure your favorite artist sounds exactly as they should, no matter how high you turn up the volume. They also have several quality-of-life improvements that improve the listening experience, including solid ANC, multi-point Bluetooth connectivity, and IP57-rated dust and water protection.

If you’re already a part of the Apple ecosystem, there’s no pair of earbuds as easy to use as the company’s flagship AirPods Pro 2. Once you connect the in-ears to a device, be it an iPhone, iPad, or MacBook, it’ll remember it. The pair can even cycle between devices without missing a beat, even if you’re struggling to stay focused. This seamless connectivity is why the pair has become so ubiquitous since its introduction in 2019, but the latest version of the headphones now offers audio quality that can be described as “good.” That is a marked improvement from what came before. Audiophiles obviously won’t be swayed, but for most of us, Apple’s ‘buds will be more than good enough. Strong noise-cancellation, even better call quality, and USB-C charging also make it that much harder to resist the urge to be just like everyone else.

The Pixel Buds Pro 2 are Google’s answer to the Apple AirPods Pro 2. The company’s newest top-of-the-line earbuds are aimed at those who’ve gone all in on its products, particularly the Pixel phone. Sure, you won’t see them as much as their older, more ubiquitous rival, but they’ve caught on with their intended audience and for good reason. Connecting them to and switching between devices running the Android operating system is a breeze. They also feature improved audio and noise cancellation, as well as a respectable 12-hour battery life (though this drops to eight if you have ANC on the whole time). Google’s Gemini AI integration doesn’t work quite as smoothly as you’d hope, but it’s not that bad compared to some of the competition.

Practice makes perfect, just ask Master & Dynamic. The company’s MW08 was a solid pair of in-ear headphones, but their successor, the MW09, is a clear upgrade in every single way. The stylish earbuds have been fully re-engineered to be lighter, more comfortable, and sound better (although you’ll likely want to play around with the equalizer, especially if you prefer music with more of an acoustic profile). Their 16-hour battery life is also nothing to shrug off. Another highlight is that they come with a charging case that both looks (and feels) good and, thanks to its intuitive battery gauge, is actually useful.

It’s apparently very hard to make a good pair of workout earbuds—especially if you don’t want to include behind-ear hooks—but Bose seems to have finally figured it out. The Ultra Open solves the fit issue that plagues so many of their peer by utilizing an unorthodox design. Each headphone unit clips to the wearer’s ear with the earpiece sitting just outside the canal rather than inside it. Yes, they look like earrings, and yes, they take some getting used to, but doing so is worth it. The open-ear design also allows you to hear your surroundings, something that’s vital if you run on busy roads and streets. It’s enough to make you wish that Bose, despite its well-earned reputation for building consistently reliable headphones, would take more chances. 

Sony fans are spoiled for choice when it comes to in-ear headphones. The company’s flagship pair, WF-1000XM5, may feel a bit dated at this point, but they’re not far behind the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8. The company’s newest set of earbuds, the WF-C710N, is the most intriguing currently on offer, though. They may not sound as strong as the WF-1000XM5 or have as effective ANC, but they come awfully close, especially if you’re willing to play around with the equalizer inside Sony’s Sound Connect app. And, since they cost just over a third of the price of their older siblings, coming that close is a big deal. They even beat the WF-1000XM5 in terms of battery life, allowing you to go up to 30 hours between charges, even if you’re addicted to using ANC. That’s hard to beat, especially at such an accessible price point.

There are headphones for practically everything, including listening to music, blocking unwanted noise, and … getting to sleep. The Ozlo Sleepbuds are for those of us who like to listen to dry history podcasts or classical music before slipping off to dreamland. They do everything beloved-but-discontinued Bose Sleepbuds can and more (no wonder, since they share some developers). The streamlined M&M-sized headphones were designed not to put pressure on your ear should you roll over in your sleep, and come with a variety of silicone tips to ensure a snug fit and to help block out any unwanted noise. Their best feature, though, is that they come equipped with sensors that can tell when you actually drift off, allowing them to switch to a soundtrack, like white noise or nature sounds, that is less likely to wake you up.

Audio Quality: As the preceding list shows, earbuds are for more than just listening to music. Still, audio quality remains an important factor when selecting a pair. Fortunately, recent advances in driver technology ensure that even the tiniest set of headphones can deliver commanding sound. Plus, most earbuds are compatible with a proprietary app that allows you to improve sound if you’re not afraid of playing around with the equalizer settings.

Battery Life: There’s nothing worse than putting in your earbuds at the gym or on the way back from work and realizing they’re dead. Listening habits vary, but you’ll want a pair that offers at least six hours of continuous battery life (anything less isn’t on this list). Most pairs also come with smart charging cases—something almost all top-notch earbuds offer at this point—that can multiply that time, too.

Noise Canceling: Our day-to-day lives can take us through some noisy environments. If you want to hear what you’re listening to, you’ll want a pair of earbuds with noise-canceling. Some wireless earbuds even have ANC that, depending on the volume of your surroundings, will adjust white noise levels to balance everything out.

Multipoint: It may sound unnecessary, but you’re going to want a pair of headphones that can connect to more than one device at a time. Pairs with this feature, which is often called multipoint, allow you to switch between devices—say a phone and computer—without a second thought.

Water Resistance: Sometimes you’re going to get caught in the rain. That’s why almost all premium earbuds have some level of water protection. The current industry standard, IPX4, means your headphones can withstand splashes of water, but higher levels can protect against more, including being fully submerged.