Apple EarPods are suddenly hot again — our experts pick the 6 wired earbuds to buy right now

You're not dreaming, the iPod is back in style, and hipsters everywhere are turning to Apple's iconic white wired EarPods as a fashion statement. And with personal music collections replacing streaming subscriptions in 2026, there’s no better time to upgrade your wired earbuds.

I decided to ask Tom's Guide's audio experts for some recommendations, as I really want to buy myself an iPod for that nostalgia hit — and as expected, my colleagues delivered.

I've listed the six pairs of wired earbuds TG's audio experts would recommend to their friends and family, and there's an option for everyone, regardless of your budget. If you're looking to take back control of your audio listening this year and want a device with an audio jack, we've got you covered with this excellent list below.

Nikita Achanta

Nikita is a Senior Reviews Writer covering the best earbuds and headphones for Tom’s Guide. She’s always listening to music and considers herself a music nerd. When she tests earbuds, she loves analyzing performance across various genres to ultimately answer the question: are they good value for money?

As a guitarist and a bassist, she know how to determine whether a pair of buds reproduces sound well or not — and she’s a firm believer in the fact that the only way to truly appreciate music is through a pair of wired earbuds.

Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds.