I test noise-cancelling headphones for a living — these 3 have the longest battery life

Marshall Monitor III ANC - Open on Table

(Image credit: Future)

One of the best things about wireless headphones is how you can take them anywhere. One of the worst things is that they run out of battery, which can put a dampener on the whole "taking them anywhere" thing. You needn't leave the house with battery anxiety if you pick one of these three options.

While there are plenty of options out there with good battery life, there are fleetingly few with epic battery. I've tested some of the longest-lasting headphones around, and verified their battery life claims — and then ranked them by their battery life.

Each one of these headphones lasts for 100 hours if you leave the ANC turned off, but it's the ANC on battery we're interested in. Let's see which of the best headphones made the cut.

60 hours — Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 SE

Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 SE headphones and case on a table. — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

The Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 SE might be my favorite pair of headphones on the list, even though their battery isn't as high as the other two options. Even then, 60 hours is some mind-blowing battery life, accounting for far more than even the flagship headphones of Sony, Bose and Apple.

That's triple the ANC on power of the AirPods Max, double that of the Sony WH-1000XM6 and about 2.5 times the battery of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones. That's some truly epic battery life there — and we're only at the start of our list.

Of course, battery life without features would be pretty useless. Thankfully, the P100 SE pack in some of the best sound until you start to look at really expensive options, a very comfortable fit and top-notch build quality. Excellent battery life, excellent headphones.

65 hours — 1More Sonoflow Pro

Coming in at just $87, the 1More Sonoflow Pro are the cheapest headphones here — but also one of the longest lasting. They boast 65 hours of battery life, and my testing showed that number to be pretty much spot on the money. That's a pair of headphones that costs less than a quarter of the price of the big names in the game, while obliterating their battery life claims.

Over three times the AirPods Max, more than double the Sony WH-1000XM6 and nearly triple that of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones. Considering that those are headphones that will set you back at least an extra $360, that's no mean feat. Of course, you'll want a bit more than battery life in your headphones.

For a sub-$100 price tag, you get some solid features as well. Sound is excellent for the price, and the ANC on board is plenty to block out the sound of the train. I found them extremely comfortable as well — I managed a listening session of around 9 hours at one point, only taking them off so that I could hear the delivery person at the door.

70 hours — Marshall Monitor III

Marshall Monitor III over-ear headphones — (Image credit: Nikita Achanta / Tom's Guide)

With 70 hours of ANC on time, the Marshall Monitor III aren't just the longest lasting headphones on the list, but better than anything else out there. For a little time-based context fun, that's about enough to get me through my work day for nearly two weeks. That's mad. It's also a whole lot more than the leading headphone brands.

That's three and a half times the battery life of the AirPods Max, plenty more than double the Sony WH-1000XM6 and treacherously close to triple the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones. If you're constantly on the road, then these are the headphones for you, considering how little you'll need to get yourself to a power outlet.

They fold up really small and then fit into a very sturdy protective hard case, so that they're well protected on your travels. They sound great, too, and have decent ANC to keep out the noise of your surroundings. Battery life-wise, though, there's nothing that can beat them.

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Tammy and her generous collection of headphones have found a new home — Tom's Guide! After a two-and-a-half-year stint as iMore's resident audiophile, Tammy's reviews and buying guide expertise have more focus than ever on Tom's Guide, helping buyers find the audio gear that works best for them. Tammy has worked with some of the most desirable audio brands on the planet in her time writing about headphones, speakers, and more, bringing a consumer focussed approach to critique and buying advice. Away from her desk, you'll probably find her in the countryside writing (extremely bad) poetry, or putting her screenwriting Masters to good use creating screenplays that'll never see the light of day.

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