One of the best parts of my job is testing the best headphones. There’s nothing I like more than slipping a pair of over-ears on my head or some buds in my ears and testing them to their limits to work out whether they’re worth your hard-earned money. I’ve spent thousands of hours this year alone testing headsets of all different price points, comparing them against one another with the help of our dedicated, experienced reviews team to get a wide range of perspectives.
From comfort to sound and everything in between, you want to make sure that the headphones you’re considering have everything you want and need. For me, the sound quality is priority number one, but you might want something different. To that end, each entry in this list is broken down into sections so that you can see the strengths and weaknesses of each pair more easily.
My top pick for the best headphones based on my testing and the experience of our testers are the venerable Sony WH-1000XM5. I’ve found them extremely comfortable for long periods of time, with some of the best earpads in the business. They sound good as well, and their noise canceling is amongst the very best. If you don’t want to spend much money then I’d recommend you consider the Sennheiser Accentum. They don’t cost under $200, but come with some of the biggest battery life you’ll find without keeping a portable battery in your pocket.
I’ve put this list together to be as easy to read and understand as possible. Our quick grid at the top gives you an at a glance view of each pair, with a link to our longer blurbs below. Want even more information? I’ve linked our in-depth reviews for each so that you can get a better idea of what headphones you should invest in. These are my recommendations for the best headphones that you can buy right.
The quick list
Price ★★★☆☆
Sound ★★★★★
Comfort ★★★★★
Sony's WH-1000XM5 make for an excellent headphone buy. They're comfy, sound great, and their noise canceling is top notch. They're not the cheapest, but they're well worth the investment.
Price ★★★★☆
Sound ★★★★☆
Comfort ★★★★★
Marshall's latest ANC headphones might lack a 3.5mm headphone jack, but they make up for it with some incredible battery life. They last for 70 hours with ANC on, and 100 hours when you turn it off.
Price ★★★☆☆
Sound ★★★★☆
Comfort ★★★★★
Bose's most recent flagship headphones pack in the best ANC you'll find anywhere. They sound good and are comfy to boot, but their less impressive battery life does leave you wanting slightly.
Price ★★☆☆☆
Sound ★★★★★
Comfort ★★★★★
If money is no object and you'd like something akin to the headphone version of a Rolls Royce, then these are the cans for you. They're not cheap though, so you'll really have to open the wallet for these ones.
Price ★★★★★
Sound ★★★★☆
Comfort ★★★★★
Sennheiser's mid-priced ANC headphones borrow a lot from the company's fourth generation Momentum Wireless model with strong signature sound up to 50-hour battery life with ANC. These are the mid-price model to beat.
Price ★★★☆☆
Sound ★★★★★
Comfort ★★★★★
If the pursuit of sound is your number one priority, then the Focal Bathys should be your top choice. They sound magical, look phenomenal and come with one of the best hardcases around.
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Price ★★★☆☆
Sound ★★★★☆
Comfort ★★★★☆
If you have an iPhone and want some over ear headphones, you won't do much better than the AirPods Max. They work seamlessly with Apple devices, connecting with a touch across your Apple ecosystem.
Price ★★★★☆
Sound ★★★★★
Comfort ★★★★★
Sony's latest earbuds, much like their over-ear equivalent, are your best option for in-ear buds. Great noise canceling combines with excellent sound and a comfortable fit for my top earbud pick.
Price ★★★★☆
Sound ★★★★☆
Comfort ★★★★★
If you're an Apple user looking for some earbuds, then you should choose the AirPods Pro 2. They work seamlessly with all your Apple devices, while sounding good and being pretty comfortable.
About the author
I love headphones. Taking my audio on the go and making it personal is incredibly important to me, and helping people find the best headphones for them is one of my favorite parts of my job. All of the options on this list have been used and tested by myself and the reviews team here at Tom's Guide, so you can rest easy knowing you're getting the best advise around.
The best headphones you can buy right now
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Best headphones overall
✅ You want the best sound: Balanced and smooth sound from the bottom of the frequency range to the very top, with good rhythmic expression to liberate the music.
✅ You want effective ANC: There's no trace of the ANC circuitry working away and banishes pretty much all external sound to allow your music to do its thing.
✅ You want good battery life: They're good for 30 hours between charges with ANC switched on, and that will rise to as much as 40 hours if you turn it off. Recharges take around 3.5 hours via the USB-C input on the right earcup.
❌ You want foldability: The revamped styling has done away with the popular foldable design of it's predecessor, and is slightly less practical as a result.
❌ You like big and bold styling: Branding is understated on the XM5 with just a little ‘Sony’ logo on each hinge, and the earcups and headband are virtually featureless and entirely anonymous.
❌ You don't like the price increase: Sony has added $50 to the price of its latest XM series headphones. This seems steep given that Sony's exceedingly capable WH-1000XM4 predecessor is readily available, and can even be found discounted for considerably less.
The Sony WH-1000XM5 noise-canceling headphones demonstrate across-the-board expertise with great-sound, exceptional ANC performance and eco credentials.
What you need to know
Sony keeps iterating its flagship noise canceling headphones, the WH-1000XM5 solidify the brands legacy as the makers of the best headphones around. There’s incredible sound quality on offer, with loads of bass and plenty of detail, and I particularly like the way they feel on my head. There’s some extra eco-credentials as well, with a promise they’ll be recycled at the end of their life. They might not be cheap, but they are top quality.
Design: While they might not be as interesting as some of the other entries on the list, I do like the look of the XM5. They’ve a kind of minimalism to them which makes them blend in rather than stand out, with a block color covering the whole headset. Sony even designed them to be aerodynamic to reduce wind noise while you wear them — and our testing confirms that it works with a remarkably low amount of rushing windy interference. The case that comes in the box is large, but it feels sturdy enough to keep the headphones safe from damage. It also squishes down so that you can fit it in tighter bags, wich is useful.
Performance: With an energetic, confident and convincing sound signature, the XM5 are a joy to listen to. We found them impressively detailed through our review, giving hi-res streams from Tidal and Qobuz the justice they deserve. I am impressed with their ANC as well, as the algorithm banishes most noise that might disturb your listening — I was certainly pleased when they blocked out the noise of a thunderous bus at it cruised past me on the street.
Comfort: Sony has got something very right with the comfort of the WH-1000XM5, although there’s one element of the fit that holds us back from calling them perfect. They’re super light weight, coming in at only 8.8 ounces, and combined with their soft earcups and plentiful padding, I’m incredibly impressed with the way they feel on your head. Our reviewer did find that they got hot while wearing them for extending periods, however, which does put a slight blight on proceedings — put your mileage may vary.
Battery life: Battery life in the WH-1000XM5 could never be called bad, but neither is it particularly remarkable. At 30 hours rated battery life with ANC on tap, they have decent staying power. In our testing we found this number to ring true, although it does slip with higher volumes as you might expect. Charging is fast too, and you can even get an extra hour with just 10 minutes charging, which is a nice bonus. There are longer lasting options though, like the Marshall Monitor III.
- Read the full Sony WH-1000XM5 review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $50 more than WH-1000XM4 | ★★★★☆ |
| Design | Anonymous aesthetic but impressive eco credentials | ★★★★★ |
| Performance | Articulate and engaging sound | ★★★★★ |
| Battery life | Long battery life but not the market leader | ★★★★☆ |
The best battery
✅ You want the best battery life bar none: At 70 hours with ANC turned on, the Monitor III last longer than anything else out there.
✅ You like the Marshall house style: They've got a rugged, amp like design that looks stylish and fashionable.
✅ You want great comfort: With light weight and some top-notch earpad foam, you'll quickly forget that you're wearing the Monitor III ANC.
❌ You want a 3.5mm headphone jack: Unlike the previous model of the Monitor headphones, you won't get a 3.5mm jack on the cans. You have to rely on the USB-C adaptor instead.
❌ You love spatial audio: Marshalls version of Spatial Audio, or "SoundStage" leaves a lot to be desired.
❌ You want touch controls: While I'd call the Marshall's control knob a triumph, some prefer the barely there effect of touch controls.
The Marshall Monitor III look, sound and feel the part. They're not perfect, with iffy spatial audio on board and an interesting lack of 3.5mm jack, but they do exactly what they do on the tin. Fashionable, great sounding headphones with some of the best battery life around.
What you need to know
With years and years of heritage making guitar amps, Marshall is a name to reckoned with — case in point, the excellent Monitor III ANC headphones. They’re perhaps one of the comfiest pair of headphones I’ve been lucky enough to put on my head, and while my copy of the headset creaks a little in places, you won’t have any qualms about tossing them in your bag. The battery life is class leading as well, for some of the longest pairs of wireless headphones around.
Design: It’s hard not to be drawn to the retro, rock n’ roll style of the Marshall Monitor III. I love the way they look, with their rugged, rubberized texture and sculpted brass logo on each earcup. The leatherette headband both looks great and feels like it will last a life time, and they fold up small enough to fit into any bag you might want to put them in. My favorite aspect is the new case — it’s genuinely tiny, and its lined with the same kind of red, velvet-like material that you’ll find lining guitar cases. Its the little touches.
Performance: As you might expect, the Monitor III excel at rock, metal and other guitar heavy genres. There’s more to them than just that, though. You’ll find a controlled low end in addition to some great detail across the board, all topped off with some very solid clarity up top. Listening to Billy The Kid - II, Street in a Frontier Town from Aaron Copeland, I found a soundscape that was well suited to classical music, although I did have the most fun listening to the crushing Numinous by Ingested. Marshall’s Spatial Audio does leave a little to be desired though, with its ‘SoundStage’ feature mostly thinning out the music I was listening to rather than making it feel more spacious. ANC is about par for the course, buy you will find better on the likes of the Sony WH-1000XM5 and the QuietComfort Ultra headphones.
Comfort: The Marshall Monitor III feel top notch on my head. They’re very light at 8.8 pounds, and thanks to the addition of a silicon layer on the headband, you’ll barely notice you’re wearing them over long periods. The earcup cushioning is excellent as well, with two layers that create good seal and keep them from pressing against your ears. There’s not much as comfortable as the Monitor III, which is high praise indeed.
Battery life: This is where the Monitor III really stand out. Even with ANC turned on, you get a monstrous 70 hours of listening time. That’s more than every other pair of headphones on this list — and it rises even more to 100 hours if you turn ANC off. Quick charge nets you 12 hours of battery with just 15 minutes of charging too. Our testing rang true with these figures, and I’ve found myself charging them far less often than the competition.
- Read the full Marshall Monitor III review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Great price for a very solid pair of headphones | ★★★★★ |
| Design | Most will love their retro style | ★★★★☆ |
| Performance | Top-notch wireless audio, Spatial Audio needs work | ★★★★☆ |
| Battery life | Simply the best around | ★★★★★ |
Best ANC
✅ You want the very best noise canceling: The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones have unrivaled ANC performance with adjustable ANC that work equally well to neutralize noise across different frequencies.
✅ You want to experience 3D audio: Bose's Immersive Audio gives a universal spatialized audio experience whatever music source or streaming platform you use. While not always entirely natural, it mostly sounds spectacular as your favorite music wraps around your head.
✅ You want a practical design for travel: The collapsible earcups allows the earcups to fold in towards the headband for practical stowage. They come with a rigid carry case, too.
❌ You want top-end call quality: Unfortunately, call quality didn't live up to the standards set by the Bose 700 predecessor. While they eliminated background noise on video and voice calls, some high-frequency sounds and wind did enter conversations.
❌ You need better than 24-hours battery life: At just 24-hours of battery life, and an estimated 18 hours with Immersive Audio, the Bose QC Ultra Headphones are lagging behind the latest generations of ANC models like the Sony WH-1000XM5s.
❌ You listen for longer periods: During our testing, the earpads had a tendency to get a bit hot sticky when placed on the head for longer periods. You may wish to consider a design that uses a breathable material on the earpads.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are the noise canceling champion. Sound quality is strong and Bose's Immersive Audio brings a 3D experience to most music. While audio features and functionality have been improved over their predecessor, this all-new model costs significantly more than many ANC rivals out there.
What you need to know: As always, Bose’s next generation of wireless cans comes out on top with the best ANC. It blocks out pretty much everything of the world around you, leaving you to enjoy your music, podcast or favorite audiobook. They sound good too, and Bose has put the ‘comfort’ from their name into practice with some great earfoam and clamping pressure. The battery life isn’t the best and the spatial audio implementation needs work, but they’re still the best for out and out ANC.
Design: I do really like the way that the QuietComfort look, thanks to their stylish use of metal accents and color. The colorway that I have, Diamond 60th anniversary edition, features gleaming metal arms and a lovely, almost pearlescant finish. Those looking for something more subtle will like the Black and Lunar Blue options — although they all look similarly slick and stylish. The case is great as well, giving plenty of protection and being compact enough to slip into most bags. I do wish my white colored case was a slightly different shade though. I worry that one rogue drink spillage and my lovely, leatherette case will be pepsi colored for life.
Performance: Let’s start with the ANC, because that’s why you buy a pair of Bose headphones. I found it to be exemplary, blocking out every single noise that came its way. You put the headphones on, and you’re immediately in a world of your own in which you can enjoy your music. And you will enjoy your music, because the sound happens to top notch as well. They’re warmer than some of the competition, with an unashamed focus on low end grunt, but they give a pleasing listen none the less. There’s plenty of detail to enjoy, although you might want to leave the Immersive audio feature turned off. I found it thinned music out, and while it was wider, it lacked depth.
Comfort: I could very happily listen to the QuietComfort Ultra headphones all day. The plush earcups and soft headband make for a supremely comfy listening experience, and while they feel substantial, they’re not overly weighty at 8.9 ounces. You’ll have no problem of a 10-hour intercontinental flight, that’s for sure, or just you hour long commute to work.
Battery life: The primary weakness of the QuietComfort Ultra headphones is their slightly disappointing battery life. They’re rated for just 24 hours with ANC turned on, and that plummets to 18 hours with Immersive audio turned on. You do get 3 hours of listening with a 15-minute charge though, which is a bonus. I found the battery numbers echoed my experience, although I also watched the battery drain when I pumped the volume.
- Read the full Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones review
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Worthwhile for the best noise cancelling | ★★★★★ |
| Design | Neat styling and controls | ★★★★☆ |
| Performance | Most flexible ANC out there | ★★★★★ |
| Battery life | Lags behind latest rivals | ★★★★☆ |
The best luxury headphones
✅ You want specialist know-how: The Px8 are Bowers & Wilkins' most advanced noise-canceling headphones to date, and are a confident addition to the luxury headphone market and use high quality material for the best sound.
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