Tom's Guide Verdict
The Loop Quiet 2 silicone earplugs are a budget-friendly alternative to sleep headphones. While they don't offer the absolute silence active noise-cancelling earbuds provide, they still block background sound incredibly well. This helps me fall asleep fast each night, despite the racket my neighbours sometimes make. Yes, there are cheaper reusable earplugs for sleep, but the Loop Quiet 2 are ideal for dropping of peacefully without you missing your alarm in the morning. They also come with a 100-night trial and a two-year warranty.
Reasons to buy
- +
Budget price
- +
Soft silicone feel
- +
Ideal for side sleepers
- +
Reusable and easy to clean
- +
Travel case included
- +
Four ear tip sizes and colours
Reasons to avoid
- -
Can fall out during the night
- -
Won't actively cancel out noise
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Loop Quiet 2 Earplugs: Review in brief
I was first introduced to the Loop Quiet 2 earplugs by my ex-colleague Lauren who raved about how the Loop earplugs blocked out neigborhood noise to help her sleep. Desperate to quiet noisy roommates and neighbors, I decided to order the first of four pairs last year. A year on, I now have the Loop Quiet 2 earplugs in four different colors and never go the bed without them nestled in my ears.
The Loop Quiet 2 are reusable silicone earplugs designed to muffle and filter out disturbing background noise for a more restful sleep. They're also built for napping, travelling, and focus. While I've tested some of the best sleep headphones, equipped with active noise cancellation (ANC), the low-tech Loop Quiet 2 show that reusable earplugs have the edge in sleep comfort and convenience.
Type: Reusable silicone earplugs
Noise Reduction Rating: 14 dB (NRR)
Best for: All sleep positions; Sleepers who want to filter out background noise
Sizes: XS, S, M, and L
Warranty: 2-year warranty; 100-night sleep trial
Price: $24.95 at Loop/ £19.95 at Loop UK
The Loop Quiet 2 Earplugs' flexible, soft material are perfect for people like me who find earbuds (such as AirPods or the Fitnexa SomniPods) too hard or foam earplugs unhygienic and unsustainable. They also sit flush, so I never experience any discomfort when I'm side sleeping.
While they can't compete with ANC earbuds like the QuietOn 4 in terms of noise reduction, its Noise Reduction Rating of 14 dB is still perfect for sleeper who want to filter out sleep-disrupting sounds like traffic or a partner's snoring without missing their morning alarm. I use them to filter out TVs playing in another room, street noise, and general roommate noise.
Currently, the Loop Quiet 2 earplugs are $24.95 at Loop, where it comes with a 100-night sleep trial, free returns, and a two-year warranty. However, one pair won't meet the $44 spend threshold for free shipping.
The Loop Quiet 2 earplugs are also available at Amazon, where they are sold at the same MSRP of $24.95, but we've seen them discounted as low as $15.49 during sale events like the Amazon Prime Day sleep and mattress sales and the Black Friday sleep and mattress sales. At the retails giant, the earplugs come with free shipping and returns, but there's no warranty and the 100-night sleep trial is replaced with a 30-day return policy. You can now buy the Loop Quiet 2 Earplugs for $19.95 (was $24.95) at Amazon
In the UK, you can find the Quiet 2 earplugs for £19.95 at Loop UK, but they're often discounted for Amazon UK's Prime Day sale. Currently, the Loop Quiet 2 earplugs are £15.95 (was £19.95) at Amazon UK
Accessories include a white travel case and four pairs of different size earbuds tips (Medium is the default fit). Despite the customizable fit, the Loop earplugs do have a tendency to fall out, so I have woken up many times to find one of my earplugs tucked away in my pillowcase or buried under my sheets.
Despite this minor fault, the Loop Quiet 2 earplugs are still my No 1 method for reducing nocturnal noises — and I've tested a number of methods, including ANC earbuds, sleep headphones, white noise machines, sleep sound machines and old-fashioned foam earplugs. They're perfect for side sleepers who want to filter out background sounds without fidgeting with uncomfortable tips, Bluetooth connectivity, and apps.
Loop Quiet 2 Earplugs review: Design
The Loop Quiet 2 earplugs are the successor to the now-discontinued Loop Quiet and are designed to reduce digging discomfort in the ear canal, fit more securely, and offer more ear tip sizes.
Consisting of a thick outer ring and an adjustable ear canal tip, the Loop Quiet 2 are made from soft, flexible silicone. While the body consists of a ring (which rests on the outer ear) the tip is detachable and swappable — simply choose from four sets of ear tip sizes (Extra small, Small, Medium and Large).
The Quiet 2 earplugs are reusable and easy to clean: simply remove the tips and wipe with a clean damp cloth dipped in warm, soapy water or anti-bacterial biodegradable wipes.
Loop Quiet 2 earplugs review: Performance
I've been using the Loop Quiet 2 earplugs for over a year, assessing them in key areas of noise reduction, set up and comfort. Here's everything you need to know.
Set up
As the Quiet 2 earplugs are tech free, set up is pretty easy. No Bluetooth or app set-up is required, and inserting the earplugs can be done in two simple steps: insert the earplug in your ear with the ring (or the "plug" as Loop call it) pointing towards your cheek, and then twist the Loop to the back (so the ring is resting on your concha.
However, the trickiest part of setting up the Loop Quiet 2 is trying to find the right ear tip fit. The earplugs come with the Medium fit already loaded, as this is the standard size. However, choosing which size to customize your Loop with does require some trial and error. In fact, I oscillated between the X Small and Small sizes before finally settling on the Small.
Luckily, the Loop Quiet 2 come with a small, illustrated manual that demonstrates how to insert your earplugs and provides tips and tricks for knowing whether the size is right for your ear canal.
Comfort
As mentioned above, the Loop Quiet 2 were designed to improve on the first-generation Quiet earplugs. This meant a softer, comfier design, an extra ear tip size, and a thicker ear plug for a securer fit.
I'm someone who needs peace an quiet two sleep, and so I always kept a box of cheap, disposable foam earplugs in my nightstand at the ready on the off-chance that a neighbor decided to host an all-night karaoke party or if I felt on edge and therefore more pervious to the sound of a ticking clock or TV playing in another room.
However, moving to an apartment in the center of a city with a revolving door of roommates with different nocturnal habits meant I needed a more sustainable, hygienic, and customizable solution.
From the first night of use, I slept comfortably with a Loop Quiet 2 earplugs nestled in my ears (even if I initially wasn't wearing the right fit). The soft silicone plug rests easily on my concha with the ear tips physically block noise without digging into my ear canals.
One major complaint about ear plugs and sleep earbuds are the discomfort that side sleepers feel when wearing them. However, I'm happy to report that the Loop Quiet 2 feel comfortable in whatever position I'm sleeping in thanks to the way the ear plugs' design sit flush.
In fact, whenever I try or test out chunkier, harder ANC earbuds (like the AirPods, the Fitnexa Somnipods 3 and the QuietOn 4 earbuds), I always end up returning to my Quiet 2 earplugs as my default noise-blocking method.
Noise blocking
So, let's answer the question that you undoubtedly have: Do the Loop Quiet 2 earplugs create the "quiet bubble" for sleeping that they promise?
Yes, they can...but it depends on your noise environment and how light a sleeper you are.
Objectively speaking, the Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) is 14 dB, which is ideal for blocking light-to-moderate noises and snoring without causing inner-ear pressure.
For me, the Loop Quiet 2 work best against street noise, neighbors, apartment noise (such as a TV playing in the other room, roommates loudly talking downstairs, and snoring coming from the bedroom next to me), and ticking clocks.
However, if you're trying to drown out very loud snoring from a co-sleeper, blaring music or movies, or barking dogs, you will need sleep earbuds equipped with white noise or ANC. That said, the Quiet 2's lack of maximum noise reduction or ANC is ideal if you want to muffle irritating sounds without sleeping through your morning alarm.
Loop Quiet 2 earplugs review: Should you buy?
The Loop Quiet 2 Earplugs are a cost-effective, sustainable way to block out low-to-moderate sleep-disrupting noise. The reusable design made from soft, flexible silicone with provide a gentle fit to all sleep positions (even side sleepers)and ear canals.
While choosing the right fit does take some trial and error, setting up is pretty easy and the Loop's customizable tips mean you don't have to worry about buying the wrong size.
Sure, it's no-tech design does mean you'll need to forgo ANC and built-sleep sounds, but the Quiet 2 earplugs don't require any Bluetooth connection, WiFi, or app setup and is ideal for trying to catch some Zs when you're travelling.
As for noise reduction, the Loop Quiet 2 earplugs are best filtering out disturbances such as light snoring, nocturnal neighbours, apartment noise (from roommates chatting or a TV playing in another room), and street noise. However, switch to ANC headphones like the Soundcore A30 Sleep Earbuds when you need to cancel out music blasting next door or loud snoring.
That said, ANC earbuds (or even standard sleep earbuds like the Ozlo Sleepbuds 2) can cost over $200 even on sale. The Loop Quiet 2 Earplugs, on the other hand, are never over $25 (or £20 in the UK) and you can find plenty of deals at both Loop and Amazon.
Overall, I reccomend the Loop Quiet 2 Earplugs to anyone facing moderate sleep disturbances or prefers a quiet sleep environment but doesn't want to fork out for luxury sleep earbuds. Their soft, irritation-free design is great for side sleepers, too, with its reusable durable material being easy to clean and mold to your inner year for comfortable, restful sleep.
Loop Quiet 2 earplugs review: Alternatives
If you want nocturnal noise management under $30 but you don't want to put anything in your ears, a smart sleep headband is a good alternative. In our MUSICOZY Sleep Headphones review, we praised the blackout MUSICOZY headband for its good value for money (it's frequently $18.99 at Amazon) but be aware that it uses ambient noise to mask sounds rather than blocking them out.
In our Soundcore A30 Sleep Earbuds review, we named the A30 Sleep Earbuds it as our No 1 sleep earbud pick. Currently $199.99 (was $229.99) at Amazon, the A30 is a great option if you need to block out loud noises that earplugs won't muffle. However, be aware that they're not as easy on the ear as the Loop Quiet 2.
Another alternative to earplugs is a sleep sound machine, which can play ambient sounds to mask noises. The Dreamegg sunrise alarm doubles as a sound machine, and at $47.66 (was $79.99) at Walmart, it's great value for money if you're looking for both a wake-up light and a white noise machine. Just don't expect it to offer the "quiet bubble" that Loop offers.
