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Headphones

From traveling to commuting to bedtime, the many different ways people use headphones has created a strong market for a variety of headphone products. In such an overwhelming market, we’ve got everything you need to help decide which headphone brand and style is best for you with top headphone guides including best headphones, best earbuds, best noise-cancelling headphones for flying, and more. Explore headphone reviews and deals from popular brands like Bose, Beats, and Sony, and keep up with all the latest headphone news and releases.

Table of Contents

sony xm5 and xm6 headphones held in hand
The 12 best headphones of 2026 — we tested the top contenders from Sony, Apple, Bose, and Beats
Mashable Readers' Choice Award logo against background of audio products
Rate your favorite audio brands for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card
sony xm6 earbuds in case with red light shining on them
The 9 best earbuds of 2026, tested by audio experts
back view of woman with dark hair wearing Bose over-ear headphones
The 11 best noise-cancelling headphones we use, love, and recommend buying during Amazon's Big Spring Sale
Sony ULT Wear headphones with teal background
Sony's excellent ULT Wear noise-cancelling headphones are still over $100 off at Amazon
sennheiser momentum 4 headphones against an orange and blue patterned background
Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones are half price right now at Amazon — save over $200

Meet Our Experts

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Bethany Allard
Lead Shopping Reporter

Bethany Allard is a Los Angeles-based shopping reporter at Mashable covering beauty tech, dating, sex and relationships, and headphones. That basically means she puts her hair through a lot, scrolls through a lot of dating apps, and rotates through a lot of different headphones. In addition to testing out and rounding up the best products, she also covers deals for Mashable, paying an especially obsessive amount of attention to Apple deals and prices. That knowledge comes in handy when she's covering shopping holidays like Prime Day and Black Friday, which she's now done for three years at Mashable.

portrait of a woman wearing glasses
Samantha Mangino
Shopping Reporter

Boston-based Shopping Reporter, Samantha Mangino, covers all things tech at Mashable, rounding up the best products and deals. She’s covered commerce for three years, spending extensive time testing and reviewing all things home, including couches, steam irons, and washing machines. She thoroughly vets products and internet trends, finding out if those cozy gamer chairs are really as comfortable as TikTok claims.

woman with short blonde hair smilling
Miller Kern
Deputy Shopping Editor

Miller Kern is the Deputy Editor of Shopping and Reviews at Mashable, where she writes and edits reviews, roundups, deals, and news stories about tech products, including headphones, skincare devices, laptops, sex toys, e-readers, robot vacuums, and more. She's been covering all things shopping and tech, including shopping holidays like Prime Day and Black Friday, for Mashable since 2019. Miller can tell you which products are actually worth your money. She also explores trends in the shopping sphere, such as dupes and viral TikTok moments.

Headphones

man wearing yellow Beats Flex earbuds
Run to grab a pair of Beats Flex earbuds while they're only $40
I test headphones and earbuds — here's what you can still buy during Amazon's Spring Sale
One day only: Sony XM5 headphones just hit a new record price — save $157 in Big Spring Sale
The best AirPods Max deal isn't at Amazon during the Big Spring Sale
The best AirPods deals in Amazon's Big Spring Sale — we found AirPods Pro 3 for under $200
pairs of airpods against a rainbow background The best AirPods deals from Amazon's Big Spring Sale — score AirPods Pro 3 for under $200 while you still can
person holding sony xm5 headphones crossing the street with spring sale bug in the corner Sony headphones deals have mostly ended during Amazon's Spring Sale — but 1 great 1 remains
Sony, Shokz, and Soundcore open earbuds Last chance to grab the best deals on open earbuds in Amazon's Big Spring Sale: Save on Shokz, Bose, and Soundcore
nothing earbuds in case, silver sony xm6 headphones, and black sony xm6 earbuds on blue and green graphic I found 20+ noise-cancelling headphones to shop in Amazon's Spring Sale: Last chance to save on Sony and Bose
a woman wearing the apple airpods max 2 Red alert: Apple's brand-new AirPods Max 2 are $20 off for Amazon's Big Spring Sale

Best Products

sonos, bose, beats, bowers and wilkins, and anker headphones on a bed The most comfortable headphones we've ever tested will take care of your ears
open earbuds from anker soundcore, shokz, nothing, and bose on oak tabletop The best open earbuds in 2026: These picks stay put, sound great, and keep you aware of the world
four pairs of earbuds on a table The 5 best noise-cancelling earbuds include the most comfortable buds we've ever tested
A pair of Bose QuietComfort earbuds Don't break the bank: The best budget earbuds, tested by our audio experts
the bose quietcomfort ultra headphones on airplane tray table The best noise-cancelling headphones for flying: 8 picks to improve your travel experience
pairs of headphones piled up on each other The 9 best budget headphones we've tested under $100
Sony XM5 earbuds on record player, sony xm5 headphones on red mat I tested the best Sony headphones and earbuds for ANC, sound, and cool factor: See my top 7 picks
bose open earbuds with charging case on sidewalk We tested every pair of Bose headphones and earbuds. We found 5 we love, and 1 to buy on sale.
The Beats Studio Pro, Beats Fit Pro, Beats Solo 4, Beats Solo Buds, and Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 next to each other on a sofa. I tested the best Beats headphones for sound quality, portability, style, and value
A person holding a pair of Beats Fit Pro against a lawn We tested the best headphones and earbuds for working out

Versus

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra (Gen 2) and Sony WH-1000xM6 headphones on a colorful background Bose QuietComfort Ultra (Gen 2) vs. Sony WH-1000xM6: Which headphones should you buy?
The Apple AirPods Pro 3 and the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 on a colorful background AirPods Pro 3 vs. Beats Powerbeats Pro 2: Which wireless earbuds should you buy?
bose quietcomfort ultra gen 2 and gen 1 headphones Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones: How the first and second generations compare
A photo of the Apple AirPods Pro 3 sitting on an orange table next to the Sony WF-1000XM5, both in their case Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs. Sony WF-1000xM5: Which noise-canceling earbuds are better?
airpods pro 3 and bose qc ultra earbuds on abstract background that says "vs" Apple AirPods Pro 3 vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2

Deals

pairs of airpods against a rainbow background We've found the best AirPods deals in Amazon's Big Spring Sale — $99 AirPods are still live
nothing earbuds, sony xm6 headphones, apple airpods max 2, and sony linkbuds clip on blue and pink background I test headphones and earbuds — here's what you should buy in Amazon's Big Spring Sale
Alex Bracetti holding the Sony WH-CH520 on-ear headphones in his hand. Sony's best budget headphones just dropped to $42.95 for Prime members
pairs of airpods against a rainbow background We've found the best AirPods deals to shop in Amazon's Big Spring Sale — $99 AirPods are still live
nothing earbuds, sony xm6 headphones, apple airpods max 2, and sony linkbuds clip on blue and pink background I test headphones and earbuds. These are the best deals on both in Amazon's Big Spring Sale.
Nothing ear earbuds against a colorful background. Hurry: The Nothing Ear (a) earbuds just hit a record-low price for Amazon's Big Spring Sale
sony linkbuds clip open earbuds with stickers that read 'low price' and 'sale' I found all the wireless earbuds worth buying during Amazon's Big Spring Sale. Save $50 on AirPods
pairs of airpods against a rainbow background We've found the best AirPods deals to shop in Amazon's Big Spring Sale — $99 AirPods are live
nothing earbuds in case, silver sony xm6 headphones, and black sony xm6 earbuds on blue and green graphic I found 22 noise-cancelling headphones to shop during the Amazon Spring Sale — ANC headphones start at $42
nothing earbuds, sony xm6 headphones, apple airpods max 2, and sony linkbuds clip on blue and pink background I test headphones and earbuds nearly every day. These are the best deals on both during Amazon's Big Spring Sale.

News

Apple AirPods Max 2 5 things you may have missed about Apple's AirPods Max 2
orange jbl live headphones on a roman statue bust JBL leans into tech as fashion with new SXSX headphone launches
white nothing(a) headphones next to plant on wood tabletop Nothing's new over-ear headphones arrive with an almost unbelievable battery life and mid-range price
the samsung galaxy buds4 at samsung galaxy unpacked 2026 How to preorder the new Samsung Galaxy Buds4 and Buds4 Pro wireless earbuds
Samsung Galaxy Buds4 in their case Samsung announces Galaxy Buds4 and Buds4 Pro at Galaxy Unpacked: Everything to know
close-up view of Sony XM6 earbuds in charging case Sony's new XM6 earbuds are finally here — but you'll want to brace yourself
Sony logo on building exterior New Sony XM6 earbuds leak reveals possible specs, price tag
a woman holding a pair of JLab Blue XL Speaker Headphones JLab’s comically large new headphones are actually wearable portable speakers — and they're only $100
open earbuds in cases open on wooden bench Open earbuds guide: What they are, who should buy them, and why they're popping up everywhere
sony linkbuds clip earbuds with charging cases in a variety of colors Sony’s new LinkBuds Clip open earbuds embrace pastel colors and a clip style design

More Headphones

The best AirPods deals to shop in Amazon's Big Spring Sale — $99 AirPods are back!
By Hannah Hoolihan
pairs of airpods against a rainbow background
The best headphones deals in Amazon's Big Spring Sale — Sony leads the pack but there's an excellent JLab deal too
By Bethany Allard and Samantha Mangino
nothing earbuds, sony headphones, and sony earbuds on purple, pink, and blue graphic background
The best AirPods deals to shop in Amazon's Big Spring Sale — save on AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 3
By Hannah Hoolihan
pairs of airpods against a rainbow background
Soundcore's Aerofit 2 Pro are the answer for people who can't decide between open and noise-cancelling earbuds
By Bethany Allard
soundcore aerofit pro 2 purple earbuds and case on wooden countertop
Sony's latest earbuds rock — and they're at their lowest price ever for Amazon's Big Spring Sale
By Bethany Allard
black sony xm6 earbuds and their case on picnic table in outside patio
18 wireless earbuds deals live ahead of Amazon's Big Spring Sale
By Bethany Allard
sony xm6 earbuds, sony linkbuds clip earbuds, and apple airpods pro on blue and pink background
20 noise-cancelling headphones and earbuds deals live ahead of Amazon's Big Spring Sale
By Bethany Allard
nothing earbuds in case, silver sony xm6 headphones, and black sony xm6 earbuds on blue and green graphic background
The best headphones deals ahead of Amazon's Big Spring Sale — Sony leads the pack
By Bethany Allard
nothing earbuds, sony headphones, and sony earbuds on purple, pink, and blue graphic background
The best AirPods deals to shop ahead of Amazon's Big Spring Sale — save on AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 3
By Hannah Hoolihan
pairs of airpods against a rainbow background
The new Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro launch deals are still live — get a discount and a free Amazon gift card
By Tabitha Britt
Samsung galaxy buds against a colorful background.
Quick! AirPods 4 (with ANC) are down to $119.99 at Amazon — save over $50.
By Hannah Hoolihan
airpods 4 against a pink, yellow, and green patterned background
Save $110 on Mashable's favorite bass-heavy Sony headphones at Amazon
By Tabitha Britt
Sony ULT WEAR Noise Canceling Headphones against a colorful background.
It's your last chance to snag $30 off this Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro + $30 Amazon Gift Card combo
By Brittany Vincent
Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro + $30 Amazon Gift Card on pink and purple abstract background
The Beats Studio Pro headphones are on sale for half off
By Bethany Allard
man inside a house wearing beats studio pro while on his phone
Sony XM6 headphones are down to $398 at Amazon — save on the new sand pink colorway
By Hannah Hoolihan
sony wh-1000xm6 headphones against a green patterned background
Save over $150 on the first gen Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones at Amazon
By Samantha Mangino
A pair of Bose QuietComfort headphones on a colorful background
The Bose Ultra Open-Ear earbuds are $100 off as Best Buy's Deal of the Day
By Hannah Hoolihan
bose ultra open-ear earbuds against a pink and orange patterned background
Today only, get $50 off Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones at Amazon
By Hannah Hoolihan
bose quietcomfort ultra headphones (2nd gen) against a green patterned background
Beats Studio Pro headphones are under $200 right now at Amazon — save $150
By Hannah Hoolihan
beats studio pro against a purple patterned background
Score AirPods Max headphones for $429.99 at Amazon — save over $100
By Hannah Hoolihan
airpods max against a pink, yellow, and green patterned background
The Apple AirPods Pro 3 are under $160, if you can live with open box
By Bethany Allard
person working on laptop on train wearing apple airpods pro 3
Hurry! The Apple AirPods 4 are only $89 at Walmart
By Christina Buff
Apple AirPods 4 with blue abstract background
Bose QuietComfort headphones have dipped below $200 at Amazon — save $149.01 right now
By Hannah Hoolihan
bose quietcomfort headphones against a pink and purple patterned background
Score a free $30 Amazon gift card when pre-ordering the new Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro
By Hannah Hoolihan
samsung galaxy buds 4 pro earbuds and amazon gift card against a purple patterned background
How to get a free Best Buy gift card when you preorder the new Samsung Galaxy Buds4 and Buds4 Pro
By Bethany Allard
man wearing white samsung galaxy bud4 earbuds
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