The 11 best noise-cancelling headphones we use, love, and recommend buying during Amazon's Big Spring Sale

Read our full review of the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones.

Looking for the headphones with the best active noise cancellation in the industry? This is it.

We loved the Sony WH-1000XM4s, we loved the XM5s, and now we love the XM6s. They come with a higher price point of $450, so these are for anyone genuinely interested in premium-quality audio and ANC. If you already own a pair of XM5s, however, we wouldn't say these are different enough to justify an upgrade.

Between these headphones and the Bose QC Ultras, our top pick is a bit better at blocking out sound, but we're comparing the highest levels of ANC. And for what it's worth, the XM6s still do an excellent job with significantly blocking or dampening environmental sounds, whether you're near a busy street or working in an office space, thanks to their 12 microphones (which also help with call clarity).

That said, Sony headphones tend to shine the most in the sound category, and the XM6s are no exception. Whether we listened to classical music, classic rock, or electronic music, the XM6s brought a level of clarity, balance, and depth that few other headphones in this price range match. Out of the box, they sound great, but with a little fine-tuning on their equalizer, they sound excellent.

Like the XM5s, they come with the same long-lasting 30-hour battery life. Unlike the XM5s, the earcups fold up, in a return to form of the XM4 model. For anyone who regularly takes their headphones on the go, this genuinely makes a difference — the XM6 case is noticeably smaller than the XM5 case, both in height and depth. Sony also gave the power button a small upgrade with a circular design, making it easier to differentiate by feel alone from the other on-ear noise cancellation button.

Read our full review of the Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds.

Not everyone will want to shell out over $300 for earbuds, but for folks who budget for having the best of the best, the Sony WF-1000XM6 are what we recommend.

Their combination of excellent sound quality, noise cancellation, and design is unmatched by any other option currently available, making them the best overall earbuds we've tried.

If the asking price on a pair of earbuds is $330, it better have little to no faults — thankfully, that's exactly the case with the Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds.

Going into our testing, we expected the XM6 earbuds to sound great — Sony products typically do. We didn't expect them to sound the best out of every Sony earbud and headphone we'd previously tested. Whether we listened to Stravinsky's "The Firebird" or a live performance from Daft Punk, these earbuds highlighted the richness, clarity, and layers of each track we played on them.

What surprised us even more than the excellent sound quality, however, was the active noise cancellation. Sony products generally have pretty good ANC, but not necessarily the best of the best. With the XM6 earbuds, they're making a strong play to change that reputation: the ANC felt at least on par with the Bose QC Ultra 2 earbuds, which had been the best we'd experienced on a pair of earbuds. Sony even shone over the Bose when we tested the ANC without streaming any audio: the slight hiss of the ANC at work is more detectable on the Boses than the Sonys.

Sony also upgraded the design of the case and earbuds between the XM5 buds and the XM6s. Though the case feels like more of an aesthetic change, the earbuds take on a more oval-like shape than the rather circular XM6s, helping them sit more flush and naturally in the shape of the ear. The result? One, the earbuds cause noticeably less fatigue after hours of wear. Two, the tighter seal helps provide more passive ANC.

The short of it? These earbuds aren't cheap — but we totally get why.

Check out our full review of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen).

The second-generation Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds are for anyone who wants ANC earbuds that block noise better than most over-ear headphones and are comfortable enough to easily wear all day. They're an investment, but they bring together the best features of earbuds and premium noise-cancelling headphones.

Step one to finding the best noise-cancelling earbuds: Find the earbuds that physically block out the most noise. For us, that choice was simple thanks to the second-gen Bose QC Ultra earbuds. The noise-blocking power came as no surprise considering how much we loved the first-gen earbuds, and though the ANC isn't significantly stronger on the newer buds (first-gen users don't need to upgrade), it does help these earbuds live up to the QuietComfort name.

The other half of that name, of course, is comfort, and the Ultras deliver there, too. The separate stabilizer band and ear tip design allowed us to find a secure fit that never felt too snug or caused any soreness. Though the wear and ANC are where these earbuds shine most, their sound quality is nothing to scoff at, handling Sabrina Carpenter's "Tears" as adeptly as it does a Rachmaninoff piano concerto (especially with the immersive spatial audio).

For all they have going for them, these earbuds do have a couple of flaws we wish weren't present at their $299 price point. One, their multipoint connection can be a little spotty when more than one device is paired. Two, their battery life tops out at six hours with ANC on, which, while not terrible, is falling behind the more common seven-to-eight-hour standard we're seeing these days.

Still, for the best combo of ANC and comfort you can find on a pair of earbuds, the Bose QC Ultra second-gen buds are still well-rounded enough for us to recommend them as the most comfortable ANC earbuds you can buy.

Read our full review of the Panasonic Technics AZ100 noise-cancelling earbuds.

If you care about audio quality above all else, then you won't find a better-sounding pair of earbuds anywhere. With the AZ100, Technics developed a new type of magnetic fluid driver, which provides unparalleled clarity. For true audiophiles, these are the best noise-cancelling earbuds in the world right now.

Those who want to hear HiFi music as it was meant to be heard, but still benefit from the wireless form factor, won't find a better pair of noise-cancelling earbuds or headphones right now.

Originally released in January 2025, these are still the best earbuds in the world in terms of audio quality. They even outperform all but the most elite headphones. Not only do they offer true high-fidelity, reference-class sound — something you rarely see in the consumer audio space — but they also have stellar ANC. And if that's not enough, they offer three-way multipoint connectivity that works seamlessly.

Unlike earbuds from Apple, Bose, and Sony, they use premium metal components for a more sophisticated design, though that comes with a tradeoff. They're less comfortable for long periods of wear than Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds, and ear fatigue can set in after a few hours.

Have you heard the bad news? The latest generation of noise-cancelling headphones now cost a minimum of $450. All we can say to that is, "Yikes." And as much as we love the new XM6 noise-cancelling headphones from Sony, we know a lot of people aren't looking to spend more than $100.

For a pair of headphones under $100, these Sony cans have shockingly good ANC and overall sound.

These headphones feature Sony's signature all-plastic design, which we don't love, but it feels much more appropriate in a pair of headphones in this price range. We recently re-reviewed these cans for our guide to the best Sony headphones, and overall, we were very impressed with the amount of value they offer for their price.

As our reviewer wrote at the time, "the ANC is fantastic." On top of that, "The WH-CH720 employs 30mm drivers and exclusive brand technologies to broaden sound performance. Expect a vibrant mix of impactful bass with striking mids and highs. Turning on DSEE raises fidelity on poor-quality recordings, which many luxury headphones can’t do. You can tweak the sound to your liking via the EQ, though the headphones sound great on their default setting."

Read our review of the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 headphones.

Audiophiles who want to spare no expense in their search for the best-sounding, most comfortable headphones in the world. While the $799 price tag is painful, these headphones really do look, sound, and feel a cut above the competition.

Our tech editor Timothy Werth tested the new flagship noise-cancelling headphones from British audio brand Bowers & Wilkins. Upon their release, he wrote that they're the most beautiful pair of headphones he's ever tested, with sophisticated details like premium, full-grain leather and metal components around the band and ear cups. When you compare the design of these headphones to Sony's all-plastic XM6 headphones, they're clearly in an entirely different league.

But headphones have to offer more than good looks to justify a $799 price tag. And while that price will simply be out of reach for most people, these headphones really are phenomenal. Not only are they incredibly comfortable, but they also sound like a pair of $799 headphones, with high-fidelity audio that makes your favorite tracks and albums come alive. Their noise cancellation is also very impressive, though Sony still has the edge in the battle for the best ANC.

"Personally, I can't afford to pay $800 for headphones, no matter how good they are," writes Werth. "But I can tell you this — after testing the Px8 S2 headphones, switching back to my XM6 headphones is painful. Honestly, I don't know if I can ever go back."

Read our full review of the Apple AirPods Pro 3.

Apple users will probably have a hard time finding a pair of noise-cancelling earbuds that are more intuitive to use. Though on the pricier side, the combination of ANC performance, sound, and additional features actually gives users plenty of bang for their buck.

Apple products aren't usually the first that come to mind when most people think "good value." Don't get us wrong, they make great products, but the brand doesn't exactly have a reputation of being budget-friendly (we're looking at you AirPods Max).

When it comes to the AirPods Pro 3, we think they're well worth the price. And they cost less than other premium options on the market, like the second-gen Bose QC Ultra earbuds or Panasonic Technics EAH-AZ100 earbuds, both of which are priced at $299.

Like the more expensive earbuds, the Pro 3 buds have excellent noise cancellation and a well-rounded sound profile with plenty of depth and resonance. Where the other two offer custom equalizers, the Pros are more of a preset situation. However, they offer features that the Bose and Technics don't: live translation and a built-in heart rate monitor. In his testing, Mashable contributor Adam Doud found both to work accurately: the heart rate monitor was within a one to two beat range of the fitness tracker he cross-tested with the earbuds, while the live translation worked with a slight second or two of delay. (Note: at the time of writing, live translation is only available in English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and English from the UK).

The AirPods Pro 3 also come packed with eight hours of battery life per charge with ANC, five sizes of foam-infused ear tips, and an IP57 water- and sweat- resistance rating, making them just as great for working from home as they are for taking to the gym.

The EarFun Air Pro 4 earbuds may not come from one of the more well-known audio brands, but they have some of the best battery life and noise cancellation we've experienced on any earbuds, not just those in the budget price range. That said, these are our pick for budget shoppers.

Frankly, these earbuds have no business offering as many features as they do while costing less than $100.

While it is possible to use them straight out of the box, with the app, these earbuds offer more, including five different levels of noise cancellation. While the differences between some modes were negligible, the "strong ANC" setting didn't mess around (even if it did have the slightest detectable hiss without music), and the "wind noise cancellation" setting actually diminished the sound of a bathroom fan and hair dryer even more than the standard ANC. Basically, the noise cancellation worked — we found it outperformed the Beats Studio Buds+ (our former mid-range pick priced at $169.95) easily on the ANC front, and felt on par with headphones and earbuds that cost double their price. Plus, having different levels of ANC isn't a common feature on cheaper or more expensive earbuds — neither the Apple AirPods line nor Bose QuietComfort lines offer these features.

Along with the impressive ANC, these earbuds fit comfortably, staying in place even during runs (which isn't always a given for earbuds without stems). The battery life lasted an impressive amount of time, leaving us only recharging the case once after a week of regular use. A light indicator on the case also easily shows you how much juice you have left. While waiting for these earbuds to start showing their price point, we thought they might struggle with their multipoint connection, but they easily connected and switched between two devices, and toggled easily between two selected devices with the help of the app. Oh, and they sounded great, with the app offering a custom and preset equalizer (which is, again, very much not a given feature at this price point, or price points $50 higher).

So were there any downsides? The case was a little bulky, and the touch controls remained finicky, even after we got used to how they worked (but you can toggle them off). If EarFun switched to a button for on-ear controls instead, these might just be perfect earbuds, but as they stand at their price now, we're really not complaining.

If you're on a tight budget but still want to enjoy noise cancellation, the Anker Soundcore Life P3i earbuds offer a surprisingly solid performance. Don't expect elite ANC, but these affordable earbuds don't require too much of a sacrifice in sound quality.

We're going to start with the major hitch of these earbuds: switching between devices sucks. They don't have multipoint pairing, and if you want to use them with your phone after using them with your laptop, you have to manually disconnect them (or in our experience, sometimes outright unpair them), with your laptop first. It's easily their biggest flaw, and where we most obviously felt their price point during testing.

With that out of the way, these earbuds still have a lot going for them. For starters, they cost $50 and can often be found on sale for even less. Though inexpensive, these earbuds are comfortable to wear all day, have a custom equalizer in the app plus 21 presets (we're fans of the Treble Booster), customizable touch controls for each earbud, and a battery life that outdoes the Apple AirPods Pro. You won't have extras like spatial audio, and the ANC leans on background hiss more than premium models, but not terribly so.

For a pair of $50 earbuds, we're impressed. We recommend them for anyone who doesn't want to shell out $100 plus for a pair of noise-cancelling earbuds.

Read our full review of the Sony ULT Wear headphones.

If you don't need a fancy custom equalizer to know you like punching up the bass ten out of ten times, the new Sony ULT Wear headphones are made for you. Our reviewer praised these headphones for offering balanced sound and powerful bass, a rare combo. These are also a great pick for those looking for a more affordable alternative to the WH-1000XM5s.

Sony released the ULT line in April 2024 (and added to it in April 2025), and considering the price, they're some of the best Sony headphones ever made. They're designed for anyone who's a fan of bass. In addition to the equalizer in the app, the headphones have a dedicated ULT button that lets you bump up the bass on demand. The 40-millimeter driver keeps it sounding clear and not crispy, making these headphones a worthy competitor to the WH-1000XM5s, our top pick for the best-sounding noise-cancelling headphones.

When testing the two headphones side by side, Kern found that while both headphones sounded great, "the ULT Wear’s sound was fuller and felt more like surround sound. And even on the standard setting, the bass sounded richer on the ULTs." We still stand by the WH-1000XM5s as a better pick for audiophiles, but Kern makes a strong case for buying these over the XM5s. "[To] the average person, I’d say the ULT Wears are the winners — especially for those who prioritize bass and fullness in their audio." For $100 cheaper, these are a more than fair alternative to Sony's flagship headphones.