Whether you want to listen to your favorite music, watch movies or make and receive phone calls, you need headphones. Back in the day, companies used to sell wired headphones, which were a bit unwieldy, but due to incessant improvement in the technology, we are now seeing wireless headphones, which operate on cutting-edge Bluetooth technology.

You just need to connect the headphones with your devices via Bluetooth and enjoy hours of non-stop music, make and receive calls or watch movies. Find out the consumer reports best headphones in the section below, which comprises in-ear and on-ear headphones, noise cancelling headphones, and more.

Reviews Of 10 Best Headphones

1. Apple AirPods Pro

consumer reports best headphones

Millions of people are using them and if you want a small yet powerful audio device, then Apple AirPods Pro is the best option. The AirPods boast active noise cancellation, which offers immersive sound. The best thing about these wireless earphones is the inclusion of transparency mode, which lets you hear your favorite music while staying connected to the world around you. The company provides soft and tapered silicone tips with AirPods for a customized fit.

These headphones are water-resistant, so you can use them at the gym or anywhere outdoors. Incorporating adaptive EQ, these AirPods allow you to tune the music according to the shape of your ear. The device can easily set up with all your Apple devices and you can quickly access the headphones using ‘Siri’ voice assistant. It comes with a wireless charging case, which offers 24 hours of battery life once fully charged.

2. Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Plus, True Wireless Earbuds

consumer reports best headphones

Samsung Galaxy Buds+ may seem like any other earbuds, but these are unlike anything you have put into your ears. These buds are great for music because they isolate all other sounds that you don’t want to hear. It filters out all the unwanted noises to be more in-tune with your surroundings. You can easily adjust the settings of this device to hear oncoming traffic, flight announcements, order number, and other important details.

When fully charged, the device offers up to 11 hours of non-stop music and 22 hours of serious sound. Another notable feature of these earbuds is that 3 minutes of charging offers 1 hour of playtime. These earbuds include one internal and two external microphones to efficiently pick up your voice and isolate it from the rest of the noises. The device is compatible with iOS and Android operating systems, so you can use it with any OS seamlessly.

3. Beats Solo3 Wireless On-Ear Headphones

consumer reports best headphones

Check out these high-performance wireless headphones from Beats, which run on Bluetooth. These are among the most reliable headphones on the market, which are equipped with an Apple W1 chip along with Class 1 Bluetooth connectivity. As far as battery life is concerned, then you will get up to 40 hours of runtime on a single charge. You can charge the headphones for 5 minutes and enjoy 3 hours of playback. These are sleek headphones, which boasts a streamlined design.

Not just beautiful, but these headphones are durable and comfortable as well. You will like the cushioned ear cups on the headphones, which make them comfortable for everyday use. You can fine-tune the acoustics of these headphones to ensure premium playback with maximum balance, breadth, and clarity. As far as compatibility is concerned, then the headphones are compatible with both, Android and iOS devices. You can seamlessly control music, take calls and activate Siri with these headphones.

4. Bose QuietComfort Noise Cancelling Earbuds - True Wireless Earphones

consumer reports best headphones

You’re looking at the most effective noise cancelling earbuds in the world. There are 11 active noise-cancelling levels, which allow you to enjoy your favorite music, videos, and podcasts without any distraction. The headphones feature ‘Transparency’ mode to help you hear your favorite music along with knowing what’s going outside. With these headphones, you can enjoy clear details with full bass and without any noise. The headphones are made of soft silicone material, thus letting you wear them all day long. You will get 3 sizes of ear tips, hence allowing you to have a perfect fit.

These headphones are IPX4-rated, which means they can easily withstand sweat and water. Equipped with a long-lasting battery, you can enjoy music for up to 20 hours non-stop. You will like the touch controls in these headphones, which include activation of noise cancellation by double-tapping the left earbud and playing and pausing music by double-tapping the right earbud. For volume control, swipe up and down. You can download Bose Music app for activating the opt-in feature. The headphones boast Bluetooth 5.1, which has a long-range of 30 feet. Moreover, they are compatible with both, Android and iOS devices.

5. JBL TUNE 700BT - Wireless Over-Ear Headphones

consumer reports best headphones

JBL joins the competition with JBL Tune 700BT, which are over-ear headphones that play crisp sound with deep bass regardless of what type of music you listen to. The over-ear design of these headphones are very comfortable to ears, plus they can be folded in a compact shape when not in use. Besides listening to your favorite music, podcasts and videos, you can take calls and manage sound hands-free with these headphones.

There are buttons integrated on the headphones for volume up and down, play and pause music and activating voice assistants. You will get 27 hours of runtime in these headphones, which you can further extend with a detachable audio cable included in the package. You can connect these headphones with two Bluetooth devices at the same time, which makes sure that you won’t miss a call on your smartphone while streaming content on your laptop.

6. Samsung Galaxy Buds Live, True Wireless Earbuds w/Active Noise Cancelling

consumer reports best headphones

Samsung is among the frontrunners when it comes to innovation, and this Galaxy Buds Live is a clear example of it. These earbuds feature an AKG-tuned speaker, which plays everything in a studio-like sound. If you like a natural sound, then you should get these earbuds because their open design offers a live listening environment. The earbuds let you turn on active noise cancellation, which efficiently blocks out all the noise in the background. To hear all the sounds in the surrounding, you can tap the earbuds again.

In the entire process, you will continue to enjoy your favorite songs or podcasts. The earbuds have a long battery life, so you get hours of uninterrupted music listening experience. The company provides a case with earbuds, which work as a wireless charger. You can activate an always-on voice assistant to search your favorite songs, send messages or order something hands-free. You can download the Galaxy Wearable app on your Android device or the Galaxy Buds app on the iOS device to enable active noise cancelling feature through a Bluetooth connection.

7. Bose Sport Earbuds - True Wireless In-Ear Headphones

consumer reports best headphones

One more headphones from Bose on the list and these will help you have the best workout ever. These are wireless Bluetooth earbuds that offer lifelike sound, hence making you feel as if the artist is standing right beside you. Bose wireless Bluetooth earbuds are extremely comfortable, thanks to the use of premium material for covering ears. The package includes 3 sizes of StayHear Max tips, one of which will definitely fit into your ears perfectly and won’t fall out even if you are indulged in intense workout sessions.

These earbuds come with an IPX4 rating, which makes them sweat and weather resistant. Earbuds incorporate a beamforming microphone array, which filters out surrounding noise as you talk into it to allow callers to hear your voice better. Boasting a capacitive touch interface, you can easily swipe up and down for answering calls, playing and pausing music, and controlling volume using Bose Music App. As far as battery life is concerned, then the earbuds run for 5 hours on a single charge. Charge it for 15 minutes and you get up to 2 hours of runtime.

8. Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Headphones

consumer reports best headphones

These are among the best noise cancelling headphones on the market, which produce Hi-Res audio with extended high frequencies that reach up to 40 kHz for incredible clarity and detail. The headphones include quality earcups, which incorporate a thick layer of memory foam, which supports your ears and the rotating joints of the headband automatically adjust the earcups’ angle to conform to the shape of your head. The headphones are capable of reducing ambient noises by 90% through its digital active noise cancellation algorithm.

The headphones also feature 4 ANC microphones that augment your voice and reduce surrounding noise as much as possible. Incorporated with BassUp technology, you will enjoy rich and deep bass in these headphones, especially when you double press the ‘play’ button while listening to genres like hip-hop and EDM. These headphones once fully charged will run for 40 hours in noise cancellation mode and 60 hours in standard music mode. With 5 minutes of charging, you will get 4 hours of runtime.

9. TOZO T10 Wireless Earbuds With Wireless Charging Case

consumer reports best headphones

TOZO TWS stereo headphones perform outstandingly well while listening to music, as they deliver crisp sound along with powerful bass. These earbuds are packed with advanced Bluetooth 5.0 technology, which offers quick pairing along with stable and seamless transmissions. To pair these earbuds with your device, take both headsets out from the charging case and select TOZO T10 Earbuds from the list of available Bluetooth devices. Both earbuds automatically connect to each other as you take them out of the case.

These earbuds are waterproof and they have been given an IPX8 rating, which means, they can remain in 1-meter deep water for half an hour and no damage would incur to the headphones. This is due to the Nano-coating on the inner side of both earbuds as well as the charging case. As far as the playtime is concerned, then the earbuds can run for more than 6 hours on a single charge and 30 hours with a charging case. The charging time is also less, 2 hours via wireless charger and 1.5 hours via USB-C cable.

10. Mpow CH6S Kids On-Ear Headphones With Microphone

consumer reports best headphones

Last but not least I have over-ear headphones for kids, and these are coming from the house of Mpow. These headphones offer Hi-Fi stereo sound with an amazing sound effect. Therefore, your kids can now enjoy music, movies, games, or conversations with their friends in a much better way. For calling, a microphone is attached to the headphones. The inclusion of a volume control switch on the headphones makes it easier for kids to control the volume of music and answer phone calls.

Coming with a 3.5mm plug, these headphones allow kids to access two devices at the same time. With the ability to plug into a 3.5mm jack, there is no need to buy a splitter anymore. These headphones perfectly fit on the head and ears, thanks to adjustable plush leather headband and plush circular cups respectively. The hinges are pinch-free as well, so it won’t hurt your kid’s fingers.

Sum Up

Summing up my reviews of consumer reports best headphones with a crucial point that headphones these days come in several shapes, sizes, and designs. While some cover the entire ears, others go into the ear, so which one you should buy completely depends on your taste and comfort level. The aforementioned list has the 10 best headphones, which cover both in-ear and on-ear headphones, so if you have decided which one you should buy, then go ahead and place an order. If you can’t decide as to which type you should have, then you can buy both types to know the difference between them.