Best headphones 2024: every type reviewed by experts

The best headphones are comfortable, loaded with features and, of course, deliver outstanding audio. The worst are nothing but a huge disappointment.

We test headphones more thoroughly than anyone else, both in our in-depth labs tests and by subjecting them to our independent listening panel of audio experts. 

Read on to find out more about the pros and cons of different types of headphones, along with some of our trusted Best Buy and Great Value recommendations.

Alternatively, head straight to our headphone reviews to see all models we've tested.

Best headphones for 2024

Every year we rigorously test all types of headphone, judging their noise-cancelling, sound quality and more. Only logged-in members can see our full list of the best headphones in the tables below. Join Which? to get instant access to our Best Buys and expert reviews.

Headphone reviews by type

• Wireless earbuds
• On-ear headphones
• Over-ear headphones
• Noise-cancelling headphones

Headphones by price

• Headphones under £50
• Headphones under £100
• Headphones under £150

Where to buy headphones

Most shops these days will carry some headphones: corner shops, supermarkets, tech retailers, and thousands of specialist sellers online. With so many options, we've highlighted some of the top-scoring online retailers from our survey on the best tech shops. Each of these have a wide selection of headphone in stock, and some are Which? Best Buys.

• Amazon stocks thousands of headphones and there are many cheap pairs on sale. We'd recommend reading our reviews to make sure you get a decent pair. You'll find headphones for as cheap as under £5, but we can't guarantee how good they'll be. If you're a Prime member, you'll get free two-day shipping on most headphones.
• John Lewis, a Which? recommended provider, sells primarily wireless headphones from brands such as Bose, Sony, Beats, and Samsung. Prices start from under £10 for a pair of Sony wired earbuds, and go up to over £500 for headphones like Apple's AirPods Max. Standard shipping is free on orders over £50, otherwise you'll need to pay £4.50. Click and collect from a variety of shops is also freely available on orders over £30.
• Richer Sounds is the winner of our retailer of the year award. You'll find hundreds of models of headphones on sale ranging from £25 in-ear earbuds to premium over-ear headphones from brands like Sennheiser that cost well over £1,000. If you're after noise-cancelling wireless headphones, it sells those too – models from Sony, Bose, JBL, and Bowers & Wilkins are all available. Shipping is free on orders over £50. 
• Very has headphones available from brands like Sony, Apple, Bose, Honor, and Skullcandy. You'll typically be spending between £80 and £200 for a pair of wireless headphones. If your order is over £30, you'll get free standard shipping, otherwise you can get next-day delivery from £6.

Why you should trust our headphone reviews

Whether in-ear, on-ear or over-ear, we buy every set of headphones we test. We then put them through our intensive and independent lab tests, allowing you to choose with confidence. We also subject each set to our expert and impartial listening panel, who pass judgement on everything from audio quality and noise-cancelling performance, through to ease of use and comfort. Read more on our how we test headphones.

What headphone type is best for you?

Wireless in-ear earbuds

These have small earpieces that rest inside your outer ear.

Pros: Compact, lightweight and easy to carry around with you. Many come with different sizes of flexible eartips to provide the best fit.

Cons: Some find in-ear headphones hard to fit comfortably; the earbuds are close to your ears, so you need to take more care to listen at a safe volume to protect your hearing.

See our guide to the best wireless earbuds.

On-ear headphones

These have earcups that rest on your ears that are joined by a headband.

Pros: Lighter and more compact than over-ear models. Easy to take on and off.

Cons: Pressure exerted on ears can be uncomfortable for long listening sessions.

See our guide to the best on-ear headphones.

Over-ear headphones

These are the largest type, with earcups that surround and ‘cup’ your ears rather than sitting on top of them.

Pros: Can provide the best sound quality and comfort. Many have active noise cancelling, which cuts down on background noise and means you can listen comfortably at lower volumes.

Cons: Often bulky and can cost more than other styles.

See our guide to the best over-ear headphones.

On-ear and over-ear headphones: open vs closed-back design

Most on-ear and over-ear headphones have what’s known as a closed-back design. This means they’re designed not to leak sound to your surroundings.

Some have what's called an open-backed design, which is said to produce a more natural, airy sound than closed headphones, but they tend to leak a lot more noise, so are only really suitable for home use. Many Grado headphones are open-back, for example.

Wireless headphones

Headphones that have ditched the traditional tangle-prone wires are becoming increasingly popular. You can get wireless versions of all three types of headphones.

Wireless in-ear headphones, and in particular truly wireless earbuds such as the Apple AirPods, are the most popular style. While some ‘wireless’ in-ear headphones still have wires connecting the earpieces, truly wireless headphones have none. Their small batteries are recharged by popping the earbuds into a supplied compact charging case.

If you're looking for an Apple laptop to pair with your AirPods, consult our guide on the best MacBooks.

Should I buy wired or wireless headphones?

Wireless headphones use a Bluetooth connection to wirelessly connect to your device. They’re now the most popular style and make up the majority of the models we test, but you do need to charge them regularly and their rechargeable batteries will lose their ability to charge completely over the course of time.

If you mostly use your headphones at home where the wires won’t get in the way so much, then a wired pair might be better.

Types of wireless in-ear headphones

In-ear wireless headphones come in two main designs:

• Truly wireless earbuds: These are the most popular type, with no wire between the earpieces.
• Other in-ear wireless headphones: Here the earpieces are physically linked together. This could be by various methods, such as a simple wire connecting the two, or the earpieces being connected to a flexible or rigid neckband.

How much should you spend on a new pair of headphones?

Generally, more expensive models are made from higher-quality materials, which have the potential to sound better and last longer.

However, expensive components don't protect you from poor design: we've uncovered Don't Buy models that cost more than £200. The good news, though, is we’ve found great headphones that cost less than £100, so whatever your budget there are some good options.

What headphone features should you look out for?

As well as making the key decisions around the type of headphones, and whether you want a wired or wireless pair, there are features to look out for that would suit different types of use.

Noise-cancelling headphones

Active noise cancelling helps stop noisy surroundings disturbing your listening. While many pairs block out outside noise to a degree, active noise cancelling goes a step further. These headphones emit harmless signals that cancel out background noise.

If this function is a priority, check out the best noise-cancelling headphones.

Ambient sound mode

Most of the time you’ll want to prioritise hearing music as clearly as possible, but there may be times when you want to dial down the volume to hear your surroundings more clearly.

Most wireless headphones have an ‘ambient’ mode that you can toggle to let in more of the sound around you without stopping the music or taking off your headphones. Each manufacturer has a different name for this mode – some call it ‘Transparency mode’, for example.

Waterproof headphones

Many headphones now claim some water resistance. While in most cases this won’t mean they’re fully waterproof – you can’t wear them while swimming, for example – it’s nice to know that a pair won’t conk out if you drop the headphones in a puddle or go for a run in the rain.

We explain more about the different levels of water resistance in our best running and gym headphones guide.

Headphone microphones

Almost all headphones now have built-in microphones, which allow you to take phone calls and talk to the voice assistant on your connected device. We assess the phone call quality of all headphones, both inside and outside and in quiet and loud environments, so you know whether you’re buying a pair that will let you easily have a phone conversation, even on a noisy street.

Headphone apps

Excluding most budget models, many wireless headphones now come with accompanying apps. These allow you to tweak the headphones’ settings. 

Commonly they include a sound equaliser, allowing you to adjust levels of treble and bass to your personal tastes. Some provide additional settings, such as customising what the headphone buttons do, adjusting noise-cancelling settings or updating the headphones’ software.

Be aware that some apps are only available on the Google Play store or Apple App Store.

Voice control

Most headphones allow you to access the voice assistant available on your connected device – this is Siri on Apple devices and Google Assistant on Android. Some also support other voice assistants such as Alexa, Samsung’s Bixby and Microsoft’s Cortana. Usually you hold down a button on the headphones to access the voice assistant, saving you the need to dig out your phone.

Sports headphones

In-ear headphones are the best type for exercise as they're lightweight, and many prefer wireless pairs as there are no cables to get in the way.

Truly wireless headphones are becoming increasingly popular. However, some people don’t find them secure enough and prefer a semi-wireless pair with a wire running between the earpieces.

Some manufacturers make headphones that are specifically designed for sport, with additional features to help keep them in place, such as in-ear models with a narrow, but solid, neckband or ear clips. 

For some sports, such as running, you could also consider bone conduction headphones, since they allow you to be more aware of what’s going on around you.

Our tests judge how good all headphones are likely to be for exercise. We assess how well they fit and how secure they remain when you're moving around. Read our guide on the best sports headphones for more details and recommendations.

TV headphones

Standard wireless headphones (that connect via Bluetooth) should work with newer TVs that support Bluetooth. However, if you’re intending to use headphones with your TV daily, you might prefer the convenience of dedicated TV headphones.

These have a wireless connection to a dock, which you plug into your TV. You place the TV headphones back on the dock when you’ve finished watching, and the dock recharges them ready whenever you need them for your next session.

If this seems like what you’re looking for, check out our exclusive best TV headphones guide.

How do wireless headphones work and which devices do they connect with?

Most headphones now are wireless, connecting to your devices via a Bluetooth wireless connection. They’re typically designed for use with phones or tablets, although they should connect to other devices that support Bluetooth, such as the latest TVs and laptops (button controls on the headphones and customised settings may not operate with these other devices).

The exception is dedicated TV headphones with docks, which instead of Bluetooth use their own bespoke wireless connection between the headphones and the base station. The base station has a wired connection to your TV – for more, see our TV headphones guide. Some TV headphones also offer Bluetooth, which allows them to connect to other devices as well.

Are all headphones compatible with Apple and Android smartphones?

Most brands design their headphones to work with both Apple iOS devices (such as iPhones and iPads) and Android devices (such as Samsung Galaxy phones). However, while it’s likely you’ll be able to play sound with any device, some features may not work with every phone or tablet, particularly customising the headphones’ settings. 

For example, we've found that Apple headphones typically work best with Apple devices, and Huawei and Samsung headphones tend to work best with Android devices. 

Some headphones make use of accompanying apps to alter settings or use various features such as noise-cancelation. These apps can be exclusive to certain app stores, so it always best to check our reviews for these details.

What makes a good pair of headphones?

If you're looking to get the most out of your music, you'll need headphones that not only sound great, but are also comfortable to wear and built to last. Our tests assess:

• Sound quality: The best headphones provide full sound with the right balance of treble, mid-range and bass frequencies. An excellent-sounding pair will give you a warm sound with good depth.
• Comfort: Whether you intend to use headphones every day or just occasionally, comfort is paramount when deciding what to go for. If you plan to use them for long periods of time, over-ear pairs are typically the best choice.
• Durability: Some headphones can have alarmingly short lifespans, developing serious signs of wear in a matter of months or less. This is a particular problem for budget headphones, which may seem like a bargain, but prove not to be when they simply do not last.

To see all the hundreds of headphones we’ve tested and find the right pair for you, head over to our headphones reviews.

What headphone brands are there?

Sony is the biggest headphones manufacturer, with the widest range of models at all price points, and Sennheiser takes a similar approach.

Apple, Beats, Bose and Samsung are the most popular premium-priced brands. Huawei offers both premium and mid-priced models, along with more gimmicky headphones, while JBL is a mid-priced brand.  

At the budget end are brands such as Soundcore by Anker, JVC, Kitsound, Mpow and Skullcandy. Although these brands offer cheaper headphones, their quality continues to improve and even impress. They may well be enough if you're looking for decent everyday set of headphones. 

However, the headphone market is huge, with an enormous number more niche brands to choose from too. Many smartphone manufacturers make headphones designed for maximum compatibility with their own devices, and there are lots of specialist hi-fi audio brands as well.

Consider what features you’re looking for, and then see which brands offer the features you want and the price you’re after.

Which headphone brands are most reliable?

If you’ve found a pair of headphones you love, you certainly don’t want them to break after a couple of months. You won’t be surprised to hear that very cheap headphones often don’t last as long as more expensive models.

Wireless headphones avoid common issues with wear and tear over wired pairs. However, all headphones will degrade over time, even premium models.

If you’re hoping your headphones will last the best part of a decade, you’ll need to choose a wired pair. The batteries in wireless headphones are unlikely to keep going for that long. 

It's rarely possible to replace headphone batteries yourself, and only a handful of manufacturers offer battery replacement schemes, which can be costly. So while it’s not as good for the environment, many will simply buy a new pair when battery life deteriorates too much.

Find out which manufacturers make headphones that stand the test of time in our guide to the most reliable headphone brands.