The Best Wireless Earbuds for Music-Listening and Podcast-Bingeing

Contrary to popular belief, no, the best wireless earbuds on the market aren’t the ubiquitous second-generation of Apple’s AirPods Pro—though, they’re certainly good. Frankly, like all gadgets, the best pair of earbuds are the ones that best suit your individual needs.

Since the AirPods debut, we’ve seen an arms race between brands such as Sony, Beats, and Bose all offering their versions of modern sound technology, from head-turning spatial listening to remote work-appropriate noise-cancellation. All of these newer audio features drastically improve quality of life and, of course, make the most visible brand names even more sought after.

But the truth is, plenty of great wireless earbuds are on the market, all offering reliable Bluetooth connection, great battery life, and a comfy ear fit. From a pair you can work out with to the best noise-canceling tech available, we’ve rounded up the most impressive wireless earbuds available now.

The Best Wireless Earbuds

What to Consider

Driver Size

A driver diameter indicates the size of a diaphragm—the part of a speaker that vibrates to produce sound—in a pair of earbuds or headphones. Although a larger diameter size should prove the ability to produce a larger sound, that’s not always the case, as driver quality can vary. For example, a well-constructed 11-mm driver can be much louder than a poorly made 15-mm driver.

Because earbuds are much smaller than headphones, their driver sizes typically fall between 6 and 15 mm. Skew toward a larger driver for a louder sound, but take heed that quality, the position it’s placed in an ear, and other components may affect the overall volume.

Bluetooth

If you’re looking for a pair of wireless earbuds, you’ll want to take note of the device’s Bluetooth compatibility. The newest iteration of Bluetooth technology is 5.3, released in 2021, and adds a more secure, stable connection to devices. Any pair of earbuds capable of a Bluetooth 5.3 connection will connect to devices and transmit audio the fastest. If you’re looking at a pair of earbuds that utilize an earlier version of Bluetooth, pre-dating version 5, you may experience a slower transmit speed with audio.

Water Resistance

Earbuds often have a resistance rating that indicates how well they can hold up under dust and moisture. This is shown with an IP (ingress protection) rating, which is a code that classifies the level of protection electrical equipment has against certain elements. Typically, two digits are included in an IP rating, the first representing solids, and the second liquids. The higher the digit, the better the protection. IP ratings are from 0 to 6, with 0 showing the device has no protection, and 6 indicating it’s totally protected (dustproof, waterproof).

Generally speaking, wireless earbuds have an IP rating of IPX4, meaning it lacks protection against dust and solids and can hold up well under splashes of moisture, sweat, and water. These devices usually can’t survive submerged underwater or hold up against a rainstorm. If you want to work out in a pair of earbuds, opt for a pair with at least an IPX4. An IPX5 can stand up against low-pressure water jets and should be able to take some rain. Again, the higher the number, the stronger the protection.

How We Evaluated

We scouted several technology and audio publications to find the best wireless earbuds on the market to see their frequently recommended picks. We also checked with our tech testing editor, Hunter Fenollol, for his recommendations, and consulted Stefan Vazharov’s list of the best wireless earbuds from sister publication Best Products, who spent over 500 hours field testing dozens of earbuds. Lastly, we considered bestselling products from top brands like Apple, Beats, and Sony, and consulted user reviews. Our list includes wireless earbuds for all sorts of audio listeners, from the budget-oriented to the workout junkie

Need more audio action? Check out our picks for the best noise-canceling headphones, headphones for bass lovers, and wireless speakers for at-home listening.