I’ve tested a ton of open earbuds, but these are the only three models I’d buy

Soundcore AeroClip, Shokz OpenFit 2+, and Edifier Lolliclip together — (Image credit: Future)

I'll be straight with you. For a long time, I considered myself to be an open earbuds skeptic. See, I'm a bit of an over-ear headphones warrior, and choose them for just about every occasion — even if I'm partial to some IEMs or noise-cancelling models from time to time. Open ears just never seemed to do it for me — you don't get an in-ear seal, and as a result, sound quality can often take a backseat.

But then something changed. That's right, I started testing more open earbuds in 2025, and after trying a bunch of models out, I discovered that there were some genuinely high-quality options out there. Yes, open earbuds are designed to deliver superior awareness of your surroundings, but they can also plate up awesome audio, useful features, and top-tier comfort — if you pick the right pair, that is.

1. Soundcore AeroClip

Anker Soundcore AeroClip on ear headphones positioned in front of their charging case — (Image credit: Future)

The Soundcore AeroClip are probably my personal favorite open earbuds I've tested to date. They offer surprisingly clean and immersive audio, an easy to use and well-equipped companion app, and a nice range of color options.

Soundcore also went the extra mile to make this model more comfortable than its predecessors. While using the AeroClip, I never feel like they're overly tight or anything — in fact I sometimes forget they're even on!

As their name suggests, the AeroClip use a clip-on design rather than the traditional open ear configuration, although they're still very secure on-ear. And although they're not the most waterproof or feature-rich, their modest price more than makes up for that.

2. Shokz OpenFit 2+

The Shokz OpenFit 2+ currently sit atop our guide to the best open earbuds that money can buy, but it's really not hard to see why.

These open earbuds simply nail the basics. Stellar sound quality? Check. Stable and secure fit? Also check. Plenty of battery life? You guessed it: check! Pair that with a comfortable feel, effective and differentiated sound modes, and IP55 dust and waterproofing, and you're onto a winner.

While we already rated them in terms of value for money, it's always good to see a discount, and these open earbuds have seen their price dwindle in light of Amazon's spring-time sale, so it's the perfect time to snap them up.

3. Edifier Lolliclip

Edifier LolliClip open ear headphones leaning against charging case — (Image credit: Future)

When I reviewed the Edifier LolliClip last year, they had a list price in excess of $100. What's more, I already considered them to be a decent value pick, especially considering their blood oxygen and heartrate monitoring capabilities. But right now, they're available for less than $50, and make an awesome budget option.

Sure, they have the health tracking options mentioned above, but the Lolliclip also provide steady audio quality, a high waterproof rating, and...even adaptive noise cancellation. That's quite a rare feature to find on open ears, but I found that it genuinely worked well here.

Considering that the LolliClip also offer a decent dosage of battery life and a pretty neat look, you're getting a brilliant overall package.