Finding the best wireless headphones can feel a bit overwhelming, because there are so many excellent options – and wWhether you're looking for the best wireless earbuds or the best over-ear headphones, we've got them here. Whether you're looking for amazing audio or excellent isolation, noise cancelling or nuanced performance, we'll help you find the best wireless headphones for you.
All the Bluetooth headphones listed below offer great connectivity, fantastic audio quality and stylish designs. Some models also offer useful extras like active noise cancellation and AI assistants that you can control with your voice. In this guide we're concentrating on headphones for everyday use; if you're a swimmer or into your fitness we also have guides to the best waterproof headphones and the best workout headphones.
Before you dive in, it's useful to know what your budget is and what your preference happens to be with how they fit. We've spent a long time trying out the best headphones on the market right now, so our recommendations are based on real-world experience.
Our number one choice is the newly released Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones. They're comfortable, deliver some of the best-sounding audio of any over-ear headphones, easily making them our favorite Bluetooth headphones. They also have extra features like active noise-cancellation and spatial audio. But they're not cheap, so if you're on a tight budget you might prefer our recommendations for the best cheap headphones.
To help you figure out what's best for you, we've divided our guide into wireless over-ear headphones, wireless earphones, and true wireless earbuds. They all do similar things, but they do it in different ways and are suited to different kinds of listening.
Some wireless in-ear models, earphones, or earbuds (depending on how you like to refer to them) have a neckband connecting each earbud, which makes them ideal for runners who want the security of a wire keeping their earbuds together but the freedom of a wireless connection.
The most popular in-ear models are called True Wireless Earbuds. That means there are no wires at all: they connect to each other without cables, and connect wirelessly to your phone or other audio source.
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Over-ear headphones
The best over-ear wireless headphones
Wireless over-ear headphones are the best choice if you're looking for the ultimate audio quality, thanks to their large drivers and sound-isolating earcups. They're also a good choice if you love to switch between listening with a wired connection and over Bluetooth, with most offering a 3.5mm audio port as well as wireless connectivity.
The Sony WH-1000XM5 are the best wireless headphones we've ever tested. With improved noise-cancellation, supreme sound quality, and an even more lightweight wireless design, Sony has surpassed our previous favourite, last year's WH-1000XM4.
Although they aren't a massive departure from their predecessors there's a new design, new drivers, a whole array of microphones for better call quality and super-fast charging. There's also beefier processing for the noise cancellation, which was already good and is now great,
The Sony WH-1000XM5 are a wonderful pair of wireless noise-cancelling headphones. They deliver exactly what they promise and then some thanks to their exceptional noise cancellation and cutting-edge codec support, which delivers even higher quality audio in compatible apps.
The drivers in these models are smaller than before, but the soundstage remains spacious and gives all elements of a mix room to breathe and shine. There’s very little sound leakage, too: we sat next to a colleague in the office with the volume at full, and they didn't hear anything. That's a big improvement over the previous model.
On top of the adjustments listed above, the Sony WH-1000XM5 support Sony’s 360 Reality Audio format that enables spatial audio on stereo headphones plus the LDAC codec that can send a bitrate of up to 990 kbps. Unfortunately these headphones don't support aptX or aptX HD, so your hi-res audio support mileage may vary; if you need aptX HD you'd be better with last year's version instead.
Read more: Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Headphones review
If you like the idea of Sony wireless headphones but don't need a high-priced, high end set such as the XM5s above, the Sony WH-CH510 is a much more affordable option. The Sony WH-CH510 have solid audio, great battery life, and Bluetooth connectivity, meaning they offer excellent bang for your buck, and while of course they don't have the build quality or the frequency range of headphones costing nearly ten times the price they are an excellent pair of all-rounders for a very impressive price.
These are on-ear headphones rather than over-ears, and one result of that is that the soundstage isn't quite as immersive as with a pair of over-ears. There's a built-in microphone for calls that's perfectly fine, and you can expect up to 35 hours of playback. A full charge takes about four hours but you can get about 90 minutes of listening from just 10 minutes charging from flat. There's no 3.5mm audio jack for listening if you run out of charge, though.
In our Sony WH-CH510 review we found their Bluetooth connection to be rock solid, and while they're not the toughest-feeling headphones we've ever tried they're light, comfortable and enormously agreeable. If you're looking for a good all-rounder without paying a lot of money we'd highly recommend these Sonys.
Read more: Sony WH-CH510 review
Bose has really outdone itself with the Headphones 700. Their sophisticated noise cancellation is applied to your voice during phone calls as well as your surroundings. There are 11 different noise cancellation modes so there's something for every potential scenario here.
These Bose headphones are a serious alternative to the Sony WH-1000XM5. They sound fantastic with a vibrant, lively character and well-balanced soundstage, and they offer the same great noise-cancellation you'd expect from Bose. We tested them out on tracks including Mark Ronson’s latest album, Late Night Feelings. In Truth (feat. Alicia Keys and The Last Artful, Dodgr) forcefully conveyed the bubbling sub bass as smoky vocals soared above the clattering industrial drum beats.
When we used the headphones during phone calls, we found the call quality to be remarkably clear even when walking on a busy London street.
These headphones don't have the same dexterity as the WH-1000XM5 and the battery life is also 10 hours less than the Sony headphones despite costing more, but they're perhaps the best wireless headphones for making calls with or for when working in a busy (and loud) office.
Read more: Bose Noise-Cancelling Headphones 700 review
Bowers & Wilkins flagship wireless headphones are made to sound as premium as they feel. They're stylish in looks, feature a range of modern tech, and deliver very good audio quality, though aren't suited to some music styles.
In our testing, we highlighted them as having "a talented sound with oodles of textured detail through vocals and mid-range… That is thanks in part to the all-new 40mm high-resolution drive units, angled within each ear cup to deliver an incredibly immersive soundstage." However, we also noted that "Unlike some cans that err on the side of caution in a bid to deliver space and neutrality, here, when the bass drops it really does drop, and it begins to muddy and encroach upon the audio performance in its entirety."
The active noise cancelation is also good, but not at the same standard as Bose and Sony's newest headphones. The 30-hour battery life is great for these kinds of headphones, though.
If you listen to acoustic or more bass-light fare, there's a huge amount to enjoy in these headphones – as we said in our review: "if it's class-leading detail and openness in acoustic tracks you want, they'll serve your needs."
Read the full review: Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2
In-ear wireless headphones
The best in-ear wireless headphones
Wireless earbuds have existed for a while now, basically since Bluetooth was invented. Though battery-powered and not physically connected to your phone, they have a cord connecting both buds – and sometimes a band around the neck too.
Here are our top picks for the form factor:
NuraLoop has taken the good bits of the company's first product, the Nuraphone, into a much more compact, rugged, and affordable package. You may not be familiar with the brand but these are exceptional in-ears that include some clever audio tech.
The star of the show here is NuraLoop's adaptive audio technology, which automatically determines a listening profile for each user and feeds them well-balanced, lush sound as a result. In our tests, we were impressed by the great sense of clarity and space, even at higher volumes.
In addition to the adaptive audio you also get active noise cancelling, a social mode, an IPX3 rating, Immersion mode, great battery life, and the ability to attach a standard 3.5mm analog cable too.
They may be a little bulky compared to competitors and we found the neckband felt a little stiff, but the NuraLoop headphones give you a robust fit that should be ideal for extra active users, who'll also be pleased by the sweat resistance. These are excellent 'phones for fitness fans.
Read more: NuraLoop headphones review
OnePlus is mostly known for its smartphones, which tend to deliver premium features for lower prices. But it's a headphone manufacturer too, and we're as impressed by its Bullets Wireless 2 as we are by its phones. They are incredible value in the neckbud earphones category.
In terms of audio quality, these neckband earbuds boast a lively sonic presentation and an accurate-feeling soundstage, although bass-heads may want to look elsewhere for headphones that pack a bassier punch.
We found them comfortable to wear, but it's worth knowing that these don't have a waterproof rating and the inline remote is very fiddly, so these wouldn't be our pic for the best running headphones.
These headphones are currently $30 more expensive than their predecessors, but the improved battery life and sound quality makes up for that; it also makes it worth upgrading if you have the originals and are due a new pair of wireless earbuds.
Read more: OnePlus Bullets Wireless 2 review
The SoundMagic E11BTs are an extremely capable pair of wireless in-ear earphones, and given their low price, it really is difficult to fault them. The audio quality on offer here is fantastic and they look very elegant, too.
We found the soundstage to be clear and well-balanced, and while these in-ears don't have active noise cancellation the sound isolation is good enough for you to listen to music and podcasts in relative peace.
They're comfortable to wear thanks to ergonomically designed eartips, and their flat neckband won’t irritate you while running or working out. The IPX4 means they should withstand even the sweatiest runs or workouts, and the low price means they're a solid option as a spare set of workout buds.
Faults? We'd have preferred wingtips for an even more secure fit and we felt the treble was a little harsh. But these are minor concerns. The SoundMagic E11BTs are pretty great for the price. If you want a secure fit while working out, without missing out on good audio quality, these are the ones for you.
Read more: SoundMagic E11BT review
- For more top picks, check out our dedicated guide to the best wireless earbuds
True wireless earbuds
The best true wireless headphones
True wireless earbuds have no cord whatsoever. While wireless allows us to wear headphones a few feet away from our music players, True Wireless cuts the cord between the earbuds, giving us true freedom. If you're looking to go full wireless, we also have a round-up of the best true wireless headphones, but you'll find our top picks here, too:
With the WF-1000XM4, Sony has combined performance, ergonomics, and build quality more effectively than ever before.
Compared to their predecessors, the Sony WF-1000XM3, these wireless earbuds offer enough key quality-of-life features to make them worth upgrading to, even though they cost a little more than before. Whether it's listening to music or taking calls, these are some very useful earbuds thanks to great balanced sound, effective moose cancelling and a decent app.
In our tests, we were impressed by the XM4's rhythmic certainty, natural presentation, and detailed sound.
While other true wireless earbuds surpass the Sony WF-1000XM4 in particular areas – for example while Sony's noise cancellation is good, some rivals are better – no other model comes close to offering such excellent quality across the board. That’s why the Sony WF-1000XM4 are hands-down the best true wireless earbuds you can buy today, even when you consider their relatively unremarkable battery life and their lack of aptX support.
Read more: Sony WF-1000XM4 review
The NuraTrue are perhaps the most personalized wireless earbuds you can buy today – and they’re among the best-sounding, too.
They’re the first true wireless earbuds from Australian audio brand Nura, following in the footsteps of its NuraLoop earphones – which, as you've already seen, are our pick for the best wireless earbuds of 2022.
The NuraTrue are another success for the company, offering unbeaten levels of customization that allow the earbuds to be tuned to your ears exactly. The accompanying app even analyzes how well the buds fit into your ears - and we found this process to be really easy, even if it does take five minutes out of your day.
The end result is outstanding audio performance that reveals superb levels of detail in your music, and a wide soundstage that enables every instrument to sing.
And in case you think these earbuds are made with only audio in mind, they in fact come with plenty of features that will appeal to anyone who wants a cheaper alternative to popular models such as the AirPods Pro and the Sony WF-1000XM4. Those features include decent noise cancellation, an IPX4 water-resistance rating, fast charging, and support for hi-res audio too.
Read more: NuraTrue review
Cambridge Audio might be best known for its high-end audio equipment, but over the past few years the British company has branched out into the world of true wireless earbuds.
Its first offering was the Melomania 1, which are still among the best wireless earbuds you can buy. However, the new Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Plus are a worthy upgrade, putting many other earbuds in the shade in terms of audio performance, battery life, and ease of use.
While the design of the Melomania 1 Plus hasn’t deviated too far from its predecessors, there’s a significant step-up in terms of audio performance, with levels of detail and clarity that could rival some of the best over-ear headphones. In fact, they're among the most detailed true wireless earbuds we've ever tested.
A helpful app, easy controls, and excellent connectivity just makes us love them even more. The only downside is that there’s no active noise cancellation, although the supplied tips do deliver a decent seal to keep the outside world quieter. And when you hear what these earbuds can do, we don't think you'll feel shortchanged.
Read more: Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Plus review
How to choose the best wireless headphones for you
We've tested hundreds of wireless headphones, looking at various elements of what makes up the best wireless headphones.
First of all, we considered different styles. We appreciated the importance of some people preferring over-ear compared to in-ear, as well as looked at different ways of connecting the devices, whether that's via a truly wireless connection or with a neckband.
From there, it was important to consider price. While, generally, the more you pay, the better the sound quality, not everyone can (or wants to) spend hundreds on the latest earphones with the best audio experience. Instead, we evaluated what was best here, while ensuring all the entries offered clear and crisp sound at all times.
It's worth considering if you want any additional features too. Many people may just want great sound and a comfy fit, but others may prefer to see voice assistant integration or noise cancellation. There's not much point in spending extra on a set of features you'll never use, or seeking out voice assistant support for a service you don't use.
Audiophiles may also wish to pay attention to wireless headphones that support Hi-Res Audio codecs like LDAC and aptX HD Bluetooth too for superior connectivity.
Ultimately, it's important to find a good balance of features so that you spend the right amount for you, while also getting the style and audio performance you appreciate most.
Wireless headphones: FAQs
Wireless vs true wireless: what's the difference?
Wireless headphones are traditional over-ear or on-ear headphones without the wire – the two earcups are connected by a headband.
Wireless earbuds have existed for a while now, basically since Bluetooth was invented. Though battery-powered and not physically connected to your phone, they have a cord connecting both buds – and sometimes a band around the neck too. Check out the best wireless earbuds for more.
True wireless earbuds have no cord whatsoever. While wireless allows us to wear headphones a few feet away from our music players, True Wireless cuts the cord between the earbuds, giving us true freedom. If you're looking to go full wireless, we also have a round-up of the best true wireless headphones.
Which brand is best for wireless headphones?
There's no one perfect brand for wireless headphones as you can see above. It all depends on what you need most from your wireless headphones. If you're looking for solid all-rounders, Sony are a great bet if you can afford them, while Bose often have the edge with noise-cancellation quality. That's before you consider if you need the best wireless headphones for running, listening, or something different.
That's why it's important to do your research and think about what is most important to you.
How we tested the best wireless headphones
We've tested every pair of the best wireless headphones on this list and to include them here, we were looking for each device to tick a number of key boxes.
The first, of course, is Bluetooth connectivity. But as well as offering wireless sound, we also tested for stable and reliable connections – there's nothing worse than losing a track just as it reaches the good bit.
Next up, we wanted to ensure the headphones were designed with wearability and style in mind. We tested how comfortable they were for long periods of time and assessed their looks, too, from minimal to suitably stylish.
Audio performance was a key consideration. Gone are the days of wireless headphones lacking in sound quality, so we made sure every pair of Bluetooth headphones on this list offered clear, powerful sound.
We also considered additional features, too, like AI assistant integration and noise cancellation. Not all of the headphones in this list have extras like these, but it certainly makes some devices more appealing than others – especially if you have a big budget.
Speaking of budget, we also considered whether the wireless headphones in this list were good value for money. This didn't mean we only wanted to include budget headphones, but wanted to ensure all of the devices that we added in this guide did match up to their price tag – even if it was a big one.
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- On a budget? Read our guide to the best cheap headphones
