Tech specs: Battery life: 6 hours | Noise canceling: Yes | Voice assistant: Yes | Waterproof rating: IPX4

Bose’s Acoustic Noise Cancelling technology provides true quiet within this pair of wireless earbuds. Using hidden microphones in the earbuds, they monitor external sound and emit an anti-sound wave to cancel out any noise other than whatever you’re listening to.

Also: The 5 best noise-cancelling earbuds

When you want to tune back into your surroundings, an Aware Mode feature allows you to hear your music and surroundings at a lower level simultaneously. So if you wish to block the sounds of city construction or get into the zone for work, these best true wireless earbuds are a wise option to consider.

Tech specs: Battery life: 6 hours | Noise canceling: No | Voice assistant: Yes | Waterproof rating: IPX4

Despite the latest technology, some users may still prefer a wired fit. Although called wireless, these Bose SoundSport earbuds are not entirely wireless because they are still connected by a wire that wraps around your neck to keep the fit secure while you are wearing them. The earbuds’ StayHear+ Sport tips are built to stay in your ears, so you can work out in these without worrying about them falling out—plus, they are sweatproof.

The rechargeable lithium-ion battery provides up to six hours of improved sound quality on a full battery in just two hours of charging. In addition, you can easily control the volume, skip tracks, and take calls by tapping the built-in remote.

Tech specs: Battery life: N/A | Noise canceling: No—but has sound isolation | Voice assistant: No | Waterproof rating: N/A

If you’re looking to go entirely “old-school” and forgo Bluetooth altogether for wired earbuds, these earbuds from Sennheiser are great midrange options. A 3.9-inch cable includes a built-in microphone and remote so you can play or pause music and take a call without using your phone. While these earbuds don’t have active noise cancellation, they have sound isolation thanks to their in-ear design.

These also come with four ear adapter sizes (XS, S, M, and L) and a handy travel pouch. And, since they are wired, you never have to worry about charging them.

Tech specs: Battery life: 6 hours | Noise canceling: Yes | Voice assistant: Siri | Waterproof rating: IPX4

The newest Apple AirPods Pro that debuted this year are a welcome upgrade from the previous generation’s features. Thanks to Apple’s new and improved H2 chip, these AirPods have better performance via high-band connectivity and a low distortion audio driver with a custom amplifier. The technologies combine to ensure clearer audio across various sound frequencies, making them the best-sounding AirPods to date. 

As far as noise-cancellation goes, these Airpods have two times more noise cancellation than the previous version. An upgraded adaptive transparency mode also automatically lowers the volume of harmful noises above the 85dB threshold. Plus, you can personalize your spatial audio settings to create your ideal sound experience (using iOS 16). 

Read the review: AirPods Pro 2 offer two big upgrades but connectivity chaos hasn’t been tamed

Tech specs: Battery life: 10 hours | Noise canceling: Yes (microphones) | Voice assistant: N/A | Waterproof rating: IP55

Don’t want to cram something in your ear? These open-ear earbuds by Shokz fit over your ear and play the sound against your cheekbone. Two bass enhancers allow you to experience every note, beat, and chorus of your favorite song, resulting in premium sound quality. They have an impressive battery life of up to 10 hours, but if you need a quick, last-minute charge, charging them for five minutes provides up to 1.5 hours of listening.

Perfect for runners, these earbuds stay put thanks to the brand’s signature open-ear design. And while this allows you to remain alert to your surroundings, the trade-off is that you still hear ambient sounds around you.

Read the review: Shokz OpenRun Pro review: Outstanding bone conduction headset for safe training