Over-ear, noise-canceling headphones typically offer the most comprehensive features for our listening pleasure. The best options combine stellar sound quality with powerful active noise cancellation (ANC) and other tools, like a reliable Bluetooth connection. We at Engadget review a ton of Bluetooth wireless headphones each year; for this guide, we tested out different models with various features, including noise cancellation, customization options and sound quality. Our favorites tick all of the most important boxes we’d expect quality wireless headphones to check and span a range of prices so you can decide how much you’re comfortable spending.
When shopping for wireless headphones, you’ll need to decide on the wear style. Do you prefer on-ear or over-ear headphones? For the purposes of our buyer’s guide, we focus on the over-ear style as that’s what most noise-canceling headphones are nowadays. If you plan to use your new headphones in quieter spaces, skipping ANC can save you some money.
It’s essential to consider must-have features and what you can live without. We suggest reading reviews to see how well a company’s more advanced features work. Sound can be subjective, so we recommend trying before you buy if at all possible.
We primarily test headphones by wearing them as much as possible and listening to a mix of music and podcasts. We also test at both low and high volumes to check for consistency in the tuning. To judge the best Bluetooth headphones, we consider audio quality by listening to a range of genres.
The Sony WH-1000XM5 are still our top pick, and Sony redesigned its flagship headphones, making them way more comfortable to wear for long periods of time. The Bowers and Wilkins Px7 S2 are also a strong pick in the current true wireless headphone field. The Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT are also worth considering for wireless headphones under $100. The newly renamed Bose QuietComfort Headphones and Technics EAH-A800 are solid options as well.
