10 Best Noise-Canceling Headphones of 2021
Headphones have progressed way beyond the fuzzy black contraptions you wore with your Walkman. Today's noise canceling headphones block ambient sound like loud engines or crying babies to make you feel like you're listening to music in the middle of a concert hall. For that reason, it makes sense that consumers look to noise canceling headphones for studying or travel. This list contains top-performing headphones vetted by our Lab experts, along with best-selling and top-rated options we found online. No matter if you're a student looking for noise canceling headphones under $100 or want to invest in a quality set for your next trip, there's a pair for you.
Bose
amazon.com
$299.00
These wireless headphones aced our tests in the over-ear category. You can easily adjust noise canceling preferences through the Bose Connect App, and the on-ear controls are easy to use. Testers found them to be super comfortable, so you can use 'em for hours at a time without a headache. Extra features include Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant access.
Claimed battery life: 20 hours
Quiet Mark noise canceling rating: 3 stars
Skullcandy
amazon.com
$79.99
While these aren't technically noise-canceling, they do have dampening foam that helps block external noise. Our testers were impressed with how well they stayed in place and our engineers noted how simple they were to set up. The controls are conveniently located and easy to use.
Claimed battery life: 22 hours
Quiet Mark noise canceling rating: 3 stars
Skullcandy
amazon.com
$24.99
If you're looking for a cheaper option, try these earbuds from Skullcandy. The noise cancellation won't stand up to pricier options, but they're an easy-to-pack pick for travel and feature a built-in mic and remote for calls.
Claimed battery life: 8 hours
Quiet Mark noise canceling rating: 1 star
Sony
amazon.com
$348.00
Ultimate comfort and noise cancellation come together with this pair of Sony over-ear headphones. This pair was one of the top tested for comfort, meaning they’re perfect for frequent fliers and avid music listeners. While they are on the pricier side, you’re making up for it with top-notch noise cancellation and sound quality. You can adjust advanced features in Sony's app, with cool settings like making it sound like you're on an outdoor stage.
Claimed battery life: 30 hours
Quiet Mark noise canceling rating: 3 stars
AKG
$129.99
This pair comes with a headphone jack (perfect for tuning into the movie on a flight!) and a convenient carrying case. Testers thought this pair had above-average sound quality and since these are on-ear headphones rather than over-ear, they're a little more lightweight.
Claimed battery life: 30 hours
Quiet Mark noise canceling rating: 3 stars
Plantronics
amazon.com
$280.67
While this in-ear headset is on the pricier side, testers thought they had above-average sound quality and were easy to pair across devices with Bluetooth. Designed for someone who's on the phone a lot, the neck band will even vibrate when you're getting a call.
Claimed battery life: 16 hours
Quiet Mark noise canceling rating: 2 stars
ISOtunes
amazon.com
$69.99
With no bulky neck bar, the controls on this pair are still easy to access and use. The ISOtunes Pro comes with three different sizes of foam earbuds to match a range of ear shapes plus a small carrying case for easy storage. Testers found that the sound quality was about average, while they still scored well for the noise canceling.
Claimed battery life: 10 hours
Quiet Mark noise canceling rating: 3 stars
Sennheiser
amazon.com
$149.00
Active noise cancellation and a closed back design is what gives these headphones top-quality sound. They feature wireless codec support and low latency to keep audio perfectly in sync when watching videos. These headphones boast one of the longest battery lives among the rest, with a total of 30 hours, according to the brand. The long battery life paired with an advanced folding design makes these headphones great for traveling. While we haven't tested these headphones in the Lab, a few Amazon reviewers say that the headphones fit a little tight and aren't the most comfortable to wear.
Claimed battery life: 30 hours
Cowin
amazon.com
$59.99
Boasting a 4.4 star rating and over 26,000 reviews, the Cowin E-7 wireless headphones are a best-seller on Amazon for a reason. The brand claims they're engineered to sound better, be more comfortable and easier to take with you. They're designed with pillowy-soft cushions that reduce even the loudest airplane noise. "It’s not Bose quality," writes one reviewer, "but it’s plenty powerful to muffle a mower, vacuum or grinder. It almost entirely mutes plane noise," he says, although we haven't tested these claims ourselves.
Claimed battery life: 30 hours
Sony
amazon.com
120.49
Though these headphones are wireless, they come with a wired cable so you can keep listening with active noise cancellation for an extended time, which the brand claims can be up to 50 hours, although we haven't tried these headphones ourselves. Otherwise, the headphones are designed to be hands free, even with Alexa voice control for free voice access to music.
Claimed battery life: 35 hours, up to 50 hours with wired cable
10 Best Noise-Canceling Headphones of 2021
Headphones have progressed way beyond the fuzzy black contraptions you wore with your Walkman. Today's noise canceling headphones block ambient sound like loud engines or crying babies to make you feel like you're listening to music in the middle of a concert hall. For that reason, it makes sense that consumers look to noise canceling headphones for studying or travel. This list contains top-performing headphones vetted by our Lab experts, along with best-selling and top-rated options we found online. No matter if you're a student looking for noise canceling headphones under $100 or want to invest in a quality set for your next trip, there's a pair for you.
The perfect solution to work-from-home distractions.
Solve the daily Crossword

