Copyright HuffPost
Finding the right pair of headphones can be a bit of a “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” situation. Whether they’re too big, too small, too expensive or too techy — there are many factors that make a pair just right. After much trial and error, I have learned that my favorite over-ear headphones are ones that feel comfortable on the ears for hours, don’t demand downloading an app or any sort of extra technical work, have solid, but straightforward noise-cancelling and rarely need to be charged. If these sound like qualities you look for too, you’re in luck. My tried-and-true pair that checks all these boxes, the JLab JBuds Lux, are currently on sale for up to 38% off at Amazon and Walmart, making them as low as $49.99, depending on the color. Advertisement Planes, hostels and city streets — these babies have become a travel essential. Last year, on a two-week solo trip to Vietnam, I swore by these headphones to drown out everything from snoring seatmates to busy traffic. They’re lightweight and not cumbersome to wear, with the brand’s “cloud foam” earcups that feel like little pillows around your ears. I’ve worn them on 14-hour plane rides, 8-hour bus trips, and even whole nights sleeping in crowded bunk-bed hostels. Compact in size, they’re easy to fold and pack up and don’t feel bulky or heavy when on the ear. Advertisement I am not techy and do not enjoy extra gadgets or steps when trying to listen to my podcasts, and I can proudly say these headphones connect seamlessly to my devices. And when something freaky happens with the Bluetooth (as it always seems to, no matter what device you’re using), I find it’s always pretty painless to reconnect the headphones to my phone or computer, saving my heart rate from jumping in a fit of rage. But trust me, the best part isn’t even their audio abilities. I recently borrowed a friend’s pair of extremely expensive headphones and was shocked at how quickly the battery died, especially since I hadn’t turned them off when I went to bed. I didn’t realize how spoiled I’ve become from my JLab’s, which barely need to be charged and don’t need to be turned off. Like, I didn’t even know it was a thing to have to turn your headphones off, let alone charge them every day because my headphones seem to last forever! The brand says they actually last for over 70 hours of playtime, or 40 hours of active noise-canceling, but I swear they last longer. I can use them for a few hours every single day and not worry about the battery for at least a week, if not more. I charge them so infrequently that I often forget which cord they use and have to check the input when they’re running low. (It’s a USB-C, and you’ll get a cord with your headphones.) And while they do have a power button, when I come home and throw them on the couch, they’ll automatically shut off after a bit. A perfect feature for those of us who are a little forgetful. Advertisement The active noise cancellation is another major improvement from previous budget headphones. They are certainly not going to give you a sensory deprivation tank, abosulture silence vibe, but as someone with sensory issues, who’s particularly sensitive to noise, I find these to be a great option if you’re trying to sleep on the road, work around others or want to tune out the world while you’re on a run. They also offer spatial audio, with a smart feature that automatically adjusts to the environment around you and a “be aware” mode that lets in a little more outside sound for safety. Also, unlike so many things these days, no app is required. While you can use the brand’s JLab app (and other sound apps like Dolby Atmos, Tempest 3D AudioTech and Windows Sonic) to perfect and customize your sound, you don’t need to download the app to use the headphones. I appreciate my physical control buttons on the headphones that let me change the volume, play, pause and switch the audio settings, without me ever needing to mess with an app or even pick up my phone. I especially like this when I’m on walks or commuting and my phone is tucked away somewhere. They’re also great for taking phone calls while I’m walking, and I’ve never had anyone I’m chatting with say they can’t hear me or that I sound fuzzy. Advertisement If you’re looking for a solid pair of headphones that are low-maintenance yet high-quality, I recommend this option from JLab — especially at this price. Read from other fans of the JLab JBuds Lux wireless headphones with active noise cancelling, and grab a pair for yourself while they’re on sale. “These are by far the best headphones i have ever purchaced! nice crisp sound and 3 options for noise cancelation/alert/or low. Life battery for me i have notice is around 5 days .They are extremely comfortable over the ears. Would recommend buying this over the overpriced named brands.” — Rafael, Walmart reviewer “These JLab JBuds Lux ANC headphones are fantastic! The sound quality is clear and balanced, and the hybrid active noise cancellation works really well for blocking out background noise. They’re comfortable to wear for long periods, and the battery life is impressive. I also like the customizable touch controls and the sleek cloud white design. Overall, a great value for the price.” — Sat, Amazon reviwer “These are great! I had low expectations since I’ve had some cheap JLab buds before and they weren’t incredible, but these surpassed my expectations. They’re relatively comfy, sound good, and last like FOREVER on a charge. Physical buttons are nice and actually offer a bunch of functionality with volume, play/pause, noise cancelling, and extra actions when holding or double-clicking any of them. Audio over USB-C is a great touch as well. Noise cancelling is effective if not mind-blowing, and the ‘be aware’ pass through is effective. Overall, they’re a great deal, especially on sale.” — Cassidy, Amazon reviewer Advertisement Want more options? Check out this list of reviewers’ favorite noise-cancelling headphones, by former shopping writer Kristen Adaway. 1 A pair of affordable headphones that reviewers say have great sound quality (20% off) 2 A premium option from a trusted audio brand 3 A budget-friendly option with thousands of accolades Advertisement 4 These foldable JBL headphones with up to 70 hours of battery life 5 A reviewer-approved set with a near-perfect star rating 6 Apple’s luxury TikTok-viral headphones Advertisement 7 A pair of headphones from a beloved brand with over 48,000 5-star reviews
