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Skip to main content Tom's Guide Newsletters View Profile Search Tom's Guide You May Like I test audio gear for a living — here's the 7 best Prime Day noise-canceling earbuds deals from Apple, Sony, Bose and more I spent two months testing the best wireless headphones for your commute — these 3 are my final picks I test noise-canceling headphones for a living — here's my top picks under $100 Phone Insights Phone Best Picks Phone Deals Phone Face-Offs Phone How-Tos Phone Reviews Network Carriers Android Phones Google Phones Motorola Phones OnePlus Phones Samsung Phones Nothing Phone TV Best Picks TV Face-Offs Audio Insights Audio Best Picks Audio Deals Audio Face-Offs Audio How-Tos Audio Reviews Over-Ear Headphones Bluetooth Speakers Entertainment Streaming Devices Prime Video Paramount Plus Playstation Gaming Peripherals Connections Computing Insights Computing Best Picks Computing Deals Computing Face-Offs Computing How-Tos Computing News Computing Reviews VPN Best Picks VPN Face-Offs VPN How-Tos VPN Reviews Operating Systems Malware & Adware Smart Glasses Chromebooks Gaming Laptops Apple Desktops Gaming Desktops Android Tablets Computing Brands AI Insights AI Best Picks AI Face-Offs Google Gemini Apple Intelligence Mattress Best Picks Mattress Deals Mattress Face-Offs Mattress How-Tos Mattress News Mattress Reviews Mattress Care Mattress Toppers Pillows & Bedding Smartwatches Fitness Trackers Smart Rings Apple Watch Home Insights Home Best Picks Home Face-Offs Home How-Tos Home Reviews Home Topics Home Appliances Home Office Home Security Home Brands Popular Brands View Phones Phone Insights Phone Best Picks Phone Deals Phone Face-Offs Phone How-Tos Phone Reviews Network Carriers View Network Carriers Android Phones View Android Phones Google Phones Motorola Phones OnePlus Phones Samsung Phones Nothing Phone TV Best Picks TV Face-Offs Audio Insights View Audio Insights Audio Best Picks Audio Deals Audio Face-Offs Audio How-Tos Audio Reviews Headphones View Headphones Over-Ear Headphones View Speakers Bluetooth Speakers Entertainment View Entertainment View Streaming Streaming Devices Prime Video Paramount Plus View Gaming Playstation Gaming Peripherals Word Games Connections View Computing Computing Insights Computing Best Picks Computing Deals Computing Face-Offs Computing How-Tos Computing News Computing Reviews VPN Best Picks VPN Face-Offs VPN How-Tos VPN Reviews View Hardware View Software Operating Systems View Security Malware & Adware View VR & AR Smart Glasses View Laptops Chromebooks Gaming Laptops View Desktops Apple Desktops Gaming Desktops View Tablets Android Tablets Computing Brands AI Insights AI Best Picks AI Face-Offs AI Engines Google Gemini Apple Intelligence View Wellness Mattresses View Mattresses Mattress Best Picks Mattress Deals Mattress Face-Offs Mattress How-Tos Mattress News Mattress Reviews Mattress Care Mattress Toppers Pillows & Bedding View Fitness Smartwatches Fitness Trackers Smart Rings Apple Watch Home Insights Home Best Picks Home Face-Offs Home How-Tos Home Reviews Home Topics Home Appliances Home Office Home Security View Outdoors Home Brands Popular Brands iPhone Air Review iPhone 17 Pro Max Review iPhone 17 Review Meta Ray-Ban Display Best laptops Best Mattress Don't miss these I spent 24 hours with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds gen 2 — here's what I like and don't I used to be an open-ear hater, but these are the 3 open-earbuds that changed my mind — and none of them are Bose I test audio gear for a living — here's my 5 favorite wireless earbuds under $100 with great sound Over-Ear Headphones Best over-ear headphones: Top picks tested by experts I've tested a ton of earbuds in the last year — here's my top picks under $50, $150 and $300 I review noise-cancelling headphones for a living — here's my top picks for every budget The best AirPods Max alternatives in 2025 Best cheap noise-cancelling headphones Best Apple AirPods alternatives: Top picks of 2025 Best headphones of 2025: Top picks tested by experts I test headphones for a living and these are the 3 alternatives I recommend over the AirPods Pro 3 Best wireless earbuds 2025 — tested and rated Over-Ear Headphones I've been testing the second-generation Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones — what's new? The best cheap wireless earbuds in 2025 I just tested these hi-fi earbuds, and they've got better sound than the AirPods, Sony and Bose earbuds Preferred Partner I test audio gear for a living — here's my 3 favorite noise cancelling earbuds for making your morning commute as peaceful as possible Tammy Rogers 27 September 2025 Marvelous noise-blocking buds When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Tom's Guide) Your commute is almost certainly noisy. If you're not driving, you're either sitting in a busy train carriage or a bus, surrounded by noise and, like, other people. Gross. Grim. The best way to keep the noise at bay? A pair of excellent noise-canceling earbuds. They'll block out the noise of your fellow passengers, and other environmental sounds that might be keeping your commute from being the relaxing trip to work that it could be. I've tested a bunch of different ANC earbuds to find the best — and now I'm going to make a quick list for you to find the best noise-canceling earbuds for you. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) (Image credit: Future) There are very few ways to block as much as noise as the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen. A pair of industrial ear-muffs might do it. Wearing a helmet filled with car insulation might be another. But neither of those options play your sweet, sweet tunes on the way to work – so I know which I'd rather buy. You may like I test audio gear for a living — here's the 7 best Prime Day noise-canceling earbuds deals from Apple, Sony, Bose and more I spent two months testing the best wireless headphones for your commute — these 3 are my final picks I test noise-canceling headphones for a living — here's my top picks under $100 The noise canceling of the QuietComfort Ultra gen 2 is incredibly impressive. With a quick tap on the buds' touch surfaces, you're sealed away into a cocoon filled with your music, as the rest of the world melts away into nothing. They work pretty well as ANC earplugs as well, doing a decent job with no music playing at all. They sound good, feel comfortable and look pretty cool to boot. I do wish they had more battery life — 6 hours is just okay — but they're overall my favorite noise-canceling earbuds when I'm commuting via public transit. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds gen 2: $299 at Best Buy The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds gen 2 are the best way to block noise — bar none. Their noise canceling is the very best you can get in your ears, keeping everything at bay. They sound good too, although we'd prefer a little more than the 6-hour battery we get here. Sony WF-1000XM5 (Image credit: Tom's Guide) Sony's earbuds department always makes something special when it comes out with a flagship, and the WF-1000XM5 are the best ANC buds from the firm yet. They're positively tiny, despite their very impressive internals bringing plenty of features besides their excellent ANC. That ANC is, as you might expect, very good. It's not quite up there with the Bose buds, but it still does a stellar job of keeping the noise of your commute to a minimum. There are a couple of places where the Sony buds are better than Bose's effort, though. The sound is more well-controlled, and the battery life is superior. You get 7.5 hours of use on a charge, as opposed to 6. Those 1.5 hours go a long way in real life as well, especially if you wear them when you get to work. Sign up to get the BEST of Tom's Guide direct to your inbox. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. They're very comfortable as well, thanks to their blend of felt and silicon eartips. There are loads of options in the box, so you can properly dial them in to a fit that suits you. That, and they come in pink. And who can say no to pink? Sony WF-1000XM5: was $328 now $279 at Best Buy Sony's buds get mighty close in ANC to the Bose option, and beat them out in terms of price and battery life. They're also very comfortable, with a massive range of silicon and foam tips that come in the box. The color options are fun too — I really like the pink option. Apple AirPods Pro 3 (Image credit: Future) The very recently released AirPods Pro 3 are a great option if you're in the Apple ecosystem. They magically connect with every single Apple device in your collection, so all you need to do is open them next to your iPhone or iPad. From there, the audio switches around when you change your source device. Magic. They're also a big step up over their predecessor, the AirPods Pro 2. There's now improved ANC, and in my testing, I've found it to be far superior. It's somewhere in the very slim gap between the Sony buds and the Bose. Transparency mode is even better than both. You get 8 hours of battery life with ANC on, much better than the AirPods Pro 2's 6 hours. Then there's all the extra features that Apple has packed in, like the heart rate monitor and the Live Translation feature. These are hands-down the best AirPods ever. Apple AirPods Pro 3: $249 at Best Buy The AirPods Pro 3 are the best buds you can buy if you're an Apple user. They've got that magical connection with Apple devices like iPhones and MacBooks. They also feature a strong 8 hours of battery, increased sound quality and even better noise canceling. More from Tom's Guide Apple responds to iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air 'scratchgate' — and aluminum durability concerns This $150 pair of ANC earbuds are the perfect budget alternative to the AirPods Pro 3 Sony used a PS5 State of Play to reveal desktop gaming speakers — here's what they bring to the table Today's best earbuds deals Sony WF-1000XM5 See all prices Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd See all prices Apple AirPods Pro 3 See all prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Tammy Rogers Social Links Navigation Audio Editor Tammy and her generous collection of headphones have found a new home — Tom's Guide! After a two-and-a-half-year stint as iMore's resident audiophile, Tammy's reviews and buying guide expertise have more focus than ever on Tom's Guide, helping buyers find the audio gear that works best for them. Tammy has worked with some of the most desirable audio brands on the planet in her time writing about headphones, speakers, and more, bringing a consumer focussed approach to critique and buying advice. Away from her desk, you'll probably find her in the countryside writing (extremely bad) poetry, or putting her screenwriting Masters to good use creating screenplays that'll never see the light of day. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. I test audio gear for a living — here's the 7 best Prime Day noise-canceling earbuds deals from Apple, Sony, Bose and more I spent two months testing the best wireless headphones for your commute — these 3 are my final picks I test noise-canceling headphones for a living — here's my top picks under $100 I test audio gear for a living — here's my 5 favorite wireless earbuds under $100 with great sound I've tested a ton of earbuds in the last year — here's my top picks under $50, $150 and $300 Best cheap noise-cancelling headphones Latest in Earbuds Google's Pixel Buds Pro 2 are getting a major update with adaptive audio, head gestures and loud noise protection This $150 pair of ANC earbuds are the perfect budget alternative to the AirPods Pro 3 Bang & Olufsen has launched $1,500 earbuds that are 'crafted for the century ahead' How to clean AirPods and earbuds safely — without damaging them I've tested a ton of earbuds in the last year — here's my top picks under $50, $150 and $300 Nothing Ear (3) hands on — third time's a charm Latest in Features I shot over 200 photos with the iPhone 17 Pro Max vs Galaxy S25 Ultra — here's the winner How to paint your IKEA furniture for a flawless finish — decorating experts share their top tips I've spent 2 weeks with the iPhone 17 Pro — here’s my pros and cons (so far) Windows 10 end of life — 3 risks you're taking by not upgrading before October 14 Don’t have ChatGPT Pulse yet? Try my clever hack to create your own curated feeds without it I test audio gear for a living — here's my 3 favorite noise cancelling earbuds for making your morning commute as peaceful as possible LATEST ARTICLES You're using your PS5 wrong if you don't have these 2 audio upgrades Lost or stolen phone? 7 essential steps to protect Your data Do mice like cheese? Pest experts debunk 3 common myths about having a mouse in your home These 5 smart TV settings make watching so much easier — here's how to enable them Messages is the iPhone’s most complete app but iOS 26 has made it even better — here's how Tom's Guide is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site. Terms and conditions Contact Future's experts Privacy policy Cookies policy Accessibility Statement Advertise with us Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, Please login or signup to comment Please wait...
