The Best Headphones on Amazon of 2026

• Ambient sound modes: Noise canceling, transparency mode
• Weight: 254 grams
• Battery life: 30 hours per charge

Sony's WH-1000XM4 noise-canceling over-ear headphones don't reinvent the wheel compared to our previous top pick, the WH-1000XM3, but they do make a suite of welcome improvements within an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" approach.

The XM4 checks off all the right boxes where essentials are concerned: they're exceedingly comfortable, incredibly lightweight, they offer amazing sound, and offer noise canceling that's among the best available. They provide a wide array of useful features and functions like Quick Attention, to pause music and illuminate your environment instantly when you put your hand over the right cup, and multipoint pairing to connect to two Bluetooth devices at once, perfect for flipping between devices for all those Zoom calls.

Using Sony's highly tooled Headphones Connect app, you can adjust their EQ on the fly, tailor the transparency mode, and multiple other settings. But even if you don't take a deep dive into the massive array of customization features at your disposal, you'll have no complaints about how brilliantly these comfy headphones operate in all areas. They even include noise-canceling optimization for everything from your glasses to your current barometric pressure.

They also offer simple and intuitive touch controls (alongside some physical keys), up to 30 hours of battery life, and plenty of other features to explore. If you can't spend up for the XM4, you can get a taste of their best features in the much cheaper Sony's WH-CH710N. And of course, there are reams of cheaper cans out there, with varying amounts of quality and value that try and compete with the high bar the XM4 have set.

That said, we've never met anyone who felt buyer's remorse once they slip these cushy cans over their ears and take a trip to music town. They're a premium experience across the board, and you'll be hard-pressed to find a pair that can beat them at their price point.

• Ambient sound modes: Noise canceling, transparency mode
• Water resistance: IP57
• Battery life: 6-7 hours with ANC, 28 hours with the case

Jabra’s Elite 4 Active offer a package that includes nearly everything you could want in a pair of true wireless earbuds at a great price. That's why they're an easy choice for the best value on our list.

The stacked feature set offers something for everyone. Whether you need a snug pair of earbuds with transparency mode for walking and running, a water-resistant pair you can rinse off in the sink (or dunk for short periods), or just decent noise canceling to keep out distractions while working from home, it’s a loaded package.

You’ll get plenty of functionality in Jabra’s Sound+ app, like a 5-band EQ and an earbuds finder. The buds themselves offer comprehensive onboard controls (including volume control), battery playback of 6-7 hours per charge (and plenty more in the case), and the ability to use either bud on its own.

As the price suggests, they don’t have it all. You obviously won’t get the seamless connection to Apple’s ecosystem found in iOS favorites like the AirPods or Beats Fit Pro, and you’ll have to forgo the multipoint pairing of Jabra’s top earbuds like the Elite 85t and Elite 7.

You’ll also have to give up a few convenience features, like auto-pause when you pull an earbud out, or a wireless charging case. But Jabra attempts to make up for those omissions for Android users with extras like Google Fast Pair and one-tap access to Spotify.

When it comes to performance, the Elite 4 Active offer clear, accessible sound and noise canceling that meets or beats most similarly priced rivals. They can’t match top picks in these categories, but again, you won’t be paying the sticker-shocking prices of the top performers. Whatever you’re into, Jabra’s versatile Elite 4 Active bring you a huge slice of the best features at a nice price.

• Ambient sound modes: Noise canceling, transparency mode
• Weight: 250 grams
• Battery life: 30 hours per charge

Sony’s WH-1000XM5, the XM4's well-to-do cousin, come with a royal pedigree. And a more kingly pair of active noise-canceling headphones you’ll be hard-pressed to find. Offering marked upgrades on Sony’s proven formula, the XM5 are a pricey addition to the family, but they're well worth the premium for those who demand the ultimate in ANC performance.

After years of iterative tweaks to Sony’s 1000X lineup, the 1000XM5’s design is a full reboot of the 1000XM4. The headphones (which will live alongside the XM4) offer more oval-shaped ear cups reminiscent of Apple’s AirPods Max. Plush pads on the cups and headband are covered in ultra-smooth synthetic leather, resulting in even more luxurious comfort and longer wearability.

There are other improvements to note, but the XM5’s incredible noise canceling is the standout. With dual ANC chipsets and eight dedicated microphones, the adaptive ANC reacts to your environment to squash droning sounds like fans and engines, and even higher frequency chatter with impressive authority. The cans outpace the XM4 and virtually every other pair of travel cans we’ve tried, with Bose’s QC45 as the only exception.

The QC45 can’t stand with the XM5 when it comes to sound quality, though, which again improves on the XM4 for dynamics and definition. The soundstage is simply immaculate, offering brilliant detail for any and every genre, especially once you’ve tweaked a few EQ settings to your preference in the Sony Headphones app.

Speaking of the app, there you’ll find easy navigation for the same barrage of features that have helped keep Sony’s WH-1000XM4 atop our list for so long. From the EQ and adjustable transparency mode to engaging multipoint pairing or Quick Attention, it’s easy to tailor these cans to your liking. The convenient touch controls and battery life are the same as the XM4, as is the 30-hour battery, now with faster charging.

There are only a couple of downsides. The ear cups don’t fold inward, which makes the case longer and tougher to pack. The other handicap is price, which is significantly higher than the XM4 at launch. That makes these a deeper investment, and most people (especially heavy travelers) will likely find the XM4 the better buy. But if you’re looking for the ultimate noise-canceling headphones, your search has ended.

• Connection type: USB, 3.5mm jack
• Noise canceling: Microphone only
• Supported systems: PC, Mac, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Mobile

One of the most comfortable gaming headsets on the market, the SteelSeries Arctis Pro uses a flexible suspension band to customize size, with super soft ear cups that let you game for hours—even while wearing glasses. Comfort alone isn't enough reason to buy a wired gaming headset that keeps you tethered to your station. But the Arctis Pro is often on sale and it offers plenty of reasons to pick it up.

Both music and games sound fantastic using the Arctis Pro. We played both quiet indie games and loud, booming matches of Overwatch with this headset and were pleased with both. The headset balances soft music with in-game sound effects, like the crunching of grass beneath your character's feet, with excellent subtlety.

In first-person shooters, we were able to clearly distinguish allies' voices from in-game noise, which can sometimes be a struggle. That's largely thanks to the mixer that comes with the SteelSeries, which makes for a perfectly customizable balance between game and chat.

Customization includes an equalizer that lets you change frequencies without any extra software. Just note that although this one will work with Xbox consoles if you connect the 3.5mm headphone jack through a controller, you may not get the full functionality—for that, you'll need to check out the Turtle Beach Recon 500 (our Best for Xbox pick), or our upgrade pick, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro.

• Ambient sound modes: Noise canceling, transparency mode, decibel reduction
• Weight: 169 grams
• Battery life: 22 hours per charge

If you're looking for the best headphones for kids, the Puro Sound Labs PuroQuiet Kids Headphones are the best we've tested. Like other Puro headphones, the PuroQuiet offer noise limiting, meaning the volume won't go above the recommended volume level to keep your child's hearing safe.

The PuroQuiet are a bit pricier than our previous favorite—the Puro BT2200—but that comes with the bonus of noise canceling. Though it may seem like a luxury feature for many children, it's not only great for when kids want to detach from the chatter at restaurants or get togethers, but it’s also an awesome addition for those who have sensory issues.

The noise canceling also helps reduce the urge to crank the volume to the absolute max, and gives adults a bit of a break as well. Though volume-limiting headphones are critical for protecting your child's hearing, the recommended max of 85dB(a) simply isn't very loud in noisy environments. These headphones help solve that by further cutting down ambient noise.

In our lab tests, the PuroQuiet's noise canceling performed quite well for their price point, cutting down a significant amount of ambient noise with no major technical issues. Though our tests showed they could get up to around 87dB(a), that's still near the recommended level experts deem safe for up to 8 hours of listening.

The main drawback here is the price, but Puro frequently discounts these. Headphones like these can be a gamble for younger kids who are likely to forget them somewhere (or simply break them), but especially for an older kid wanting nicer headphones, they're a great investment.

The wireless capability ensures that your kids can't easily circumvent the volume protections, and the headphones work with a wider range of modern devices including newer smartphones that don't have built-in headphone jacks. If the battery dies, you can also use the included cable, but the volume limiter on the cable only works when plugged in properly.