The 7 Best Headphones of 2026, Tested by Audio Experts
Looking for better sound, stronger ANC or a more comfortable fit? These are our Lab-tested picks.
Tested by Olivia LipskiSenior Reviews Writer & Analyst
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My experience testing dozens of headphones over the years has led me to becoming a bit of a snob. When I look at a pair, I’m trying to find the ones that are the most comfortable, have intuitive controls, offer extensive customization, and, above all else, fantastic sound quality. To find the best headphones, my colleagues in the Good Housekeeping Tech & Engineering Lab run a gamut of in-Lab evaluations alongside real-world testing on airplanes, noisy nightclubs, and home studios.
Our top picks
- Best Overall Over-Ear Headphones: Nothing Headphone (1)
- Best Prime Day Deal: Apple AirPods Pro 3
- Best Value Over-Ear Headphones: CMF Headphone Pro
- Best Noise Cancelling Headphones: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)
- Best Value In-Ear Headphones: Skullcandy Method 540 ANC Wireless Earbduds
The culmination of our testing is this list. Whether you’re looking for grade-A noise cancellation or top-tier sound quality, these are the headphones we keep coming back to.
Pros
- Top-tier sound on a mid-tier budget
- Intuitive control scheme
- Highly customizable via the Nothing app
- Share and download other users' EQ settings
- Impressively long 35 hour battery life with ANC on
Cons
- Default sound can be dark
There was no bigger surprise in our most updated Lab testing than the success of Nothing’s audio products at both pushing forward headphone engineering while keeping costs to the end consumer low. Headphone (1) ticked all of our boxes for both usability and performance in our Lab evaluations. The device features a unique on-unit control setup where each control uses a different tactile sensation—a roller for volume, a paddle for switching tracks, a switch for turning on and off—that culminate in an intuitive setup that totally avoids the pain points of other headphones, where buttons and press-combinations need to be memorized for basic operation. When it comes to sound quality, these headphones delivered at a level that competed with far more expensive models in both quantitative frequency response and noise cancelling tests along with qualitative listening tests.
We noted during testing that the default sound of these headphones can be a little darker than others, but that’s also where the level of customization that these headphones sport really shines. By accessing the companion Nothing app users can tune in advanced EQ settings to their liking with a full 8-band parametric EQ, including sharing and borrowing EQ profiles that others have developed. What’s more, the app lets you customize the functionality of buttons, adjust the level of adaptive noise cancellation, and adjust the latency when you need faster response (like for gaming or DJing). This all comes with a claimed 35 hours of battery life with ANC on and 80 with it off, dwarfing much of the competition.
Pros
- Fantastic sound and sub-$100 price
- Comfortable, oversized ear pads
- Ear pads are replaceable
Cons
- Slightly disappointing noise cancellation
Although CMF originally launched as a budget-friendly sub-brand to Nothing, it now operates as its own company—and it's already proving it can stand on its own. When I first tried the Headphone Pro in our Labs, I was genuinely surprised that headphones under $100 could sound this good. The impressive sound quality is paired with a solid control scheme and comfortable, oversized ear pads that are fully detachable (for cleaning) and replaceable.
We found the biggest tradeoff in this model comes with its level of active noise cancelling, sitting below some of our other top contenders in the category. That said, we’ve yet to try a pair of headphones that performed this well in our evaluations for the price.
Pros
- Fantastic audio quality
- Top-of-the-line noise cancellation
- Comfortable even during periods of extended wear
Cons
- Only offers 3-band EQ
- No IP rating
This headphone came incredibly close to taking our top spot. It’s a heavy-hitter in all the areas that count: superb sound quality and amazing active noise cancellation. GH Senior Reviews Writer & Analyst Olivia Lipski particularly points to these headphone’s comfort as a major selling point: “Many noise-cancelling over-ear headphones can fit tightly on your head, whereas these don’t.” The situations where you rely on noise-cancelling most (long plane rides or commutes) are often the ones where you’ll be wearing your headphones for an extended period of time, so comfort is a key consideration.
What stopped these from taking our top spot was the lack of customization in the app, alongside any sort of ingress protection. The Bose app EQ only features three bands (think of them as volume knobs for different frequencies), which is still functional, though not as all-inclusive as some others. Still, if you’re looking for powerful noise cancellation and a comfortable fit, these headphones are the obvious pick.
Pros
- Great sound
- Advanced tracking features via FindMy
- IP57 rating gives good protection from water and dust
Cons
- Lacks deep customization on Android phones
Apple has cracked the code on in-ear headphones. The AirPods Pro 3 aced our in-Lab tests for sound quality, ease of use, and noise cancellation. The presence of tracking features via the Find My app is also a fantastic feature that few other in-ear headphones offer. With an ingress protection rating of IP57, they’re rugged enough to survive accidental drops in water or on a dusty hiking path.
While the seamless integration into the Apple ecosystem makes these a powerful contender for Apple users, the lack of customization for Android owners is worth noting. That said, workarounds exist, and the audio quality alone was enough for us to get past this hurdle.
Pros
- Top-tier sound crafted in collaboration with Bose
- Advanced additional features via the Skullcandy app
- Competitive price
Cons
- Case is a bit large
- ANC could be more powerful
Skullcandy has in the past had a bit of a reputation for offering cheap, albeit not-great-sounding headphones, so when they announced a collaboration with Bose last year it immediately sparked my interest. These earbuds offer impressive sound quality without even considering their low price point, and the suite of customization options available via the Skullcandy app (including adjustable ANC levels and the ability to take a photo with your phone’s camera hands-free) rival those of the most high-end headphones we’ve tried.
These headphones offer a middling battery life at 32 hours (9 hours per earbuds, 23 additional with the case), and the case itself is larger than many of its competitors. While the carabiner clip is a nice stylish addition, I’d have preferred a smaller, more traditionally-shaped case. Additionally, the ANC isn’t as performant as other headphones we tried, though it isn’t bad. Neither of these gripes are dealbreakers for us, given how well these headphones perform at their low price.
Pros
- Unique noise reduction feature
- Clean sound
Cons
- May be uncomfortable for glasses wearers
Open-ear apparatuses make for great workout headphones. The fact that they sit outside of your ear canal means that you can stay aware of your surroundings when it matters (like while crossing the street when out for a run or bicycling on a busy path). While this usually would mean forgoing active noise cancellation, the OpenFit Pro somehow manages to sport a noise reduction mode that still lets important noise in while tamping it down.
GH Senior Mechanical Engineer Alec Scherma, who conducted our latest round of workout headphone testing, noted that while their quantitative Lab results weren’t as strong compared to in-ear and over-ear models, the actual listening experience he had with them was top notch: “The sound is really clean.” The only caveat is that these models feature an ear loop, which although ensure a secure fit, can be an annoyance for glasses wearers. Opting for a different, “clip” style model, like our best value open-ear pick, may be more comfortable for the bespectacled.
Pros
- Fuss-free controls
- Warmer, deeper sound than other open-ear models
- Glasses-friendly design
- Impressive quick charge
Cons
- High end sound could be more detailed
At only $99, the CMF Clip Pro are a strong entry into the relatively new realm of “clip” style earbuds. These open-ear headphones wrap around your ear with the speaker portion sitting in the deep pocket of your outer ear. Where the Clip Pro elevates this design is both in its deep, full sound (which is typically rarer on these types of headphones), along with its tactile controls. The dial on the case lets you adjust volume or pause and play media without having to grab your smartphone or other device. Additionally, real buttons on the buds let you easily adjust playback without having to perfectly time a tapping maneuver while running or exercising—a real gripe we have with other models.
While we were impressed with the sound quality on these for both their price and form factor, they’re notably a step down from other picks on this list, particularly when it comes to the high end per our Lab evaluations. Still, the easy-to-use controls, glasses-friendly design, and impressive 10 minute quick charge for 4 hours of battery life make these a great bang for your buck.
Other headphones we tested
Each of these headphones performed well in our testing, but our top picks ultimately offered a better balance of performance, value, or usability for most shoppers.
- Apple AirPods Max 2: While Apple’s newest over-ear headphones performed well across our Lab tests, we found that the high price point didn’t justify marginal increases in performance. Additionally, the lack of customization for Android users means these are best for people already ingrained in Apple’s ecosystem who want an ultra-premium experience.
- Nothing Headphone (1) Pro: A strong upgrade pick for our best overall over-ear headphones, the Headphone (1) Pro boasts improvements in sound fidelity thanks to a new three-driver system. Given a major part of its selling point is the creator-oriented “flat switch” (which flattens the EQ curve of the headphones), we think this is an upgrade more suited towards audiophiles and musicians than everyday listeners.
- Sony WH-X1000M6: Sony's flagship headphones performed well in nearly every area we tested, particularly sound quality and app features. Ultimately, though, we didn't find enough of a performance advantage to justify choosing them over our less expensive best overall pick. If you already enjoy Sony's tuning or prefer its ecosystem, they're still an excellent option.
How we test headphones
In the Good Housekeeping Institute’s Tech & Engineering Lab, we combine both in-Lab testing and real-world listening tests to help us determine the best headphones.
When looking at a new model, we start by inspect its ease of setup, intuitiveness of controls, and any claims for water or dust resistance. From there, we download any companion apps advertised alongside the headphones and inspect them for the ability to customize the sound and functionality of the unit. To understand the frequency response of the headphones, we test each pair using the miniDSP EARS, which let us plot the sound profile of each set. We also evaluate active noise cancellation by playing back uniform sounds and seeing at what level we can no longer perceive them.
Once we’ve completed in-Lab testing, we take headphones on the road. Between busy commutes, plane rides, studio sessions, late-night DJ sets, and trips to the gym, we listen to a wide variety of audio spanning musical genres along with spoken-word content. Our extended listening sessions help us assess comfort over longer periods of time and also see if any are more susceptible to breaking after extended wear. To come up with the very best ones, we consider price, stats, and real-world performance.
What to look for when shopping for headphones
✔️ Type: The first question to ask yourself when shopping for headphones is what type of design suits you best. Do you like in-ear headphones (or earbuds) that are lightweight and portable? While they're convenient, they may end up feeling uncomfortable after extended use or not fit inside your ear canal properly.
Over-ear headphones are a popular option for travel, as these typically do the best job at isolating outside noise and can be extremely comfortable. They can, however, feel tight, heavy or hot after extended use. Lastly, open-ear headphones are another option that lets you listen to audio and let in outside sound at the same time so you can enjoy the best of both worlds.
✔️ Noise cancellation: Active noise cancellation (ANC) is a technology that uses counter sound waves to block out external sounds and noise. Headphones featuring ANC will be pricier than those that simply use noise isolation (isolating out sound by their design), but they're worth the investment if you want an audio experience without distractions from your surroundings.
✔️ Battery life: If you're someone who forgets to charge their devices, you'll want to choose headphones with a significant amount of battery life on a single charge. Our pros suggest finding a pair with at least six hours with a rechargeable case, or over 20 hours total if you frequently travel.
✔️ Accessories: Consider what accessories are provided with your headphones, including the case. Is it compact enough to fit in your backpack or pocket? A durable case is preferred for transportation, and a lightweight one for activities like walking or running. For over-ear headphones, check if an 3.5 mm cable is included so you can easily connect to in-flight entertainment systems.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
The Good Housekeeping Institute’s Tech & Engineering Lab has been testing consumer audio products from Bluetooth speakers to soundbars and the latest releases from major brands like Bose and Apple.
The latest round of testing for this roundup was led by Data & Product Operations Manager Nikolas Greenwald, who tested 27 of the latest releases from both major and independent audio brands. When not developing testing protocols and tools for the Good Housekeeping Institute team, Greenwald works as a music producer and DJ in New York city, where he puts headphones to the test in noisy nightclubs and studio sessions, listening for hundreds of hours before picking the best ones.
Senior Reviews Writer & Analyst Olivia Lipski contributed to testing for this roundup, relying on years of consumer audio reporting and testing, a keen eye for comfort and consumer experience, and hundreds of hours of her own listening experience to help narrow down the picks shown here.
Test Engineer Alec Scherma also contributed testing for the open-ear picks on this list. To test open-ear headphones he conducted both in-Lab evaluations and real-life testing, taking each pair with him to the gym on multiple occasions to see which ones faired the best under real-world conditions.
Olivia (she/her) is a senior reviews writer and analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she tests and writes about tech, home, travel, fitness, parenting and health products. Since joining GH in 2021, she has continued to leverage her extensive product reviews experience by staying on top of the industry’s latest innovations and helping readers make better buying decisions. Olivia is a graduate of the George Washington University, with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, political science and French, and she holds a master’s degree in communications from Sciences Po Paris.
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