Our pick
Jabra Elite 85h
The Elite 85h over-ear Bluetooth headphones do nearly everything better than similarly priced competitors.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $240.
The Jabra Elite 85h headphones deliver everything you could want in a Bluetooth pair. These headphones sound fantastic out of the box, and they’re more intuitive to set up and use than most competitors, thanks to the automatic Bluetooth pairing process and the large, easy-to-access controls. The battery life, rated at 36 hours (with active noise cancellation engaged), is ample, and the battery charges quickly, providing five hours of use after only 15 minutes of plug-in time. The Elite 85h headphones work with the Amazon, Apple, and Google digital assistants, and the microphone quality is super-clear for phone calls. This pair is also water-resistant and protected by a two-year warranty against damage from rain. The active noise cancellation (ANC) isn’t as effective as that of the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 (check out our guide to the best noise-cancelling headphones for more info), but it does reduce enough noise to be useful.
Budget pick
Jabra Elite 45h
This on-ear pair sounds, fits, and functions like it costs more than it does. There’s no option to use these with a cord, but the ultra-long battery life means you won’t need to charge frequently.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $86.
Another long-time pick, the Jabra Elite 45h headphones offer price-defying sound quality, comfort, and call clarity. This on-ear pair sounds better than those going for several times the price, and you can adjust the sound to your preference using the free Jabra app. They have a lightweight build, and the pillowy earpads are very comfortable to wear for hours. The microphone intelligibility is stellar for phone or video chats. These headphones offer 50-plus hours of listening time per charge, so you won’t need to plug them in very often. Though the Elite 45h isn’t IP-rated for water resistance, Jabra offers a two-year warranty against dust and water damage. This pair does not have noise cancelling, and there is no option to listen via a cord. But for folks who don’t need those features, these headphones are a great deal.
Also great
Sony WH-1000XM4
This feature-packed pair significantly reduces the noise of voices around you and can sound fantastic. But these headphones are pricey and require a good deal of setup.
Buying Options
*At the time of publishing, the price was $348.
The Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones are worth considering if you work in an open or noisy office space because they are great at blocking out voices around you. These over-ear headphones are also comfortable enough to wear all day, and the microphones are effective at reducing background noise during phone calls and video meetings. Plus, this pair has a ton of app-based bonus features, including a speak-to-chat function that senses your voice, turns on the awareness mode, and pauses your music automatically. Out of the box, this pair’s sound quality isn’t the best, but if you’re willing to put some effort into adjusting the equalizer settings in the app, the XM4 can sound better than just about any noise-cancelling headphones available. The noise cancellation isn’t as effective against the noise experienced in an airplane, so we don’t recommend the XM4 for frequent fliers (check out our guide to the best noise-cancelling headphones to see how this set compares). And the XM4 isn’t built for water resistance, but it can handle a light spritzing rain. Sony offers a one-year limited warranty that covers manufacturing defects but not water damage, so we don’t recommend that you take this pair to the gym or out for a stroll in a deluge.
Sony also offers the new, pricier WH-1000XM5, which is quite similar to the XM4 but has a few key differences that might appeal to certain users. We discuss those differences below.
Also great
Edifier Stax Spirit S3
This pair provides the convenience of Bluetooth while still prioritizing sound quality. But these headphones lack features like noise cancellation and water resistance, so they aren’t ideal for commuters.
If you just want wireless over-ear headphones that sound fantastic, the Edifier Stax Spirit S3 pair is for you. These headphones are among the best-sounding ones we’ve ever tested under $500, including those in our guide to wired audiophile headphones. This portable pair uses planar-magnetic drivers that are capable of reproducing delicate detail and powerful bass notes. The S3 sounds amazing both wirelessly and wired, largely due to the built-in amplifier that provides consistent driving power. The package includes two types of earpads (isolating pleather and cooling, breathable mesh) to ensure extended listening comfort, and the EQ presets in the Edifier app allow you to tune the sound to suit each type of earpad. Though this pair has to be powered on to work, the 80-hour battery life means you won’t need to charge frequently, and the quick-charge feature gets you 11 hours of playback after 10 minutes plugged in. The built-in microphones sound clear, even in a light breeze, and the dual-device connectivity works well for easy transition between phone and laptop use. Though this pair is lightweight and portable, the lack of water resistance means you’ll want to be careful when commuting during inclement weather and choose a different pair for working out. Plus there is no active noise cancellation.
