Best wireless earbuds rated 2022

There are now a lot of wireless earbuds that can provide solid audio for well under £100.

From the higher-end Apple AirPods Pro to the more affordable Earfun Free Pro 2s, we have tried every type of earbud to get a feel for the pros and cons of the tech – testing sound quality, build quality, app performance, battery life and more.

In this guide, we are breaking down the best wireless earbuds that you can buy in 2022 from a range of top brands, including Apple, Samsung, Sony, Huawei, Jabra and Sennheiser. You can be assured that we have been hands-on with each one.

So no matter what your budget is, we will have something for you. If you want to keep the costs low, be sure to check out our guide to the best budget wireless earbuds.

Best wireless earbuds at a glance

Here’s our pick of the best wireless earbuds. Read on for a more in-depth look at each of these excellent-quality devices.

Best all-round earbuds: Sony WF1000-XM4, £199
Best Apple earbuds: Apple Airpods Pro, £189
Best affordable Apple earbuds: AirPods 3rd gen, £159
Best budget earbuds: EarFun Free Pro 2, £69.99
Best for unique design: Sony LinkBuds, £149
Best earbuds for workouts: Beats Powerbeats Pro, £219.95
Best overall Beats earbuds: Beats Fit Pro, £199
Best for noise limitation: Jabra Elite 85t, £169.99
Best for top audio quality: Grado GT220, £199
Best premium earbuds: Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2, £279.99
Best affordable Sennheiser: Sennheiser CX True Wireless, £85
Best for battery: Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+, £89.95

The best wireless earbuds in 2022

Sony WF1000-XM4, £199

Best all-round earbuds

Pros:

Amazing sound quality
Great battery life
Reliable connectivity

Cons:

Only two tip choices
Lack multipoint pairing facility
Adaptive sound control frustrates

The Sony WF1000-XM4s are a seriously impressive set of earbuds from Sony, building on the success of their predecessors, the XM3 earbuds.

They’re expensive but deliver top-notch sound quality, a great fit and impressive active noise cancellation. They also pack a fantastic battery, an IPX4 rating and — ultimately — they’re just a top-notch product built to a high standard. We loved testing them and recommend them highly if they’re not out of your budget.

Read our full Sony WF1000-XM4 review

Apple AirPods Pro, £189

Best overall Apple earbuds

Pros:

Comfortable
Quick and easy set-up
ANC works well

Cons:

Limited battery life
A little expensive

The Apple Airpods Pro earbuds surpass the standard Airpods in terms of quality and capability. The Pro offers noise-cancelling tech, an excellent sound profile and smooth ease-of-use if you’re pairing with an iPhone. Read our Apple Airpods vs Airpods Pro article if you’re unsure which of the two devices to purchase.

Read our full Apple Airpods Pro review

AirPods 3rd gen, £159

Best affordable Apple earbuds

If you don’t need active noise cancellation and want to save some money on one of the newest models, we can easily recommend the AirPods (3rd generation), which don’t have the silicone tips of the more expensive version, but retain the top audio quality and iOS integration. As we wrote after testing: “The AirPods 3 are a great-sounding pair of wireless earbuds with a wealth of features and a pleasingly tactile design. When twinned with other Apple tech the user experience is silky smooth, though some of this may be lost on Android handsets.”

Read our full Apple AirPods 3 review

EarFun Free Pro 2, £69.99

Best budget earbuds

Pros:

Affordable, under £100
Great audio quality for the price
Compact charging case

Cons:

There’s no dedicated app
No fun colour variants
Touch controls can conflict

The Free Pro 2s really stand out when it comes to value for money. They might not have the cache of a better-known brand, but this set of wireless earbuds from Hong Kong-based EarFun gives rival sets from Skullcandy and Huawei a serious run for their money. Noise-cancelling technology at this price point was once unheard of – but that’s no longer true, and on these it happens to be pretty good, too.

Read our full EarFun Free Pro 2 review

Sony LinkBuds, £149

Best for unique design

The Sony LinkBuds really do stand out from the crowd, with a unique design that includes a small hole to allow in some sounds from the outside world. That makes them a great option for home working, too. As we wrote after testing: “Wear them at home and you can enjoy podcasts and music, but still hear the doorbell! Wear them in the office and you’ll be able to jump in and out of calls, but still hear your colleagues in the room. As a result they’re an interesting proposition.”

Read our full Sony LinkBuds review

Beats Powerbeats Pro, £219.95

Best earbuds for workout sessions

Pros:

Comfortable fit
Rich sound that isn’t bass-reliant
Smooth OS compatibility

Cons:

One question that many people ask before investing in a set of earbuds is: ‘Will these actually stay in my ears?’ It’s a legitimate question, and all the more so if you plan to use your earbuds at the gym or while out running. For peace of mind, the Powerbeats Pro are a perfect choice: in the Beats tradition, they feature a hook-like design that you fix over your ears rather than into your ear canals. Just as importantly, they’re a good piece of audio tech, helped in no small part by Apple’s own H1 chip, which offers smooth compatibility for any users of iOS.

Read our full Powerbeats Pro review

Beats Fit Pro, £199.99

Best overall Beats earbuds

The new Beats Fit Pro earbuds
**Pros**

Wing tip design is great

Contains Apple’s H1 chip

Works well with Android and iOS

**Cons**

No wireless charging case

Not quite as comfortable for longer use

No vocal alert for switching modes

The Beats Fit Pro have a wing-tip design that keeps them locked in place and secure when you are exercising, but they are also great for general use thanks to the great sound, Apple H1 chip and enhanced Android compatibility via the Beats app.

As we wrote in our Beats Fit Pro review: “[They] are a pricey but feature-rich set of wireless ANC earbuds that find a sweet spot between existing models in the line-up. Essentially they take many of the abilities of the AirPods Pro and put them into a smaller frame that will be appealing for anyone who spends hours exercising.”

**Jabra Elite 85t, £169.99**

**Best for noise limitation**

**Pros:**

Great sound quality

ANC works very well

Comfortable and secure fit

**Cons:**

Left earbud doesn’t work on its own

Our experts have tested both the Jabra Elite 75t and the Jabra Elite 85t from the Danish brand – and while they’re both exceptional earbuds, it’s the higher-end 85t buds that we decided to include in our best wireless earbuds list. The Elite 85ts offer great active noise cancellation, IPX4-rated water resistance, built-in Alexa, and an impressively snug fit. The Jabra Sound+ app also makes for the perfect compliment: a nerve centre where you can tweak EQ levels and also make use of a series of pre-set modes that include bass boost, focus and commute modes.

**Read our full Jabra Elite 85t review**

**Grado GT220, £199**

**Best earbuds for sound quality**

**Pros:**

Brilliant sound quality

Good battery life

Intuitive touch controls

Lightweight and comfortable

**Cons:**

Quite chunky

No active noise cancellation

No in-ear detection

If the quality of sound is the most important thing in a pair of earbuds, the Grado GT220s are a great choice. Their custom-made 8mm polyethylene terephthalate dynamic drivers in these earbuds deliver a brilliant depth of sound and one that also makes voice sound clear and crisp. Our experts would have liked to have seen in-ear detection and active (rather than passive) noise cancellation included in the earbuds – but these are, without a doubt, the sonic connoisseur’s choice.

**Read our full Grado GT220 review**

**Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2, £279.99**

**Best premium earbuds**

**Pros:**

Great sound quality

Comfortable fit

Good battery life

Sleek design

**Cons:**

The priciest earbuds on this list are, arguably, a little too pricey. But Sennheiser is a truly heavyweight audio manufacturer, and if any brand earns its stripes at this price point, it’s this one. These are premium earbuds in the best possible sense: the Momentum True Wireless 2 offer you a robust build, adjustable EQ in the brand’s app, superb ANC and a level of sound that outstrips the AirPods Pro.

**Read our full Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 review**

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Sennheiser CX True Wireless, £85

**Best affordable Sennheiser**

If you don’t want to pay the £250-plus for the flagship Sennheiser earbuds, then we think you should definitely check out the CX True Wireless as an alternative that now sells for under £100. As we wrote after testing: “At the new sub-£100 that the CX True Wireless buds now seem to occupy, they’re a very good purchase. During testing, we found them highly listenable and enjoyed using the earbuds.”

**Read our full Sennheiser CX True Wireless review**

**Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Plus, £89.95**

**Best earbuds for battery life**

**Pros:**

Great value for money

Brilliant sound quality

Long battery life

IPX5 water-resistant

**Cons:**

No active noise cancellation

Cambridge Audio’s Melomonia 1+ earbuds deliver a lot of pros for a relatively small price of entry. Our experts were particularly impressed by the well-balanced sound provided by the buds, the hefty 45 hours of battery life and the inclusion of physical buttons. A notable absence here, perhaps, is noise-cancellation tech – but we really don’t believe this to be a deal-breaker, not at the cost of under £100.

**Read our full Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Plus review**

**How to choose the best wireless earbuds**

**Work out how much you’re willing to spend**. You’ll find wireless earbuds on the market for as little as £30 and as much as £1,000. But, for a pair that delivers an assuredly high-quality level of sound, device compatible and ease of use, we’re going to give you the ball-park figure of £200. The good news is that you’ll find a wealth of excellent budget-friendly options at most retailers, and you’ll find a couple of great options in this list for less than £120.

**Consider the features that are important to you**. Audiophiles will likely say that a good pair of earbuds are all about sound quality – but in reality there are a host of other features to take into account. Do you want to customise that sound in an app? Do you want effective noise-cancelling tech? Do you need a pair of earbuds that offer high levels of water resistance?

**Keep an eye out for earbuds deals during sales periods**. The prices we’ve listed below are, for the most part, RRP-based figures, but you’ll often find wireless earbuds discounted. This is especially the case during periods like Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday when retailers price-match.

**Open-minded about colour?** To expand on the previous point: a lot of the wireless earbuds come in a range of colours, and you’ll often find that drops are only applied to specific tones. Yes, it’s rarely the most crowd-pleasing options that have the best discounts – but if aesthetics aren’t your top priority, then definitely make sure you click through each colour on a product page.

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Dan Dunn

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Editor and Admin at MarkMeets since Nov 2012. Columnist, reviewer and entertainment writer and oversees all of the section's news, features and interviews. During his career, he has written for numerous magazines.

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