It’s rare to see someone with anything bigger than tiny earbuds plugged into their lugholes these days but, while wireless earbuds offer compact convenience, nothing comes close to the great sound, comfort and noise cancellation you get from the best wireless headphones.
Wireless headphones have come a long way since the 2010s, when early Bluetooth technology saw our music cutting out, lagging and sounding – let’s face it – really awful. Thanks to new Bluetooth codecs such as aptX adaptive providing an overall lower-latency, lower bitrate and higher-quality audio experience, it’s no longer necessary to buy a pair of wired headphones if you want premium-sounding cans.
However, as the headphones market has become swamped with more and more wireless cans, all boasting that killer new feature, it’s becoming more and more of a struggle to figure out whether a pair of headphones are up to snuff.
We’ve been testing headphones here at The Independent for years, and are constantly reviewing the latest pairs to find the very best for all budgets.
Keep reading to find out which ones had us singing their praises.
How we tested the best wireless headphones
To test the headphones included in our list, we listened to a wide range of audio genres – from gentle orchestral music to bouncy radio-friendly pop tunes, explosive audio dramas and a spot of Netflix – at home and in the wild. Ambient mode tests consisted of us rudely trying to have conversations with transparency toggled on, while noise-cancellation tests consisted of us attempting to drown out the sounds of the Tube when out and about.
While most of the wireless headphones below have active noise cancellation, we also have a guide dedicated solely to finding the best noise-cancelling headphones on the market. We’re constantly updating this list and putting more and more wireless headphones to the test, so, stay tuned.
The best wireless headphones for 2024 are:
- Best wireless headphones overall – Sony WH-1000XM5 wireless headphones: £299, Amazon.co.uk
- Best budget wireless headphones – Anker Soundcore space Q45 wireless headphones: £138.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best noise-cancelling wireless headphones – Bose QuietComfort Ultra wireless headphones: £449, Amazon.co.uk
- Best wireless headphones for iPhone – AirPods Max wireless headphones: £499, Amazon.co.uk
- Best wireless headphones for the office – Technics EAH-A800 wireless headphones: £249.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best wireless headphones for hi-res audio – Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 wireless headphones: £379, Amazon.co.uk
Sony WH-1000XM5 wireless headphones
Anker Soundcore space Q45 wireless headphones
Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones
AirPods Max wireless headphones
Technics EAH-A800 wireless headphones
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 wireless headphones
Master & Dynamic MW75 wireless headphones
JBL tune 660NC wireless headphones
Sennheiser Accentum Plus wireless headphones
Bose noise cancelling headphones 700 wireless headphones
Bang & Olufsen beoplay H95 wireless headphones
Dyson zone wireless headphones
1More Sonoflow wireless headphones
Urbanista Los Angeles wireless headphones
Beats Studio Pro wireless headphones
Adidas RPT-01 wireless headphones
Wireless headphones FAQs
How do wireless headphones work?
Wireless vs true wireless: What’s the difference?
How to connect wireless headphones
What are the disadvantages of wireless headphones?
Can you use wireless headphones on a plane?
The verdict: Wireless headphones
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