Best Headphones & Audio

You want the cheapest thing that works properly

The Sony MDR-ZX110. Thirty millimetre drivers, a 12Hz to 22kHz range, cups that swivel flat for a bag, and a plain 3.5mm plug. It has been sold largely unchanged for years, which is usually a sign a product got the basics right. No microphone worth using, and the cable is fixed rather than detachable, so a damaged cable ends the headphone.

You have a recent iPhone or iPad and want no fuss

The Apple EarPods with USB-C. They plug into the same port as the charger, carry an inline remote for volume and calls, and need no pairing or charging. The trade is that they are open-fit earbuds rather than sealed, so they do very little to block outside noise and leak audibly at high volume.

You are buying for a child

The iClever HS19, and this is a genuine safety distinction rather than marketing. It caps output at 85dB, which is the level hearing-protection guidance is built around, and children cannot judge volume for themselves. It also has a share port so two can listen to one tablet. Do not substitute an adult pair here.

You fly, commute, or work in noise

The AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C. Active noise cancellation is the only feature on this page that changes what you can hear, rather than how it sounds. It is also the only option that needs charging, pairing, and eventual battery replacement — so it is worth it if noise is your actual problem and poor value if it is not.