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13 best wireless headphones 2022: Lose yourself in the music with a top-rated pair of noise-cancelling cans

Over- or on-ear headphones are less intrusive and usually have better battery life than in-ear options  (The Independent)
Over- or on-ear headphones are less intrusive and usually have better battery life than in-ear options (The Independent)

In recent years, wireless earbuds have overtaken wireless headphones to become the dominant product in personal audio. No one wants to lug around a heavy pair of cans when you can slot a couple of un-intrusive buds into your ears instead, right?

While wireless earbuds now offer up stellar active noise cancellation (ANC) and battery-boosting charging cases, they just can’t compete with the sound quality, raw power and comfort afforded by over-ear or on-ear models that don’t dig into your poor lugholes.

Wireless technology is getting better and better. Thanks to new Bluetooth codecs like aptX adaptive providing an overall lower-latency, lower bit-rate and higher-quality audio experience, it’s no longer necessary to buy a pair of wired headphones if you want premium sound.

We’ve sat by and watched as the headphones market has become swamped with more and more wireless cans, all boasting that killer new feature. So we know it can be a struggle trying to figure out how good a pair of headphones really are if you can’t try them out before you buy.

To give you a helping hand, we’ve tested a smorgasbord of wireless headphones and have come up with a list of the best. We focused on their sound quality, comfort, design, features, price and overall ease of use.

How we tested

To test the headphones out, 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 noises of the tube when out and about.

While most of the headphones below have active noise cancellation, we also have a guide dedicated solely to finding the best noise-cancelling headphones on the market.

The best wireless headphones for 2022 are:

  • Best overall wireless headphones – Sony WH-1000XM5 wireless headphones: £349, Sony.co.uk

  • Best wireless headphones for iPhone – AirPods max wireless headphones: £549, Apple.com

  • Best noise-cancelling wireless headphones – Bose headphones 700 wireless headphones: £250, Amazon.co.uk

  • Best premium wireless headphones for style –Master & Dynamic MW75: £549, Masterdynamic.co.uk

  • Best wireless headphones for hi-res audio – Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 wireless headphones: £379, Bowerswilkins.com

  • Best luxury wireless headphones – Bang & Olufsen beoplay H95 wireless headphones: £779, Johnlewis.com

  • Best wireless headphones for the office – Technics EAH-A800 wireless headphones: £269.99, Amazon.co.uk

  • Best wireless headphones under £80 – JBL tune 660NC wireless headphones: £79.99, Jbl.com

  • Best wireless headphones for comfort – Bose quietcomfort 45 wireless headphones: £319.95, Bose.co.uk

  • Best wireless headphones for battery life – Urbanista Los Angeles wireless headphones: £169, Urbanista.com

  • Best budget wireless headphones –1More sonoflow wireless headphones: £89.99, 1more.com

  • Best wireless headphones for commuting – Sennheiser HD 450BT wireless headphones: £119.99, Amazon.co.uk

  • Best wireless headphones for running and exercise – Adidas RPT-01 wireless headphones: £89.99, Adidasheadphones.com

Sony WH-1000XM5 wireless headphones

The WH-1000XM5 are the latest and greatest headphones from Sony, and frankly, they blow the previous WH-1000XM4 (our previous best buy) out of the water in terms of sound quality, with some neat additions and refinements to boot.

These headphones look completely different to the design of their predecessor, with Sony removing all the folds and hinges in favour of a more streamlined experience. This does mean that they no longer fold up – instead, each ear cup slides out of the headband and folds flat, rather than in. It’s a controversial change that some might loathe, but the updated design really helps with wind reduction and superior active noise cancellation, plus they’re as comfy as ever.

They’re super smart, too, and are packed with features. You’ve got the quick attention feature, which lowers the volume and turns on the ambient mode when you cup the right ear. You’ve also got the speak to chat feature, which turns on ambient mode when you start speaking. And then there’s support for Alexa voice activation, wearer detection, quick access for Spotify Tap. Finally, there are location-based and action-based noise cancellation presets, too, which kick in when you’re walking or in certain environments.

Active noise cancellation is incredible, and works brilliantly on low-frequency sounds and also higher frequencies. But, more importantly, these sound absolutely divine. Whether it’s orchestral music, rap, podcasts or your favourite pop tracks, the WH-1000XM5 handles it all with poise and elegance, and it never misses a beat.

Read our full Sony WH-1000XM5 review

Buy now £349.00, Sony.co.uk

AirPods max wireless headphones

Like everything Apple makes with this moniker, the AirPods max are big, chunky, maximalist headphones. But despite being rather large, they’re also soft and comfy to wear thanks to the knit mesh ear-cups and flexible headband, which didn’t make our ears too hot.

They cover your ears so fully that you get an exceedingly good amount of passive noise cancellation without even having to turn ANC on – even better than some of the active noise cancelling headphones we’ve tried. This just takes this set to another level.

If you’ve got a pair of the AirPods pro, you’ll know exactly how good the transparency mode is. Plus they sound stellar – both rich and full – thanks to the Apple-designed 40mm dynamic driver. But our favourite feature has to be the spatial audio. The sound of your favourite tunes coming from all directions around your head is absolutely mind-blowing, and it will make you fall in love with your favourite songs all over again, giving you a new perspective on what you’re listening to. It’s even better when watching an action film or listening to an audio drama like QCode’s sci-fi epic From Now.

We love headphones that are able to detect when you’ve got them on your head and either pause music when you take them off and start playing it when you put them back on. We just wish the design was a little better. The case for the AirPods max is a little awkward, and doesn’t provide a whole lot of protection. If we’re being honest, we can’t tell if they look more like a bra or a pair of butt cheeks. But we love them either way.

Read our full AirPods max review

Buy now £549.00, Apple.com

Bose noise cancelling headphones 700 wireless headphones

Finally, a brand that says it like it is. Bose’s noise-cancelling 700s are an excellent pair of – you guessed it – noise-cancelling wireless headphones. Most headphones have active noise cancellation these days, but Bose’s 700s are still one of the best at delivering that soundless experience while listening to music in a noisy environment.

They were excellent at cutting out the higher registers of the Jubilee line’s squeaky tracks, and we loved being able to adjust the level of the noise cancellation in the Bose app. Both Sony’s WH-1000XM5s (£367, Amazon.co.uk) and Bose’s 700s are admirable ANC players, so it’s really a toss-up between the two.

The ambient mode was also pretty impressive. When set to zero, we could have an entire conversation across the room, thanks to the new eight-microphone system, although there was a noticeable hiss in the background.

Sound wise, the 700s are great. They deliver heart-pumping bass and twinkly trebles. We can’t fault them, plus you can always adjust the settings to your liking with the Bose Music equaliser app.

The design is more intuitive than the 700s’ predecessors, with the cups sliding in and out rather than clicking into place. That said, the padding inside the ear cups is rather firm and thick, and our ears became a little hot after an hour’s use – not great in a heatwave. They also clamp pretty tightly around your ears, so you may feel the pressure after some time.

The controls are extremely simple, too, with swipes and double taps increasing and decreasing the volume, skipping tracks and activating the voice assistant. Unfortunately, you only get around 20 hours of battery life while using ANC.

Read our full Bose NC 700 review

Buy now £250.00, Amazon.co.uk

Master & Dynamic MW75 wireless headphones

We can always trust Master & Dynamic to engineer a luxurious pair of wireless headphones that simply ooze sophistication, and the latest MW75 flagship headphones do not disappoint. They’re gorgeous, featuring an aluminium frame, polished and reflective tempered glass on the exterior of the earcups and lambskin leather lining on the headband and magnetically detachable ear pads. They’re comfortable and don’t cup your ears too hard, a big step up from the previous MW65, which despite being significantly lighter than the new model, didn’t fit too well.

They also sound impeccable. They’re clear, balanced and accurate, with a warmth and a bit of kick in the bass, a delicacy to the mids and a bright vibrancy to the highs. It all just felt immersive, like we were being enveloped by our tunes. A faultlessly premium audio experience. Plus they support aptX adaptive and SBC codecs for those high fidelity listeners, with two USB-C adapters – one for connecting to other USB-C devices and one for connecting to 3.5mm ports

Master & Dynamic still clearly adore physical buttons because they once again make an appearance on the MW75. The controls are decent enough, allowing you to activate your native voice assistant, switch between ANC and ambient modes – with a little bit of lag – as well as increase the volume and pause, skip and play tracks.

There are three levels of active noise cancellation which can be adjusted in the M&D Control app – max, all day and adaptive. Max is the default level of noise cancellation and works the best, cutting out a good portion of the low and mid frequencies, though it did really struggle to block out highs. You’ve also got two ambient modes, but we couldn’t really distinguish much difference between either – both worked at least.

That said, these are expensive headphones – they’re the same price as the Apple AirPods max (£549, Apple.com), which have better active noise cancellation albeit a less appealing design, so they’re not for everyone. But the MW75s are rated to last around 32 hours with ANC turned off, that’s almost 10 hours more than the previous model. You can get them in gunmetal/black leather, silver metal/grey/leather, silver metal/brown leather and black metal/black leather.

Buy now £549.00, Masterdynamic.co.uk

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 wireless headphones

British audio manufacturer Bowers & Wilkins has been delivering premium sound for decades, and the Px7 were one of our favourite headphones when they were released in 2019. Now, three years later, there’s a slightly iterative successor in the form of the Px7 S2, and while they’re largely the same as their predecessor, there are some sound, fit and under-the-hood tweaks that make them incredibly easy to love, and the best pair of cans B&W has made – until, perhaps, the PX8 come out later this year.

These headphones are nicer to look at than the original Px7, and that’s mainly because they’re a little slimmer and more streamlined, featuring a more slender, uniform design. The memory foam earcups are more comfortable and swivel in both directions instead of just one. Minor design updates, sure, but tweaks that make them look classier.

There are nice physical buttons – none of that touch control business – so they’re easy to use, with a button on the left ear cup solely responsible for ANC and ambient modes, while a slider and buttons on the right are responsible for pairing, volume and playback controls. In terms of ANC, it’s definitely better than the Px7 and slightly better than some of the other headphones on this list, but they don’t come anywhere close to the Sony WH-1000XM5, we did notice some low frequency sounds, such as our desk fan, were able to sneak through quite easily.

But they sound impeccable, no doubt with a little help from the angled 40mm bio cellulose drivers on the inside. Everything sounds more refined, crisper and more confident, pushing guitars, synths and vocals to the front. It’s a lot more methodical and neutral sounding, so if you want something less clinical, look elsewhere. These are detailed headphones and pay dividends in the highs.

If you do want something more buoyant, you’ll be pleased to hear these headphones work with B&W’s music app, meaning you can meddle with the sound settings, using the app’s equaliser. It’s a little limited, seeing as there are only two bass and treble sliders, but it’s nice that we can finally adjust the sound instead of relying on Bowers & Wilkins’ – admittedly very good – signature tuning. Plus, you can get up to 24-bit audio if you’re using an Android phone that supports AptX adaptive.

These are a solid pair of headphones, but they do cost a little more than the older model. If you spend a pinch more, you could get the Sony WH-1000XM5s, which have better ANC and a more boisterous sound profile, but you will lose out on the sonic clinical presentation afforded by the Px7 S2 and the more-refined design.

Buy now £379.00, Bowerwilkins.com

Bang & Olufsen beoplay H95 wireless headphones

If you’re a true audiophile, you’ll be extremely familiar with premium audio company Bang & Olufsen. And the brand’s H95 wireless headphones are the most premium, most luxurious pair of wireless headphones we’ve ever tried (and probably will ever try).

Released late 2020, these over-ear headphones were launched to celebrate 95 years of sleek, sophisticated Danish sound and design. With a hard aluminium casing, lambskin leather earcups filled with memory foam and a leather headband and titanium 40mm drivers, they certainly look and feel the part, but, most of all, they sound it too.

The sound is full, broad and forward-facing, with a thick bass, luscious, twinkling highs and distinctive mids. Vocals come out crystal clear, orchestral music is glorious, and the app provides you with seven presets for the ideal listening experience. Plus, all the major codecs like aptX adaptive, SBC and AAC are all supported, so you’ll be able to play all your high-fidelity tracks.

Instead of controlling the volume and the level of active noise cancellation and transparency with a series of swipes or buttons (as on most modern headphones), you use a camera-like dial on either side of the cans to adjust both instead. The ANC also adapts automatically to your environment, made possible thanks to its eight microphones – two on the outside and two in each of the ear cups.

Battery life is absolutely astonishing, with the headphones lasting a whopping 38 hours with the ANC turned up to the max. The brand also says that you should be able to get 50 hours out of these headphones with ANC turned off.

The only downside? If you thought the AirPods max (£549, Apple.com) were expensive, you’ll gawk at the £700 price tag on these. But once you look at that gorgeous hardshell case and listen to that stellar sound – it might be forgiven.

Buy now £779.00, Johnlewis.com

Technics EAH-A800 wireless headphones

Technics’ latest flagship headphones are as premium as a pair of headphones come. With the EAH-A800, Bose and Sony now have some real competition on their hands.

Launched in early 2022, these over-ear cans, which come in either black or silver, are stylish and comfortable, sound great and whew, that battery life – say no more. The memory foam earpads are nice and soft, so our ears didn’t overheat, and they were also fairly light in terms of weight.

As with the previous EAH-70N, these Technics headphones provide a pretty detailed, clinical sound profile, powered by the 40mm dynamic driver present inside each earcup. The bass is never exaggerated but still feels hefty, vocalists find room to sing in the mids and the highs are crisp and clear. It’s a balanced listening experience that some will really enjoy. Of course, this can all be adapted to your liking in the app’s EQ settings.

The headphones are also compatible with Sony’s hi-res LDAC codec, as well as AAC and SBC. Noise cancellation, which can be toggled on using the touch-sensitive pad on the right earcup, won’t completely remove all external sound – struggling with some of the highs, but it does remove enough background office chatter to make these a wonderful pair of ANC headphones.

You’ll get a minimum of 30 hours playback with LDAC and ANC turned on. Using AAC and with ANC turned off, you’ll get a whopping 60 hours. Not many headphones can boast this much about their battery life.

The only real negative is that they seem a little pricey when compared to other wireless headphones on the market. The older Sony WH-1000XM4 deliver a better noise-cancelling experience, and they’re cheaper.

Buy now £269.99, Amazon.co.uk

JBL tune 660NC wireless headphones

It’s hard not to look at this list and think that you’re going to have to pay an arm and a leg for a great-sounding pair of wireless headphones. But we’d like to introduce you to the JBL Tune 660NCs. Design and comfort-wise, they don’t look as premium as, say, the AirPods max or the Sony XM5s (£379, Sony.co.uk) – they feature a subtle matte black finish, for one, and, if we’re honest, they also have slightly warmer earcups than we’d like.

But, they do sound great for their price. There’s a button on the earcup to activate the voice assistant and an ANC toggle. If you’re a bass hunter, you’ll absolutely love the tone, with punchy lows and expressive-sounding pop tracks. The active noise cancellation is also pretty solid, tuning out a fair amount of the low frequencies. While ANC is far superior on the Bose 700s or the Sony XM5s, it’s still impressive here for the price.

The previous pair of JBL tunes lasted only 12 hours, but these over-ear versions will power on for a whopping 44 hours with ANC turned on. Take that, MW65s. Without ANC, they’ll last 55 hours. You can get them in black, blue, pink and white colourways.

Buy now £79.99, Jbl.com

Bose quietcomfort 45 wireless headphones

The latest pair of over-ear headphones from Bose are the quietcomfort 45, which are essentially a follow-up to the quietcomfort 35 II – released all the way back in 2017. If you’re a fan of the Bose NC 700 (£269, Amazon.co.uk), but hate how they feel on your head with their strong ear clamp, you’ll likely adore the QC45.

The word “comfort” is in there for a reason, and thanks to the lightweight design and plush faux leather ear pads and padded headband, they feel super comfy, meaning your ears won’t start to ache if you’re wearing them for a long period of time. They don’t look as modern as the Bose NC700, which have a touch-enabled surface on each earcup, but they do fold up, and they feel a little more tactile and familiar, featuring buttons for controlling everything from ANC and ambient aware modes to the voice assistant and the volume.

Noise cancellation is actually just as good on these as the Bose NC 700 and the Sony WH-1000XM5 – a new addition for the quietcomfort headphones. The trouble is, you can’t adjust the level of noise cancellation like you can with those two for example, but the ANC is still pretty impeccable. It blocked out pretty much all low frequency sound, with some high frequency sounds managing to sneak through. The transparency aware mode is pretty solid. Despite having fewer microphones than the 700 model amplifying external sound, we were still able to hold a conversation across the table.

Sound quality is good but not great, with songs feeling pretty muted on both sides of the frequency spectrum – not a lot of booming bass or crisp, clear highs in either direction – but there is an equaliser in the Bose Music app, which can either be fine-tuned to your liking or ticked up based on your preference (bass boost or treble boost).

Overall, if you’re looking for an ultra-comfortable pair of headphones that sound pretty decent and look elegant enough, these are the ones you’ll want to buy.

Buy now £319.95, Bose.co.uk

Urbanista Los Angeles wireless headphones

Urbanista has done it. The Swedish audio brand is the first company to design a pair of wireless headphones powered by light. And we’re not just talking about the sun either. We mean literally any light source – outdoor or in, meaning they will theoretically last forever without needing to be plugged into the wall.

Thankfully, solar charging isn’t just a gimmick. The Los Angeles headphones are a great pair of noise-cancelling headphones in their own right, and they look stylish too. They’re not the most comfortable pair of headphones to start with, but they do soften up over time. There’s a large strip of photovoltaic material right across the headband, developed by Exeger. It’s noticeable, but not ugly. This is where the magic happens.

It basically uses light to top up the charge every time it falls below 90 per cent. If you don’t solar charge them (you’ll literally need to be in a darkened cave), the headphones will still last incredibly long – 80 hours in fact, or 50 hours with active noise cancellation turned on. The ANC isn’t the best, with a large amount of sound still filtering through from most frequencies. The ambient mode was a lot better – we were still able to hold a conversation while Lorde was playing at 50 per cent volume, for example.

In terms of sound, they’re pretty great for a fairly cheap pair of noise-cancelling headphones. They are a little bass-heavy and sound best when listening to pop anthems, but they’re solid nonetheless. They feature a fairly wide sound stage and the bass was good. Our tunes sounded particularly weighty. Vocals also came across crisp and clear. The highs could be a little richer, but overall we were impressed. And a pair of headphones with a limitless charge is nothing to sniff at.

Read our full Urbanista Los Angeles review

Buy now £169.00, Urbanista.com

1More sonoflow

1More is starting to make a name for itself in the realm of budget audio, and these are the company’s first pair of over-ear wireless headphones. While they have a relatively tiny £89.99 price tag, they actually boast premium features that headphones four times more expensive include, though they miss out some of the basics, such as on-ear sensors.

While they don’t look super premium in terms of design – the headphones have a plasticky headband and exterior – they’re light and extremely comfortable to wear, and the red inner trim on the earcups is a nice touch.

The controls are a little odd and don’t line up with the standard we’ve all gotten used to. Instead of pressing the play button three times to skip back a track, you have to hold down the volume-down button or volume-up button to go to the previous track. But 1More isn’t averse to using double clicks, because you have to double click the power button (which is also the play button) to activate your voice assistant. It’s all a little confusing, and sadly there’s no way of reprogramming the buttons in the app.

But once you get past those niggles, the headphones become a bit more enjoyable to use. Extraordinarily, these support Sony’s LDAC hi-res codec, meaning you can listen to lossless audio if you have a device that supports it and you’re listening on a hi-res streaming service, such as Tidal or Amazon Music HD. LDAC support is complemented by the headphones’ surprisingly good, balanced tuning. Our music sounded rich and full and very enjoyable, plus there are 12 EQ presets inside the app, if you want something a bit more personalised.

We were also shocked at how good active noise cancellation was, with a good amount of the lows being drowned out, though the ambient mode could use some work, and the highs were able to sneak through when ANC was turned on. The sonoflow also supports multipoint connectivity, allowing us to switch seamlessly between two devices, but it’s a feature buried in the experimental area on the 1More app.

And finally, that battery life. It lasts a whole 70 hours with ANC turned off, and 50 hours with it turned on. That’s market-leading, and a real differentiator at this price point. You can get five hours of battery with just a five-minute charge.

Some of the design and control elements leave us wanting more (pun not intended) and we’re sad there aren’t any on-ear sensors, but they sound decent, support LDAC and multipoint, and they have that incredible battery life. These headphones are currently out of stock but are set to come back in sometime soon.

Buy now £89.99, 1more.com

Sennheiser HD 450BT wireless headphones

While the design of Sennheiser’s HD 450BT headphones is a little minimalistic and the controls are a little finicky, these are some fine headphones. Sennheiser isn’t really known for its premium design or its artistic flair, but its headphones really come into their own when we’re listening to music.

That’s especially so on the budget 450BTs. The sound is warm and the vocals are clear, with some nice fat bass, sub-bass and lively mids. It’s a pretty controlled sound that really makes you feel like you’re in your own little world when listening to them.

There is a small, low hiss in the background when active noise cancellation is turned on, but you won’t notice it when your music is playing. It isn’t adjustable, however, with one toggle being used to simply turn ANC on or off. They were pretty good at cutting out the low rumble of the train, but less so at zapping out the highs.

The headphones’ plastic construction means they’re nice and light as well, making them great for the commute, especially because they fold up pretty neatly for chucking into your bag. Sennheiser says you should get around 30 hours of playback with ANC turned on – that’s a lot better than more expensive headphones on this list. It comes in black or white variants, and a newer model with Alexa integration has just been released.

Buy now £119.99, Amazon.co.uk

Adidas RPT-01 wireless headphones

It’s rare to find a pair of on or over-ear wireless headphones designed for sport and exercise. Most brands these days developing workout-friendly headphones are opting for the in-ear variety, of which there are many excellent running earbuds to choose from. It makes sense, considering sweat’s canny ability to get into the mesh of your headphones.

It’s why we were pleased to find Adidas’s RPT-01 on-ear wireless headphones, a pair that have literally been designed for working out. While these aren’t the most stylish bits of audio gear in the world, being completely covered in a sweat-wicking fabric that would match your Adidas trainers, they work great for their intended purpose, with a small price tag to boot.

These have a pretty bass-heavy sound signature, so you’ll get nice high frequency kicks when you up the tempo in the gym. That doesn’t mean the higher and mid frequencies are bad, but you’ll notice that tracks with hard-hitting drumming tends to dominate the mix. That said, you can always play around with the equaliser in the Adidas app.

Despite being fairly lightweight, we did notice that the RPT-01s clamped pretty hard around our skull. That’s good when you’re working out and thrashing dumbbells around, but not so much when you’re sat at your desk. We did like that the earcup sleeves were machine-washable, however, and don’t like the thought of your headphones being soaked for weeks in sweat.

The controls are surprisingly intuitive for such a cheap pair of cans. The headphones feature a dial system similar to the luxury Bang & Olufsen headphones above, as well as programmable shortcuts in the Adidas app to launch specific Spotify playlists or activate the voice assistant. Overall, an admirable pair of headphones. It’s just a shame they only support SBC and not the AAC Bluetooth codec.

Buy now £89.99, Adidasheadphones.com

Wireless headphones FAQs

How do wireless headphones work?

Wireless headphones are usually battery operated and work by pairing with a device via a radio or infrared signal. Many devices are equipped with Bluetooth technology, meaning connection is easy and the audio is high quality.

Wireless vs true wireless: What’s the difference?

There are two types of wireless headphones: wireless and true wireless.

The latter means there is a complete lack of connector between the earphones – such as with the AirPods pro or Marshall mode II. Whereas, where ordinary wireless headphones are concerned, the earphones are still connected via a headband, like those we have reviewed here.

How to connect wireless headphones

Connecting wireless headphones differs depending on the device you’re using. For example, connecting to a TV will be different from a mobile phone. But, for the latter, make sure your Bluetooth and headphones are on and discoverable, then open your Bluetooth settings on your mobile phone and your headphones should appear there.

What are the disadvantages of wireless headphones?

Pretty much all consumer headphones are wireless these days, thanks to the departure of the 3.5mm headphone jack. Rest in peace – we miss you, old friend. But while we love being wire-free, there are a few minor disadvantages to wireless headphones.

First of all, there’s latency. Connecting via wireless modes like Bluetooth will always mean that there is a tiny delay between the audio playing on your device and the audio being transmitted to your headphones. This normally isn’t much of a concern unless you’re a gamer – and gaming headsets are the only part of the audio market where wires are still a prominent option.

The second disadvantage is battery life. With wired headphones, your music can run and run, but with wireless headphones, you might get a day’s use out of them. That said, wireless headphones are always being improved and the above issues are slowly becoming less of a problem.

Can you use wireless headphones on a plane?

The short answer to this question is yes, you can use wireless headphones on a plane. Because Bluetooth headphones are short-range, there should be very minimal interference between your headphones and the plane’s signals. That said, some airlines restrict the use of headphones on their flights – whether that’s during the entire journey or just during take-off and landing, so just be aware of the rules if you bring them onboard.

The other question is: can you use your own wireless headphones with in-flight entertainment systems? If the airline’s entertainment system is set up with Bluetooth access, then you should be able to connect your headphones fairly easily. If they aren’t, you need to buy a Bluetooth transmitter/receiver, like this one from Tron (£29.95, Amazon.co.uk) which acts as a conduit between your headphones and the in-flight system, letting you watch movies with your wireless ANC cans. Some of the headphones on this list come with Bluetooth transmitter/receiver in the box, so you won’t need to buy one for your flight.

The verdict: Wireless headphones

We think that the top all-round wireless headphones are from Sony. The Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones might be a mouthful to say, but they offer up a whole host of neat features, absolute comfort, divine sound quality and exceedingly good noise cancellation.

Nipping at Sony’s heels are Apple’s all-dancing, all-singing AirPods max, which have some impressive spatial audio, making your music sound like it’s on another plane of existence.

For a decent budget pair, you can’t go wrong with JBL’s Tune 660NC headphones or the Sennheiser HD 450BT headphones, which are great for the daily commute.

More headphone recommendations:

If you still prefer the freedom a pair of earbuds give you, check out our round-up of the best wireless earbuds for quality sound and noise cancellation