• Great noise-cancelling headphones don’t just block out unwanted noise – they also offer good sound quality and a comfortable fit.
  • That’s exactly why the Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones are our top pick. This pair blocks out ambient noise better than any other headphones we’ve tried.
  • If you’re looking for additional headphone recommendations, check out our continually updated roundup of the best headphone deals.

Headphone technology has come a long way over the past few years. Gone are the days when using headphones meant wearing a pair of large over-ear headphones that connected to your listening device with a big cable. These days, there are Bluetooth headphones, true wireless earbuds, and even headphones that are specifically built to block out any outside noise.

Active noise-cancelling headphones are a little different from normal headphones that simply have padding that physically blocks out noise. Instead, they have a microphone that picks up noise around you, and the headphones play a sound opposite to that noise to block it out. It’s a pretty neat concept that has given rise to tons of noise-cancelling headphones that are great for travel or simply getting a bit of peace and quiet.

Of course, there are a number of things to keep in mind when buying a pair of noise-cancelling headphones. For starters, you’ll want to consider whether you want over-ear, on-ear, or in-ear headphones. Then, you’ll want to think about any other features that you may want from your headphones – like whether you want wireless or wired ones. Last but not least, you’ll want to decide on a budget. After all, adding noise cancellation to a pair of headphones also generally adds to the price tag.

There’s also the fact that not all noise cancellation is created equal. On the contrary, while companies like Bose are known for excellent noise cancellation, some others simply add it for the sake of it, and it’s not always up to snuff. With that in mind, we’ve researched and tested several different noise-cancelling headphones in order to pick the very best models.

Here are the best noise-cancelling headphones you can buy:

Prices and links are current as of 03/09/2020. Added Beats Solo Pro, Sennheiser Momentum 3, and Bose 700. Added links to related guides and deals. We’re currently testing new products for consideration on this guide. Updated by Christian de Looper and Steven Cohen.

The best noise-cancelling headphones overall

The Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones have a great design and sound awesome, plus they have the best noise-cancelling tech on the market.

Bose has traditionally been the top choice for noise-cancelling headphones, but Sony has something to say about that. The company's Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones have incredible noise cancellation, are super comfortable, and sound absolutely awesome.

In fact, sound is probably the main way in which these headphones beat out the Bose QuietComfort 35 headphones. The bass on the headphones is natural and deep without going overboard, while the mids are well-tuned.

The high-end response on the headphones is also very nicely tuned, and while we could have used a little more in the highs, they still sound a lot better than the majority of headphones in this price range.

The design of the Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones is pretty stellar, too. The headphones are solid and comfortable, and don't feel like they'd break easily. They come with a nice carry case, so when you're not using them, they should be protected in your bag.

So what are the downsides to the headphones? Well, the only real drawback is the cost. The list price for the headphones is a little more expensive than some of the other picks on this guide. With that said, the headphones are currently available for a great discount, which makes them an even better buy.

Pros: Highly comfortable, excellent sound quality, great design, top-of-the-line noise cancellation

Cons: Expensive

The best noise-cancelling headphones for comfort

Foto: Source: Best Buy

The Bose 700 headphones feature some notable improvements over the company's previous QuietComfort 35 II headphones, offering upgraded noise cancellation while maintaining a similarly comfy fit.

For years, the Bose QuietComfort 35 II headphones have been widely regarded as one of the best pairs of noise-cancelling headphones you can buy, and while they're still strong performers, Bose now has an even better model on the market. The Bose 700 headphones carry over much of what made their predecessor so great, while offering an updated design and improved noise cancellation.

With a sleek, stylish build, the Bose 700s provide a more modern look compared to the older model, while still keeping the comfortable fit that Bose is known for. The headphones also feature new touch sensitive controls on each earcup for select functions. You simply double-tap the right earcup for playback, swipe up and down for volume, and swipe left and right to skip tracks. In practice, this all works seamlessly with a fluid response.

When it comes to noise cancellation, the headphones offer 11 levels to choose from, allowing you to select the best setting necessary for your needs. A handy button on the left earcup allows you to easily cycle between three default intensities - zero, five, and 10 - but you can customize those levels further via the Bose mobile app. For particularly noisy situations, like subway travel, I found that the max setting of 10 was a must, but the ability to gradually let in more of your surroundings is a convenient feature.

At the max level of 10, the noise cancellation effect is among the best the industry has to offer. During commutes in NYC, the Bose 700s effectively block out all of the subway's unwanted clatter, freeing my morning travels from irritating screeching and shouting. The upgraded noise cancellation technology even improves call quality as well, allowing the headphones to isolate your voice when you speak, making it easier for people to hear you on the phone. This process also makes it easier for supported voice assistants, like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, to hear your commands.

Of course, sound quality itself is also strong. Though not on par with audiophile headphones, the Bose 700s still offer pleasing performance when listening to music, with a fairly neutral sound. Bass is a bit subdued and the extreme highs can sound just a little harsh, but for a pair of Bluetooth headphones geared more toward casual listening than critical playback, the Bose 700s do a very fine job.

As far as drawbacks go, the Bose 700 aren't immune to a few weaknesses here and there. For one, the headphones can't fold up for more compact storage. This is a bit disappointing since that's a pretty common feature for other similar headphones. The Bose 700s also don't offer any EQ adjustments through the mobile app, so you can't alter bass or treble to your liking.

Finally, though the Bose 700s' noise cancellation technology is excellent, the Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones still edge them out in certain situations. If you're more concerned with comfort and call quality, however, the Bose 700s are easily among the very best noise-cancelling headphones you can buy. For more detailed impressions, be sure to check out our full review for the Bose 700 headphones.

Pros: Impressive noise cancellation for music and calls, solid audio performance, simple setup, comfortable fit

Cons: Expensive, can't fold up for more compact storage, no EQ adjustments

The best on-ear noise-cancelling headphones

Foto: Source: Beats

The Beats Solo Pro headphones look great, have a comfortable fit, and they offer excellent noise cancellation.

Beats has long built great on-ear headphones in the Solo line, and the Beats Solo Pro are no exception to that rule. They're well-designed, look stylish, and they offer excellent noise cancellation tech to help cut down on outside noise.

The Solo Pro headphones provide a slightly different design than previous generation Beats Solo headphones, and it's a good look. They offer nice rounded lines and a strong build, so with the carry case, they should be more than capable of lasting at least a few years. They work intelligently too - the headphones turn on automatically when you unfold them, and they feature Apple's H1 chip to work with Siri and connect to all your Apple devices.

The Beats Solo Pro headphones sound pretty great as well. While Beats headphones of years ago largely catered to bass fans, the Solo Pro headphones offer a more refined sound with balanced mids and a decent amount of clarity in the higher frequencies.

The headphones aren't perfect. Notably, they're a bit pricey, and they have a Lightning connector instead of a USB-C connector. Still, they've gotten great reviews - Tom's Guide gave them 4.5/5, while MacWorld gave them a still impressive 4/5.

Pros: Nice design, more balanced sound compared to previous models, H1 chip for Siri support and easy connectivity with Apple devices

Cons: No USB-C connector

The best in-ear noise-cancelling headphones

Foto: Source: Bose

The Bose QuietComfort 30 headphones are well-designed, very portable, and feature good noise cancellation.

This is the second pair of Bose headphones in our guide, and for good reason. If you're looking for a pair of in-ear noise-cancelling headphones, then the Bose QuietComfort 30 headphones are the way to go. Not only do the headphones sound good and offer good noise cancellation, but they're also ultra-portable, thanks to their in-ear form-factor.

The QuietComfort 30 headphones are well made with a neckband-style design that features playback and volume controls on a small remote. While in-ear headphones often have a rough time when it comes to comfort, these ones aren't so bad.

Of course, perhaps the best thing about the headphones is the fact that they sound great, as you would expect from Bose. The headphones feature plenty of punch in the bass and mid range, plus the high-end is detailed and clear, ensuring an exciting listening experience. Then there's the noise cancellation, and while it's perhaps not quite as good as the QuietComfort 35 II headphones, it's still very good. Expert reviews have also been positive. TechHive and CNET gave the headphones 4/5 or more.

There are some downsides to these headphones, however, namely the fact that the neckband design won't appeal to all buyers. There's also no wired connection option, so if you run out of battery you can't just plug a cable into your device to keep listening.

Pros: Great design, excellent sound quality, good noise cancellation, comfortable

Cons: Neckband design won't appeal to everyone, no wired connection option

The best-sounding noise-cancelling headphones

Foto: Source: Sennheiser

The Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless headphones are well-designed and have noise cancellation - plus they're some of the best-sounding wireless headphones around.

The original Sennheiser Momentum Wireless headphones were some of the best on the market, and now Sennheiser is back with another follow-up. The Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless headphones offer a stunning design with premium materials, and they sound absolutely awesome.

The Momentum 3 Wireless headphones are clearly well-built, featuring nice leather over the headband and plenty of padding in the ear cups. They're black-and-silver, which helps make them look nice and professional, and they're easy to use thanks to the on-ear controls.

Perhaps the best thing about these headphones, of course, is how awesome they sound. The headphones offer a natural sound to them, with plenty of bass, a well-tuned mid range, and a ton of clarity and detail in the high end. These are consistently rated as some of the best-sounding headphones, period. The fact that they also have noise cancellation makes them even better. Battery life is rated for about 17 hours, and the headphones use Bluetooth 5.0.

So what are the downsides? Well, namely that the headphones are pretty expensive. On top of that, while the noise cancellation tech on these headphones is good, Sony and Bose headphones are better in that department.

Pros: Great design, high-end sound quality, comfortable fit

Cons: Expensive, noise cancellation isn't on par with Bose and Sony

Check out our other headphone buying guides

Foto: Source: Amazon

The best over-ear headphones you can buy

Audiophiles will be the first to tell you that it's easy to spend thousands on a great pair of headphones, but you're probably not looking for a pair of multi-thousand-dollar headphones. We've rounded up the best over-ear headphones in a variety of price points.

Here are the best over-ear headphones you can buy:

The best earbuds you can buy

Earbuds need to be well constructed to deliver the same kind of audio quality you'd expect out of a bigger pair of headphones. Master & Dynamic pulled it off with the ME05 earbuds. They are still the best earbuds I've used, delivering excellent sound quality in a nice, neat package.

The best true wireless earbuds

True wireless earbuds are entirely free from wires, enabling you to connect each earbud to your phone without any cables getting in the way. After researching and testing several models, we've picked the best true wireless earbuds you can buy.

The best cheap headphones

Headphones can be very expensive, but there are still plenty of affordable over-ear, wireless, and in-ear models to choose from. If you're on a budget, these are the best cheap headphones you can buy.