2021 has been the year of wireless earbuds, where the market has been crowded like never before with various brands offering the same product but with different features. While choosing the best earphones, you need to decide first what you need wireless earphones for. If it’s for calls and meetings, you may need longer battery life and a good microphone, but if it’s for music then you may need to focus on sound quality more. It may be confusing and daunting to choose the best earphones for you, so we have compiled a list of our own to help you shortlist the five best ones, as rated by consumers and tech websites.

Sony wf-1000xm4

These wireless earphones are the best at noise cancellation, after its redesign by the company two years from its release. Now the device is smaller and has an IPX4 water resistance rating. Its memory foam ear tips offer the best noise isolation when placed in, even before the noise cancellation begins. These earbuds can last up to 8 hours of continuous playback in comparison to 5 hours which is the case for most NC earphones. Moreover, its “speak to chat” feature turns down the volume and plays ambient music when its sensors detect loud audio conversations. Microphone performance is however weak and isn’t recommended for making longer professional calls.

Amazon Echo Buds 2

The second-generation Amazon Echo Buds not only have the exclusive Alexa hands-free feature, but this new model has a more comfortable fit, better noise cancellation, IPX4 water-resistant capabilities and more, for a much lower price. The Alexa app connection provides accessibility needs related to vision, hearing, mobility, and speech. Compatible with both IOS and Android, the earbuds have a battery life of only 4 hours of music playback on a single charge. The design is similar to that of AirPods Pro that prevents occlusion, and the ambient sound is described as being natural.

Apple AirPods and AirPods Pro

AirPods may not offer the best sound quality in comparison to other phones, but has good noise cancellation and aligns perfectly well with people who use Apple products so that they can hop between devices effortlessly. Spatial audio delivers immersive surround sound for streaming videos on iPad and iPhone and is excellent for audio calls as well. Their lengthy stems and reliable microphones deem them to be the best earbuds for making phone calls. The device supports features like audio sharing; spatial audio and private listening with an Apple TV, where instant-pairing is seamless and easy.

Beats Powerbeats Pro

These have been called the best fitness air buds since they were released in 2019. The earphones have an ear hook design so that they remain in place even through intense exercise, sweaty workouts, and 9 hour-long battery. The sound quality is fantastic, keeping you motivated and constantly moving. Since Beats is owned by Apple, the device allows audio-sharing, auto device switching, and a simple effortless pairing process.

Samsung Galaxy Buds

The long-lasting Samsung Buds can last up to 9 hours on a single battery charge. The lightweight design is a comfortable fit in the ear, while its sound quality has been rated as satisfactory. Their ANC level can be dialed up or down according to the level of noise cancellation you require but the feature is poor. The earbuds, however, can serve as a good alternative to Apple AirPods for Android users. The high functional 3 mic system and long battery life make it a good device for phone calls.