Bluetooth earbuds
Wireless earbuds come in all shapes and sizes. You have more freedom of movement, which is pleasant while exercising or walking. They are useful if you want to listen to music without a cord, but there are a few points you should pay attention to. There are roughly two types: with or without active noise cancellation. But you can also pay attention to ear hooks, special designs for athletes and much more. In this overview we will take you through the most important brands. But there is much more to audio: if you are looking for noise-canceling headphones, for example, we have an overview of that too. And of course we also have an overview of AirPods alternatives.
The best wireless earbuds: Apple AirPods
Our biggest recommendation are of course the Apple AirPods, which we once called “the best wireless earbuds you could wish for”. The great thing is that nowadays you have a choice of two models. You can buy the standard AirPods, which we still like. But if you want to enjoy active noise cancellation, that is also possible.
The price/quality ratio of these earphones is quite good, although you can often find lower prices from competing brands. However, you get numerous features optimized specifically for the iPhone, such as automatic pairing. You can tap the AirPods or squeeze the stems to operate them. And they automatically stop playing music when you remove them from your ears. Thanks to the built-in microphone, it is also possible to talk to the virtual assistant Siri. The AirPods have quickly become a status symbol that has been copied by many manufacturers. We choose the original.
Here you can buy the AirPods:
Prices AirPods second generation (2019)
The AirPods have an excellent battery life. If that’s not enough, you can use the included box to charge your AirPods within fifteen minutes and then listen for a few more hours. In total, you can enjoy your AirPods for 24 to 36 hours before you need to charge them again.
You can buy the AirPods in the Apple Store, but if you look at other stores it is often cheaper.
Prices AirPods Pro 2023 with USB-C and MagSafe
We have listed many AirPods alternatives for you. There you will find more wireless earphones that resemble the AirPods.
Beats earbuds
Although Beats has been part of Apple for a while, there are still separate Beats earphones and headphones for sale. The top two models for Apple users are the Beats Studio Buds+, as they have almost the same features as the AirPods Pro. For athletes there is the Beats Fit Pro. This allows you to quickly connect to your iPhone and other devices and you can easily switch between other devices. You get a charging case and some models have ear detection.
Prices Beats Studio Buds+ 2023
Anker Soundcore earbuds
Soundcore is a sub-brand of Anker, which tries to make A-quality products at low prices. Many of the earphones that Soundcore makes resemble the AirPods, but there are also variants with a completely different appearance. There doesn’t really seem to be a line in the design and they are therefore difficult to recognize as ‘typical Anker’.
Soundcore earphones usually have a slightly heavier bass, but the sound quality is otherwise good. You can adjust the sound profile via the Soundcore app. The range changes regularly and consists of normal earplugs, sports earphones and even special earphones for sleeping.
- View at Bol.com
- View at Amazon
JBL earphones
JBL is best known for its speakers and boomboxes, but they also market a very decent collection of wireless earphones. We have selected a number of them for you, in ascending price:
- JBL Wave Buds, Wave Flex and Wave Beam (approx. 60 euros)*
- JBL Tune Flex and Tune Flex Ghost (approx. 80 euros)
- JBL Tune Beam (approx. 80 euros)
- JBL Tune Buds (approx. 90 euros)
- JBL Endurance Peak3 (approx. 90 euros)*
- JBL Live Pro 2 (approx. 115 euros)
- JBL Live Flex (approx. 120 euros)
- JBL Soundgear Sense (approx. 140 euros)
- JBL Tour Pro 2 (approx. 230 euros)
*No noise canceling (NC)
It would take too long to discuss them all here. In the price comparator below you can see where the earplugs from this brand are available based on the popular JBL Live Flex model.
- View at Coolblue
- View at MediaMarkt
- View at Bol.com
Bose earbuds
If it doesn’t have to be very cheap, you can go to Bose. There are three main product lines:
- Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 1 and 2 (approx. 250 euros)
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (approx. 300 euros)
- Bose Ultra Open Earbds (approx. 330 euros)
The QuietComfort Earbuds are the most logical choice, but are no longer available everywhere. It is better to opt for the Ultra models, of which there are two versions: the normal one with noise reduction and the open version. Open earplugs are a new development that do not close off your ear canal. They hang like a kind of speaker in front of your ear canal and ensure that you can also hear ambient sounds.
- View at Coolblue
- View at MediaMarkt
- View at Bol.com
Sony earbuds
At Sony you can choose from different price levels, from very cheap to somewhat more expensive. These are the features of the main models:
- Sony WF-C500 (approx. 50 euros): Reasonable sound without noise canceling, e.g. for podcasts
- Sony WF-C700N (approx. 110 euros): Detailed sound and reasonable noise cancellation
- Sony Linkbuds S (approx. 140 euros): More detailed sound and better noise canceling
- Sony WF-1000XM5 (approx. 280 euros): Best sound, best noise canceling
The cheaper models are often available in more cheerful colors. If you want the best, there is the Sony WF-1000XM5. The latest variant is more compact and lighter, but also slightly more expensive than its predecessor (WF-1000XM4), which is still an excellent choice. The emphasis is on improved noise suppression. Each earbud is equipped with three microphones that are mainly intended to improve low-frequency noise cancellation. The earphones also contain a special HD Noise Canceling Processor QN2e. There is also an AI-based noise canceling algorithm, based on Deep Neutral Network (DNN) processing. Bone conduction sensors are also used. This combination should ensure that your voice sounds clear and natural. There is wind noise reduction for outdoors.
- View at Coolblue
- View at MediaMarkt
- View at Bol.com
Click here for the cheaper Sony earphones
Prices Sony LinkBuds (S)
Prices of other Sony earphones
Other brands of wireless earbuds
There are many other good brands for wireless earbuds. Also take a look at:
- Jabra earbuds
- Sennheiser earphones
- Bang & Olufsen earphones
- Bowers & Wilkins earplugs
We discuss some of these in our overview of AirPods alternatives.
Cheap Chinese AirPods alternatives
You can buy fake AirPods on AliExpress for less than five euros. There is also sound, although the audio quality is not great. But if you want to walk around with AirPods as a fashion accessory, it can be an option for people who really have no further requirements at all.
If you want better alternatives that won’t hurt your wallet too much, you can take a look at this list. Former iCulture editor Bart keeps a list of AirPods lookalikes that he believes are worth their money. You will also find many affordable alternatives at mainstream stores:
- Cheap earplugs at Bol.com
- Cheap earplugs at MediaMarkt
- Cheap earplugs at Coolblue
- Cheap earbuds at Amazon
Do you prefer to listen to music with a portable speaker? You can also connect this to your Apple Watch or iPhone. Of course, you also need to charge all your devices regularly to continue enjoying music. We have listed the best portable speakers and handy power banks for you, so that you can enjoy your music and your iPhone undisturbed outdoors and on holiday.
Also check these overviews:
- The best AirPods alternatives
- Trendy headphones for your iPhone and iPad
- Beats: everything about the headphones and earphones from this trendy brand
- The best noise canceling headphones for quiet work, without distractions
In our article Choosing wireless earbuds: what you should pay attention to, you can read what suits you best.
