Top 10 best wireless headphones of 2026

11 min read

Top 10 best wireless headphones of 2026

Discover the best wireless headphones. We've tested more than a hundred Bluetooth headphones. This list shows you which on-ear and over-ear headphones are the best to buy. 

In this article

Best wireless headphones 2026

These are the best wireless headphones in our tests: 

  1. SONY WH-1000XM6
    (Best headphones in our tests)
  2. DunRock Halo
    (Best headphones under €100)
  3. pocobob X
    (Best headphones under €50)
  4. Bose QuietComfort 35
    (Best headphones with ANC)
  5. Beats Studio 3
    (Best on-ear headphones)
  6. SONY WH-1000XM4
    (Best over-ear headphones)
  7. JBL Under Armour
    (Best headphones for workouts)
  8. Sennheiser PXC 550-II
    (Best headphones with a microphone)
  9. POGS kids
    (Best kids headphones)
  10. AirPods Max
    (Best Apple headphones)     

Wireless headphone test results

When testing wireless headphones, we notice big differences in quality. Even between headphones at similar prices. That gave us all the more reason to put together a clear comparison. So the 8 best headphones get a place on our list.

Best wireless headphones in our tests 2026

These are the very best wireless headphones you can buy right now, in our opinion. We keep this list up to date. Price changes or new headphones on the market can change the rankings. 

1. Sony WH-1000XM6

Excellent fit | Rich, full sound | Excellent ANC

  • Price: 400

The Sony WH-1000XM6 takes my number 1 spot because it gets everything right. The sound is excellent, the microphone works well for calls, and the noise canceling keeps things really quiet. These are premium headphones, but that comes with a high price. They're also packed with features, from 360 Reality Audio to noise canceling that adjusts automatically based on your location. If that's worth it to you, go for these headphones. But you could also choose the 1000XM5 or even the 1000XM4.

You can easily connect the Sony 1000XM6 to several devices at once with multipoint, and the battery lasts a long time. Compared with the XM5 and XM4, they're a little more comfortable, the fit has improved, and the controls feel a little smoother. They're simply headphones you'll want to use every day without any fuss.

ℹ️ On the other hand, plenty of up-and-coming brands offer many of the same features, sometimes for just 25% of Sony's price (!). Take the OneMelon Horizon, with great sound, excellent ANC, multipoint, and an app. 

Best wireless headphones up to €100

2. DunRock Halo

Excellent value | Over-ear | ANC | App (Android + iPhone)

  • Price: ~100

DunRock Bubble headphones with app

These DunRock Halo headphones offer exceptional value. The sound holds its own against the top models, they have multipoint (connect to your phone and laptop at the same time), and with the DunRock app (Android + iPhone), you can set everything just the way you like it. 

The headphones have active noise canceling, transparency mode, game mode, several sound profiles (with and without the app), an optional wired audio connection, and a very good microphone with a filter.

And, as mentioned, the multipoint connection makes a real difference. With all these features, these headphones are well ahead of premium models in many ways. Even headphones that cost €100 to €200 more. All in all, there's no doubt these headphones take the number 1 spot up to €100.    

Best wireless headphones under €50

With headphones under €50, you won't get the quality you'd find at the higher end. The sound isn't quite as good, and neither is the microphone. In short, it's a question of which manufacturer has made the fewest compromises while keeping quality as high as possible. 

3. pocobob X

Best quality under €50 | Solid build | With multipoint (!)

  • Price: 39

For sound and features, the pocobob X are by far the best wireless headphones up to €50. They sound great, have their own app, a good microphone, and multipoint. That last feature is a small miracle for Bluetooth headphones at this price. The pocobob X headphones are excellent for what we paid, which was even a little below €50. 

Best noise-canceling headphones

Active noise canceling is becoming more popular, and rightly so. This noise reduction technology, called 'ruisonderdrukking' in Dutch, helps you shut out more of the outside world. Some headphones have very mediocre ANC, while others make the sounds around you disappear completely.

4. Bose QuietComfort 45 

Best ANC in our tests | Handy app | Great sound, too

  • Price: 270

Bose QuietComfort 35

The Bose QuietComfort 45 really get noise canceling right. These headphones stand head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to noise canceling. The ANC works beautifully even in a quiet room. 

Best on-ear headphones

If you prefer headphones that rest on your ears, on-ear headphones are your best choice. They're often a little easier to carry, lighter, and slightly cheaper.

5. Beats Solo 3 

Great sound | On-ear | Easy iPhone pairing

  • Price: 270

Beats Studio 3

The Beats Solo 3 are the best on-ear headphones by far. Good sound, a comfortable fit for on-ear headphones, and a stylish design. And a nice bonus for iPhone users: the Solo 3 have all the features you'll find on AirPods. 

Best headphones for workouts

If you want to use headphones while working out, there are a few things to consider. For a start, running headphones and gym headphones serve different needs. For running, headphones need to be light and fit securely. In the gym, noise canceling matters a lot. You don't want the gym's booming speakers getting in your way. Headphones for workouts should also be waterproof, with at least an IPX5 rating. 

7. JBL Under Armour

Very light | Best sound among sport headphones | Stay securely in place

  • Price: 144

JBL Under Armour headphones

The JBL Under Armour headphones are a collaboration between JBL and sportswear brand Under Armour. They're very light, but their sound has plenty of weight. They're also very comfortable. You can see it in the photo above: the cushions are soft and breathable, so your ears don't get hot and red. The buttons are well thought out, too. They're sturdy and easy to find with your finger while you're moving. All in all, excellent headphones for workouts. 

Best wireless headphones with a microphone

A good microphone is an important requirement that's easy to overlook when buying headphones. In our reviews, we always record a sample with the microphone. Among earbuds, the Eardopes B6 Pro come out on top. But which headphones have the best microphone? 

8. Sennheiser HD 450

Rich, full sound | Very good mic | ANC: yes | Solid build

  • Price: 130

Sennheiser HD 450

The Sennheiser HD 450 have 3 microphones on each side, for a total of 6. Although 1 microphone on each side handles ANC, the other 2 make your voice exceptionally clear. The fit is very good, too: the headphones sit neatly around the shape of your ears. Perfect for online meetings and phone calls. During calls, you hear your own voice played back quietly through the speakers. That's thanks to the headphones' transparency mode. All in all, these are the headphones with the best microphone.

Best kids headphones

Headphones made specifically for kids are safer than regular headphones. Their volume only goes up to a set level to prevent hearing damage. That's important. Also see our article on the best kids headphones.

9. POGS Headphones for kids

Fun look | Available in 3 colors | Handy linking system | Safe | Good battery

  • Price: 49

Headphones for kids

POGS Headphones for kids are very safe because they have a volume limit. The headphones have a handy linking system that lets several kids listen to the same song or watch the same video using a connecting cable. The design is fun and cheerful, and the battery is good: 12 hours of use.

Best Apple headphones

Many people love Apple's AirPods because they assume they connect better to an iPhone. Some AirPods features do only work with an iPhone. But which Apple headphones are the best to buy? 

10. Apple AirPods Max

Great sound | Beautiful design | ANC: yes | Available in several colors

  • Price: 500+

Apple AirPods Max headphones

 

Apple has once again created a distinctive design. These headphones look completely different from the others. Just compare them with the models in this article. The sound is excellent, too. And these headphones work perfectly with your MacBook and iPhone.

 

 

All about wireless headphones

mpow headphones

Wireless headphones are becoming more popular. But quality and price vary widely. It's important to think about how you'll use your headphones before buying.

Will you use them at home for online work meetings, or while working out? Those are already 2 very different uses that strongly affect which headphones are best for you. That's why we've put together all the information about Bluetooth headphones. 

On-ear or over-ear headphones?

There are basically 2 types of headphones:

  • on-ear
  • over-ear

On-ear headphones and over-ear headphones

On-ear headphones press against your outer ears. Their ear cups are no larger than your ears.

On-ear advantages ✔️ Compact headphones
✔️ Lightweight
On-ear drawbacks ❌ Uncomfortable after a while 
❌ Let in more sound

 

With over-ear headphones, the speakers and ear cups cover your ears. The headphones rest on your head rather than on your outer ears.  

Over-ear advantages ✔️ Better sound delivery
✔️ Less ambient noise
✔️ More comfortable
Over-ear drawbacks ❌ Heavier 
❌ Warmer

Which headphones you choose depends on how you'll use them.

Want to keep ambient noise out? Go for over-ear headphones.
Want headphones that are easy to carry? Choose on-ear headphones.
Want to wear them for long stretches? Go for over-ear headphones.

What is noise canceling (ANC) on headphones?

Active noise canceling is a technology in headphones, including wireless models, that reduces the ambient noise you hear. Sound picked up by the headphones' microphones is actively neutralized, hence active noise canceling, by an opposite sound played into your ears.

Sometimes a manufacturer mentions passive noise canceling or just noise canceling. Be careful with that. If a shop or seller doesn't specify active noise canceling, it means passive noise canceling. That's really nothing more than blocking ambient sound because the headphones sit over your ears. In that sense, even a drinking glass offers passive noise canceling. As long as you hold it over your ear.

Wireless headphones with multipoint

Multipoint means wireless headphones can connect to several devices, such as a phone and laptop, via Bluetooth. It's a handy feature, which makes multipoint very popular.

For example, you can listen to music on your laptop through your wireless headphones via Bluetooth. When someone calls, the signal switches to the Bluetooth connection with your phone. You can then answer and take the call on the same headphones. 

Multipoint on wireless headphones

Multipoint makes your headphones easier to use by letting you connect to several devices at once.

Did you know there's an easy workaround that gives you something similar to multipoint? Connect your headphones to your phone and open Spotify on the laptop you're working on. You can then control all of Spotify from your computer. In other words, if you select the next track on your laptop, your headphones play it without being connected to the laptop. And if someone calls your phone, you can answer and use your headphones for the call. That gives you a kind of multipoint function, even if your headphones don't have multipoint. 

Connect your headphones to your laptop

Connecting your wireless headphones to your laptop is handy when you're working from home. You can use your earbuds for Teams meetings or online meetings in other programs. At least you won't be glued to your screen throughout the meeting. You can hang up the laundry while your dull colleague gives an update. 

But which headphones work well with a laptop?

Wired headphones always work with a laptop. With wireless headphones, it's not quite that straightforward. 

Headphones with a laptop

There are essentially two requirements for a good connection:

  • Laptop hardware requirements
  • Earbud hardware requirements

Laptop hardware requirements
Your laptop needs a good, fast Bluetooth connection and a good sound card. Without those, using your earbuds becomes a struggle. The sound stutters or comes through in poor quality. People can't hear you clearly in meetings, even though you have no problems when connecting to your phone. 

Earbud hardware requirements
A good chipset is essential for connecting your headphones to your laptop. Some chipsets have more power and faster processing speeds. That's essential for playing your colleague's voice during a meeting while recording your voice through the microphone and sending it back to your laptop.

We've tested so many headphones that we can confidently say which chipsets are good enough for laptop use and which aren't. But that's a little too detailed for this article. If headphones have a Jieli chipset, you can assume they won't work well with a laptop. If an earbud has a Qualcomm chipset, with a code starting with QCC*****, you're usually in good shape.

⬆️ That brings us to the end of our top 8 best wireless headphones. Remember which headphones took the number 1 spot?

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