Zoom calls on the go, noisy neighbours, sound sensitivity or a house member learning the trumpet: there are plenty of reasons you might need a little help tuning out.
We've tested to find you the best.
Read headphones reviewIn addition to muting life's soundtrack, noise-cancelling headphones can help you have better conversations, more productive workouts, better sleep and more immersive listening experiences.
To help you choose the best noise-cancelling headphones for you, CHOICE experts test a range of models priced from $149 to $899, from brands including Sennheiser, Sony, Apple, Bose and more.
We do a series of tests to assess how each product performs for sound and listening quality, comfort, durability and battery life.
Check our noise-cancelling headphone reviews to see which performed better than the rest, and read on to find out what our experts say about why you might want to pick up a pair.
Noise cancelling headphones can be useful for tuning in to online meetings and calls at work.
These days the living room or bedroom are doubling as the office, but that doesn't mean your fellow officemates received the memo.
Noise-cancelling headphones let you politely put the mute button on your partner unstacking the dishwasher or your housemate watching TV.
Taking a work call during your commute, in a cafe or another noisy environment? Noise-cancelling headphones can eliminate some of the distraction so you can focus on the conversation at hand.
However, they don't all deliver the serenity they promise – check out the headphones we suggest you avoid.
CHOICE tech expert Peter Zaluzny breaks down what goes into our sound and listening scores.
"First, a panel of five experts listen to a range of music genres and podcasts with noise-cancellation off and no background noise to see how the feature affects audio during playback," says Peter.
We've found some headphones with top-level noise cancellation which perform particularly well on calls due to their voice isolation and amplification, but sacrifice sound quality in return, making music sound flatter.
"Next, the panel listens to the same audio with noise-cancellation on and noise in the background, such as the sound of air conditioning, trains, aircraft, passing cars and background conversation.
"Lastly, an artificial ear listens to tones at different frequencies and testers watch for technical anomalies such as distortion."
Read more: The headphones to avoid buying
Ear plugs can only do so much. Whether you live on a busy street, are a shift worker, or simply need help getting to and staying asleep, noise-cancelling headphones can offer you consistent silence all night long.
They can also be handy for catching some zzzzzzs in a noisy environment such as on a train, coach or plane.
Most wireless headphones won't last as long with noise-cancellation turned on so check the battery life score in our headphone reviews
CHOICE tech expert Peter Zaluzny
"If you're using headphones for a long stretch of time, you'll want to consider battery life," says Peter.
"Most wireless headphones won't last as long with noise-cancellation turned on so check the battery life score in our headphone reviews."
We've tested to find you the best.
Read soundbars reviewNoise-cancelling headphones can help you escape the real world, block out distractions or lose yourself in your latest interest.
Want to watch trashy TV uninterrupted? Listen to your guilty-pleasures playlist without being judged? Make housework a little less boring with the help of a podcast? Noise-cancelling headphones can help make that happen.
If you're planning to give your headphones a workout, check CHOICE's headphone reviews to make sure you're purchasing a pair that'll last.
Our expert testers inspect each headphone's materials, hinges, connections and buttons, and conduct 10 drop tests from a height of 1.8 metres to check how they fare, as well as a light rain test to check weather sealing.
From noisy neighbours to sound-sensitivity, there are many reasons why noise-cancelling headphones can be useful.
In lieu of a holiday, noise-cancelling headphones can help restore some peace and tranquility to your everyday life.
They can take the edge off sensory overwhelm from repetitive or irritating noises, cocoon you in silence when you need an escape from the world, or allow you to tune out boisterous children or chatty co-workers.
If you're not familiar with them, you may experience slight discomfort with active noise-cancellation turned on at 100%, which can feel similar to being underwater.
Luckily, most headphones come with accompanying apps that allow you to adjust noise-cancellation levels and reintroduce some ambient noise, says Peter.
Read more: Apple iMac review
Not a fan of the hectic tunes your gym blasts at 7am? Looking for motivation to hit the pavement? Noise-cancelling headphones give you control over what you're listening to no matter what's happening around you.
And when you're running, jumping or dancing, you'll want to make sure your headphones stay put.
In addition to our normal wear test, in which testers move their heads as one would throughout the day, we also put headphones – and our testers – through a mini Olympics.
Testers wear headphones for 20 minutes at room temperature and then complete five-minute physical tasks such as running, power-walking and jumping jacks, says Peter, to see what they're like wearing in a realistic scenario.
To see how a pair of headphones fared when given a workout, check out the comfort score in our detailed headphones reviews.
Noise-cancelling headphones can really shine on long-haul flights.
One place where noise-cancelling headphones really shine is in the air.
When you're flying long-haul and really need to get some shut-eye, noise-cancelling headphones make a world of difference by blocking out excess noise.
If you want to enjoy in-flight entertainment with your headphones you'll need a cable and two-pronged aeroplane adapter. Only some wireless headphones come with these so be sure to check before buying, or purchase a cable and adapter separately.
Read more: Soundbars to avoid buying
While noise-cancelling headphones are not considered medical hearing protectors, they can help reduce stress on your hearing.
Your hearing can be damaged by long or repeated exposure to anything over 85 decibels – things such as playing music through headphones at full volume, sirens, fireworks and the like.
Noise-cancelling headphones can help protect against exposure to unavoidable noise. And by reducing the external noise that would usually cause you to crank up the volume, they'll help you listen to your music at a healthy level.
Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.
To share your thoughts or ask a question, visit the CHOICE Community forum.
Visit CHOICE CommunityThe Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 is our favorite pair of noise-cancelling headphones, but we also have recommendations for people who want to spend less or prefer earbuds over headphones.
For frequent flyers or commuters on public transit, reducing the noise around you is the difference between enduring a trip and enjoying it. Noise-cancelling headphones can make your music easier to hear and your world a little more peaceful.
This pair of over-ear headphones cancels noise impressively, sounds great, is comfortable to wear, and has a long battery life—all for less than $100.
This pair of wireless earbuds sounds fantastic and cancels noise better than any others we’ve tested. However, people with very small ears might struggle to keep them securely in place.
True wireless earbuds should play for at least five hours, ideally more. Over-ear headphones should go for at least eight to 10 hours.
A good design should fit most ear shapes and head sizes, so we have a variety of people try on our top contenders.
We use a specialized audio-measurement system with a simulated ear to test how much noise the headphones can reduce.
The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 is the best set of over-ear noise-cancelling headphones that Bose currently offers. This pair is worth the investment for the frequent traveler who puts a premium on performance and comfort, and we recommend the 700 over newer, pricier Bose offerings for as long as it is still available.
These headphones can provide the superior noise cancellation that Bose has been known for, but the level of the active noise cancellation (ANC) is adjustable on a scale from 0 to 10, enabling you to find the amount that works best for you.
This pair also has a lightweight design that is comfortable to wear for hours, and features an easy-to-use combination of touch controls and physical buttons that you can access without looking. Plus, you can use the headphones in wired mode with the ANC engaged if, for example, you want to access an in-flight entertainment system. They fold flat for easy storage in the supplied case, too.
The Bose 700 isn’t entirely without flaws, however: The sound quality is good but not as crisp as that of our favorite everyday audiophile headphones, the app can be vexing, and the battery life isn’t the longest we’ve seen—though at 20 hours, it’ll still get you through a very long flight.
The Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds are small but powerful. This pair combines excellent active noise cancellation and passive isolation to better suppress all the sounds around you—not just the low-frequency ones. The sound quality is fantastic right out of the box, and you can customize it further in the Sony app. The eight hours of battery life (with ANC enabled) will get you through a long day of listening.
If you want to hear your surroundings, simply hold a finger to the left earbud, and the hear-through mode (sometimes called awareness or transparency mode) kicks in. Or, an optional feature automatically enables hear-through when you speak—handy for people who frequently have their hands occupied. The large, touch-based controls handle the full suite of music playback, call answering, and digital-assistant activation, and they aren’t as prone to misfires and missed taps as the controls on other earbuds we’ve tested.
The XM5 is loaded with helpful features, including Alexa and Google voice activation, dual-device connectivity, noise-reducing microphones, and even the ability to accept or reject calls with a nod or shake of your head.
The earbuds are quite small. Sony includes four sizes of tips, but this pair may still prove challenging to keep in place for folks with small ears or who are very active. And the unique foam and silicone tips can make your ears feel full, a sensation some people may find uncomfortable. Additionally, as with all true wireless earbuds, you can’t use these in wired mode, so you’ll need a Bluetooth transmitter to use this pair with certain in-flight entertainment systems that require a cable connection.
If you want a surprisingly great pair of wireless noise-cancelling headphones for around $100, we recommend the Soundcore Space One. In our tests, the active noise cancellation was nearly as effective as that of the Bose 700, and the level is adjustable. The sound, while not as refined as that of the Bose 700, is nonetheless enjoyable to listen to and can be customized to your preference in the Soundcore app. The chassis is lightweight and comfortable to wear, with full controls.
Dual-device connectivity is supported, and a hear-through mode can be activated by the press of a button or automatically when you speak. The 40-hour battery life with ANC on (55 hours with it off) means you may only have to charge this pair once a week or less.
The Space One comes with a cable so you can use it in wired mode on a flight or when you run out of power—but note that the ANC and microphone do not work if you’re out of battery. Luckily, the quick-charge feature will give you four hours of listening after just five minutes plugged in.
While this set has three noise-reducing microphones, we found that voices can sound compressed and somewhat distant to callers—especially when compared with more expensive headphones.
Our top pick for the best wireless earbuds, the Soundcore Space A40 pair is also a great option if you want a more affordable pair of noise-cancelling earbuds. Though this set’s active noise cancellation isn’t as broad or effective as what you can get from the Sony WF-1000XM5, it still ranked near the top in our tests.
The sound quality is enjoyable right out of the box, but if it’s not your ideal, you have multiple ways to fine-tune the sound using the Soundcore app. The small, lightweight earbuds should fit most ears comfortably, and 10 hours of battery life per charge is impressive. The tiny charging case holds an additional 40 hours’ worth of power and supports wireless charging.
Six microphones deliver clear phone calls, and the pair’s dual-device connectivity allows you to effortlessly switch between listening to music on your laptop, for example, and taking a call on your phone.
The touch-based controls work reliably and are customizable in the app, but they don’t offer everything: You have to choose one function, such as track reverse, to omit. As with all true wireless earbuds, you can’t use these with a cable, so you’ll need a Bluetooth transmitter to for use with some in-flight entertainment systems.