Best noise-cancelling headphones 2024: including Sony, Bose, Apple and more

Type: Over-ear | Battery life: 24 hours | Weight: 250g | Water-resistance: None

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra are expensive but if you're willing to splash out a little, they're some of the best noise-cancelling headphones. You can barely hear anything happening around you when you put these on and press play. The QC Ultra have a particularly rich, punchy sound in comparison to Bose's other gadgets which is perfect for those who like lots of energy and depth — if not you can adjust the audio using the equaliser settings in the app.

It's not all about substance, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra have style too. Unlike other over-ears, they're not too big (so they won't look silly on a smaller head) and are comfortable to wear. We like how well-made they feel, plus they come with a hard case to protect them when you travel. Granted the battery life could be longer and you can't listen to them using a wired USB-C connection, but those downsides aren't dealbreakers.

Type: In-ear | Battery life: 6 hours (up to 24 hours with the charging case) | Weight: 6.24g per bud (59.8g with the charging case) | Water-resistance: IPX4

If your top priority is noise-cancelling and you'd rather buy in-ear headphones, they don't get any better than the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. We loved testing them out, saying in the review that they “look great, they sound fantastic and they work well. But the very best thing about them is the noise-cancelling which is about as good as it gets”.

When you put these in, you won't be able to hear much, if anything from the outside world. Surprisingly, that's even true with the music turned off. We enjoyed trying out the Immersive sound mode too, which makes the tracks sound as though they're coming from in front of you even when you move your head around. Adding to their class-leading ANC performance, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds have a rich sound that you can tweak to better suit you in the app. The design is worth a shoutout too because they look more like a fashion accessory than a bit of tech.

Type: Over-ear | Battery life: 50 hours with ANC | Weight: 250g | Water-resistance: None

The very best noise-cancelling headphones don't come cheap, but dig into the mid-range and there are some serious bargains to be found, including the 1More Sonoflow, which marry punchy sound, solid noise-cancelling headphones and up to 70 hours of battery life for less than £100. That's pretty hard to top.

Naturally, the plastic-heavy design doesn't feel all that premium in the hand, but the headphones are nicely cushioned and fold up for portability. And while we miss premium features like wear detection, we can't have too many complaints at this price. There are better-sounding headphones and more elegant implementations of ANC, but you don't need to spend hundreds for distraction-free listening.

Type: Over-ear | Battery life: 30 hours | Weight: 249g | Water-resistance: IPX4

Sony's WH-1000 series of headphones have consistently been the best all-round noise-cancellers you can buy, and the XM5 is are the best iteration yet. The noise-cancelling is superb, adapting to your environment so you always get the most effective setting, and you'll struggle to find a pair of headphones that sound better. They're comfortable, but as heavy users of the previous two generations, we're not sure we prefer the redesign. The carry case feels less compact than before too.

Sony's headphones sport features like hands-free voice control and automatic play/pause when you remove them, as well as the more unique “speak to chat” function, which automatically pauses whatever you're listening to and deactivates noise-cancelling when you start talking, allowing you to transition into a conversation with someone IRL. It's handy, but means you can't sing along to your tunes. All in all, these are our favourite noise-cancelling cans, but you'd still be very happy with an older, cheaper version.

Type: Over-ear | Battery life: 20 hours | Weight: 385g | Water-resistance: None

Apple's pricey debut over-ear headphones have been around for a few years now and are an incredible pair of noise-cancellers. They work seamlessly with all Apple devices, sound fantastic and are designed to utilise Apple's Music spatial audio feature, which plays supported songs and albums in 3D Dolby Atmos. It doesn't always sound as good as stereo sound, but when it's done well it can be amazing. The AirPods Max are also great for enjoying TV and movies with convincing virtual surround sound.

The noise-cancelling is among the best you'll find, and we've always thought that Apple's transparency mode, which allows in outside noise when having ANC turned on isn't possible, is one of the most natural implementations of the feature. The downsides? The AirPods Max come with the most useless “case” ever shipped; a flimsy rubbery thing that offers almost no protection. They're also heavy and not hugely comfortable after a few hours.

Type: In-ear | Battery life: 6 hours (30 hours with charging case) | Weight: 5.3g per earbud (50.8g with the charging case) | Water-resistance: IP54

The AirPods Pro are fantastic little earbuds for iPhone users — not only is the ANC very effective but they have balanced audio that adapts itself to different tracks, thanks to the Adaptive EQ tech. They're good for clarity, detail and they deliver impressive sub-bass and vocals. It's worth pointing out there's no manual EQ so you'll need to be happy with the default tuning.

While the spatial audio isn't that impressive with music, it definitely adds something to your on-the-go streaming. We also thought they fit in our ears really well. If you've been on the fence about AirPods and use an iPhone, the second-gen Pro is the model to go for. Whether they're worth upgrading to from the original product is a trickier question, but your music will certainly sound quite a bit better for it.

Type: Over-ear | Battery life: 30 hours | Weight: 312g | Water-resistance: None

Sonos has long since been one of the top audio brands for home cinema systems, and now it has finally branched out into the world of ANC headphones. The Sonos Ace are a seriously stylish bit of kit with a lightweight comfortable design that is great for long-term wear. The Sonos sound quality is fantastic — it's crystal clear and balanced so it feels very accurate. They also have solid noise-cancelling which matches up to competing cans from Apple and Sony.

To add to that, subtle spatial audio makes the sound appear as though it's coming from in front of you which is what makes these so good for watching shows and movies. Plus, if you own a Sonos Arc, you can switch the TV's audio between the soundbar and your headphones at the simple press of a button.

Type: Over-ear | Battery life: 60 hours | Weight: 293g | Water-resistance: None

Some people are better than others at remembering to plug their headphones in. Buying a pair of cans with a long-lasting battery will mean you don't have to think about charging them so often. The Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless lasts a whopping 60 hours of playback with the ANC switched on so you should be able to get through an entire week of work without running out of juice. But to add to that, they're a fantastic pair in terms of design, sound quality and features.

Simple headphones with plenty of padding, and weighing only 293g, the Sennheiser Momentum 4 are comfortable to wear for a long time. If you have a smaller head, you may find they look quite big, but it's easy to find the right fit. They won't be the best choice for workouts as they do move around a bit when you jump around, but they're a good option for your commute or long weekend walks.

Type: In-ear | Battery life: 8 hours (up to 24 hours with the case) | Weight: 4.6g per earbud (39g with the case) | Water-resistance: IPX4

Given Sony's impeccable record with noise-cancelling over-ears, it should come as no surprise that its WF-1000XM5 true wireless ANC earbuds come just as highly recommended. It'll shock you how devices so miniature can deploy bass as confidently as this, and never at the expense of the higher frequencies.

Noise cancellation, while not quite as good as that of the aforementioned Bose buds, gets a big tick. They look great too, and fit your ears securely and comfortably, while eight hours of battery on a full charge should satisfy most users. The WF-1000XM5 even inherit the Speak-to-Chat functionality from their big siblings, making them some of the most feature-packed noise-cancelling earbuds you can buy.

Type: Over-ear | Battery life: 55 hours with ANC | Weight: 451g | Water-resistance: None

Dyson's OnTrac headphones are some of the top performers on this list for noise cancellation, dulling outside sounds to keep your focus on the music. To add to that, they provide fantastic audio quality which is spacious and bright. Your music will sound just as the artist intended.

While those are of course very important elements in any pair of headphones, it's the level of customisation that makes these interesting. Both the ear plates and the cushions are removable, and you can buy replacements in loads of different colours so you can mix and match them to suit your style.