The very best noise cancelling headphones
Noise cancelling headphones are a must-have on flights, in noisy working environments and when you just want to tune out the world around you to focus on work or sit back and relax with your favourite music.
They've come a long way too. In a market that used to have just a couple of big name brands in it, there are now a wide variety of noise cancelling headphones to choose from.
We've put together this list of the best noise cancelling headphones taking into account a range of budgets, styles and features.
Things to consider when buying noise cancelling headphones
No matter what you hear about any single brand or set of headphones, they are still one of the most personal bits of technology you will own because they are made to be worn for hours on end, so your personal comfort and style will be a big factor for many people.
Then there's the actual performance. For each set of headphones there's things to consider like battery life, both with noise cancelling and without, the sound quality, method of control and customisability.
Some headphones allow for tweaks to the EQ settings, control settings and noise cancelling levels via an app, while others are limited just to what controls are on the headphones.
And of course, there's the price. This is one of the most expensive categories of technology, you're looking at justifying a cost of many hundreds of dollars so it's important to choose well.
It's important to note that noise cancelling headphones are built and programmed to work in certain styles of noise. Most notably aircraft noise. So don't expect they will just completely silence your co-workers or family – it will help, but will lessen them to a basic dull murmur, you'll still know they're there.
The best noise cancelling headphones:
NOTE: Prices are accurate at time of publishing.
Bose Noise Cancelling 700
Price: $329.95 (was $599.95)
Battery life: 20 hours
Our noise cancelling rating: 9.5/10
Pros:
- Noise cancelling is outstanding
- You can have two devices connected at the same time
- Great phone call quality
Cons:
- They don't fold down to a small size for travel
- Limited app controls
Bose have been the leader in noise cancelling headphones for many years. Their Quiet Comfort range are among the most common you'll see on a flight where people are choosing Noise Cancelling for the best experience.
These new 700s are a break from the norm from Bose. They are an all-new design, much sleeker looking, modern style.
Unlike other Bose units they do not fold into a compact form for travellers, which is disappointing, but their new strap and stalk style size adjustment works very well.
On the Bose Noise Cancelling 700 series headphones the company introduced touch controls on the right ear cup, allowing you to pause and advance tracks with a few taps, which is great.
The Bose app is less than impressive though, however, most travellers will probably be keen on these for their design, sound quality and very close to best-in-class noise cancelling.
Sennheiser HD 450SE
Price: $217
Battery life: 30 hours
Our noise cancelling rating: 7/10
Pros:
- Music performance is excellent
Cons:
- Noise cancelling isn't class-leading
- Extremely large ear cups
These Sennheiser HD 450SEs may be the sleeper of the bunch. They are the most affordable, come with many or all of the same features, and are from one of the biggest, most respected audio brands in the world, a company with over 75 years in audio.
Why are they cheaper? No, the noise cancelling isn't as good but, just as with the JBLs, if you're coming from never having noise cancelling these will be impressive out of the box. They aren't quite as premium in all their materials, but in some ways that's good as they are light and very portable.
Speaking of which, they fold up into one of the most compact sets of headphones in this category. Very portable, great for travel.
While they have a huge range of on-device controls, the buttons are a bit all over the place and will take some time to learn. And while they are light, they are big and that can make them a bit uncomfortable over a long use.
Sony WH-1000XM4
Price: $377 (was $549)
Battery life: 30 hours
Our noise cancelling rating: 9.5/10
Pros:
- Outstanding noise cancelling
- Touch controls on the side
- Hold ear to hear someone talk to you
Cons:
- Touch controls can be sensitive
When Sony first entered the top-tier noise-cancelling headphone market, they made bold claims to their noise-cancelling quality and brought new and innovative features such as their touch controls and 'hold to hear through' settings.
Fast-forward to now, and year after year they've continued to innovate, improve and keep up with or stay in front of the market.
While there are 5th-generation versions of their WH-1000 headphones, I would argue these M4 (Mark 4 or Version 4) are the ones to own.
They fold up into a compact carry case, something other headphones including the newer M5 versions don't do, and that's a big deal for people travelling with carry-on only where every bit of space matters.
The noise cancelling on these is arguably class-leading. It's a photo finish between Sony and Bose, but I would give it to Sony just by a hair.
Touch controls on the right ear cup allow you to swipe up and down for volume, forward and backward for track control and critically, hold your hand over the ear cup to hear someone talking to you, meaning you can keep the headphones on and still not miss what someone is saying.
Music quality is outstanding and as such you're really getting the complete package here. Highly recommended.
Apple AirPods Max
Price: $897
Battery life: 20 hours
Our noise cancelling rating: 9/10
Pros:
- Easy setup on iPhone
- Minimalistic design
- Spatial audio
Cons:
- Large size
- Limited on-device controls
Apple's first over-ear headphones were well received at launch but are not as popular as other brands primarily due to their high price.
For someone deep in the Apple ecosystem these are a no-brainer. That simple turn on and pair capability, and ability to move from one device to another with ease make them a great choice.
Sound-wise they are hard to fault. Perhaps less emphasis on bass than sister brand Beats but that's a good thing for a mass market headphone.
Apple AirPods Max are ultra comfortable on the head, the head strap design somehow makes them float and long periods of use isn't an issue.
Noise cancelling is fantastic, clipping on the heels of market leaders Bose and Sony, and for many people on a plane, particularly, the level of noise cancellation is impressive.
Additionally, Apple's "spatial audio" means you can get an immersive 360-degree like sound stage from compatible music in the Apple Music library.
They are a big pair of headphones, and they only fold to lay flat, they do not fold into a compact carry case for travellers.
Controls are minimal, with a small dial, similar to the Apple Watch Digital Crown, and limited controls within the iPhone settings mainly for transparency to hear your surroundings while wearing the AirPods Max.
JBL Live 660NC
Price: $189 (was $249.95)
Battery life: 40 hours
Our noise cancelling rating: 8/10
Pros:
- JBL sound quality
- Fantastic app controls
- Battery life
Cons:
- Noise cancelling isn't class-leading
A far more affordable option, don't discount the features and quality of these JBL headphones.
First and foremost, JBL is renowned for its sound reproduction so music fans will love these. A solid but not overbearing bass is the signature sound, but because of the advanced and I think best-in-class app controls you can adjust them to suit your own style.
They are a bit heavier on the ear, but not to any point of discomfort, which is important because these offer a 40-hour battery life with noise cancelling on! 60 hours with noise cancelling off. That means, in complete reality, you can fly to the USA and back wearing these with noise cancelling on and not challenge the battery.
The JBL Live 660NCs come in a range of colours too, which is great for matching your own style, and the only thing to note is that the noise cancelling performance isn't quite up to the levels of Sony or Bose. But that would only matter if you owned those brands and moved to these JBLs. For most people, on a flight wearing great noise-cancelling headphones like these you'll still be blown away by the sensation of having that plane noise almost wiped away while your music plays.
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