Good noise-cancelling headphones turn a noisy commute, open-plan office or long-haul flight into your own quiet space. We tested the leading over-ear models for noise cancelling, sound quality, comfort, call quality and battery life, wearing each for at least two weeks.
Quick Answer
The Sony WH-1000XM6 are the best noise-cancelling headphones overall, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra are the most comfortable, and the Soundcore Space One deliver impressive ANC for under $100.
- Best Overall: Sony WH-1000XM6
- Most Comfortable: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
- Best for iPhone: Apple AirPods Max
- Best Battery Life: Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless
- Best Budget: Soundcore Space One
Quick Comparison
| Image | Product | Why It Made the Cut | Price |
|
Best Overall
1
 |
Sony WH-1000XM6 |
Top-tier ANC, rich sound, foldable design. |
|
|
Most Comfortable
2
|
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones |
Plush fit, elite ANC, Immersive Audio. |
|
|
Best for iPhone
3
|
Apple AirPods Max |
Premium build, spatial audio, seamless Apple switching. |
|
|
Best Battery Life
4
|
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless |
Up to 60 hours of battery and audiophile sound. |
|
|
Best Budget
5
|
Soundcore Space One |
Strong ANC and LDAC for under $100. |
1. Sony WH-1000XM6 — Best Overall
Sony’s latest flagship combines some of the strongest noise cancelling we have tested with warm, detailed sound and an excellent app. The XM6 brings back a folding design, so it packs down smaller for travel, and a larger microphone array makes calls clearer than before.
Battery life of around 30 hours with ANC on covers several long-haul flights, and multipoint lets you connect a phone and laptop at the same time.
Sony WH-1000XM6 Specs |
|
|---|---|
| Battery | Up to 30 hrs (ANC on) |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Design | Foldable, with case |
| Multipoint | Yes |
2. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones — Most Comfortable
Bose remains the comfort king. The QuietComfort Ultra headphones are light, with soft cushions and gentle clamping force that you can wear for an entire flight. Noise cancelling is excellent, especially with low rumbles like aircraft engines.
Bose Immersive Audio creates a spatial sound effect that makes music feel like it is coming from speakers in front of you.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Specs |
|
|---|---|
| Battery | Up to 24 hrs |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive |
| Design | Foldable, with case |
| Multipoint | Yes |
3. Apple AirPods Max — Best for iPhone
The AirPods Max are built from aluminium and stainless steel, and they feel it. For iPhone, iPad and Mac users, instant pairing, automatic device switching and Personalised Spatial Audio with head tracking are big conveniences.
They are heavy and expensive, and Android users lose most of the smart features, but in the Apple ecosystem they are hard to beat.
Apple AirPods Max Specs |
|
|---|---|
| Battery | Up to 20 hrs |
| Charging | USB-C |
| Design | Aluminium cups, mesh canopy |
| Spatial audio | Yes, with head tracking |
4. Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless — Best Battery Life
The Momentum 4 has the best battery life of any premium headphone we tested: up to 60 hours on a charge. Sound is balanced and detailed, with the kind of natural tuning audiophiles appreciate, and ANC is very good, if a step behind Sony and Bose.
They do not fold flat, but the carrying case is slim and protective.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless Specs |
|
|---|---|
| Battery | Up to 60 hrs |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive |
| Design | Flat-folding, with case |
| Multipoint | Yes |
5. Soundcore Space One — Best Budget
Anker’s Soundcore Space One offers features you would expect at twice the price: adaptive noise cancelling, LDAC support, multipoint connections and around 40 hours of battery with ANC on. Noise cancelling is surprisingly effective on buses and trains.
The build is mostly plastic and sound is bass-heavy by default, but the app EQ fixes that quickly.
Soundcore Space One Specs |
|
|---|---|
| Battery | Up to 40 hrs (ANC on) |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Design | Foldable |
| Multipoint | Yes |
How to Choose Noise-Cancelling Headphones
Noise cancelling strength
Sony and Bose lead for cancelling low, constant noises like engines and air conditioning. Cheaper models handle traffic and chatter well but let more rumble through.
Comfort and weight
If you wear headphones for hours, weight and clamping force matter more than specs. Bose is the lightest and most comfortable; AirPods Max is the heaviest.
Your phone and codecs
Android users benefit from LDAC or aptX Adaptive for higher-quality wireless audio. iPhone users get the best experience from AirPods Max or any headphone using AAC.
Avoid These Common Mistakes
How We Picked
We wore each pair on commutes, in an open-plan office and on flights, measured real-world battery life, compared noise cancelling side by side using recorded aircraft and café noise, and tested call quality in windy and busy environments.
Our Verdict: Sony WH-1000XM6
The Sony WH-1000XM6 offer the best combination of noise cancelling, sound quality, battery and features. Choose Bose for comfort, AirPods Max for Apple users, and the Soundcore Space One if you want great ANC on a budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are noise-cancelling headphones bad for your ears?
No. ANC can actually protect your hearing because you do not need to turn the volume up to drown out noise.
Sony or Bose — which is better?
Sony has richer sound and longer battery life; Bose is more comfortable and slightly better with low rumbles. Both are excellent.
Can I use noise-cancelling headphones on a plane?
Yes, and they are ideal for flights. Most include a 3.5 mm cable for in-flight entertainment systems.
Do noise-cancelling headphones work without music?
Yes. You can turn on ANC with no audio playing to simply block noise while working or sleeping.
Find Your Quiet
The Sony WH-1000XM6 regularly go on sale — check today’s price and colours.