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With so many designs to choose from, finding the best over-ear headphones for you can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming. There are hundreds of options at all kinds of different price points, so it’s understandable if it feels tricky when to comes to tracking down a pair just right for you.
Thankfully, we’re here to help. Along with our regularly maintained guides to the best headphones overall, and the best cheap headphones, we’ve done all the hard work for you by selecting the most comfortable and best-sounding over-ear headphones you can buy right now.
All these models are durable, and offer high comfort levels as they fill your entire ear with sound. Whether you’re looking for a stylish pair of headphones made with luxurious materials that come loaded features, or something a bit more understated for on-the-go listening, all the over-ear headphones have been tested by audio experts who know everything about great sound.
Prices range from under $140 to near $700, and all are available to buy right now. Read on to find the best over-ear headphones right for your budget.
The best over-ear headphones you can buy right now
Best over-ear headphones overall
Sony’s most recent flagship headphones (launched in 2022) improve upon the already great XM4s with better active noise cancellation, call quality, sound, comfort and connectivity. Most of the changes aren’t huge — though the first two are certainly noticeable — but it’s more than enough for Sony to retain its long-held number 1 spot.
The touch controls and battery life (30 hours with ANC on, 40 with it off) are also to be commended, as is the excellent Sony Headphones Control app, which lets you tweak the EQ to your preference. The slightly bland design counts against them, as does the $50 price increase, but the XM4s are still around if you want to spend less, and overall there’s no question that these are the best wireless headphones you can buy. If you’re still not convinced then check out our Sony WH-1000XM5 vs. WH-1000XM4 face-off to see how they compare.
Read our full Sony WH-1000XM5 review.
Best value over-ear headphones
With exceptional battery life and full noise cancellation, complete with an Ambient mode, the Cleer Enduro ANC are a stone-cold bargain. Sure, the ANC tech isn’t on the same level of the Bose 700 that’s ranked top of our best noise-cancelling headphones overall, but for well under $200 there aren’t many pairs of over-ear headphones that offer such a complete package.
They’ve even got support for the high-quality aptX Adaptive Bluetooth codec, and if you instead connect using the bundled 3.5mm cable, you can, of course, listen to Hi-Res Audio as well. You can manually adjust the EQ too, using the companion app, though we enjoyed listening with the default, bass-heavy sound signature during our testing.
Read our full Cleer Enduro ANC review.
Best over-ear headphones for battery life
Although the revamped design of Sennheiser’s fourth generation Momentum Wireless headphones don’t stand out quite like their classic-looking predecessor, the 60-hour battery life is a real crowd pleaser and makes these the one to beat. Add in the easy-going Sennheiser sound and effective noise cancelling, and the Momentum 4 are one the most practical wireless headphones we’ve seen, perfectly built for a life on the road rather than tethered to a power socket needing regular battery top ups.
During our testing, Sennheiser’s smooth house sound handled a wide range of music content, from pounding beats to more mellow tunes with aplomb. They have Bluetooth 5.2 and aptX Adaptive support, and there’s a supplied 3.5mm cable for audiophile wired connections. ANC performance was effective, and auto Wind Noise Reduction is very impressive when stood on a windy train platform on daily work commutes.
Read our full Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless review.
