Best Bose headphones 2023: noise-cancelling and wireless

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds on a purple background
(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)

It's no secret that Bose makes some of the best headphones in the game. Rival Sony may have been enjoying quite an extraordinary run of success in the wireless headphones department recently, but Bose isn't far behind, impressing us, and many buyers, with dynamic, engaging-sounding headphones all backed by the most effective active noise cancelling (ANC) in the business. 

The US brand makes a ton of great in-ear and over-ear models, but it can be tricky narrowing down which ones are worth your time. Here, our expert reviewers have done the hard work for you, testing all the best Bose headphones on the market today so you can be sure that whatever you buy has the What Hi-Fi? seal of approval.

All Bose products listed below have been through the full testing gamut both in our dedicated listening rooms and out in the real world, ensuring we test and review everything from sound quality and ANC to comfort, design and build in every day use. Whether it's the latest premium pairs or you're looking for a bargain on an old – but still good – model, our guide below will have all the pertinent information. 

Make sure to keep checking back on this page regularly as Bose has plenty of new products, including some rather enticing-looking sports buds, in the proverbial pipeline.

You can find out more about our headphones test process at the bottom of the page, or read on to see our top Bose headphone picks.

Harry McKerrell headshot
Harry McKerrell

I'm a staff writer who has listened to and reviewed dozens of products, including a variety of wireless headphones from Bose, Sony, Apple and more, during my time at What Hi-Fi?. I have a particular affinity for all things wearable, including over-ear headphones, true wireless earbuds and running headphones, with a particular focus on sound quality, all-day comfort and how effective additional features are. My ever-growing experience with audio products across all types and price points makes me ideally placed to give you first-hand insights into which Bose headphones to pick and which to avoid.

How to choose the best Bose headphones for you

Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.

The good news is that Bose has won a string of awards for its noise-cancelling headphones. The company is known for its tech, which blocks out ambient noise – aeroplane engines, the rumble of a train, office chatter – and offers a neat solution to your personal audio problems.

Bose has also diversified into other types of headphones, including sporty true wireless earbuds and premium wireless headphones. So, whether you’re looking to shut out the world, bring your favourite songs to life or smash your fitness goals, Bose has a pair of headphones to suit your needs.

Since most of the best Bose headphones are wireless, you'll want to pay close attention to battery life. After all, what's the point of going wire-free if you have to stay close to a power point? 

Ok, now for the fun bit. Browse the list below for our pick of the best Bose headphones on the market...  

Noise cancelling headphones: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones

The QC Ultra Headphones may be expensive, but they deliver premium sound quality and top-drawer noise cancelling aplenty.  (Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)
Bose's flagship wireless ANC headphones are some of the best around.

Specifications

Bluetooth : SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive
Noise-cancelling : Yes
Battery life : 24 hours
Charging : USB-C
Built-in mic and controls: Yes
Finishes : Black, white smoke, sandstone

Reasons to buy

+
Folding design
+
Rich, full-bodied sound
+
Punchy, dynamic delivery
+
Exceptional noise cancelling

Reasons to avoid

-
Immersive Audio is unconvincing
-
Expensive compared to key rivals
-
Can’t be used via USB-C

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are some of the best over-ear cans the American brand has made in quite some time. Built to a pleasing standard and with plenty of features to make you feel like you're getting your money's worth, Bose’s QC Ultra Headphones take noise-cancelling to a new level, cocooning you in stillness and letting you enjoy your music without interruptions or intrusions.   

And you'll certainly enjoy your music when played through the Ultra Headphones. We haven’t heard a pair of Bose over-ears sound as entertaining or refined for quite some time, with the premium cans offering a rich, full-bodied sound that marries refinement and detail with excitement and dynamism. 

The big news for the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones is the debut of Bose’s Immersive Audio tech, which is essentially the company's take on spatial audio, but it's a feature that still feels rather hit-and-miss to our ears. It's also a devil for eating up your battery life when switched on.

Elsewhere, voice calls perform with clarity and reliability, and while the Ultra Headphones don't have a given IP rating, they do fold neatly away for ease of storage and portability. Battery life, meanwhile, tops out at a decent 24 hours total, while the inclusion of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Sound Technology suite brings aptX Adaptive support and the latency and stability benefits that come along with it.

If you can get over the slightly underwhelming performance of Immersive Audio and the cans' rather whopping price tag (we tested them at £450 / $429 / AU$649 in 2023), there's still so much to get excited about. That unquestionably delicious sonic flavour, coupled with admirable build quality and laudable feature set, all add up to a very enticing pair of headphones indeed.

Read our full Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones review

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds on a purple background

Bose's wireless earbuds deliver superb levels of comfort and arguably the best ANC in the business.  (Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)
Ultra-stylish and ultra-fun to listen to, these are some of Bose's best.

Specifications

Bluetooth: AAC, SBC
Noise-cancelling: Yes
Battery life: 6 hours (18 with charging case)
Wireless charging : No
Waterproof : IPX4
Finishes : Black, white smoke

Reasons to buy

+
Punchy, musical sound
+
Solid, weighty bass
+
Excellent ANC
+
Comfortable for long-term wear

Reasons to avoid

-
Immersive Audio greatly impacts battery life
-
No Bluetooth multipoint
-
No wireless charging

Looking for an ultra-talented pair of Bose buds to rival the might of the Sony WF-1000XM5? Enter the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, the only logical alternative to our current Award-winners at this level and some of the best buds you'll find anywhere for around £250-300. They're pushing well into premium wireless territory, but a five-star rating proves the Ultra to be worthy of that rather substantial price tag. 

Sonically, the Ultra Earbuds are up there with the best, offering not only depth and weight but healthy helpings of detail and insight, too. It's easy to characterise the Ultra Earbuds (and much of Bose's general stable) as being inclined towards a set, "look-at-me" sonic profile, but there's so much nuance and breadth to these buds that we'd advise you to rethink that preconception. Even the call quality is great, with exactly the clarity and stability you'd expect at this price point. 

Elsewhere, the very fine Bose app allows you to alter the amount of noise-cancelling on offer via several customisable presets, with the Ultra Earbuds once again delivering peerless ANC that just filters out any unwanted racket with startling ease. As you might have guessed, Bose once again nails it in this ultra-competitive department.

It's a shame there's no support for high-quality wireless audio codecs such as LDAC or aptX HD, nor is there wireless charging or Bluetooth multipoint (both of which the Sony WF-1000XM5 cater for). Sad? Yes. Dealbreaking? Not as far as we're concerned, especially as the Ultra Earbuds look and sound as good as they do.

The Ultra replace the company's 2022 What Hi-Fi? Award winner – the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II - so shop around and you might be able to find a big chunk of cash slashed off the older pair. 

Read our full Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds review 

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II

Bose's 2022 What Hi-Fi? Award winners still have a lot to recommend them. (Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)
Bose's flagship noise-cancelling earbuds have never sounded better.

Specifications

Bluetooth: Yes
Noise-cancelling: Yes
Battery life: 6 hours (24 with charging case)
Charging: USB-C
Built-in mic and controls: Yes
Finishes : 4 (black, soapstone, midnight blue, eclipse grey)

Reasons to buy

+
Exceptional noise-cancelling
+
Fantastic sense of refinement
+
Beautifully balanced sound
+
Excellent detail levels

Reasons to avoid

-
Battery life can be bettered
-
Call quality is nothing special
-
No Bluetooth multipoint
-
No wireless charging

They're not quite the hot property that they once were thanks to the arrival of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds above, but Bose's former Award-winners are still an exceptional pair of wireless earbuds. Released less than two years ago, the QC Earbuds II redefined what we thought about how good noise-cancelling could be for a set of wireless buds, and now that they've been ousted, heavy discounts are surely on the way.

Smaller and lighter than the original QC Earbuds, the Earbuds II provide a comfortable fit and lots of features, including Bluetooth 5.3 and access to the excellent Bose headphones app. 

Noise-cancelling, in particular, is still exceptional, capable of automatically adjusting the amount of ANC so your music isn’t drowned out by particularly clangorous noises. As for the sound, it's musically intuitive and insightful to the point that you feel you can almost touch the instruments. 

Downsides? It's a shame there's no support for high-quality wireless audio codecs such as LDAC or aptX HD, but that's small beer when you consider that these classy buds ooze sophistication and deliver everything you’d expect from a high-end Bose product. Plus, of course, there's the fact that the new Ultra Earbuds have come and stolen quite a healthy chunk of their thunder.

Still, if you're sniffing around for a Bose-flavoured bargain, keep your eyes on the Earbuds II, as deals are surely going to be plentiful in the coming weeks and months.

Read our full Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II review 

Bose SoundSport Free

They might be an older model, but the SoundSport Free deliver a solid presentation and suit a wide range of music genres. (Image credit: Bose)
True wireless buds for those who like to feel the burn.

Specifications

Bluetooth: Yes
Noise-cancelling: No
Battery life: 5 hours
Charging: USB/Case
Waterproof : IPX4
Finishes : 4 (black, orange, midnight blue, ultraviolet purple)

Reasons to buy

+
Weighty, full-bodied sound
+
Deep, powerful bass
+
Even tonal balance

Reasons to avoid

-
In-ear hooks aren't for everyone 
-
Battery life could be improved
-
Newer rivals available 

If your priority is punchy, fun sound to give you a boost during your toughest workouts, the Bose SoundSport Free remain a solid choice. These rugged, sporty and water-resistant earbuds are a little on the chunky side, but they're certainly not light on performance - expect rich, expansive bass and sparkling vocals to drive you over the finish line. 

Battery life is a respectable five hours but slot the buds into the carry case/charger, and you can inject them with an extra 10 hours of juice, all of which should certainly be long enough for even the most long-lasting of gym bunnies or marathon men. 

They're packed with useful features, too, such as the five LEDs on the outside of the case that indicate how much charge is left in your buds. Forgetful types, meanwhile, will appreciate the handy ‘Find My Buds’ feature which shows their location on your phone. Very useful if you've dropped them on a ten-miler.

These 2017-launched five-star beauties are getting a little long in the tooth, but you can still find stock online (the Bose Sport are now gone, sadly). Keep checking back here and to What Hi-Fi?, though, because Bose's Ultra Open Earbuds are arriving soon. Featuring a clip-on design, they could be the logical successor to the SoundSport when the time comes.

Read our full Bose SoundSport Free review

Bose 700

Impressive noise-cancelling and design, but sound quality isn't quite as premium as we'd like at this price point. (Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)
A more classic pair of cans that still give plenty of style and substance

Specifications

Bluetooth: Yes
Noise-cancelling: Yes
Battery life: 20 hours
Charging: USB
Built-in mic and controls: Yes
Finishes : 4 (black, blue, silver, soapstone)

Reasons to buy

+
Next-gen noise-cancellation
+
Comfortable and stylish
+
Crystal-clear, upfront sound
+
Intuitive touch controls

Reasons to avoid

-
Lack class-leading insight
-
Rivals have better battery life
-
Getting on a bit

We can't believe how long the 700 have been around for. Released in the middle of 2019, they're certainly some of the brand's most recognisable over-ears, featuring that sweeping headband construction which loops all the way over the cups for a more out-there, almost industrial look.

A breakaway from the QuietComfort range, the 700 were the beginning of a more premium series of Bose noise-cancellers, with redesigned acoustics and digital signal processing taking things to new levels. They also sport an eight-microphone system (six to cancel noise, two for voice pick-up), with noise-cancelling controllable by increments from 0-10. That's still impressive, even in 2024.

Both the silencing effect and the call quality are impressive, and definitely a step up on a lot of what the QuietComfort range was offering at the time. Voices are intelligible during phone calls, while high levels of noise cancelling make your experience feel subtle and less like listening in a vacuum. Even if you're not playing music, just activate the ANC to block out the hubbub of everyday life.

Comfort and aesthetics are spot-on, while the neutral-to-lean character makes for an uncomplicated, uncluttered listening experience. They can be beaten by the energy and life of the newer QC Ultra Headphones, but that's understandable considering the differences in age and price. If you want a potential bargain, the 700 are worth a punt.

Read the full Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 review 

Bose QuietComfort 45

Another very likeable pair of Bose QuietComfort headphones but, sonically, you can buy better. (Image credit: Bose)
The QC45 offer great noise cancellation, even if they can be bettered in sound quality.

Specifications

Bluetooth: Yes
Noise-cancelling: Yes
Battery life: 24hr
Charging: USB-C
Built-in mic and controls: Yes
Finishes : 2 (black, white)

Reasons to buy

+
Effective noise cancellation
+
24-hour battery life
+
Comfortable, lightweight build

Reasons to avoid

-
Sparsely featured comparatively
-
Beaten for dynamics and timing
-
No aptX Bluetooth

If you want a set of robust, travel-friendly wireless over-ear headphones that can largely extinguish the outside world for up to 24 hours, the Bose QC 45 have the edge over most of the competition at the price. Even after all this time, the QC 45 remain a hugely popular pair of cans courtesy of their usability, likeable sound and lightweight, foldable design.

Thanks to Bluetooth 5.1, the Bose QuietComfort 45 offer true multi-point pairing, and sport better microphones than their predecessors, the QC35 II (remember them?), offering up excellent voice pickup when taking phone calls.  

Sound is delivered with excitement and zeal across the frequencies. Mids are pleasingly three-dimensional and bass is weighty, but timing isn't as cohesive as we'd like, with just a little something missing in the mid-to-upper ranges. With that being said, the overall outline and impression offered is one of fun, enthusiasm and spark, all of which make for a pleasing, pulse-racing experience.

Settings are basic, and if you want truly great noise-cancellation, you'll need to opt for the company's former flagship Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 or the QC Ultra Headphones (both above). Still, there's plenty to like about the Bose QC45, especially now that prices are plummeting courtesy of newer models emerging in the past few years.

Read our full Bose QuietComfort 45 review 

How we test headphones

We have state-of-the-art testing facilities in London and Reading, where our team of experienced, in-house reviewers test the majority of hi-fi and AV kit that passes through our door, including headphones.

Of course, testing headphones don't often require such facilities (though we do always try audiophile headphones plugged into our reference hi-fi system). What is important in our headphones reviewing process is that each pair is compared to the best in its price and style class – whether that's one standout pair or a few we favour the highest among the 100+ pairs we listen to each year for reviews and What Hi-Fi? Awards judging. What Hi-Fi? is all about comparative testing, and we keep class-leading products in our stockrooms so we can always compare new products to ones we know and love.

We are always impartial and do our best to make sure we're hearing every product at their very best, so we'll try plenty of different types of music and give them plenty of listening time (and time to run in), while the wired headphones that might warrant being used with a DAC are tested with a suitable one. It's not just about sound quality, of course. If a pair, like Bose's many headphones, has active noise cancellation – increasingly the case these days – we'll ensure part of our testing involves using them in different environments to test their effectiveness. We also try out all the additional features, and gauge how comfortable a pair is to wear for longer listening sessions.

All review verdicts are agreed upon by the team rather than an individual reviewer to eliminate any personal preference and to make sure we're being as thorough as possible, too. There's no input from PR companies or our sales team when it comes to the verdict, with What Hi-Fi? proud of having delivered honest, unbiased reviews for decades.

MORE:

Our pick of the best headphones for all budgets

Shop smart with our best headphones deals

Check out our Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds review

And our Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones review

Harry McKerrell
Staff writer

Harry McKerrell is a staff writer at What Hi-Fi?. He studied law and history at university before working as a freelance journalist covering TV and gaming for numerous platforms both online and in print. When not at work he can be found playing hockey, practising the piano or forcing himself to go long-distance running.

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