The 23 best headphones deals on the internet – December 2021

Sennheiser HD 250BT £60 £38.95 at Amazon (save £21)
We didn't think these superb budget wireless on-ears could get any cheaper – but here we are! Don't expect luxury flourishes, but they nail the basics. They sound great for the money and have Bluetooth 5.0 and aptX Low Latency support, a 25-hour battery life, plus app support that brings EQ customisation onboard. Five stars. 

Sony WH-1000XM4: £330 £249 at Amazon (save £80)
Our favourite wireless noise-cancelling headphones, period. Sony’s premium XM4 deliver a sonic masterclass and nothing really lets that down – battery life, build, comfort and usability are all great for the money. Now with a tasty £81 saving. What Hi-Fi? Award winner

Shure Aonic 50: £380 £221 at Amazon (save £159)
A very solid first attempt at a pair of wireless noise-canceling headphones by Shure. They aren't quite as engaging as the Sony and Sennheiser class leaders, but they do offer outstanding levels of detail, a clear and clean delivery and solid bass – and are now much cheaper. Four stars

Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 £350 £219 at Amazon (save £131)
A breakaway from the famous Bose QuietComfort range, the 2019-released 700 are more of a premium series with a concentration on noise-cancelling, which is best in class. Comfort and aesthetics are spot-on too and, sonically, they decent. Four stars

Apple AirPods Max £549 £439 at Amazon (save £110)
Yes, even with this fantastic deal Apple's wireless noise-cancelling over-ear headphones are still quite expensive. But they are wonderful to use, boast spatial audio support and are one of the very best-sounding wireless headphones we've heard. Worth it. Five stars

AKG Y500 Wireless £129 £110 at Amazon (save £19)
"Juggling good sound quality, clever features, durable build quality and attractive design in equal measure is no mean feat, but AKG pulls it off while making it look easy" – that's what we said of them under review. A great deal on a five-star set of wireless AKG on-ears. What Hi-Fi? Award winner

Sony WH-1000XM3 £330 £170 Argos (save £160)
Sony's WH-1000XM3 headphones are all-round brilliant performers offering natural sound quality, excellent noise-cancelling and supreme comfort.

Sony WH-CH710N £130 £69 at John Lewis (save £61)
Can't afford the premium Sony WH-1000XM4? We haven't tested the WH-CH710N, but they promise an upgrade over their predecessors, which we liked for their detailed, musical performance and great battery life.

Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless £349 £250 at Amazon (save £99) These superb-sounding wireless noise-cancelling headphones only serve to further enhance Sennheiser’s momentum in the headphone market. They're excellent all-rounders, and we've never seen them discounted by this much before. Five stars

AirPods Pro £249 £189 at Amazon (save £60)
Under review, we called Apple's premium earbuds "exceptionally comfortable" and praised their "strong noise-cancelling and balanced, easy-going sound". Not the very best-sounding out there, but extremely appealing for Apple users Four stars

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds £249 £179 at Amazon (save £70)
The fantastic five-star true wireless earbuds combine brilliant noise-cancelling tech with natural, dynamic sound. They're worthy challengers to the AirPods Pro – especially now they've dropped to this lowest-seen price at Amazon. Five stars

Sony WF-1000XM4 £250 £198 at Amazon (save £52)
Put simply, the Sonys are the complete package – fantastic all-rounders that look great, sound great, and do everything you could ask of them. Battery life is eight hours per charge, they're nice to use and their ANC is arguably the best in the business. What Hi-Fi? Award winner

Technics EAH-AZ70W £240 £179 at Amazon (save £61)
Technics' first pair of wireless earbuds produce a punchy sound, are comfy to wear and offer solid noise-cancelling. Be quick and you can save £91 off both the Silver and Black finishes at Amazon UK. Four stars

Sony WF-C500 £90 £59 at Amazon (save £31)
Boasting impressive musicality and excellent levels of detail and insight, these comfortable, sporty earbuds are well worth the investment. The new WF-C500 feature 20 hours of battery life, IPX4 splash resistance and Bluetooth 5.0, and are available in black, white, orange and blue. Five stars

Sony WF-1000XM3 £230 £99 at Amazon (save £130)
Now succeeded by the £249 WF-1000XM4 but still one of the best earbuds around – now ridiculous value with this unbeateable post-Black Friday deal. These Sonys combine effective active noise-cancelling with a real sense of musicality. Five stars, What Hi-Fi? Award winner

Earfun Air £60 £40 at Richer Sounds (save £20)
The cheapest true wireless earbuds we can heartily recommend, these five-star Earfuns do the basics right – and are now £20 off their RRP. Five stars

Beats Powerbeats Pro £220 £159 at Amazon (save £61)
We're fans of the sporty Powerbeats Pros for a number of reasons. Build quality is excellent, as is their fit and list of useful features. These true wireless earbuds come into their own for exercise, so this new low price shouldn't be sniffed at.

Cambridge Melomania 1+ £120 £89.95 at Amazon (save £30) Our favourite budget true wireless earbuds deliver the most detailed sound performance we’ve heard at this price point, combined with a 45-hour battery and decent app features. No noise-cancelling, however. Five stars, What Hi-Fi? Award winner

Panasonic RZ-S500W £169 £90 at Amazon (save £79)
One of the very best true wireless earbuds you can buy under £100. They offer a combination of features (including noise-cancelling) and sound quality that is unique at this price. Five stars, What Hi-Fi? Award winner.

Apple AirPods 2 (2019) £159 £99 at Amazon (save £60)
The second-gen AirPods get a price cut ahead of the AirPods 3's arrival. If you arent bothered about spatial audio and those slightly longer stems, these veterans still offer unbeatable usability and decent sound quality for Apple users for a much lower price. Four stars

JBL Reflect Flow £130 £60 at Argos (save £70)
In our five-star review, we praised these sporty wireless earbuds' detail, musicality and strong bass depth. They also deliver a solid fit and long battery life, perfect for those evening runs. Five stars

Shure Aonic 3 £179 £129 at Wex (save £50)
Shure has plenty of experience with wired in-ear headphones, and it shines through in the Aonic 3. They're comfy and lightweight for starters, and absolutely nail sound quality. You won't find better – especially at this discounted price. What Hi-Fi? Award winners

Beyerdynamic Amiron £545 £414 at Amazon (save £130)
When it comes to Beyerdynamic’s Amiron headphones, one word springs to mind: comfort. The earcups and headband are made of alcantara microfibres and microvelour, which is as luxurious as it sounds. But they're not just comfortable; they sound fantastic too. Five stars