Best headphones deals 2023: AirPods, Bose, Sony and more

Apple AirPods Pro 2 £249 £239 at Box (save £10) (opens in new tab)
Apple's latest AirPods Pro are discounted by £10 at Box, bringing the price down to £229. Not a massive saving, admittedly, but any discount is rare on a new pair of Apple headphones. Five stars

Sony WF-SP800N £180 £137.50 at Amazon (save £42.50) (opens in new tab)
Not perfect – their default bass response is perhaps too rich for its own good –but they can be finessed to deliver a really energetic, well-balanced and enjoyable sound. Add in a worthwhile control app, decent noise-cancelling and indisputable build quality, and they start to look like very good value indeed. Five stars

Technics EAH-AZ60 £200 £160 at John Lewis (save £40) (opens in new tab)
The Technics EAH-AZ60 are very decent buys - especially with this discount. You get a design that’s smart, practical and comfortable, a reasonable specification that includes effective noise cancellation, and solid, easy-to-appreciate and competitive (if not class-leading) sound quality.
Four stars

Technics EAH-AZ40 £130 £100 at Amazon (save £30) (opens in new tab)
The more affordable siblings to the AZ60 above, these Technics wireless earbuds don't have noise cancellation. You can still expect a detailed, robust sound, though, as well as comfort and good controls. Four stars

Jabra Elite 3 £80 £62.44 at Amazon (save £17) (opens in new tab)
The Elite 3 are fantastic all-rounders that look good, sound good, and feel solidly built. Battery life is seven hours per charge, they're a doddle to use, and they work with Amazon Alexa. The deal varies depending on which finish you choose. Four stars

JBL Reflect Flow Pro £129 £99 at Amazon (save £30) (opens in new tab)
With 30 hours of total battery life, noise-cancelling and a build that can withstand the great outdoors, these five-star earbuds are the perfect companion for summer walks and sports.

Bose QC Earbuds II £279 £249 at Amazon (save £31) (opens in new tab)
Bose’s new flagship wireless earbuds were never going to be cheap, but with a successful design and noise-cancelling that sets new benchmarks for quality, the QuietComfort Earbuds II deserve to be heard. Especially now that they've dropped to their lowest-ever price courtesy of a £30 discount! Five stars

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds £250 £170 at Amazon (save £80) (opens in new tab)
Bose's QuietComfort Earbuds are serious contenders for best-in-class at this discounted price. You'll find it hard to beat their noise cancellation... unless you can afford to spend extra for the new £249 QuietComfort Earbuds II (opens in new tab) sequels above. Five stars

Sony WF-1000XM4 £250 £190 at Amazon (save £60) (opens in new tab)
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

Sony WF-C500 £90 £59 at Amazon (save £31) (opens in new tab)
Boasting impressive musicality and excellent levels of detail and insight, these comfortable, sporty earbuds are well worth even their non-discounted price. The WF-C500 feature 20 hours of battery life, IPX4 splash resistance and Bluetooth 5.0, and are available in black, white, orange and mint. What Hi-Fi? Award winner

Earfun Air £60 £39.95 at Amazon (save £20) (opens in new tab)
The cheapest true wireless earbuds we can heartily recommend, these five-star Earfuns do the basics right – and are now £20 off their RRP if you apply the extra £2 off voucher. Five stars

Beats Fit Pro £220 £160 at Studio (save £60) (opens in new tab)
(opens in new tab)If you’re looking for an Apple AirPods alternative, these comfortable, feature-packed and fun-sounding Beats are easy to recommend. The innovative new wingtip design promises a more secure fit for active lifestyles, while the presence of a Beats app for Android allows non-Apple users to also reap the benefits and features of Apple’s own brand products. Pink finish now discounted Four stars

Cambridge Melomania 1+ £120 £49.95 at Amazon (save £70) (opens in new tab) 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... but half price! Five stars

Panasonic RZ-S500W £169 £90 at Amazon (save £79) (opens in new tab)
One of the very best true wireless earbuds you can buy for under £100. They offer a combination of features (including noise-cancelling) and sound quality that is unique at this price. Five stars

Apple AirPods 2 (2019) £159 £129 at Amazon (save £30)
(opens in new tab)The second-gen AirPods get a price cut now that the AirPods 3 are here. If you aren't bothered about spatial audio and those slightly longer stems, these veterans still offer unbeatable usability and decent sound quality for Apple users for a lower price. Four stars

Sony WH-1000XM4 £330 £248.50 at Amazon (save £81) (opens in new tab)
(opens in new tab)Our favourite wireless noise-cancelling headphones at this price. No longer Sony's latest and greatest (that'd be the XM5 below) but still excellent – battery life, build, comfort and usability are all great for the money.
What Hi-Fi? Award winners

Sony WH-1000XM5 £379 £299 at Amazon (save £80) (opens in new tab)
The latest and greatest Sony over-ear wireless noise-cancelling headphones are the best in class, and an £80 saving makes them even better performance-per-pound value. What Hi-Fi? Award winners

Bose QuietComfort 45 £320 £234 at Amazon (save £87) (opens in new tab)
Bose's latest pair of wireless headphones, the QuietComfort 45, can now be picked up at their lowest price. With class-leading noise cancellation and a decently punchy, detailed sound, these popular Boses are a great shout at this price. Four stars

Shure Aonic 50 £380 £223 at Studio (save £157) (opens in new tab)
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 £273 at Amazon (save £77) (opens in new tab)
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 sound pretty decent, though not as good as the Sony XM4 and XM5. Four stars

Austrian Audio Hi-X15 £90 £88 at Scan (save £2) (opens in new tab)
Not a huge discount by any means, but these wired headphones were already the best value at their level. An exceptional pair of over-ear headphones that deliver premium sound quality in an affordable package.
What Hi-Fi? Award winners

Philips Fidelio X2HR £266 £154 at Amazon (save £116) (opens in new tab)
A slightly different variant to the Fidelio X2, which we have long admired: "If you’re looking for unrivalled comfort and an eye-pleasing design to boot, there’s none better," we said. This X2HR offering should be very similar in quality.

Grado SR325x £330 £256 at Amazon (save £74) (opens in new tab)
Our favourite wired headphones at this price, these latest-gen Grados are effortlessly musical. If you don't mind an open-back design, this deal deserves to be snapped up. What Hi-Fi? Award winners

Grado SR80x £130 £99 at Richer Sounds (save £31) (opens in new tab)
If you can't afford the Grados above but are set on an open-back design, these more affordable siblings are excellent value for money – and also What Hi-Fi? Award winners

Beyerdynamic T1 3rd Generation £999 £714 at Electric Shop (save £185) (opens in new tab)
The latest Beyerdynamic T1 open-back over-ears are a step up in performance and compatibility from their predecessor, and among the very best headphones at this price. Five stars

Shure Aonic 3 £179 £129 at Wex (save £50) (opens in new tab)
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 £409 at Amazon (save £136) (opens in new tab)
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