Best AirPods of 2025

CR reviews every AirPods model—AirPods 4, AirPods Pro 2, and AirPods Max—so you can make the right choice

Allen St. John, Consumer Reports Senior Home & Tech Writer.

By Allen St. John
Senior Home & Tech Writer

Updated January 1, 2025

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Apple AirPods Max, Apple AirPods (3rd generation) Headphone, Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) — Apple's headphones offer slick design and some unique features, though occasionally at a head-scratching price.

Apple AirPods earbuds and headphones are wildly popular, and have improved a lot over the years, but they’re not all created equal.

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Allen St. John

Allen St. John has been a senior product editor at CR since 2016, focusing on digital privacy, audio devices, printers, and home products. He was a senior editor at Condé Nast and a contributing editor at publications including Road & Track and The Village Voice. A New York Times bestselling author, he's also written for The New York Times Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, and Rolling Stone. He lives in Montclair, N.J., with his wife, their two children, and their dog, Rugby.