Best Noise-Canceling Headphones of 2024

These earbuds and headphones from Apple, Bowers & Wilkins, Sony, and Soundcore deliver on both noise cancellation and sound quality

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

By Allen St. John
Senior Home & Tech Writer

Updated December 18, 2024

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Person looking out of a window in an airplane wearing headphones — CR has more than 100 models in our noise-canceling headphone ratings.

Do you listen to music or podcasts in a noisy environment? If you need relief from the hubbub on a commuter train or in an office with chatty co-workers, a pair of noise-canceling headphones will almost certainly help.

Our testers report that today’s models work really well. Our lab has evaluated dozens of noise-canceling options, including earbuds and conventional over-the-ear and on-ear headphones. The tests reveal high-end and less expensive models that work to mute background noise very effectively.

In this article

Best: Noise-Canceling Headphones Noise-Canceling Earbuds Noise-Canceling Apple AirPods Cheap Noise-Canceling Headphones Cheap Noise-Canceling Earbuds

Best Noise-Canceling Headphones

Best Noise-Canceling Earbuds

Best Noise-Canceling Apple AirPods

Best Cheap Noise-Canceling Headphones

Best Cheap Noise-Canceling Earbuds

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.