How To Clean Ear Plugs Headphones

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Whether you want to listen to an upbeat playlist to keep you motivated at the gym, an audiobook on the way to work, or simply enjoy a podcast in your spare time, you'll need a reliable pair headphones. But you don't have to spend a lot to make sure you have a great listening experience, we've found these budget offerings worth considering:

Best in-ear wireless headphones: Sony WI-C300
Best in-ear wireless neckband headphones: Beats Flex
Best on-ear wireless headphones: JBL Tune 500BT
Best for fitness: Jam Live Fast Workout Earphones
Best wired in-ear headphones: RHA S500 Universal
Best headphones for battery life: Tribit QuietPlus 50
Best for comfort: Skullcandy Riff Wireless Headphones
Best true wireless headphones: Kitsound Funk 35
Best true wireless for fitness: Jam Athlete
Best noise-cancelling headphones: Groov-e Zen
Best sustainable headphones: Marley Smile Jamaica Wireless 2

Wireless or wired headphones?

With smartphone manufacturers including Apple, Google, Sony and Samsung ditching the 3.5mm headphone socket on their products, there's no doubt that wireless headphones are the future. Prices can start from as little as £20 and our testers found plenty of great pairs for under £50 - almost all of the headphones on this list are wireless options.

In-ear or on-ear headphones?

In-ear headphones are the most common type of headphone. You insert them directly into your ear canal, and they usually come with a range of silicone ear tips. These earphones are highly portable, too. If you find in-ear headphones uncomfortable, though, on-ear headphones may be a better fit. These sit on your ears and have pads made of materials like foam or leather for added comfort.

Look for a pair of noise-cancelling headphones if you'll be using them in a loud environment, such as a busy train or when you're flying. If you're buying headphones for exercise, sweat-proof and water resistance are must-have features, along with a cable clip and ear hooks or wings that keep the headphones secure when you're moving around.

How we test

When testing headphones, we listen to a range of different music genres – everything from rock and pop to jazz, classical, dance and electronic. We evaluate the battery life and how long they take to recharge, how comfortable they are, and how effective noise-cancelling technology is. We also consider how easy it is to take and make phone calls, as well as use all other controls.

The GHI has put 20 pairs of headphones under £50 to the test to find out just which ones sound great without spending big.

Best cheap in-ear wireless headphones

Sony WI-C300

Score: 85/100

This affordable pair of in-ear wireless headphones doesn't compromise on sound. Whether you love classical or drum and bass, the audio is balanced. They offer eight hours of listening time too, which is impressive for a pair at this price point.

Key specifications:
Type: In-ear
Battery life:8 hours
Noise-cancelling: No
Accessories included: 3 sizes of silicone ear tips, charging cable
Location of in-line controls: On cable

Read the full Sony WI-C300 Wireless In-Ear Headphones review

Best cheap neckband in-ear headphones

Beats Flex

Score: 83/100

If you prefer a neckband design that sits on your collar, you'll be hard pushed to do better than these. They sound great, with the right balance of treble and bass. Comfortable to wear, the battery lasts for 12 hours between charges and there's a handy fast-charge feature that gives 1.5 hours of listening time from a 10 minute charge. We love that the earbuds are magnetic and can be clipped together when not in use (this also pauses the music playback). You can even share the audio that's playing on these headphones with other Beats headphones or Apple Airpods.

Key specifications:
Type: In-ear
Battery life: 12 hours
Noise-cancelling: No
Accessories included: 4 sizes of silicone ear tips, charging cable, instructions
Location of in-line controls: On cable

Best cheap on-ear wireless headphones

JBL Tune 500BT

Score: 85/100

This is the ideal pair of cheap on-ear headphones. They look stylish and are available in multiple colours. They're also foldable for easy storage when travelling. You'll get up to 16 hours of listening time, great sound quality, and we found them comfortable to wear for a long time.

Key specifications:
Type: On-ear
Battery life: 16 hours
Noise-cancelling:No
Accessories included: Charging cable
Location of in-line controls: On ear cup

Read the full JBL Tune 500BT review

Best for fitness

Jam Live Fast Workout Earphones

Score: 84/100

These affordable wireless earbuds are ideal for sports thanks to the easy to adjust ear hooks that keep them in place. There's a handy clip that can be adjusted to keep the cable secure, too. The sound quality is also great, and there's a lot of heavy bass.

Key specifications :
Type: In-ear
Battery life: 12 hours
Noise-cancelling: No
Accessories included: 3 sizes of ear tips, charging cable
Location of in-line controls: On earbud

Read the full Jam Live Fast Workout Earphones review

Best cheap wired in-ear headphones

RHA S500 Universal

amazon.co.uk

Score: 81/100

This wired pair is ideal if you love plenty of bass in your music. We sometimes found that the treble sounded a little sharp though, but at under £30 these are great value for money.

Key specifications:
Type: In-ear
Battery life: n/a
Noise-cancelling: No
Accessories included: 3 sizes of silicone ear tips
Location of in-line controls: On cable

Read the full RHA S500 Universal review

Best headphones for battery life

Tribit QuietPlus 50

Tribit amazon.co.uk

Score: 81/100

You won't need to remember to charge these every night as they can play up to 30 hours of music with noise-cancelling switched on before running out. There's a cable that plugs into the headphones too, in case you do get caught short. We found them comfortable to wear for long periods of time but they jiggled about when exercising, which may annoy some. Most importantly though, the sound was near-faultless, making them an impressive pair of affordable headphones.

Key specifications:

Type: Over-ear
Battery life: Up to 30 hours
Noise-cancelling: Yes
Accessories included: Charging cable, audio cable, case
Location of in-line controls: On ear-cup

Best for comfort

Skullcandy Riff Wireless Headphones

Score: 75/100

This affordable pair of wireless on-ear headphones have thickly padded ear cups, making them very comfortable to wear. They sound great too, with a clear, sharp treble, but the bass could have been more defined. You get 12 hours of listening time from one charge, but if you're in a rush, a 10-minute charge gives two hours of listening time.

Key specifications:
Type: On-ear
Battery life: 12 hours
Noise-cancelling:No
Accessories included: Charging cable
Location of in-line controls: On ear cup

Read the full Skullcandy Riff Wireless Headphones review

Best cheap true wireless headphones

KitSound Funk 35

Score: 76/100

This is the best pair of affordable true wireless headphones we've tested. Compact and comfortable to wear, the earbuds last for six hours between charges, while the charging case has enough power for a further 16. During testing, we were impressed with the sound considering the headphones cost less than £50 - it was sharp and clear with a defined treble, although the bass was lacking in power.

Key specifications:
Type: In-ear
Battery life: 6 hours
Noise-cancelling: No
Accessories included: 3 different-sized silicon ear tips, charging case
Location of in-line controls: On ear-bud

Read the full KitSound Funk 35 review

Best cheap true wireless for fitness

Jam Athlete

Score: 74/100

Sweat-proof and with ear hooks to keep them secure, these true wireless earbuds are a smart choice for exercising. They're extremely comfortable to wear and the sound quality is good, but it lacks a powerful, punchy bass. It's simple to play, pause and skip tracks, as well as adjust the volume and summon your voice assistant without removing the headphones. They last for six hours between charges, but the charging case boosts this to 30 hours in total.

Key specifications
Type: In-ear, true wireless
Battery life: 6 hours (30 with charging case)
Noise-cancelling: No
Accessories included: 3 different-sized ear tips, charging case, charging cable
Location of in-line controls: On ear bud

Best cheap noise-cancelling headphones

Groov-e Zen

Score: 74/100

These noise-cancelling headphones impressed us with their sound quality. The bass and treble were near perfect – both were well detailed without being overbearing. We also found the cushioned ear pads made them exceptionally comfortable to wear. The noise-cancelling technology blocks out some external noise, although it's not as effective as some of its more expensive competitors. That said, considering the price, we think this is a reasonable compromise to make.

Key specifications:
Type: Over-ear
Battery life: 10 hours
Noise-cancelling: Yes
Accessories included: Case, 3.5mm audio cable, charging cable
Location of in-line controls: On ear-cup

Read the full Groov-e Zen review

Best cheap sustainable headphones

House of Marley Smile Jamaica Wireless 2

Score: 69/100

If you want cheap headphones with green credentials, these are worth considering. The braided cable, which Marley claims is tangle-free, is made from 99% recycled plastics, while the earbuds feature sustainable wood and recycled aluminium. They sounded clear and sharp on test, but they lacked a punchy bass. The battery lasts for up to nine hours between charges and we love the clip on the cable that stops them flapping around your neck.

Key specifications:
Type: In-ear, wireless
Battery life: 9 hours
Noise-cancelling: No
Accessories included: 2 different-sized silicone ear tips, charging cable
Location of in-line controls: On cable

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