The best noise-canceling headphones of 2024

Read our full review of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones.

Who is it for:

I didn’t know I could get excited about headphones until I tried the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, a Mashable Choice product. I honestly can’t imagine a person who wouldn’t appreciate these heads. The noise cancellation is the best I’ve ever experienced and the music feels like it’s surrounding you thanks to the spatial audio. Plus, the cut is unlike any other.

If you’ve ever suffered from hearing fatigue or had trouble getting headphones to fit comfortably, these headphones work for multiple ear sizes, providing a secure yet comfortable fit for hours. You might be put off by the $299 price tag, but they’re worth every penny.

Why we love it:

After testing the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones and reading Mashable editor Timothy Beck Werth’s review of these headphones, I expected them to be good, but I didn’t expect to be so blown away by them. I’ve struggled with headphones in the past, never finding ones that provide a perfect fit, but the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones sat comfortably in my ears with a secure fit. Every time I wear headphones on a walk, I’m constantly pushing them in, but I swear I didn’t have to adjust them once during my entire 3-mile loop.

If you’re looking for noise cancellation, you really can’t beat them. When I first put the headphones on, I was in a room with a loud fan, and when the headphones’ ANC kicked in, it completely blocked the fan in a way that seemed magical. Even though I had no music, there was no buzzing, just perfect silence.

Additionally, the audio quality was superb. Bose offers an immersive audio mode on these wireless earbuds, but it felt like the music was all around me even when I wasn’t using it. They helped me get into the zone, pounding out the beats of Nelly Furtado’s “Man Eater” as I stomped down the sidewalk. I heard every note of the delicate instruments of the Final Fantasy VII soundtrack, even while walking along a busy road. Plus, I felt like I was in the room listening to a live recording of Daft Punk’s “One More Time.”

In his independent review of the headphones, Werth said they were wasted on podcasts. Even though he’s right, they shine when playing music and make podcasts sound better. When I listened to episodes with lower quality tracks, even the worst audio sounded clear and distinct without having to turn up the volume.