Best noise-cancelling headphones in 2026 for travel, work, and everything between

Stumped by the sheer amount of choice when it comes to the very best noise-cancelling headphones? Don’t worry – we’ve done all the legwork by testing out all the big brand ANC headphones on sale, plus plenty of lesser-known models, so by the time you’ve scrolled down, you should have a solid shortlist.

From Sony and Bose, to Apple and Sennheiser, there are all sorts of in-ear and over-ear noise-cancelling headphones fighting for the coveted spot in (or around) your lugholes. Some excel at the noise-cancellation part. Others provide better sound. And some do both. They’re all available across different budgets, and we’ve even included some older models which still offer excellent performance, at an even better-discounted price. Because no one deserves to be bombarded with the sound of screeching tube breaks, incessant engine noises, or the piercing, soul-cleaving shriek of a toddler in full Tantrum Mode.

Looking for something a little more compact? Check out Stuff’s guide to the best wireless earbuds.

Why you can trust Stuff: Our team of experts rigorously test each product and provide honest, unbiased reviews to help you make informed decisions. For more details, read how we test and rate products.

Quick list: What are the best noise-cancelling headphones?

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The best noise-cancelling headphones you can buy today:

1. Sony WH-1000XM6

The Sony WH-1000XM6 are the new gold standard for noise-cancelling headphones. Sony didn’t reinvent the wheel, but they’ve made meaningful changes that actually matter. The foldable design is back – great news for travellers – and noise cancellation has reached near-magical levels, thanks to 12 mics and a faster processor.

Sound quality? Outstanding. Everything from Tool to Agnes Obel sounds rich, detailed, and beautifully balanced. Sony’s custom EQ tools also let you tailor the experience to your taste, which we really appreciate.

Comfort’s top-tier too, though our ears still get a bit warm after a few hours – par for the course with over-ears. The revamped case and improved touch controls make them even easier to live with day-to-day.

They’re not cheap. But in a crowded premium market, the XM6 feel worth every penny. You can get decent cans for less, sure – but nothing at this price nails the blend of comfort, sound, and class-leading ANC like these. If you’re in the market for the best wireless headphones right now, we’d recommend the XM6 in a heartbeat.

• Read more: Sony WH-1000XM6 review

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2. Sony WF-1000XM6

That’s right — Sony also makes one of the best overall noise-cancelling wireless in-ear headphones too, in the form of the WF-1000XM6.

We found the sound quality is top-notch, with tight, balanced audio that’s as accurate as it is enjoyable. Their design is sleek, with a comfortable and secure fit, while eight hours of continuous battery life should be more than enough for most people.

Touch-sensitive controls make operation a breeze, while noise cancellation is among the best we’ve seen from wireless buds. With the same Speak to Chat feature as its over-ear sibling, it’s got all the bells and whistles you’re ever likely to need.

• Read more: Sony WF-1000XM6 review

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3. Sennheiser Momentum 4

Equipped to compete with Sony’s all-conquering cans, Sennheiser’s undercut the class leaders considerably. And remarkably, it’s done so without scrimping: they might be understated to the point of anonymity, but the Momentum 4 gives a convincing impression of quality and longevity.

Sound is handled by a pair of 42mm full-range dynamic drivers, while eight mics are deployed for adaptive ANC, wind suppression and clear voice pick-up. You don’t get a Bose-like blanket of silence, but whack up the ANC and background noise is considerably reduced. The audio itself is bold, detailed and thoroughly enjoyable, while battery life is simply epic at 60 hours.

• Read more: Sennheiser Momentum 4 review

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4. Bose QuietComfort 45

Bose spearheaded the noise cancelling revolution – and the QC 45 over-ears showcase the company’s noise-blocking skills with masterful effect. If cutting yourself off from the madness of the world is a priority, then look no further.

While we found these cans delightfully comfortable with solid sound quality, they don’t offer the best soundscape: rivals from the likes of Sony offer a tighter listening experience. Some features like auto-pause and EQ customisation are also missing. Still, if you’re a Bose fan, these remain some of the best around.

• Read more: Bose QuietComfort 45 review

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5. Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3

Building on the excellent benchmark set by their predecessors, the third generation of Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless in-ears cement their rightful presence among the best ANC earbuds. Build quality is as solid as we’ve come to expect from Sennheiser, while a 16% size reduction means the upgraded Momentum ‘buds go easier on the ears.

Touch controls can be customised through the feature-rich app. What you can’t adjust is ANC; instead, you get standard, transparency and anti-wind settings to toggle through. With ANC enabled, we found the True Wireless 3 cancel external sounds almost entirely, without sacrificing their likeable audio balance. Favouring fidelity over forceful bass, they demonstrate remarkable detail and tonal integration. Battery life might be average at seven hours, but everything else here is convincingly premium.

• Read more: Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 review

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6. Apple AirPods Pro (3rd generation)

The AirPods Pro 3 are the best noise cancelling buds if you have an iPhone. They’re powered by the H2 chip and deliver a massive leap forward in performance – Apple claims noise cancellation is twice as good as the Pro 2 and four times better than the original, with redesigned foam-tipped ear tips in five sizes ensuring a better fit and stronger passive isolation.

The smaller, more ear-shaped buds are IP57-rated, audio quality is improved across the board, and battery life steps up to 8 hours with ANC on and 10 hours in Transparency mode.

What really sets the Pro 3 apart, though, is its new health tracking features – heart rate monitoring, calorie tracking, and support for over 50 workout types make them a compelling option for those who don’t wear an Apple Watch.

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7. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds

The QuietComfort Earbuds are Bose’s first foray into the world of noise cancelling wireless in-ears. We think they’re sleek, attractive and comfortable, with delightfully bassy performance to boot. Impressive noise cancellation smarts are also bolstered by a handy Transparency mode, with 11 levels of ANC available in the app.

We found the battery life is around six hours per single charge – respectable, but not the best around. Still, a total of 18 hours with the case included isn’t too shabby, as long as you remember to actually charge them.

• Read more: Bose QuietComfort Earbuds review

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8. Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3

We’ve spent a lot of time with the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3, and honestly, they’re a knockout. These over-ears offer incredible audio quality – rich, detailed and confident across all genres. They even give the pricier PX8s a run for their money. Noise cancellation is top-tier too, helped by a clever eight-mic array, though you’ll want to flip on transparency mode if you’re walking in a busy city.

They’ve had a bit of a redesign – sleeker, more compact, and with improved physical controls that feel much more intuitive. Build quality is top notch, and they look the part. No 3.5mm jack, but USB-C wired listening delivers brilliant clarity. Battery life is a solid 30 hours, though rivals are creeping past that now.

We’re not huge fans of the naming mess – S2e, S3, PX8 S2… it’s a lot. And the Bowers Music app is still fiddly. Spatial audio and Bluetooth LE are missing for now, but coming in updates.

The big catch? Stiff competition. And with the PX8 S2 looming, these might soon be outshone. But right now, the PX7 S3 are a brilliant all-rounder – classy, capable, and easy to love. We’d buy them without hesitation… unless you want to wait and see what’s next.

• Read more: Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3 review

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9. Apple AirPods Max 2

The AirPods Max 2 are Apple’s flagship over-ear headphones, and in many ways they’re excellent – but they come with some significant caveats. Sound quality and noise cancellation are genuinely superb, the comfort is outstanding for long listening sessions, and the deep Apple ecosystem integration is as seamless as you’d expect. Software features like Live Translation and Adaptive Audio, carried over from the AirPods Pro line, add real value too.

The problems, however, are hard to ignore (especially at this price). Battery life sits at just 20 hours, a full 10 hours behind the Sony WH-1000XM6, and the headphones can’t be manually switched off, meaning you’re reliant on the case to put them into deep sleep. That case, meanwhile, is a genuine embarrassment at this price point, offering virtually no protection for the most delicate parts of the headphones. There’s also no wireless lossless audio support, which feels like an oversight on such an expensive pair of headphones.

• Read more: Apple AirPods Max 2 review

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10. Bose QuietComfort Ultra

We’ve spent a week travelling, commuting, and testing the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Gen 2 – and while they aren’t flawless, they’re still our new go-to pair for long trips. Bose has kept the plush comfort and superb fit that made the originals so easy to wear for hours, and now added a 30-hour battery that genuinely got us through multi-leg flights without reaching for a charger.

Sound is bolder, with deeper bass and more convincing spatial audio, while noise cancellation still wipes out the roar of planes and trains. That said, we noticed the odd higher-frequency sound – crisp packet rustles, for example – slipping through where the previous model blocked them out.

The design is still more practical than premium, and we’d like sturdier materials at this price. Even so, between the sound quality, ANC, and travel-friendly features, these remain the headphones we’d pack first.

• Read more: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 review

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11. 1More Sonoflow

The 1More Sonoflow headphones are probably some of the best bang-for-buck over-ear ANC cans around, at least at the time of writing. For comfortably less than $120/£100, they serve up punchy, well-balanced audio, solid noise cancelling that will help block out the hustle and bustle of your commute, and their crowning achievement — up to a whopping 70 hours of battery life per charge (with ANC off).

Even with ANC on, they can eke out a very impressive 50 hours before you need to reach for the cable. If you can look past the sometimes-fiddly buttons, plastic build, and the fact that you can get superior performance elsewhere (for significantly more cash), then it’s clear to see that 1More have achieved something rather special here, especially considering the price to performance ratio on offer.

• Read more: 1More Sonoflow review

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What to consider when buying noise-cancelling headphones

When buying the best noise-cancelling headphones, there are quite a few important things you’ll need to take into consideration before parting with your cash.

The most important of course, is sound quality, which is why we’ve picked wireless earbuds that deliver excellent sound quality with a balanced range of highs, mids, and lows.

The next thing you’ll want to think about is the form factor and fit. Do you want a pair of over-ears, or a much smaller set of wireless in-ears for blocking out the grunts and sounds of smashing plates at the gym? Both options will provide very different experiences, so you’ll want to make sure you pick the one that’s best for your needs.

Beyond the simple form factor, there are other pros and cons that both over-ear and in-ears headphones offer. Noise-cancelling wireless earbuds, for example, will offer you greater ability to block the outside world, thanks to their in-ear nature. The tradeoff, though, is a much shorter battery life and less precise sound. Over-ears fix both of these issues, but are obviously bulkier and not suited for exercise. Often, wireless buds also have better water/sweat-resistance, too.

If you do opt for wireless earbuds, you should definitely make a note of how much their battery life can be increased by the capacity of the included wireless charging case, as that can often be the difference between a relaxing commute and a stressful trek being forced to listen to the sound of screeching tube brakes and general chatter.

Finally, you should also consider extra features like touch controls, EQ customisation, virtual assistants, and transparency mode — all of which are useful in their own way.

Noise-cancelling spec comparison

Frequently asked questions

Recent updates

• 21st April 2026: Updated product specs.
• 12th March 2026: Restructured FAQ section.
• 12th February 2026: We replaced the Sony WF-1000XM5 with the newer WF-1000XM6.
• 1st December 2025: Added more FAQs. Updated headline.
• 1st November 2025: Added a frequently asked questions section.
• 30th September 2025: Replaced the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 with the newer Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2