There are many different forms that headphones can take, but some of the best are over-ear designs. Rather than putting pressure on your ears like an on-ear model, the cups fully cover them, encompassing with sound. As such, they tend to be great for noise cancellation.
Over-ear headphones come in many different varieties, so you're bound to find something that suits your needs. Whether you're looking for something comfortable, something stylish, or a simply reliable all-rounder, our picks below should have you covered.
Editor's choice
• Best overall over-ear headphones: SONY WH-1000XM5 Wireless Bluetooth Noise-Cancelling Headphones
• Best noise cancellation: BOSE QuietComfort 45 Wireless Bluetooth Noise-Cancelling Headphones
• Best all-rounder: Anker Life Q30 Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Headphones
• Best over-ear headphones for bass: Sennheiser RS 175 Wireless Over-Ear Headphones
• Best over-ear headphones for comfort: JBL Tune 760NC Over-Ear Headphones
• Best over-ear headphones design: PowerLocus P6 Bluetooth Super Bass Headphones
We've examined our selection and weighed up their strengths and weakness, factoring in important qualities like padding and ever-crucial battery life. From the perfect pair for a noisy train to the one you can wear for hours at a time, we're confident there's something you'll be a fan of.
Moving on, let's get into our list of the best on-ear headphones.
Best overall over-ear headphones
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The SONY WH-1000XM5 are the best of the best, only really outclasses a little in audio quality, but not by a significant or noticeable amount. A total of 30 hours of battery life is more than anyone will need in a casual setting; in fact, these make for a superb pair of travel headphones thanks to that.
The comfort factor is worth noting as well. The cups are big enough to avoid overlapping on your ears, so you can listen away for hours at a time without feeling any discomfort.
Pros
- Comfortable build
- Superb battery life
Cons
- Audio quality could be more refined
Best noise cancellation
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One of the aspects we most love about over-ear headphones is their noise cancellation, and for that, the BOSE QuietComfort 45 takes the cake. It even has an "aware mode" that lets you dampen the effect for when you need to cross the street. We're also big fans of the detailed audio controls that allow you to adjust your audio as you go.
The sleek design is very appealing, but we have to note that these headphones do chew through their 22-hour battery, so we recommend having a charging with you if you plan to travel or commute with them.
Pros
- Brilliant noise cancellation and noise controls
- Sleek design
Cons
- Eats through charge
Best all-rounder
Aside from taking a little bit to initially get started, the Anker Life Q30 is a fantastic and versatile all-rounder that leaves us with very few complaints. The 40-hour battery life is fantastic for a relatively inexpensive pair of headphones, but it's further enhanced by the swift charging speed, which means you'll never be without some solid noise cancellation. The noise controls are also very convenient and easy to use. If you want a simple and reliable pair, you can't go wrong with this pick.
Pros
- Easy to adjust and control
- Quick to charge
Cons
- Can take a bit to set up initially
Best over-ear headphones for bass
Over-ear headphones can produce some excellent audio quality, but if your focus is on the bass, you'll probably like the Sennheiser RS 175. They may not be the most comfortable pick on our list, but if you want to sit down and dedicate some time to listen to music, you'll get a lot out of these. Well, we say sit down, but thanks to the impressive wireless range of the Sennheiser, you can definitely have a bit of a walk around or complete some chores as you do.
Pros
- Ideal for bass
- Great wireless range
Cons
- Padding is so-so
Best over-ear headphones for comfort
If the lack of comfort was a dealbreaker for you on the previous pair, then we suggest the JBL Tune Over-Ear Headphones. As ever with JBL, the audio quality and bass are excellent, and the active noise cancellation further adds to that. The padding is firm without being bothersome, blending into the perfect level of comfort. Our only minor complaint is that we find the colour variations to be lacklustre, but all the main styles are present that you would expect to be there.
Pros
- Brilliant controls
- Very comfortable
Cons
- Limited colour variety
Best over-ear headphones design
The most stylish selection on our list, the PowerLocus P6 manages to look great and function even better. The 20-hour battery life isn't the best, but it does the job well enough. The overall build is lightweight yet manages to be durable, so you don't need to worry about it getting damaged while in your bag. It manages to be quite comfortable too, making this another solid all-rounder. Of course, the style is the shining centrepiece here, with its lovely variety of colours to choose from.
Pros
- Great padding
- Lightweight yet durable
Cons
- Better options for battery life exist
FAQs
How to clean over-ear headphones?
Regular cleaning of your headphones is important for keeping things hygienic. Since over-ear headphones cover your ears, they are less likely to get wax on them, but you still have to account for grease and dead skin. If the pads are removable, do so, and then able a damp (not wet) cloth to the ear area. You can either use warm soapy water or hand sanitiser. Once you've properly wiped the surface down, simply dry it off, and you should be good to go once again.
Are over-ear headphones good for running?
While plenty of modern earbuds are designed to stay in your ears, you can never beat the over-ear design for staying in place. On-ear headphones will rub and annoy your ears during a run, but over-ear ones tend to stay more in one place and won't put pressure on your ears. Combine that with a usually solid battery life, and you have a reliable option for wherever your run takes you.
Kyle Purves is a Commercial Content Writer for What’s The Best, with an avid interest in all things gaming and tech.
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