I'm an earbuds expert and these are the Black Friday earbuds deals really worth buying right now

What's a good battery life to expect from wireless earbuds these days? We consider eight hours to be the average for anything with active noise cancellation turned on – anything below that disappoints us, and above that gets approval. Without ANC turned on, we hope for around eight hours from earbuds – but it might depend on the size (we don't look too harshly very tiny and cheap earbuds for offering eight hours with no ANC, for example).

But that's from the buds themselves – then there's the case. Usually, you get two or three charges from the case, so the total amount of life matters too, and makes the whole thing more nuanced.

For example, Sony's WF-C700N earbuds last well above average for the charge in the buds, but only have one charge in the case, so the total is a bit low. AirPods Pro 2 have a very average in-bud battery, but have one of the longest lives when you include the case. And the Beats Solo Buds have a gigantic 18-hour battery life… and no charge from the case at all.

What are the best bang-for-buck earbuds that you can buy right now? That's got to be the Nothing Ear (a), which scored five stars in our review at their full price of under $100 / £100, but are regularly available for around $75 / £70 in sales events.

You can read our full Nothing Ear (a) review for all the details, but the short version is: the sound is better than anything else at this price, the noise cancellation is very effective, they're comfortable, they look cool, and they have good battery life. The total budget package.

Do you like big battery life and you cannot lie? Then we have a specific earbuds recommendation for you: the JBL Live Beam 3.

They deliver 10 hours of battery life with active noise cancellation on, which is double what a lot of other premium earbuds deliver. They also sound excellent, and have a cool screen on the case for personalizing them, and giving you general bragging rights that your earbuds are more advanced than your friends. What could be more satisfying in life, eh?

UK friends: in the battle of the £179 headphones, I have selected a winner.

Both deals are live now incredibly good headphones and both are, in a rare Black Friday battle of the headbands (…needs work, but anyway), now reduced to £179.

Now, if you've got a Sony Xperia phone or an Amazon Music subscription, or if you just love that almost retro aesthetic now, I'd pick the Sony. Why? Because you're going to look aces, and/or you'll have LDAC from your Sony device – and/or Sony's 360 Reality Audio for beautifully immersive tracks, from your streaming service.

For anyone else, I'd go with the slightly newer Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless, which beat the Sony model for aptX and aptX Adaptive support, battery life (it's 30 hours versus 60 hours) and also the game-changing Sound Zones feature. You can read more in my in-depth Sony WH-1000XM4 vs Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless comparison: which deal you should buy, but for now, here are the UK-specific deals:

Sony WH-1000XM4: was £349 now £179 at Amazon
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless: was £300 now £179.99 at Amazon

One of the great marvels of the modern age of earbuds is how affordable active noise cancellation has become. This technology uses microphones on the outside of your earbuds to listen to the ambient sounds where you are (such as traffic, or people talking), analyzes the frequencies of those sounds, and then adds the opposite frequencies into your music, 'cancelling' out the noises from around you, so you can hear music or podcasts so much more cleary. We have a whole guide on what active noise cancellation is, if you want all the nuance.

The important thing is that you can now get impactful noise cancellation in earbuds as cheap as $30 (the JLab Go Pop ANC), and they really will help make your music come through stronger. Meanwhile the best noise cancelling earbuds on the planet (the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds) cost many times that, but offer an incredible level of isolation from the world's chaos.

Oh, Sony WF-1000XM4, how I miss you! You used to be the absolute pinnacle of Black Friday, for me – and so many of us. You, and the excellent Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700. Both are no longer stocked across the big retailers (people do still message me about them) because newer models have taken their place, and time has marched on.

But while I raise a glass to these excellent heritage options, now crossed over to the big gig in the sky (yes, I'm well aware it's peculiar to describe true wireless earbuds as 'heritage' products), I will give you alternatives you certainly can buy now.

If it's earbuds you seek, the newer and oh-so-current Sony WF-1000XM5 are the next best thing to the XM4 and they're heavily discounted.

Sony WF-1000XM5: was $299.99 now $228 at Amazon
Sony WF-1000XM5: was £259 now £188.99 at Amazon

One of the great features of AirPods Pro 2 that we mention a lot is its 'unloseable' case. What do we actually mean by that? Well, there are three different features in the AirPods Pro 2 that combine to make it, by far, the best set of earbuds for locating the damn things when you don't know where they are.

1) UWB support. UWB is a kind of wireless tech that can detect the direction of the connection, and it means that your iPhone can literally put an arrow on the screen pointing you towards your AirPods Pro 2 case. You need to be in fairly close range, and it only points in two dimensions, so you'll have to figure out if the AirPods are on another floor of your home. This tech is only found on AirPods Pro 2 in the AirPods range (and isn't on many other buds, actually).

2) A speaker. UWB got you close, but you still can't see them? You can use your iPhone to trigger the case to make a noise using its built-in speaker.

3) Lost Mode. If you've lost your AirPods Pro 2 somewhere, you can put them in Lost Mode. This will mean that if they have charge, they can connect to other people's iPhones, and piggyback their internet to tell you where they are. They can also display your contact info if someone finds them

Small-eared music lovers, assemble! We want to be able to use convenient, space-saving earbuds just as much as the next person, and I'm here to tell you it's OK! You don't have to squeeze any big, bulbous units into your ears any more – I've got a Sony deal for you that's sure to be a good fit.

Meet the bijou and beautiful Sony WF-C700N, which tore up the rule book on what is achievable for this money when they landed in April 2023. Are they still among the best noise-nixing earbuds around now, in 2024? Yes, and our five-star Sony WF-C700N review is irrefutable proof. As long as the lack of higher-res audio support or auto-pause when you remove them doesn't bug you (and at this level that would be a little churlish) they're an awesome buy – and this is a whole $13 cheaper than we've ever seen them in the US (the price is hidden until you click through, though).

In the UK, they're also cheaper than we've ever seen, by £3. A lovely little extra discount for our extra-small auricles!

Sony WF-C700N: was $119 now $75.95 at Amazon
Sony WF-C700N: was £99 now £66 at Amazon

You may have seen IP waterproof ratings on earbuds, often for earbuds that say they're suitable for exercise – but what do they actually mean? Let's break it does, because it might be useful when you're looking at what to buy.

An IP rating is expressed as IP and then two numbers, or an X and then a number. The first number (or the X) refers to dustproofing. This can be useful, but we're not getting into it here – an X means it isn't rated for it. The second number refers to waterproofing.

IPX4 is what you'll most commonly see, and it means that the buds can withstand splashes of water (such as light rain), and should resist sweat, for limited periods of time. I wouldn't recommend them for marathon running, and the buds may not last as well over time if you're using them in the gym daily and getting sweaty. But this should good for most people.

IPX5 can withstand small "jets" of water, so you could take them out for a long run in a downpour, theoretically.

IPX6 can withstand stronger jets of water. You could generally hope for these to be even more reliable in wet outdoor conditions.

IPX8 means fully waterproof for long period. You can get totally dunked, or maybe even take these in the pool, if they fit securely enough.

Size and comfort is something that people usually think about with earbuds (we have a whole guide to the best earbuds for small ears), but what sometimes gets missed when buying earbuds is the size of the case – and it really matters.

A big part of the convenience of the best wireless earbuds is just slipping them into your pocket, or a pocket in your bag, to carry with you everywhere. But if they have a really bulky case, then they can get in the way, feel uncomfortable, or look lumpy. It can just end up being annoying. Not everyone cares about this, but this quality-of-life stuff can make all the difference.

So here are some tips on buds with good slimline cases: The JLab Go Pop ANC (or the older JLab Go Air Pop) if you want something super-cheap; the Nothing Ear (a) for a great-value mid-range option; the AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 for Apple fans; and perhaps surprisingly, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. The latter are fairly bulky buds, but Bose has designed the case to be slim (just quite tall).

Black Friday is a time when rules fly out the window isn't it? For example, when JBL started releasing earbuds with actual smart screens on the cases, we all thought it'd be a cost prohibitive perk. Nice if you can afford it, like Apple Intelligence, and so on.

Only now, in both the US and the UK, my favorite JBL Live Beam 3 set are so greatly reduced, they're cheaper than many mid-range earbuds – and those definitely don't tote touch-screens with lock-screen wallpaper on the lids.

For me though, it's not just about the screen, cute though it is. The detailed sound quality and stellar battery life here are just two more reasons to celebrate them. I was truly impressed by the Live Beam 3; you can read my Live Beam 3 review for more in-depth analysis (then come back here, because I don't want you to miss the deal!) but know that they only hit shelves in June 2024 and this is the biggest discount we've ever seen on them, in both regions.

If you're the kind of person who thinks putting a picture of the seal you fell in love with (while volunteering at a Cornish seal sanctuary) on your earbuds case is a Very Good Thing, they're a no-brainer. And you don't have to sacrifice battery life or audio quality either, so if you can have the screen for no extra money, why wouldn't you?

JBL Live Beam 3: was $199.95 now $149.95 at Amazon
JBL Live Beam 3: was £179.95 now £149.57 at Amazon

OK so not technically earbuds, but over-ears are certainly earbuds adjacent and the deal is so good it'd be remiss of me (as your Audio Editor) not to mention it! This is also a UK exclusive – US music lovers, I promise I'll get you next! – but still, too good to ignore.

Philips Fidelio X2HR over-ears are no newbies to the audiophile world, but a 2017 release is hardly old in the world of wired audio. A quick glance over our 2014 five-star Philips Fidelio X2 review (upon which these Fidelio X2HR headphones are based) is also a glowing read, and while we haven't had the pleasure recently, a 2018 Reddit thread claims there's very little to separate the two other than a few accents on the headband.

And so to the madness of this deal: Amazon has listed them for as much as £319 in 2017, but right now they can be yours for just a penny under £68. I know! I mean, just look at them for that money. See the double-layered ear shells, the memory foam ear pads for long-wearing comfort – you even get a dedicated cable management clip for tangle-free ease! There's real leather involved in the headband, so not good for the vegan audiophile in your life, but if that's not you, there's so much to enjoy here for silly money. I had to rub my eyes to check I wasn't seeing things…

Philips Fidelio X2HR wired headphones: was £143.99, now £67.99 at Amazon

Let's talk about Sony's flagship wireless ANC earbuds – there's no better time.

Right now they're slashed in price for Black Friday – and I need to explain that if you reside in the US, I'd actually get them at Best Buy today, rather than Amazon. (My UK friends can skip to the bottom of this missive for the deal, which is the lowest they've ever been).

Over on Amazon US they can be yours for $1.99 less, however if you purchase from Best Buy, the retailer is throwing in free YouTube Premium for three months (new subscribers only) which would normally cost you $13.99 per month. What better way to test drive your new buds than with free access to YouTube Music Premium?

Built-in Alexa functionality makes the XM5s a joy to use and the fit is great for smaller ears. The AI-based noise reduction algorithm and bone conduction sensor might not be as good at blocking out noise as the very best on the market (read more in our Sony WF-1000XM5 review), but they still deliver great results for this $70 discount.

Sony WF-1000XM5: was $299 now $229.99 at Best Buy
Sony WF-1000XM5: was £259 now £188.99 at Amazon

Here's a big question for 2024: Should you buy AirPods 4 this Black Friday? They're pretty new, so they're not guaranteed to get big discounts – there's $10/10 off right now, which is not nothing.

There are two models here, so let's address them separately. First, the AirPods 4 with ANC, which officially cost $179 / £179, but can be found for $169 / £169. Well, the big problem with these is that the AirPods Pro 2 are superior in effectively every way, and are available for $159 / £179. So I see zero reason to get AirPods 4 with ANC, with one exception: if you have the in-ear fit of the AirPods Pro 2, with their tips that sit in the ear canal. Some people can't get on with this, and AirPods 4 with ANC are easily the best open-ear alternative for Apple users.

The regular AirPods 4 (no ANC) officially cost $129 / £129, but can be found for $119 / £119. These are the best-value way to get AirPods' smart Apple-friendly features – they're better value than the older AirPods 3 or much older AirPods 2nd Gen, though you'll pay a bit more – they sound better, and have more features.

But personally, I'd choose the Nothing Ear (a) over the AirPods 4 – they're about $50 cheaper, and come with noise cancellation!

Nothing Ear (a) US deal: was $99 now $72.40 at Amazon
Nothing Ear (a) UK deal: was £99 now £69 at Amazon

A reminder, while there's still plenty of today left: If you happen to reside in the US, the best Black Friday deal I've ever seen on a shiny new set of AirPods Pro 2 (aka the ones everyone wants) is over at Best Buy, and it runs out soon.

It's an absolutely huge $90-off Apple's flagship earbuds (they're the most popular earbuds on the planet for a reason, folks) and means their price is now $10 less than we've ever seen, ever.

The sound quality is superb, they're full of smart features (including a new hearing aid functionality) and they have top-tier noise cancellation. What are you waiting for? At the time of writing, this deal ends in 8 hours… go now!

AirPods Pro 2: was $249.99 now $159.99 at Best Buy

So, here's a deal that didn't quite make my top picks above, but I still think it's worthy of a mention. You might assume Black Friday audio deals should be all about the most recent gear – in this case, the newest third-gen Galaxy Buds Pro – and while you're mostly right, I just don't want you to sleep on this lesser-spotted Galaxy Buds deal.

Why? Because I don't own a Samsung Galaxy smartphone (or even an Android mobile device), but I still gave the excellent Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro a glowing 4.5-stars our of 5 shortly after their launch in August 2022.

Yes, they were superseded by the AirPods-esque Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and Buds 3 in July 2024, but newer doesn't always mean better – a quick look at our Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs Galaxy Buds 2 Pro provides some telling reading…

The Buds Pro 2 are especially great if, like me, you have small ears (I've also got a guide to the best earbuds for small ears if that's what you need) and If you do own a Galaxy phone, a 2024 software update means you also get real-time translation powers if you're using a Galaxy S24 series – or even a slightly older Galaxy S23 series.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro: was $229, now $100 at Amazon
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro: was £219.99, now £91.97 at Amazon

Psst… hey… hey, you. Looking for some unbelievably cheap, good earbuds? Look, I don't have them on me right now, but I know where you can find them.

What you want is the JLab Go Pop ANC, which cost just $30 full price, and are unreasonably good for that amount of money. They have well-balanced sound, a comfortably fit, and noise cancellation that genuinely helps, even on airplanes. Our JLab Go Pop ANC review raved about the value of these earbuds.

There's no deal on them currently, but if they do drop in price I totally recommend them. In the meantime, if you want something tiny and cheap, there's a different the four-star JLab JBuds Mini are on-sale in both the US and UK.

JLab JBuds Mini US deal: was $39.99 now $27.60 at Amazon
JLab JBuds Mini US deal: was £39.99 now $24.99 at Amazon

Want the best noise-cancelling earbuds on the planet? That would be the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, which you can get for record-low prices right now. (Are you seeing a pattern this Black Friday?)

You can get the Bose Ultra for a joint-lowest price of $229 at Amazon in the US, while in the UK the buds have fallen to new, absolutely ridiculous, low price of £199. Consider that, at launch, these cost more than other premium buds, but have now fallen into the same kind of price as the competition, that's really hard to resist.

You'll get the best noise-blocking power that earbuds can offer, plus device-neutral spatial audio, and rich sound quality.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds US deal: was $299 now $229 at Amazon
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds UK deal: was £299 now £199 at Amazon

Beats' Studio Buds have dropped to $79 before, which is $10 cheaper than they've ever been before. It's a great price for earbuds with easy pairing for both Apple and Android, and active noise cancellation. In our Beats Studio Buds review we said that they sound good, the noise cancellation is useful, and they're a nice small size, with an ergonomic design.

They're a little older now, but for this price, they're the best-value Beats earbuds buy in the US. In the UK, we'd recommend the step-up Beats Studio Buds Plus, which have fallen to an also record-low £109. Here's our Beats Studio Buds Plus review.

Beats Studio Buds: was $149 now $79 at Amazon
Beats Studio Buds Plus: was £179 now £109 at Amazon

I've been covering AirPods Black Friday deals for six years, and this is the best-value offer I've ever seen on them. Right now, you can get the AirPods Pro 2 for $159 at Best Buy, which is $10 lower than they've ever been before – but this deal ends at 1am ET November 22 / 10pm ET November 21, so don't miss out! That's $90 off the full $249 price.

Buyers in the UK don't miss out on a good deal today, either – you can get the AirPods Pro 2 from EE for £179, which is the joint lowest they've ever been, and a £50 saving on the £229 full price they usually sell for. And don't worry, just because they're from EE doesn't mean you have to sign a contract or anything – it's just a regular purchase, and they even come with free delivery.

AirPods Pro 2 US deal: was $249 now $159 at Best Buy
AirPods Pro 2 UK deal: was £229 now £129 at EE