I like to think of over-ear headphones as the Crocs of headphones. You’re going for comfort; everything else is secondary. If you’re here, it means you’re willing to give up portability and, potentially, sound leakage for more comfortable wear. Over-ear headphones are the opposite of earbuds, which are usually less comfortable, a lot more portable, and give you a lot less sound leakage.
Here are my favorite over-ear headphones your money can buy in 2025, whether you're looking to stay within a budget, looking for the best ANC headphones, or the best-sounding pair.
If you're an audiophile who values the best sound possible even while using ANC to experience your media, look no further than the Sony WH-1000XM6. I've been a loyal customer of the 1000X line for many years and always end up going back to this headphone for most of my listening sessions. They also have the best ANC feature of any other headphone and are very comfortable. If you can afford these, they'll be worth your money. You can read about the headphones in more detail in my review.
The AirPods Max makes it into the list because Apple users will always value staying in the Apple ecosystem. But make no mistake: Apple’s AirPods Max are excellent ANC headphones, on par with Bose's QuietComfort Ultra. These are the new 2024 version with new colors and the USB-C charging port. If you're in the Apple ecosystem and want to stay there (and it's worth the extra money to you), then the AirPods Max might be a better fit. Keep in mind they are much heavier than the QuietComfort Ultra (but just as comfortable). You can read about the headphones in more detail in PCMag's review.
Over-ear headphones can get pretty pricey, but luckily, you don't need to spend rent money on great headphones. The Anker Soundcore Space One gives you the best bang for your buck in this roundup with many high-end features, including an impressive ANC quality for its price, LDAC Hi-Res audio codec, offering better audio quality than most Bluetooth headphones, and a great companion app. You'll get up to 55 hours of battery life, but if you're a stickler for button placement and design, you might have some issues with the Space One. But for under $100, who’s complaining? You can read more about it on PCMag's "excellent" review.
There is an argument to be made that the headphones with the best battery life should be those that have a set number of measurable hours to count, but when that number could potentially be impossible to measure, there’s a clear winner. The Urbanista Los Angeles headphones have solar charging technology that can potentially give them an unmeasurable number of hours of playtime (as long as you keep charging them with the sun). They give you up to 80 hours when they're fully charged, but as long as you keep them in the sun, you should not run out of battery. You can read about the headphones in more detail in PCMag's review.
If you’re looking to tune out the world with ANC, the QuietComfort Ultra currently offers the best noise-canceling technology in the market. If you can shell out the money for these headphones, you’ll be getting one of the most lightweight, comfortable, and best-sounding headphones on the market. But what really sets them apart is how useful these headphones can be in a loud environment. You can take a call with zero problems—the headphones can pick out your voice in a crowded place, so you can still be heard clearly. You can read about the headphones in more detail in PCMag's review.
Audiophiles who have been buying the best headphones for years will not be surprised by the Sony MDR7506 making the list of the best wired over-ear headphones. They were originally launched in 1991 and have been improved over the years, but they have been a staple in the music and audio industry for many years. If you're looking for a reliable headphone that is wired and will give you a great listening experience, the Sony MDR7506 is for you.
As you can probably tell by now, there is no "best" headphone once you get to a certain level of quality. All of the headphones here are great. What you should be paying attention is which is the best headphone for you. That means you'll need to figure out what things are important to you and what isn't. Hopefully, this roundup helps you do that. If you get any of these headphones, you'll be making a solid decision.
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