I’m using wireless earbuds constantly. I’m tuning out noise on the subway to listen to a podcast. I’m taking calls at work. I’m listening to music while I work out. It’s safe to say that I always have a pair in my bag or my pocket.

But there are so many brands and wireless earbuds models on the market, making it hard to know which is best for you and your needs. As NBC Select’s tech reporter, I test earbuds on an almost monthly basis. Below are some of the best of the best for all kinds of activities and budgets.

How I test wireless earbuds

I try new earbuds all the time, incorporating them into my daily routine. That means office work, video calls, subway commutes, outdoor runs, indoor gym time and watching videos on my phone, tablet or laptop. While using earbuds, I pay close attention to the following:

• Comfort: A pair of earbuds is only useful if you feel comfortable wearing them for hours at a time. I wore earbuds for upwards of 3 hours to get a feel for long-term comfort. I also tried different-sized ear tips to find my ideal fit. Everyone’s ears are a little different. If the earbuds don’t fit comfortably right out the box, try different eartips to get a more comfortable fit.
• Noise cancellation: I used each pair of earbuds for my office commute on the NYC subway. I also used them in-office to block out background noise and conversations.
• Sound quality: I listened to the same music playlist with each pair of earbuds to identify differences in sound quality and instrumentation.
• Ease of use: When trying earbuds, I used the on-ear controls to take calls, play media and more. I also downloaded each brand’s mobile app, noting how easy it was to use and the utility offered. Some earbuds let you connect to multiple devices at the same time, this is called Bluetooth multipoint — I tried this feature with my phone, tablet and laptop when available.
• Battery life: I tried each pair of earbuds for at least a week. Throughout that period, I paid attention to how many times I needed to charge them.

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The best wireless earbuds

After trying out dozens of earbuds, my top picks came from brands like Apple, Google, Beats, Anker, Shokz and more.

Best for iPhone:

If you own an iPhone, these are the earbuds to get. They are comfortable, have excellent sound quality and noise cancellation. They are also good for basically any activity you throw at them including outdoor runs and workouts.

With noise cancellation turned on, chatter and music at the gym fade instantly, in my experience. With transparency mode on, I can hear my surroundings very clearly, perfect for running outdoors. AirPods Pro 2 also includes four ear tip sizes in the box, more than most brands, which can help you get a more comfortable fit for your ears.

The buds also have great on-ear controls. I can swipe on the ear stem to control volume, which is especially useful while running or working out.

If all of this sounds good to you, but you can’t stand rubber eartips clogging your ears, consider Apple AirPods 4 ANC instead. They have similarly great sound and call quality, but leave your ears more open because they don’t have rubber eartips. However, this does mean the noise cancellation is less effective than AirPods Pro 2, in my experience.