Shaking off the world and sinking into a new album can feel like a train ride through the countryside … unless you’re sharing that seat with two young toddlers. Or if your neighbor’s dog is barking. Come to think of it, there are a lot of sounds that can ruin a good song. That’s why we have headphones that isolate and cancel out noise. Below are the best noise-canceling headphones and earbuds you can buy, handpicked and tested by the Gear team here at WIRED.

Not seeing anything you like? Check out our other audio guides, like the Best Wireless Earbuds, Best Workout Earbuds, Best Cheap Headphones, and Best Wireless Headphones.

Updated March 2023: We’ve added the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2, Focal Bathys, and Anker Soundcore Space A40

Special offer for Gear readers: Get a 1-year subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off). This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com and our print magazine (if you’d like). Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.

You May Also Like

What is a Super Moon and when is the next one?

SUPER Moons are a rare and stunning lunar event that only takes…

The Wild Logistics of Rihanna’s Super Bowl Halftime Show

All told, the performance required the participation of some 800 people, from…

Elon Musk made eerie Twitter prediction in resurfaced post before claims Tesla CEO ‘EXPOSED himself to SpaceX attendant’

ELON Musk wrote about a “scandal” on Twitter last year as the…

You Can Measure This Fundamental Quantum Constant Using LEDs

(Often, physicists like to be cool. Most of the time, we use…