In-ear headphones are often called "buds". These sit in your ear canal.

True wireless headphones connect via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth and do not have a cable connecting each earbud (such as the Apple AirPods).

On-ear headphones sit against your ear and over-ear headphones surround your ear. These are sometimes called "cans".

Active noise cancellation (ANC) uses microphones and audio software to actively capture and cancel out environmental noise. This is better than passive noise cancellation which relies on the headphones' fit to try and block incoming noise. Models without active noise cancellation may still offer some degree of passive cancellation.

We recommend headphones with a CHOICE Expert Rating of 75% or more.

The CHOICE Expert Rating is made up of sound quality (45%), active noise cancellation score (15%), ease of use (17.5%), battery (10%), comfort (7.5%) and durability (5%). Some headphones don't have active noise cancellation and/or built-in batteries. In these cases, results are listed as N/A and the weighted contribution to the expert rating is evenly distributed across the remaining scores. Microphone quality and cleaning scores are listed in our compare all table but don't contribute to the CHOICE Expert Rating.

A panel of five experts assess sound quality by listening to classical, jazz, pop and a podcast. If the headphones support Bluetooth and a cabled connection, they are primarily tested with a Bluetooth connection. Active Noise Cancellation is on during the assessment if available and tested in environments with varying levels of noise. Technical assessments are also conducted.

A panel of five experts assesses how the headphones feel when putting them on and taking them off, wearing them at room temperature for 30 minutes, and wearing them in motion. They also assess fit and adjustments.

A technical test assesses active noise cancellation performance in five environments: continuous noise (air conditioning, aircraft noise), cyclical noise (passing cars), a restaurant where people are talking, a silent location and other typical environments as determined by the expert tester. Sound isolation is also tested.

Two charging and discharging cycles are carried out. The total discharge time is recorded and the score is calculated based on expected runtimes. These are: in-ear: 110 – 660 minutes, on/over-ear: 180 – 3000 minutes.

A panel of three experts assesses the set-up process, daily use, audio leakage and interference (such as touching noises when activating controls) and whether visual/audio indicators are useful during charging and discharging.

How easy is it to clean the headphones as per the instructions? Cleaning is conducted with a water damp cloth and a cleaning or hygiene cloth. This score does not contribute to the CHOICE Expert Rating.

A simple build quality assessment. Headphones are judged for look and feel. Models that feel solid score better.

Speech intelligibility is tested by three test persons when using a smartphone handsfree. The test is assessed with and without ambient noise. This score does not contribute to the CHOICE Expert Rating.

Total tested operating time from a single charge in minutes.

Tested operating time in minutes after 15 minutes of charging from a completely dead battery.

Measured number of times the charging case can recharge the headphones from 0% before its battery is completely depleted. This only applies to models that include a charging case.

Recommended retail price at the time of testing.

Do the headphones have onboard switches, buttons or knobs.

Weight of the headphones in grams.

Proprietary Apple port used for fast-charging and connecting to some Apple devices.

Many earbuds let you swap the silicon tips to suit different sized ear canals for a better fit. This lists the number of available replacements. A higher number means a broader range of sizes.

As claimed by the manufacturer. This refers to a fit designed to keep headphones in place during rigorous activity, and water/sweat resistance.

Can the headphones pair with more than one Bluetooth device at the same time? This feature makes it quick and easy to switch between devices, such as a smartphone and laptop.

Whether the music pauses when the headphones are removed from the wearer's head and resumes when put back on.

This lets you temporarily deactivate active noise-cancellation so you can hear surrounding sound, such as a conversation.

Most headphones use an IP rating to denote water resistance, displayed as IPX and a number. The higher the number, the greater the resistance - e.g. IPX4 denotes splash resistance.

Some wireless headphones also give you the option to plug in a cable for wired connectivity. This can be plugged in and removed as required.

Planes use a special plug to connect to in-flight audio and entertainment. Some headphones include a compatible converter in the box.

Whether a travel case is included. This does not refer to the charging case that is included as standard with truly wireless earbuds.

We note any over-ear and on-ear headphones that can be folded in any way to help reduce their bulk when travelling. All in-ear headphones are considered portable.

Used to locate missing headphones via the official app.

Whether the headphones include a left/right inscription to let you know which way to put them on.

Whether the headphones include an accessible left/right Braille inscription to let you know which way to put them on.

Accompanying apps offer additional settings such as an audio equaliser, Active Noise Cancellation adjustments and GPS tagging to find missing headphones.