The best on-ear headphones from all the top brands

The only on-ear headphones you should consider.

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on August 14, 2025

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Overview

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

In the world of headphones, there's a sweet spot between those bulky over-ear headphones and tiny earbuds: On-ear headphones. And with the classic on-ear style, you really do get to enjoy the best of both worlds. Sounds great, right?

And here's why: On-ear headphones have the benefit of having speakers large enough to produce hi-fi sound (the way over-ear headphones do) while remaining compact enough to stow away for easy transport (like earbuds). The makers of quality on-ear options can pack the ear cups full of technology, like active noise cancellation and radio frequency tech, while ensuring that the headphones are still lightweight and produce great audio full of rich bass and crisp mids.

On-ear headphones typically have have adjustable headbands to fit all head sizes, plus padded cushions that relieve pressure on the ears, regardless of how expensive or cheap they are. All you need to do it choose a pair that suit you. Here's a quick guide plus a round-up of the best on-ear headphones available right now.

What are on-ear headphones?

On-ear headphones, as the name suggests, sit on your ears rather than covering them like over-ear or inserting into your ears like earbuds. On-ear headphones used to be the standard style but are a bit more of a niche now, usually reserved for budget options or specialist audiophile models. The benefits of on-ear headphones are a more comfortable fit and a better awareness of the outside world as they don't isolate you in the same way. And hey, some people just enjoy the classic on-ear style.

Are headphones or earbuds best?

There is no right or wrong answer to this. It comes down to personal choice. Some listeners prefer the all-encompassing feel of on-ear or over-ear headphones, but others love putting buds directly into their ears. There are benefits to both, of course. On-ear headphones tend to have higher-quality sound, and therefore audiophiles should focus largely on this style of headphones. Earbuds are more compact, portable, and inconspicuous, so they’re better suited to commuting, air travel, or the gym.

Can you still buy wired headphones?

Wireless technology has certainly taken over the market, but that’s not to say wired headphones aren’t an option. They’re often the choice of serious audiophiles as Bluetooth can cause issues with decoding high resolution file formats (though Bluetooth codecs help with that). Good quality wired headphones have become harder to find, but there's one listed below that offers excellent wired audio quality.

Do on-ear headphones have noise cancellation?

Noise cancellation blocks out external noise, allowing you to fully immerse in the music without distraction. There are two basic types of noise cancellation: Passive noise cancellation, which physically blocks out noise with the design of the cups, and active noise cancellation (ANC). This uses a system of small microphones to pick up incoming sounds and create anti-noise sound waves that cancel them out. Both kinds are more common on over-ear headphone and earbuds because they create a seal around or in your ear. However, you can find noise cancellation for on-ear headphones if you shop around. In fact, you'll find a good ANC option below.

What is the best headphones brand?

We all know the big ones — Sony, Beats, JBL and so on — but you'll also find plenty of good (and often cheaper) options from lesser-known, less obvious brands like Skullcandy. Keep reading to discover some of the best.

What are the best on-ear headphones?

Since virtually every company claims its headphones produce the best sound, with the best materials, and with the best features available, we decided to turn to reviewers to see which on-ear headphones were the most worthy of your money.

These are the best on-ear headphones in 2025.

Sony WH-CH520 headphones

The Good & The Bad

Lots of colours
Trademark Sony sound
Adjustable EQ settings
Call connectivity
Multipoint connection

Better Sony tech available
Relatively sparse features

Why We Like It

You can’t talk headphones without mentioning Sony at least once. Whether you’re after earbuds, highly advanced headphones, or relatively basic on-ear cans, Sony has something just for you. In this case, the Sony WH-CH520.

These come from the less flashy end of Sony’s range but you can’t knock the brand’s always-excellent sound. It’s powered by Sony’s Digital Sound Enhancement Engine, with adjustable EQ levels in the Sony app.

There aren't many features, though the WH-CH520 do have multipoint pairing, which allows you to connect to two Bluetooth devices at once and eliminates to need to fiddle with connectivity settings when switching between your phone and laptop. They also have hands-free voice control.

Another bonus of these headphones is their incredible battery life of 50 hours. That's the second best you’ll find on this list and more than you get from more advanced — and not to mention more expensive — headphones.

Details

Beats Solo 4 headphone

The Good & The Bad

Streetwise brand
Packed with Apple tech
Personalised spatial audio
Excellent battery life

Premium sound, premium price tag
Android users don't get all features

Why We Like It

Available in various colours, the Beats Solo 4 are manufactured by Apple, so they have Apple features such as Siri and Find My Device. And all that techy goodness combines with the trademark sound and streetwise style of Beats.

Features come via the 'b' logo on the ear cup. Simply click the 'b' button to answer calls and control playback. They also come equipped with Apple's spatial audio and dynamic head tracking, which responds to head movements and adjusts the sound to create an immersive listening experience.

While spatial audio is for Apple device users only, that doesn't mean the Beats Solo 4 are totally Apple-specific. They're are fully compatible with Android, with Google fast pairing and a Beats app on the Google Play Store.

They'll keep you going too, with a best-in-class 50 hours of battery and "Fast Fuel" charging. You get three hours of juice from just five minutes of charge.

Details

JBL Tune 670NC headphones

The Good & The Bad

Excellent value
Voice control
Very robust build
Sensational battery
Signature JBL sound

Slightly heavy bass
Can get a bit sweaty

Why We Like It

You can’t go wrong with JBL: Hard-wearing, great-sounding headphones that perform above their relatively low price point. There’s also something for every style preference. When it comes to on-ear headphones, they offer the JBL Tune 670NC, a stellar set of mid-level cans with noise cancellation.

Indeed, the active noise cancellation sets these apart. ANC is much less common with on-ear headphones, so that feels like a huge bonus. Not to mention the fact that JBL's ANC technology is very good for the price. Not to mention a whopping 70 hours of battery, the biggest on this list.

The noise cancellation is actually adaptive. That means the ANC reacts to external sound and offers different modes, including Ambient Aware — which allows some noise to seep in to keep you aware of your surroundings — plus TalkThru, which amplifies voices whenever you begin a conversation IRL.

True audiophiles will look elsewhere for something more specialist, but all-in-all the JBL Tune 670 NC are as good as you’ll get in the price bracket.

Details

Grado SR325x headphones

The Good & The Bad

Open-back experience
Excellent sound quality
Very light on the head
Comfortable on the ear

Leaky sound
Indoor listening only
No Bluetooth
Pricey option

Why We Like It

Grado might be a left-field name — they don’t rank quite as highly as Sony or Beats on lists of the best-known headphone brands — but they’ll be familiar to many audiophiles as niche, well-respected sound gurus. Which is why the Grado SR325x come highly recommended in any category.

The Brooklyn-based brand specialises in wired, open-back, on-ear headphones. That goes against current trends, but they deliver a better, naturalistic sound — very much like listening to live music. It's a kind of sound that Bluetooth and closed-cup headphones simply can’t compete against.

With the Grado SR325x, the results are tried and tested. The sound is pretty much flawless: Punchy, detailed, and a pleasure to immerse yourself in.

There are drawbacks to this style of headphones, but it’s all down the personal preference. The open-back design leaks sound, both in and out. That makes them best for listening at home, where you can settle down for a serious listening session with your stereo. But that open-back design is part of what gives the sound its spacial, dynamic quality. You won't be disappointed.

Details

Skullcandy Cassette

The Good & The Bad

On-trend brand
Collapsible design
Lightweight build
Fast on-the-go charging

Average sound
Plasticky feel

Why We Like It

Skullcandy is a bang-on-trend name. In a short amount of time, the brand has become known for contemporary designs and superb sound. The retro-themed Skullcandy Cassette headphones are from the brand’s budget range.

They do feel budget, with a largely plastic construction. But it’s a trade off for being pleasingly lightweight and nailing that Eighties vibe (if you’re too young to know, the "cassette" refers to little plastic things called cassette tapes that played music). There’s plenty of comfy cushioning around the ears and a metal headband ensures a reasonable level of durability.

The sound is balanced though not mind (or ear) blowing, which is what you expect at this price. But while they’re very much a budget choice, there’s a reasonable selection of features. You can choose between wired sound or Bluetooth connection. There’s also a microphone for phone calls and manual controls built onto the headset for volume, pause/play, and answering calls.

They boast a competitive 22-hour battery life — the battery life will depend on how loud you play your tunes, though — and they have rapid charging, so you’re good to go after a relatively short burst with a microUSB charger.

Details

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Joseph Green is the Global Shopping Editor for Mashable. He covers VPNs, headphones, fitness gear, dating sites, streaming, and shopping events like Black Friday and Prime Day.

Joseph is also Executive Editor of Mashable's sister site, AskMen.

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Deputy Editor, Shopping/Reviews

Miller Kern is the Deputy Editor of Shopping and Reviews at Mashable, where she writes and edits reviews, roundups, deals, and news stories about tech products, including headphones, skincare devices, laptops, sex toys, e-readers, robot vacuums, and more. She's been covering all things shopping and tech, including shopping holidays like Prime Day and Black Friday, for Mashable since 2019. Miller can tell you which products are actually worth your money. She also explores trends in the shopping sphere, such as dupes and viral TikTok moments.

Matt Ford is a freelance contributor to Mashable.