Ever since I got my young hands on a portable CD player, I’ve preferred to keep my music bumping, at home and elsewhere.
But at some point my earbuds started to hurt my ears — and I started feeling concerned about my music being funneled straight into my ear canal, at my eardrum.
As a longtime user of wired earbuds, I’d try to drape the cords over my ears so I could listen to music at a bit of a distance. This was as ineffective as you’d expect — not because I couldn’t hear the music, but because my haphazard draping system didn’t stay put.
So when a co-worker recommended open earbuds to me, I was intrigued.
They’re designed to attach to the ear cartilage instead of getting jammed into the ear, sealing off the ear canal and pumping music into it.
According to ENThealth.org, over-ear headphones can help preserve your hearing, since they enable users to listen safely to music for longer. Typical earbuds can be up to 9 decibels louder than over-ear headphones, a striking difference given that those extra decibels are being channeled directly to your eardrums.
Plus, ENThealth.org notes, typical earbuds can lead to 11 times more bacteria in the ear canal, potentially contributing to ear infections. They may also increase wax buildup in the ear, which can make ears feel clogged and result in difficulties hearing, according to Dr. Susannah Hills, an ear, nose and throat specialist at Columbia University Medical Center.
Your ear health could have much to gain yet little to lose with open earbuds. Read on for some of the best options you’ll find across the internet.
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Comfy, lightweight open earbuds
Adam Schubak, HuffPost Shopping’s growth strategist, owns and loves these Soundcore open earbuds.
“The sound quality is as good as the in-ear headphones I’m used to without having to pay a hefty price tag,” Schubak wrote.
They are water-resistant, fit snugly and offer 12 hours of playing time on a single charge (or 36 hours total with the included case).
Plus, they’re fast-charging, providing three hours of listening with just 10 minutes of charging.
Note: Clip the 10% off coupon at Amazon for the discount to apply at checkout.
Promising review: “I have been using these for a couple of weeks and really like them. Much more comfortable than my others that fit in my ears. Plus, they work better for me than ‘noise cancelling’ types. I use them at home and appreciate being able to her what’s going on around me – like my husband calling to me from the other room or the dog whining to be let out. 🙂 No sound expert, but I think these are very good – they suit me. I have some hearing loss and adjusting these to suit my needs while not bothering others nearby is a help. They have to be in the case to be charged, but that works fine. I looked at more expensive options… glad I went in this direction!” — L. Pearce
Target
Cushiony open earbuds with an ergonomic design
These OpenFit earbuds by Shokz provide seven hours of listening time per charge, or 28 hours with use of the case. And a five-minute charge gives you an hour of playing time!
Available in two colors, they provide excellent audio with a flexible ear hook that’s engineered to feel balanced and light on the ear.
Promising review: “I have gone through 6 or 7 sets of ear buds. Nothing fits, nothing stays in my ears, nothing is comfortable and nothing has enough volume and adjustable EQ to adapt to my nearly 60% hearing loss, in mid-range, (vocal range). These Shokz do it all! Super all-day comfortable even though I wear glasses. They are loud enough for me on phone calls and music! The EQ settings are very complete within the app. They have great clarity and amazing battery life. Finally, I can hear my music as well as understand phone conversations clearly even on a construction site. Also, I can still hear my surroundings and maintain situational awareness/safety while driving or walking around a construction site. I mainly use them for phone conversations, but music is more enjoyable. The app allows you to customize the functionality, settings and they work as advertised. As stated, I suffer from congenital hearing loss and I highly recommend these. The comfort level and sound quality is far superior to my $3k hearing aides. Well worth $179!” — Amazon Customer
Amazon
Some exceptionally lightweight open earbuds with 7,000 5-star ratings
These comfy, airy open earbuds weigh a mere 0.18 ounces and offer a unique clip-on design for impressively secure comfort.
Note: Clip the 50% off coupon at Amazon for the discount to apply at checkout.
Promising reviews: “These work great for the price, I’m surprised that they didn’t cost twice what I paid for them. Noise cancellation is on point, they are nice and loud, and the battery lasts a whole shift at work. Gonna buy a 2nd pair as a back up?” — super mom
“My son loves these. He works out with em and it’s nice that they have 3 different size cones for different size ears. The charging case is really nice too bc it shows digitally how much charge they have left so you can charge the case before it goes dead. He love em!” — Bigdog36
Amazon
A pair of open-ear sport headphones with 11,000 5-star ratings
Also from Shokz, these open-ear headphones offer all the unobtrusive and hearing-forward benefits of open earbuds with the added security of a wraparound frame.
The sporty design makes these a great option for low-impact exercise or some extra stability during errands, chores or work. They offer six hours of playing time, boast a sweat-proof composition and come in four colors.
Heads up: Though they’re also available at Amazon and Target, it’s Walmart where you’ll find one colorway with the cheapest price (at least for now!).
Promising review: “I love this bone conduction technology! I could never get comfortable stuffing earbuds in, so I just went without. I did some research & decided the Open Move set was right for me. They’re so cool! They just sit on your temples and you can hear everything! It also allows you to still be aware of your surroundings on a walk for example. I can listen to music etc & receive phone calls, something I never utilized before. These are very comfortable, great sound and are very user friendly. I’m super happy with my purchase!” — finerthingsinlife
Amazon
A pair of wired open earbuds
If you prefer wired listening, these Avantree Resolve earbuds are a solid choice. They have an over-the-ear hook for stability and control buttons on their wires, so you can skip songs, adjust the volume and answer calls.
They come in two sizes, one for small/medium-sized ears and one for medium/large-sized ears.
Promising review: “I got these since I have small ear canals and am forever losing the foam tips on the other kind. I find these very comfortable even if I lay on them in bed. The sound is good and is even safe for my grandchildren who I usually buy the large muff type headphones for them. If you have sensitive ears, these are the ones for you.” — Janet F.
Target
A comfy, luxurious pair of Bose buds
From one of the leading brands in audio, these Bose open earbuds promise to rock your world. Their sound is high quality yet private, with immersive audio so only you can hear it.
Available in three colors, they are water-resistant and offer up to seven hours of play, while the charging case can boost them for an additional 19.5 hours.
Promising reviews: “I bought these not understanding the open part of ear buds and was shocked. my first words out of my mouth was what alien technology is this? these tiny earbuds that don’t even go in your ears have such sound and punch. The sound and clarity blew my mind for real!!!!” — tr1plex
Amazon
Uniquely adjustable open earbuds (that reviewers love using with hearing aids)
These open Tozo buds are super flexible — you can adjust their hooks vertically and horizontally — so you can position the buds precisely to fit your comfort.
They come in four colors — including a cool blue and pale pink — and provide 12 hours of playing time, with an additional 30 hours by using the charging case.
Note: Clip the coupon at Amazon for the discount to apply at checkout.
Promising review: “Fantastic sound, especially the base. I was shocked at how good they are. These are great to use with hearing aids. My T-6 earbuds can go in my ear on top of my aids, but it is in comfortable. These don’t present any interference. They are almost undetectable!
The app lets you select different equalization profiles to better match hearing loss for full range listening. That’s a nice perk. An old person’s typical profile selection would make it a nice improvement for us old timers.
I highly recommend these earbuds for classical music as well as modern tunes. I use them while listening to TV too. My wife appreciates that while she’s trying to read.” — slovette
Amazon
A pair that holds an impressively long charge
These Psier open earbuds last up to 20 hours on a single charge, with a whopping 20 additional hours when using the charging case.
Available in multiple colors, they’re designed to be lightweight, breathable, gentle and comfy on the ear.
Note: Clip the 50% off coupon at Amazon for the discount to apply at checkout.
Promising review: “I love these because they don’t go inside my ear. They are more comfortable than ear buds. I have small ears, and the ear buds always fall out of my ears. These do not present that problem. I also have hearing loss in one ear. These help because they allow ambient noise to come through so that I can be aware of my surroundings and be safer walking outside.” — Amazon Customer