The best noise-cancelling headphones
Trains, planes and open-plan offices: over-ears that turn the drone down so the music, podcast or film comes through at a sensible volume.
Amar Bose started work on Bose's noise-cancelling headphones in 1978, after engine noise drowned out the airline headphones on a flight, and in 1986 Bose and Sennheiser both showed noise-cancelling headsets for pilots. It's still at its best on steady drones: engines, train rumble, the office air conditioning.
All five here connect to a phone and a laptop at once and have a mode that lets voices through, so the real differences are battery life, weight and price. Four come with a 3.5mm cable for a plane's seat screen; check the battery figure with noise cancelling on, as that's the one you'll actually get.
What matters
- Battery life with noise cancelling on, not the bigger figure with it off.
- Weight: lighter pairs are easier to wear for a whole flight.
- Multipoint, so they switch between phone and laptop by themselves.
- A cable for plane screens, and a case if they'll travel.
#1 of 5
Best overall
soundcore by Anker Q20i Noise Cancelling Headphones
£49.99 RRP
Forty hours of noise cancelling on a charge, and a five-minute top-up gives four more for the morning you forgot to plug them in. They stay connected to a phone and a laptop at once, so a call cuts in without any re-pairing.
What owners say: Owners say they're great value and comfortable for long spells, with strong noise cancelling and a battery that keeps going.
A closer look: Noise cancelling only works over Bluetooth, not through the AUX cable, so for a long flight it's worth downloading films to a phone rather than plugging into the seat screen. The soundcore app adds an EQ and white-noise sounds for dozing off.
- Up to 40 hrs with ANC on
- 5 min charge = 4 hrs
- Hybrid ANC with 4 mics
- Multipoint: phone and laptop
- Transparency mode
Best for: Commuting on a budget
- Battery (ANC on)
- 40 hrs (60 with ANC off)
- Quick charge
- 5 min = 4 hrs
- Weight
- 259g
- Multipoint
- Yes
- Wired listening
- 3.5mm AUX cable
#2 of 5
Runner-up
Sony WH-CH720N Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones
£69.00 RRP
At 192g these are Sony's lightest noise-cancelling over-ears, easy to forget about on a long train ride, and What Hi-Fi? named them its best budget wireless headphones in its 2025 Awards.
What owners say: Owners love the sound and noise cancelling for the money, and find them light, comfortable and long-lasting between charges.
Heads up: Sony launched a successor, the WH-CH730N, in September 2026 at about £100 with a longer battery; this one is the pick if the lower price matters more.
A closer look: They don't fold and there's no case in the box, so add a soft pouch if they'll live in a bag. The Sony Sound Connect app has a five-band EQ and sets how much outside sound comes through in Ambient mode.
- 192g
- Up to 35 hrs with ANC on
- 3 min charge = 1 hr
- Multipoint pairing
- Ambient Sound mode
Best for: Light, all-day wear
- Battery (ANC on)
- 35 hrs (50 with ANC off)
- Quick charge
- 3 min = 1 hr
- Weight
- 192g
- Multipoint
- Yes
- Wired listening
- 3.5mm cable
#3 of 5
Best premium
Bose QuietComfort Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones
£229.95 RRP
One for frequent flyers: Quiet mode shuts out as much as it can, Aware mode lets the gate announcements in, and plush cushions keep them comfortable on a long-haul flight. A carry case and cable are in the box.
What owners say: Owners rate the sound and noise cancelling highly, find them comfortable (even over glasses) and like the quick charge.
A closer look: The cable has an in-line mic and keeps them working even with a flat battery, which suits a plane's seat screen. The ear cushions are removable, so they can be replaced when they wear.
- Quiet and Aware modes
- Up to 24 hrs a charge
- 15 min charge = 2.5 hrs
- Carry case included
- Adjustable EQ in the Bose app
Best for: Frequent flyers
- Battery (ANC on)
- 24 hrs
- Quick charge
- 15 min = 2.5 hrs
- Weight
- 236g
- Multipoint
- Yes
- Wired listening
- 3.5mm cable with mic
#4 of 5
Longest battery
JBL Tune 780NC Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones
£119.99 RRP
Up to 50 hours with noise cancelling on, or 76 with it off, which is a week away without packing the charger. They fold flat and use Bluetooth 6.0 with two devices at once.
What owners say: Owners praise the sound quality, the long battery and quick charging, and the EQ settings in the app.
Heads up: JBL includes a USB-C to 3.5mm audio cable but no charging cable, so charge them with a phone's USB-C lead.
A closer look: The noise cancelling adapts to where you are, and Smart Ambient lets outside sound in when you need to hear what's going on. The JBL Headphones app holds the EQ and the Spatial Sound setting.
- Up to 50 hrs with ANC on
- 76 hrs with ANC off
- 5 min charge = 5 hrs
- Fold-flat design
- Bluetooth 6.0 multipoint
Best for: Weeks between charges
- Battery (ANC on)
- 50 hrs (76 with ANC off)
- Quick charge
- 5 min = 5 hrs
- Weight
- 222g
- Multipoint
- Yes
- Wired listening
- USB-C to 3.5mm cable
#5 of 5
Sennheiser ACCENTUM Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones
£159.99 RRP
Android phones that support aptX HD can send it higher-resolution Bluetooth audio, and the battery lasts up to 50 hours with noise cancelling on. Ten minutes on charge adds five hours.
What owners say: Owners find them well made, with a battery that lasts and a dependable connection.
A closer look: A USB-C cable turns them into wired headphones for a laptop, though there's no 3.5mm socket for a plane's seat screen. Two beamforming mics handle calls, and the headband is lined with soft silicone.
- Up to 50 hrs with ANC on
- 10 min charge = 5 hrs
- aptX HD, AAC and SBC
- 5-band EQ in the app
- Folds for travel
Best for: Android phones with aptX HD
- Battery (ANC on)
- 50 hrs
- Quick charge
- 10 min = 5 hrs
- Weight
- 222g
- Multipoint
- Yes
- Wired listening
- USB-C audio
How they compare
| Feature | #1soundcore Q20i | #2Sony WH-CH720N | #3Bose QuietComfort | #4JBL Tune 780NC | #5Sennheiser ACCENTUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Runner-up | Best premium | Longest battery | ||
| Picked Rating | 9.2 | 9.1 | 9.0 | 8.9 | 8.5 |
| Price | £49.99 RRP | £69.00 RRP | £229.95 RRP | £119.99 RRP | £159.99 RRP |
| Battery (ANC on) | 40 hrs (60 with ANC off) | 35 hrs (50 with ANC off) | 24 hrs | 50 hrs (76 with ANC off) | 50 hrs |
| Quick charge | 5 min = 4 hrs | 3 min = 1 hr | 15 min = 2.5 hrs | 5 min = 5 hrs | 10 min = 5 hrs |
| Weight | 259g | 192g | 236g | 222g | 222g |
| Multipoint | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wired listening | 3.5mm AUX cable | 3.5mm cable | 3.5mm cable with mic | USB-C to 3.5mm cable | USB-C audio |
| Best for | Commuting on a budget | Light, all-day wear | Frequent flyers | Weeks between charges | Android phones with aptX HD |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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