From children to adults to the elderly, everyone in today’s time needs headphones! Well, not just headphones but the “most comfortable headphones.”
We live in a world surrounded by technology and sound is an integral part of that ‘technology.’ Be it watching videos, playing games, talking on the phone or listening to music, everything involves sound and who does not want clarity in what they hear?
Therefore, headphones bring us ‘this’ clarity, by canceling out any outside noise disturbance into our ears.
Moreover, besides clarity, what’s of the utmost importance when looking into which headphones to use, is how comfortable the headphones are which you are putting on. The sound quality of a headphone makes a difference only as long as they’re comfortable to your ears.
There are thousands of headphones out there and our detailed guide will help you with selecting the most comfortable headphones for yourself.
To help you make an informed purchase, our experts picked 30 comfortable headphones and tested them over two months to find the most comfortable headphones.
Quick Roundup of the Most Comfortable Headphones
| Most comfortable over-the-ear headphones | V-MODA XS |
| Most comfortable Bluetooth headphones | Sony WH-1000XM3 |
| Most comfortable headphones to sleep in | Panasonic RP-HS46E-K |
| Most comfortable noise-canceling headphones | Bose QuietComfort 35 II Wireless |
| Most comfortable budget headphones under $100 | Koss KTXPRO1 |
| Most comfortable in-ear headphones | Bose SoundSport Wireless |
| Most comfortable headphones for gaming | HyperX Cloud Stinger |
| Most comfortable running headphones | Sennheiser CX Sport Wireless |
Factors You Should Consider While Buying Headphones With Utmost Comfort
Let’s take a quick look at the factors that make up a comfortable headphone:
1) The right amount of force of clamping of the headphones to your head.
2) The right depth and size of the ear cups.
3) The rotation ability of the ear cups should be at least 45 degrees, up to 90 degrees.
4) Adjustment options with regards to the headband size and ear cup extensions.
5) The right quality, type and amount of padding of the ear pads.
6) Fold-ability or the ability to carry around is an equal factor of comfort, as comfort is not only restricted to the actual wearing of the headphones.
7) The usage, for example, the best headset for call center or the best headphones for remote need to be comfortable as you’ll be using them for longer durations.
How We Shortlisted the Most Comfortable Headphones
Our team of professionals shortlisted a number of headphones, based on customer reviews, customer ratings, value for money and most importantly their comfort factor, after hours of testing them with various kinds of sounds, to bring to you this list of the most comfortable headphones on the market.
8 Most Comfortable Headphones in 2023
Let’s now deep-dive into detailed analysis and breakdown of each of them separately:
1. V-MODA XS
Most Comfortable Over-the-Ear Headphones
- Value for money
- Sturdily built, military-grade durability
- Lightweight and comfortable
- Detachable headphone cables
- Mids, highs, and lows are perfectly balanced for the perfect sound experience
- Bundled in a hard case for easy travel
- Good for gaming and monitoring
- Does not require batteries
- The headphones block out ambient noise well
- Some users have mentioned that the headphones could have better noise cancellation
- Some users have also mentioned that the headphones’ jack is a little loose for their devices
- Some users have mentioned that the headphones are too tight to be hung around the neck
The V-MODA XS headphones are a massive hit among millennial and adults alike for a multitude of reasons. V-MODA is known to many for the elegant designs their headphones have and the XS is no exception. With a beautiful design for an over the ear headphone, the XS is ultra-lightweight and comes with an XS Exoskeleton Form Fitting case which makes it easy to pack around.
The construct and build of the XS are military-grade, and not just for saying, V-MODA has genuinely conformed to military standards while building the XS, coming with a ‘Virtually Indestructible Steelflex Headband.’The cables and plug of the XS are very sturdy, claimed by V-MODA “to be able to bend a million times.” This ensures the durability of the headphones. Also, the XS is a collapsible headphone i.e. it can be folded into a size, small enough to fit into the palm of your hand, making it all the more carry friendly.
Their M-Class 40-millimeter Dual-Diaphragm Drivers give sound quality and vibrancy of the highest quality, able to match with the best of the best headphones out there, providing a perfect balance between the highs, mids, and lows, in addition to their noise isolation technology, making your ‘listening experience’ perfect. Also, the XS comes with a 1 button SpeakEasy mic, which may be used for gaming, voice recording or calling purpose.
To conclude, the V-MODA XS Headphones are not only one of better headphones out there for sound quality but are also among the most comfortable headphones to choose from.
Read the Full V-MODA XS Review
2. Sony WH-1000XM3
Most Comfortable Bluetooth Headphones
- Sturdily built headphones with superior quality
- Foldable design to carry them easily
- Clean sound with perfectly balanced highs, mids and lows. Amazing bass quality
- Comes Alexa Voice Control and “Quick Attention Mode”
- Long-lasting battery life with fast charge technology
- Latest noise cancellation technology
- Value for money
- Cost of the headphones is high, even though they are value for money; not easily affordable
- Does not allow multi-pairing via Bluetooth, to pair with a new device, you must unpair with the current device
- Some users have mentioned that they preferred the leather ear cups of the previous versions, instead of the plastic ones on this one.
The Sony WH-1000XM3 Bluetooth headphones are currently one of, if not the best headphones at its respective price point. Known as the “Bose Killer”, the 1000XM3 are super sturdy, with very high sound quality. For Bluetooth Headphones, the 1000XM3 comes with a very generous battery life of 30 hours.
In addition, they come with a fast charge technology, which allows you a 5-6 hour playback time on a mere 10-minute fast charge.
What makes the 1000XM3 super appealing is how it is surrounded by the latest technology. The headphones come with Alexa voice control for the playing of music, accessing information among other stuff, which can be easily activated with a 3-second touch to the right ear cup of the headphone. (Setup guide available with the headphones.)
The 1000XM3 headphones come with touch controls for volume control, music track control, using the voice assistant and for attending phone calls.
The ‘Quick Attention Mode’ is one of the features our experts found to be the most unique, wherein if you cover the right ear cup of your headphones, it automatically turns down the music/sound for that instant.
The active noise control (ANC) or noise cancellation on this technological marvel is right at the top, providing a completely soundproof environment while both listening to music or talking on the phone. Now being in your room or a busy train shouldn’t be any different!
In conclusion, the Sony WH-1000XM3 is one of the best headphones up for grabs, ranking high among the best quality and most comfortable headphones of 2023.
Read the Full Sony WH-1000XM3 Review
3. Panasonic RP-HS46E-K
Most Comfortable Headphones to Sleep In
- Affordable and budget-friendly
- Foldable design to carry them easily
- Clean sound and rich bass
- Dynamic design, comfortable to wear
- Durable and sturdy
- Value for money
- Some users have mentioned that the headphones’ jack is a little tight for their devices
- Fitting issues for people with big or small ears
- Some users have mentioned that the louder levels, there is a disturbing resonance in the upper mid-range
As the description says, the Panasonic RP-HS46E-K are the most comfortable headphones to sleep in. The RP-HS46E-K, when compared to other headphones of its kind (clip-on headphones) is ultra-compact and slim which ensures comfort to your ears even if you decide to get a quick nap while having these on.
The RP-HS46E-K comes with a 30 mm driver unit which ensures a very powerful sound, giving you the bass quality you want, while maintaining the sound clarity. Due to its perfect coverage of your ear, the RP-HS46E-K headphones provide very good noise cancellation.
Our experts found that these headphones clasped very gently onto the ears, but may not be the right option for people with very big or very small ears.
Also, these headphones can be a massive hit with people suffering from ‘Insomnia.’ They pair up perfectly with ‘Relaxation Apps’ that try to send you to sleep by playing peaceful and relaxing music. Feel free to head to sleep with these headphones still clipped around your ear, as they cause no discomfort.
In conclusion, RP-HS46E-K is the definition of value for money. Even though the sponge on the headphones might start wearing off after a while, they last long enough to justify the purpose and the price of these headphones, while sliding into our list of the most comfortable headphones.
Read the Full Panasonic RP-HS46E-K Review
4. Bose QuietComfort 35 II Wireless
Most Comfortable Noise-Cancelling Headphones
- Available in multiple colors
- Technologically superior with Alexa Voice Control and Bose AR
- Clean sound and ultra-rich bass
- Dynamic design with cushioned earcups for comfortable wear
- Durable and sturdy
- Highest quality noise cancellation technology, allowing better concentration
- Value for money
- Although value for money, they are expensive and not easily affordable
- Some customers have mentioned issues with the Bluetooth connectivity
Bose, need we say more? Bose is right at the top when we talk about sound systems and sound equipment and the Bose QuietComfort 35 II Wireless Headphones does complete justice to the same. Our experts picked these as their pick of the lot, bamboozled by what these noise-canceling headphones had to offer. These headphones are so comfortable that they’re also considered one of the best headphones for sleeping.
The Bose QuietComfort 35, like the Sony WH-1000XM3, comes with Alexa Voice Control with an easy press of the button, for easier access to music, information and other things – “Alexa, play the most comfortable music”.
We choose to call the Bose QuietComfort 35 the most comfortable noise-cancelling headphones, but we also believe it only does little justice to what it provides to a customer on the whole.
Bose has come up with technology unlike any other, called the Bose AR which is an audio augmented reality platform. Sounds confusing? Get them and give it a shot yourself! Bose AR allows you to connect to the digital world while still being engaged with the real world. Bose AR-based apps are currently available for iOS devices and will soon be made available for Android devices.
In addition, the Bose QuietComfort 35 comes with very good battery life (up to 20 hours of playback time), with a 3 level noise-cancelling system which puts it right at the top of the “noise cancellation headphones tree”. With a solid build and a comparatively lightweight, these headphones are easy to carry around.
In conclusion, our experts believe that if the Bose QuietComfort 35 II Wireless doesn’t make the cut for one of the most comfortable headphones, then they don’t know what headphone does.
Read the Full Bose QuietComfort 35 II Review
5. Koss KTXPRO1
Most Comfortable Budget Headphones Under $100
- Extremely affordable
- Ultra-flexible headband
- Clean sound and ultra-rich bass
- Dynamic design with comfortable ear cups
- Durable and sturdy
- Easily portable due to its light weight/li>
- Value for money
- Although the highs and lows are very fine, the mids can be better
- Some customers have mentioned issues with volume control
- The foam on the ear cups are comfortable but some users have complained about them shredding easily
The Koss KTXPRO1 definitely gets the lead in our list of the most comfortable budget-friendly headphones, while delivering performance headphones ten-folds its cost would.These on the ear headphones come with super-flexible headband, paired with titanium covered drivers for stupendous sound quality. We would suggest these pocket-friendly headphones to be used for travel, school or work, due to its compactness, lightness, comfort and portability.
The Koss KTXPRO1 have tremendous highs and lows but the mids can be bettered. On the whole, they strike a very nice balance between all ranges of sounds.
To conclude, for its asking price, the Koss KTXPRO1 are an absolute steal and surely the most comfortable headphones for a low budget.
Read the Full Koss KTXPRO1 Review
6. Bose SoundSport Wireless
Most Comfortable In-Ear Headphones
- Durable and high-quality
- Ultra-flexible headband
- Clean sound and ultra-rich highs, lows and mids
- Dynamic design with comfortable earbuds to soothe your ears
- Easily portable due to its light weight and size
- Value for money
- Battery draining issues
- Some customers have mentioned issues with the volume control
- Not easily affordable due to the high price of in-ear headphones
Not everyone is a fan of on the ear or over the ear headphones, some of us prefer in the ear headphones. Therefore, our experts made sure that they did not leave the most comfortable in the ear headphones behind as part of our analysis, and what did we come across? Yes, it’s Bose again! From all the in the ear headphones we came across, the Bose SoundSport Wireless stood out the most in terms of comfort, sound quality and durability. Like to exercise with headphones on? SoundSport is your go-to choice. They have been designed to withstand sweat and rough weather conditions for you to sweat it out.
The Bose SoundSport come with Bluetooth as well as NFC wireless connectivity, something not many headphones provide as an option. With a 6 hour playback time on a full charge, the SoundSport gives you enough playback time to run during your whole workout regime, through to your relaxation time post workout. The noise isolation adds to your privacy while using these headphones for some “me time”.
To conclude, the richness of the sound from the Bose SoundSport, topped with its durability and ability to withstand the harshest of conditions, while providing the utmost comfort to your ears, makes it our choice for the most comfortable in the ear headphones. These can also be used as gaming earbuds.
Read the Full Bose Soundsport Wireless Review
7. HyperX Cloud Stinger
Most Comfortable Headphones for Gaming
- Modern look, perfect for gamers
- Ultra flexible with adjustable steel slider
- Clean sound and ultra-rich highs, lows and mids
- Dynamic design with comfortable HyperX Memory Foam ear cups
- Lightweight and easy to carry
- Value for money
- Some customers have complained about the product’s durability
- Some customers have mentioned issues with the 3.5 mm jack
Don’t worry gamers, how could we leave you guys out? Our team of experts did extensive research on which were the most comfortable headphones for gaming, and the answer turned out to be the HyperX Cloud Stinger.
What makes the HyperX Cloud Stinger so comfortable? Yes, you HyperX fans got it right, the signature HyperX memory foam, along with 90-degree rotatable ear cups for better comfort during long hours of gaming. The Cloud Stinger’s 50 mm directional drivers make the whole sound experience all the better, which is extremely necessary while gaming.
An essential part of any gaming headphone is the microphone, and the Stinger’s swivel to mute, noise cancellation microphone allows you amazing voice clarity when trying to communicate with your teammates or when trying to beckon the opponent. The sound quality and clarity is definitely not to be questioned. Therefore, it’s the perfect definition of comfortable gaming headphones.
Read the Full HyperX Cloud Stinger Review
8. Sennheiser CX Sport Wireless
Most Comfortable Running Headphones
- Sporty and stylish look, perfect for runners
- Comfortable and flexible headband
- Clean sound and ultra-rich highs, lows and mids
- Soft and snugly fit ear cups
- Lightweight and easy to carry
- Similar cheaper alternatives are easily available on the market
- Battery draining issues
While selecting the most comfortable in the ear headphones, the Sennheiser CX Sport Wireless almost made the cut, but when it comes to the most comfortable headphones for running, there’s no almost.
We couldn’t find more comfortable headphones for running than these. Much like Bose, whenever we hear Sennheiser, we automatically think “High Quality” and the CX Sport proves the same.When we think of using headphones while running, we automatically want wireless. These headphones allow you to pair up with EIGHT devices at a time, yes, you read that right, eight devices, with a Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity.
When talking of comfort, Sennheiser has given your comfort a personal touch with the CX Sport, by giving you 4 different sizes of ear adapters and 3 different sizes of ear fins. They’re also splash and sweat resistant so just put them on and get running.Sennheiser has used their proprietary transducers made using German technology, to deliver you with a balanced and highly detailed sound with amazing bass and treble clarity.
To conclude, we believe that if you’re on the run, the most comfortable headphones you’ll find are the Sennheiser CX Sport Wireless!
Read the Full Sennheiser CX Sport Wireless Review
Frequently Asked Questions About Comfortable Headphones
Some of the most comfortable wireless headphones are:
– Bose QuietComfort 35 II
– Jabra Elite 85H
– Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless
– Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT
Even though the answer to this question is more opinion-oriented than others, it is suggested for people with sensitive ears to use over the ear headphones instead of in the ear headphones as the insertion of the earbuds into the ears may cause irritation.
Using good quality in the ear headphones may help you avoid this issue. In the end, it’s all a matter of choice.
We strongly believe that any headphones are only good as long as they are comfortable for the person wearing it. Headphones with great sound quality but rough and uncomfortable padding would fall out of favor quicker than a comfortable headphone with comparatively lower sound quality.
Final Words
Now that you are aware of almost everything about the most comfortable headphones on the market, is your mind made up yet? If yes, why wait? If no, take your time to assess each and every headphone carefully before investing your money on them.
We hope that we could be of help to you, allowing you to bring in that little bit of extra comfort in your life! If you have any questions, queries or suggestions, feel free to post them in the comments section below. We cater to all your comments with equal urgency!
