Best wireless over-ear headphones for 2026: tested and reviewed by experts

Over-ear headphones come packed with features and typically, powerful noise-cancelling and excellent battery life. The trade-off is they're bulkier and heavier than in-ear headphones. 

We test everything from sound quality, where our experts assess four audio tracks and loudness using an artificial ear, to overall comfort and battery life. 

So we’ve shared our top picks, many of which are Best Buys, to help you find over-ear headphones for your commute, exercise or entertainment.

Key summary 

• Over-ear headphones are among the best for sound quality, noise cancelling and battery life, depending on the model, they may outperform in-ear headphones too 
• Some of the best over-ear headphone brands include Sony, JBL, Bose, Bowers & Wilkins, and Sennheiser
• Price isn’t a good indicator of sound quality – some budget headphones we’ve tested score excellently in our listening tests 

Head straight to our over-ear headphone reviews to see all the models we've tested.

Best over-ear headphones for 2026

We rigorously test over-ear headphones in our independent labs to find the best model for you. Here's our expert pick of the very best over-ear headphones.

These are the models that smashed our in-depth lab tests, so you can be sure they'll be comfortable, provide sublime sound quality and come with the latest and best features.

Only logged-in members can see our full list of the best headphones in the tables below. Join Which? to get instant access to our Best Buys and expert reviews.

What brand of over-ear headphones is best?

Some of the best over-ear headphones we’ve tested are from brands including Sony, JBL, Bose, Bowers & Wilkins, and Sennheiser. Of course, it depends on the individual model, although these tend to get high ratings for sound quality, noise cancelling, battery life and comfort in our tests. 

How much do good over-ear headphones cost?

We’ve tested over-ear headphones that cost less than £50 to over £600, and our tests reveal, price is no indication of good sound quality. Some budget headphones we’ve tested offer better listening experiences compared to those costing hundreds. For example, the Apple AirPods Max cost over £400, but some cheaper models score higher.

It’s worth checking out our reviews, before you buy:

• Over-ear headphones under £50
• Over-ear headphones under £100
• Over-ear headphones under £300

Why are over-ear headphones so popular?

There's a reason why some of our highest-scoring headphones are over-ear models; when they're good, they're among the best you can buy for sound quality. 

In-ear vs over-ear headphones 

Sound isolation: Alongside excellent active noise cancelling, the ear cushions block out external sound without draining the battery. 

Battery life: Over-ear models usually have much longer battery life; sometimes up to six times longer than even high-performing buds. For example, an over-ear model we’ve tested runs for over 94 hours 30 minutes, while our highest performing in-ear headphones offer over nine hours’ listening time. 

Wired: Some over-ear models can also be used with a cable, so you continue to listen when the battery eventually runs out (and sound quality is marginally better). 

The chief downside of over-ear headphones is that they're bulky and tricky to transport with you. Some models will fold down and fit in a travel case, though, to make this slightly easier.

What to look for in over-ear headphones

When looking for a pair of over-ear headphones, keep an eye out for the following:

Comfort

Over-ear headphones are largely considered more comfortable than both in-ear and even on-ear headphones. They're bulkier, however, and due to the array of additional features typically included, they can also be heavier.

Notable advantages of this type of headphones include better noise-cancelling and minimal noise leakage. This is due to the earcups covering your ears entirely, keeping background noise out and playback in.

Noise-cancelling

Over-ear headphones have some of the strongest noise-cancelling available. They also include various different modes that can alter the strength of noise-cancelling, allowing some sound in. For more details on these modes, check out our guide to the best noise-cancelling headphones.

Built-in microphone

If you're planning on using your over-ear headphones to make phone calls, check whether they come with a built-in microphone. If not, you'll need to use your device's built-in microphone or attach a separate microphone, which might not provide particularly crisp sound quality.

Wired vs wireless

Wireless headphones are great, but not if the battery runs out when you're away from the mains. While the best can last upwards of 50 hours on a single charge, you may want to look for over-ear headphones that come with both wireless and wired connectivity, allowing you to quickly switch between the two as needed.

Travel case

Many over-ear headphones come packed with some form of a travel case. For more premium models, this can be a very protective hard travel case that can survive significant bumps and knocks, and will be ideal to travel with. More commonly, most models come with a less protective soft travel case, and cheaper models might not come packed with one at all.

Water resistance

Unlike many in-ear headphones, both on-ear and over-ear headphones typically aren't water resistant. Keep them dry at all times to avoid any damage.

Battery life 

Over-ear headphones tend to offer longer runtime compared to in-ear, which is ideal if you want to use them for a long journey or workout. That said, most models still need charging, so find out if the runtime will work for your needs.

Why you can trust our over-ear headphone reviews

We never accept free samples. Instead, we buy every set of headphones and put them through our intensive and independent lab tests, allowing you to choose with confidence. We also test each set using our expert and impartial listening panel, who pass judgement on everything from audio quality and noise-cancelling performance through to ease of use and comfort. Read more about how we test headphones.

For more advice on all styles of headphone, along with our top picks, see our guide to the best headphones.