With smartphones becoming highly sought after gadgets in the Indian home, similar demand for affordable earbuds has also followed suit. And there’s nothing harder than choosing between a pair of earphones as the market is chock full of options. It’s quite easy to end up with a pair that doesn’t have good fit or sound quality or battery life.
Ideally, the best earphones should offer in-ear comfort and fit even with long sessions, great sound quality of course, and good battery life. Keeping that in mind, we’ve come up with a list that should make it easy to choose a pair. There are mainly two types – wired and wireless. And there are numerous options for both categories starting at just around Rs 1,000 going all the way up to Rs 20,000 and more. Newer models might be completely wire-free, but if battery life is a concern for you, you might want a pair of wired buds.
We’re constantly reviewing new pairs of earphones, so we’re always updating this list as we find better ones available.
Here are the top 10 best earbuds, covering high to low price ranges:
Not sold on earphones? Check out our guide to the best headphones of any type.
1. 1More Triple Driver In-Ear Headphone
The best in-ear headphone to buy
Acoustic design: Closed | Weight: N/A | Cable length: N/A | Frequency response: 20 – 40,000Hz | Drivers: N/A | Driver type: Dynamic | Sensitivity: 99 dB at 1KHz | Impedance: 32 ohms | Battery life: N/A | Wireless range: N/A | NFC: N/A
Extremely good sound quality
Excellent build and design
Cheap remote quality
1More is known for offering great value for money with its products – the 1More Triple Driver in-ear headphones are no different. The three drivers produce impressive sound quality with deep bass that is hard to find in any other earphone.
1More also bundles nine sets of ear tips, thus ensuring a comfortable fit for all. The only concern could be the quality of the remote, but the sound and the rest of the build is excellent.
Read the full review: 1More Triple Driver In-Ear Headphone
2. Mi Sports Bluetooth
One of the best sounding earbuds for the price
Acoustic design: Closed | Weight: 13.6g | Cable length: N/A | Drivers: Micro Dynamic | Driver type: Dynamic | Sensitivity: 100dB | Impedance: N/A | Battery life: 9 hours | Wireless range: 10m | NFC: N/A
Earhook design for a good fit
Great value
Microphone not up to the task
Xiaomi recently launched the Mi Sports Bluetooth Earphones in India refreshing the old Mi Neckband, with a neckband style pair of wireless earphones at extremely low prices. You get IPX4 water resistance, dynamic bass and up to 9 hours of playback time at a price that is generally reserved for wired earphones.
If you are looking to get started with Bluetooth earphones, the Mi Sports Bluetooth can be a good option. It is affordable, offers Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, dynamic bass and more without costing a lot.
3. OnePlus Bullets Wireless 2
Super affordable quality wireless audio
Acoustic design: Closed | Weight: 308g | Cable length: N/A | Frequency response: N/A | Drivers: 10mm | Driver type: Knowles Balanced Armature | Sensitivity: N/A | Impedance: N/A | Battery life: 14 hours | Wireless range: 10m | NFC: N/A
Magnetic on/off switch
Wonderfully balanced sound
Strong wireless connection
Average battery life
OnePlus launched the successor to its first wireless earbuds earlier this year, alongside the OnePlus 7 Series. OnePlus has made some important hardware upgrades, especially in terms of battery life to improve the user experience on the Bullets Wireless 2.
The neck-bud design also offers better battery life and sturdiness when compared to truly wireless earbuds.
Read the full review: OnePlus Bullets Wireless
4. Sony MDR-XB510AS
Acoustic design: Closed | Weight: 9g | Cable length: 1.2m | Frequency response: 20-20kHz | Drivers: 12mm | Driver type: Neodymium | Sensitivity: 111dB at 1kHz | Impedance: 16 Ohm | Battery life: N/A | Wireless range: 10m (30ft.) | NFC: N/A
Sony is known for its high-quality accessories and products across a wide spectrum. The XB510AS bring that Sony quality along with an arc design to keep you motivated through your workout and running sessions.
The XB510AS offer punchy bass for moving, deep sound. They also carry IPx5/7 certification, so together with the arc design, you can carry them for your workouts without worrying about spoiling them.
5. JBL E25BT
Acoustic design: N/A | Weight: 16.5g | Cable length: N/A | Frequency response: 20-20,000Hz | Drivers: 8mm | Driver type: Dynamic | Sensitivity: N/A | Impedance: 16 ohms | Battery life: 8 hours | Wireless range: N/A | NFC: N/A
If you are looking for a basic pair of wireless earphones that get out of your way and deliver a good sound experience without too much fuss, the JBL E25BT could be a good option.
Offering up to 8 hours of battery life and a neck clip to keep it in place, the JBL E25BT has an in-line mic and a set of controls that lets you switch between calls and music seamlessly.
6. Skullcandy Ink’d
Acoustic design: N/A | Weight: 59 grams | Cable length: N/A | Frequency response: 20 – 20,000Hz | Drivers: N/A | Driver type: N/A | Sensitivity: 85dB | Impedance: N/A | Battery life: 8 hours | Wireless range: N/A | NFC: N/A
Skullcandy has been around for a long time now and its audio products stand out for their quality. The Ink’s is a pair standard neckband style of wireless earphones that works and gets out of your way.
The neckband style also lets Skullcandy offer better battery life and range, along with improved sturdiness. The Ink’d is good, affordable option if you are looking for something that works without too much fuss.
7. Bose SoundSport Wireless
One of the best you can get
Acoustic design: Closed | Weight: 23g | Battery life: 6 hours | Wireless range: 10 m | NFC: Yes
Balanced sound
Very comfortable build
Works with Siri and Google Now
Not very good battery life
There’s no shortage of sub-Rs 13k headphones on the market, but the Bose SoundSport is one of the best out there. Its sound signature is something known to be unique to Bose and you can get around six hours of battery life on it which is decent.
Bose offers great build quality, sound and a winged tip design, making them one of the most well-rounded in-ear headphones out there in the market. No, they’re not cheap, but again, you get what you pay for.
8. Realme Buds Wireless
The reliable and affordable one
Acoustic design: N/A | Weight: 13.5 grams | Cable length: 1.25 m | Frequency response: 20-20,000Hz | Drivers: N/A | Driver type: N/A | Sensitivity: 106dB | Impedance: 32 ohms | Battery life: N/A | Wireless range: 10 m | NFC: N/A
Ergonomic
Functional remote and magnetic buds
Long battery life
Flashy colors,
Lack of USB-C port
Despite being new into the accessories space, Realme has delivered a very good product at first try. They’re ergonomic, comfortable, and deliver good sound. They may be heavy on bass but are light in weight and on the wallet. The attention to detail is there as well with magnets being used in the buds to clamp them when not in use.
Stated simply, they’re comfortable in-ear headphones that will not disappoint for the price.
9. Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear
Fully-featured and powerful in-ear headphones
Acoustic design: N/A | Weight: 16g | Cable length: 4.2 feet | Frequency response: 15-22,000Hz | Drivers: N/A | Driver type: N/A | Sensitivity: 118 dB SPL | Impedance: 18 ohms | Battery life: N/A | Wireless range: N/A | NFC: N/A
Affordable
Stellar sound
Different model for each mobile OS
The Sennheiser Momentum in-ear earphones don’t just look great, they also offer killer sound quality. They are lightweight and play well with Android and iOS devices alike.
These are the among the best deals in the headphones market as it stands today. Enjoy powerful bass, detailed vocal projection and great sound stage that Sennheiser is known for.
Read the full review: Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear
10. 1More Quad Driver In-Ear Headphones
More expensive than the Triple Drivers, but more powerful too
Acoustic design: Closed | Weight: 18.5 g | Cable length: 1.25 m | Frequency response: 20 – 40,000Hz | Drivers: N/A | Driver type: Dynamic | Sensitivity: 99 dB at 1KHz | Impedance: 32 ohms | Battery life: N/A | Wireless range: N/A | NFC: N/A
Balanced sound
Excellent build quality
Not good as the predecessor
If the triple-driver earphones from 1More don’t do it for you, you will want to give these quad-driver earphones a shot. They come with four drivers integrated into an aluminium shell, which delivers amazing sound and comfort to its users.
Just like its younger sibling, the 1MORE Quad Driver comes with nine sets of ear tips and is compatible with both iOS and Android.
The earphones may sound costly to some, but if you are looking for a great build and balanced audio quality, then they are worth every extra penny.
Read the full review: 1More Quad Driver In-Ear Headphones
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