Best Wireless Earbuds
Fit matters more than the spec sheet, and ecosystem lock-in catches more people out than they expect. Here's what we'd actually buy in each price band.
What separates good earbuds from great ones
Fit is the single most underrated factor in this category. The best-sounding earbuds in the world are useless if the tips don't seal properly in your ear canal, because a bad seal kills both the bass response and the noise cancelling at the same time. Before you get hung up on codec support or driver size, make sure whatever you buy comes with multiple tip sizes and actually spend the time trying a few.
After fit, the things that matter in daily use are: call quality (a lot of earbuds sound great for music and terrible for the person on the other end of a phone call), how the case handles being dropped in a bag full of keys, and whether the ANC actually helps in the situations you'll use it — trains and planes are very different noise profiles to an office.
Our picks for 2026
Apple AirPods Pro 3 — best for iPhone users
NZ price: around $419 to $449.
The Pro 3 closed most of the gap that used to exist between AirPods and the best Android-friendly earbuds — ANC is genuinely strong now, not just "fine for Apple earbuds." The instant pairing, Find My integration, and automatic switching between an iPhone, iPad and Mac are still the best in the business if you own more than one Apple device. Live translation and heart-rate sensing are neat but not the reason to buy these.
Who it suits: anyone with an iPhone as their main device — the ecosystem tricks alone are worth the price for this crowd.
Sony WF-1000XM6 — best ANC and sound quality
NZ price: around $469 to $549.
If pure audio quality and noise cancelling strength are what you care about, these currently lead the pack, Apple included. Sony's LDAC codec support means noticeably better detail on Android phones that support it, and the ANC handles low, droning noise (planes, buses) better than most earbuds this size. The case is a bit larger than AirPods Pro, and the touch controls take some learning.
Who it suits: Android users and audio-focused buyers who want the best sound and ANC regardless of brand ecosystem.
Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro — best for Samsung phones
NZ price: around $245 to $299.
These sit in an unusual sweet spot: strong ANC, a genuinely comfortable open-fit-adjacent design, and a noticeably better price than the Sony or Apple flagships above. The catch is that several of the best features — 360 audio, seamless Galaxy ecosystem switching, some health integrations — are locked to Samsung Galaxy phones specifically, not just Android in general.
Who it suits: Samsung Galaxy phone owners. If you're on a Pixel or another Android brand, the ecosystem lock-in means you won't get the full experience — the Sony above is a better fit.
Nothing Ear — best value for money
NZ price: around $199 to $229.
Nothing's earbuds punch well above their price point — solid ANC, a distinctive transparent design that doesn't look budget, and an EQ customisation app that's actually useful rather than a gimmick. They're not going to beat the Sony or AirPods Pro on outright ANC strength, but for less than half the price, most people won't notice the difference in daily use.
Who it suits: anyone who wants 90 percent of the flagship experience without paying flagship prices, on either iOS or Android.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Skipping the tip-fit test. Most brands include 3 to 4 tip sizes in the box — try all of them before deciding the ANC or bass is "just not good enough."
- Buying for ecosystem features you won't use. Samsung's best Galaxy Buds features need a Samsung phone; some AirPods Pro features need other Apple devices around. Check what actually carries over to your setup.
- Ignoring call quality. If you take a lot of calls on the move, test this specifically — it varies more between models than music quality does.
- Assuming newest means best value. Last-generation flagships (XM5, AirPods Pro 2, Buds3 non-Pro) are often discounted heavily once a new model lands, and the real-world difference is often small.
- Overlooking case battery life. The earbuds-only battery number matters less than total time including the case — check both figures, not just the headline one.
Ready to compare live NZ prices?
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