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Ditch the wires and listen to music wherever you go
In 2021, there’s no chance we’d be caught dead wearing a pair of wired earbuds to the gym – or anywhere for that matter. No shade intended, it’s just that those wires can really get in the way.
Having to keep your phone in your sports bra so it’s close enough that your earbuds don’t become unplugged mid-run, or getting tangled up each time you turn over during a tanning session is simply not fun.
Trust us, once you’ve tasted that sweet, sweet freedom of wireless earbuds, there’s just no going back – and these days, there’s no sacrificing on sound quality or other features. But AirPods and other luxury models can be downright expensive.
While we’d like to say you can’t put a price on that kind of freedom, it turns out you can. So we decided to round up the best budget-friendly AirPod alternatives, and just in time for sunbathing weather, too.
So, obviously, we wanted to focus on price, while getting the best quality earbuds we could find. With most luxury models costing upwards of £200, we vowed to stay under £180, with most of our picks costing under £100.
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As well as price and sound quality, we wanted to consider design, comfort, battery life, ease of use, portability and other features like noise cancellation, ambient noise settings and touch-sensitive controls.
You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
Our best buy has to be the Edifier TS1 Pros – they were by far the best in terms of quality, and, at a fraction of the cost of some others in this lineup, they couldn’t be beaten. If you are looking to go slightly up-market, though, the LG tone free FN7s are definitely the best luxury AirPod alternative.
If you’re planning to use your earbuds predominantly for sports, we suggest the JBL reflect mini NC earbuds and, if you’re hoping to save on pennies and your carbon footprint, the Champion true wireless earbuds are a no-brainer.
For the latest discounts on Airpods and other tech offers, try the below links:
Combine best wireless earbuds with the best mobile phone deals
Still deciding? check out our review of the AirPods Max vs AirPods Pro: Should you buy Apple’s earbuds or headphones?