As a tech critic, I’ve found the best Apple AirPods deals in the January sales

Major retailers have slashed prices across Apple’s earbuds in the new year salesFollow live: All the best deals in the January sales

The Apple AirPods 4 are still down to their Black Friday price (The Independent)

Pop the champagne, the January sales are officially here, and AirPods deals have dropped across major retailers, with discounts to be found on Apple’s AirPods Pro and even AirPods Max. If your earbuds are due for an upgrade, now’s your chance to save.

While Apple itself doesn’t ever discount its own gear, you don’t have to pay full price. Third-party retailers, such as John Lewis, Argos and Amazon, have cut prices on some of Apple’s most in-demand products. As a senior tech critic, I have not only tested nearly all of Apple’s earbuds and headphones, but I also track AirPods prices year-round, so I know when a deal is genuinely worth your time.

Alongside Apple’s headphones, the team and I have found price cuts on the Oura ring, Kindles, Ninja air fryers and much more in the January sales. But if it’s just earbuds you’re after, keep reading.

Read more: The best deals in the Amazon January sale

Best Apple AirPods deals in the January sales 2026

Apple AirPods Pro 2: Was £199, now £169, Amazon.co.uk

(Amazon)

You can currently save on the older AirPods Pro 2. With impressive sound and noticeably better noise cancellation than the first-generation Pro earbuds, the Pro 2 version boasts touch controls and up to six hours of battery life while using the noise-cancellation feature. In his review of the Apple AirPods Pro 2, tech critic David Phelan said: “Noise-cancelling was good enough to reduce continuous sounds such as engine noise on a train,” adding that “adaptive transparency worked well” too, for those moments when you want to hear what's going on around you, without turning off your tunes.

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Apple AirPods Pro 3: Was £219, now £199, Amazon.co.uk

(Apple)

In tech critic David Phelan’s AirPods Pro 3 review, he was impressed with their active noise cancelling, which is a notable improvement on previous models. The battery life has also jumped up to eight hours with ANC, compared with the six hours you’d get with the AirPods Pro 2. Right now, there’s £20 off the buds at Amazon, as well as other retailers, including John Lewisand AO.

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Apple AirPods Max, refurbished: Was £499, now £367, Backmarket.co.uk

(Apple)

While there aren’t any deals to be found on Apple’s over-ear AirPods Max, you can currently find a £150 saving on a refurbished pair from Back Market. In my round-up of the best wireless headphones, I raved about Apple’s spatial audio. “The sound of your favourite tunes coming from all directions around your head is absolutely mind-blowing, and it will make you fall in love with your favourite songs all over again,” I wrote.

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