The holiday shopping season is quickly approaching, and headphones and earbuds are among the more challenging products to purchase for a loved one. There are an absurd number of headphones and earbuds out there, and picking the “best” can feel like finding a needle in an exceptionally large haystack. 

Also: ZDNET’s Gift of the Year Awards – our favorite tech of 2026

We’ve tested 17 pairs of the latest earbuds and can recommend what you should buy this holiday season based on objective testing and subjective real-world experience. I recently synced up with CNET’s David Carnoy and PCMag’s Eric Zeman to discuss our favorite headphone gift picks in a new video series called Holiday Office Hours from the Lab.

Our lab found that the Apple AirPods Pro 3 and Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds have the strongest noise cancellation among the earbuds we’ve tested this year.

If you’re looking for a pair of over-ears, I recommend the Sennheiser Momentum 5. We haven’t tested them in our lab yet, but I haven’t put them down since I got them this summer.

Here’s why each pair is worth your attention when gift shopping this winter.

Sony’s earbuds are perfect for Android

For Android users, the Sony WF-1000XM6 are the best earbuds not made by either Google or Samsung, as Sony has equipped them with advanced Android-exclusive features. The WF-1000XM6 features Google Fast Pair, Find Hub support, and LE Audio, including Auracast. Thanks to their robust Android-friendly feature set, I gave them an Editors’ Choice award.

Review: Sony WF-1000XM6

Apple users don’t have equivalent options when wearing the WF-1000XM6, so Android users can enjoy bragging rights by maximizing the best features of Sony’s most advanced earbuds.

I tested the WF-1000XM6 when they were released in February, and they have exceptional noise cancellation, great sound, and up to eight hours of continuous playback with ANC on — right on par with Apple’s AirPods Pro 3.

Also: Sony WF-1000XM6 vs. Apple AirPods Pro 3

We set the WF-1000XM6 up in our lab’s EARS Pro, a custom earbuds testing rig. According to our testing, the WF-1000XM6’s noise reduction across low-, mid-, and high-pitched noises averaged -33.9 dB, with -41.9 dB in low frequencies, -31 dB in midrange frequencies, and -32.3 dB in high-pitched frequencies.

Stellar low-frequency noise reduction means the WF-1000XM6 handles plane engines, rumbling air conditioners, and noise inside a car’s cabin very well.

ZDNET/Cole Kan

Apple fans, the Pro 3 earbuds are for you

On the other hand, the Apple AirPods Pro 3 are the best earbuds for Apple users, with exceptional ANC, in-ear heart rate monitoring, intelligent features, and deep iOS integration. If you’ve upgraded your iPhone to iOS 27, the AirPods Pro 3 get even better, with a new equalizer, more fitness tracking options, and more intuitive adaptive audio features. 

Also: Your AirPods got better in iOS 27 – three new ways I’m using them

The AirPods Pro 3’s best features are exclusive to iOS, making these buds the absolute best choice for Apple users looking for earbuds with the most complete feature set. The Pro 3 earbuds are Apple’s best — ever. With that in mind, we gave them an Editors’ Choice award.

I don’t leave home without making sure my AirPods Pro 3 are in my bag, as I often make hands-free phone calls with them, pop them in at the grocery store, and wear them at the gym. The AirPods Pro 3’s earbuds and charging case have an IP57 durability rating, making them dustproof and waterproof. 

Review: Apple AirPods Pro 3

Apple’s flagship earbuds topped our lab results, averaging -35.8 dB in noise reduction across low-, mid-, and high-pitched noises. The Pro 3 excelled in the midrange, with a noise reduction of -36.3 dB. Apple’s flagship earbuds reduced noise by -41.6 dB at low frequencies, -36.3 dB at midrange frequencies, and -33.1 dB at high-pitched frequencies, according to our lab testing.

In the real world, this figure supports the Pro 3’s effective dampening of human voices, which is valuable in coffee shops, offices, or any environment where you want to reduce hearing other people talking.

The AirPods Pro 3’s lab results earned it a ZDNET Lab Award, and rightfully so.

Sennheiser, my favorite headphones

If you’re in the market for over-ear headphones but don’t want to try the latest from Sony, Apple, or Bose, I recommend the Sennheiser Momentum 5. Sennheiser’s latest flagship headphones debuted with improved ANC, Dolby Atmos support, an easily user-replaceable battery, 57 hours of playtime, and more app controls.

Regardless of your device’s operating system, you can get the most out of the Momentum 5 headphones, which is always a plus. The Momentum 5 can easily switch between an iPhone and a Lenovo laptop, all without losing any of its best features.

Review: Sennheiser Momentum 5

The Momentum 5 also opts for official Dolby Atmos licensing for spatial audio, meaning that the headphones reproduce Dolby Atmos content faithfully. Many of its contemporaries — Sony, Bose, and JBL — opt for in-house spatial upmixes that can degrade the spatial audio experience.

I’ve worn the Momentum 5 while sitting at my desk working, on flights, and on long car rides, and it never missed a beat. Given its lack of ecosystem favoritism, hours-long comfort, and balanced sound, I gave the Momentum 5 an Editors’ Choice award and selected it as one of ZDNET’s Gift of the Year finalists. 

Also: Thanks, Sennheiser – I’m retiring my Bose and Sony headphones

If you or the special someone you’re gifting for wants a very solid pair of headphones with a clean, nondescript design, great sound, solid ANC, a marathon battery life, a user-replaceable battery, and great spatial audio performance, look no further than the Momentum 5.