The Top 5 Earbuds of 2021 Ranked
When we talk of wireless earbuds, there’s no denying that Apple AirPods are the ones that’s currently dominating the market. Being the first to come out with the idea for the design, and of course with Apple being the big brand it is, it was received positively by a lot of people in the market.
But while Apple may have been the one to lead other tech giants to this new direction, there were still some areas that the AirPods could have improved on. That’s to be expected though with any pioneer idea - there will be some bugs and issues which is why we continuously get software updates and newer versions of one product.
In this comprehensive list, we take the most popular brands and compare them according to key features you would want for your wireless bud.
1. Overall Value: Spade & Co Air Buds Pro
Sound Quality: 95%
Noise Canceling: 90%
Bass: 90%
Battery Life: 95%
Durability: 90%
Price: $49.99
Overall: A+
Spade & Co has it all, a good value and it works great with any phone! We tried Spade & Co after we found the 50% Off offer. At first glance it looks similar to most of the designs that were taken from Apple’s original AirPods design, but once you’re actually wearing them, you’re in for a treat.
First of all, it’s a great fit for the ears unlike Apple’s earbuds which don’t seal and are vulnerable to drop-outs and shifting positions. We found that even in most physical activities, the Spade & Co Air Buds rest cozily in the ear canal. That in itself is already a big plus since you won’t have to replace your earbuds every time one of the pair gets lost.
And then there’s the easy connectivity to both iOS and Android so whether your assistant is Siri or Google Assistant, you’ll have no problems.
Some other features worth noting are its waterproof capability, the long battery life, and of course, the crisp sound quality together with the rich bass that’s a must-have for the audiophiles.
But my biggest joy with the Spade & Co Air Buds Pro is that it has volume control in the earbuds itself. Since I mainly use earbuds for working out, the fact that I can control the sound of my music without having to reach for my phone every time is such a blessing.
Now there’s probably other products out there with these same features, but we’re putting Spade & Co Air Buds Pro at the top of this list because you can get all the functionality of the top brands (and maybe even more) for way cheaper! We do know that they’re currently having a sale for only $49.99 so you may want to jump on that train before it leaves.
2. Most Expensive: Apple AirPods Pro
Sound Quality: 98%
Noise Canceling: 95%
Bass: 95%
Battery Life: 90%
Durability: 80%
Price: $249.99
Overall: B+
It’s no surprise that Apple AirPods Pro is the most expensive out of this list. As with any of their products, Apple is all about convenience, aesthetics, and branding. While the AirPods Pro is the clear market leader, many customers have reported crackling or static sounds.
Unsurprisingly, AirPods are working best with iPhone. If you use Android, the AirPods Pro will work with your smartphone but there are a few hiccups and you won’t get the full experience iOS users do.
Regardless of what smartphone you use, these earbuds aren’t cheap. At $249, you get no less than 5 Spade & Co AirBuds Pro for that price!
There’s still a couple of unaddressed concerns that this tech giant has to work on which means there’s a long way to go before they can proudly say that they’re the best - especially when other competitors are stepping up their game.
If you are an Apple fanboy and don’t mind splurging, then these earbuds are for you. For us though, we believe that you could’ve gotten more out of your money for such a steep price.
3. Most Old School: Bose Sport Earbuds True Wireless In-Ear Headphones
Sound Quality: 85%
Noise Canceling: 85%
Bass: 85%
Battery Life: 80%
Durability: 80%
Price: $179.95
Overall: B-
The Bose Earbuds are tailor-made for athletes and are one of the most sought-after devices for gym buffs. This means that most of their features are geared towards providing the best performance during workouts. To accomplish this, they worked on improving the waterproof capabilities of the earbuds as well as making sure that it stays in the wearer’s ear even in the most demanding of workouts.
Additionally, the Bose Sport Earbuds are made of plastic material for that lightweight durability that will surely come in handy if you’re doing some cardio.
Since this particular earbud is mainly for athletes, it doesn’t have a lot of functionality and is designed to be almost completely hands-free. The sound quality is almost on par with the Apple AirPods in terms of both bass and richness, but aside from that, there’s not much to be offered other than the comfort it brings for people who are active.
4. Most Affordable: TOZO T10
Sound Quality: 70%
Noise Canceling: None
Bass: 85%
Battery Life: 70%
Durability: 60%
Price: $29.99
Overall: C
The TOZO T10 takes the cake for being the cheapest wireless earbuds. It’s popular among the masses for having decent sound quality. It’s also very durable and is waterproof. Compared to the Apple AirPods, it also wins in terms of wearbility in the ears as it doesn’t tend to fall off easily.
What we thought when we first saw the TOZO T10 was that it was very similar to the Bose Sports Earbuds. The design is almost the same but they are comparatively smaller which in turn, decreases the noise cancellation you can get. While it does have a wider range of features compared to Bose, it doesn’t necessarily offer the best quality.
Still, it’s a good pick if you’re looking for something like the Bose Earbuds. If you live an active lifestyle but don’t have enough funds right now, the TOZO T10 can be your buddy.
5. The Worst: Senso PODS Wireless Earbuds
Sound Quality: 60%
Noise Canceling: None
Bass: 50%
Battery Life: 65%
Durability: 60%
Price: $24.99
Overall: F
The reason we’re putting Senso PODS Wireless earbuds at the bottom of the list is for a handful of reasons. Probably the biggest issue with this particular earbud is the connectivity. Of course no earbuds are perfect but the Senso PODS earbuds frequently disconnect which is annoying since the reason you got earbuds in the first place is to be hands-free. The time spent on trying to make them work is not worth the savings you get from purchasing a $24.99 product.
There’s also the problem with the sound and call quality wherein you’ll often hear a hissing or static sound. This happens often when you try to adjust the volume to the higher settings.
Sure, there are times when the Senso PODS earbuds will work nicely, but it’s usually the other way around. There’s a potential to be better in future versions, but right now, these earbuds are in a bad place.
Why We Chose Spade & Co
In all our years of testing different products, what we’ve come to realize is that there are certain ones that are truly good finds. These are the ones that have almost the same features and functions as the top brands. It takes a lot of research and a lot of time especially in the very competitive market of today where everyone is trying to create the next best thing.
In finding the next best earbuds, we looked for the ones that had a balance of all the functions one would expect in such a device. Of course, the primary concern was the sound quality. We wouldn't go too far to say that the Spade & Co Air Buds are as good as the Apple AirPods but it’s definitely up there and the difference between the two is almost unnoticeable.
Compared to the Bose Earbuds, Spade & Co offers a more sleek design that’s not too harsh on the ear canal but is big enough so you won’t have any trouble with it falling off. The volume control feature is also a great addition that you won’t find in either of these big brands. That just goes to show that whoever designed this earbud really listens to what their customers say.
Overall, the Spade & Co Air Buds Pro is the choice if you’re looking for a balance of everything. You get all of the great features of the other famous brands for a price that you won’t need to break the bank for. With these benefits in mind, we conclude that the Spade & Co Air Buds Pro is the up and coming brand that we foresee will not only be receiving a lot of positive reviews from their customers, but also have the potential to dominate the market.