The best earbuds for small ears in 2023, tested and reviewed

Small earbuds aren’t simply for listening to music or podcasts in your commute. They’re your exercise companions. Your leisure portals. Even your main communication hyperlink to the skin world. But none of these situations matter in case you can’t get the proper match. For these with smaller ears, discovering a cushty and steady pair of earbuds will be an train in frustration. Don’t fret; we’ve rounded up the best earbuds for small ears in numerous types and value factors so you may lastly discover that good pair. 

How we selected the best earbuds for small ears

We selected the best Bluetooth ‘buds for small ears by first searching for out earbuds with light-weight, ergonomic housings, loads of ear suggestions sizes, or some mixture of the three to make sure a top quality match for all ear sorts. We additionally centered on elements like price-to-performance, comfort options, audio high quality, and extras like energetic noise cancellation and transparency mode. To discover the highest fashions, we used a mixture of hands-on testing by PopSci staffers and contributors, skilled and person opinions, and hands-on private expertise.

The best earbuds for small ears: Reviews & Recommendations

Our checklist of the best earbuds for small ears has a bit one thing for everybody (no pun meant), together with all kinds of types and characteristic units, a mixture of high-performance and worth picks, and, in fact, aware design. If you’re after the best or the most affordable choices, you’ll need first to take a look at our Best Overall or Best Value picks, however we suggest you survey the complete checklist to seek out the best match for you in extra methods than one.

Best general: Sony LinkBuds S

Specs 

• Battery Life: Up to six hours, 20 hours whole with charging case
• Weight: 4.8 grams
• Price: $199.99

Pros

• Light and cozy match
• Clear and detailed sound
• Multiple superior options
• Natural transparency mode
• Stylish shade choices

Cons

• Noise-canceling is simply OK
• A bit costly at full value

Sony’s LinkBuds S earbuds are an intriguing design idea that nearly immediately grew to become our go-to choose for small ears. Their namesake earbuds—the unique distinct, diminutive LinkBuds—use uniquely crafted ring drivers with a gap via the center, which, whereas totally slotting beneath the antihelix, lets in exterior sounds always to maintain you conscious of your environment, for higher or worse. That’s nice for operating, biking, and different actions in always altering, equally fast-paced environments. But not nice in case you want some separation and isolation. The LinkBuds S goal to imitate that method with an ultra-light design that trades the bodily gap for onboard microphones so you may simply let in or suppress exterior sounds for higher versatility.

The buds include 4 units of ear suggestions, together with an extra-small measurement, and their weight of beneath 5 grams permits them to virtually disappear in your ears. The result’s a pair of earbuds which are extremely comfy to put on for hours, particularly for these with smaller match necessities.

Like different Sony earbuds, the LinkBuds S supply superior options like automated ambient sound management that swaps between noise canceling and transparency mode primarily based in your atmosphere, and a Speak to Chat characteristic that may pause audio playback while you discuss. Other options embody an EQ for sound adjustment, multipoint pairing (through an replace) to connect with two units without delay, and Android-only options like the flexibility to robotically play sound from companies like Spotify while you pop them in.

Their mild sound profile is admired for its readability and element throughout genres. Noise-canceling isn’t as efficient as flagship Sony buds just like the WF-1000XM4 and WF-1000XM5, however it’s bought sufficient grit to tamp down low rumbles and different environmental annoyances. Call high quality and transparency mode each rank among the many prime in their class, with voices and different results sounding clear and pure. What’s extra, now you can usually discover the LinkBuds S on sale for properly under their authentic $200 value level.

With supreme consolation, a well-rounded characteristic set, and good audio efficiency, the LinkBuds S are a superb pair of all the things earbuds for ears of all sizes.

Best for iPhone: Apple AirPods Pro (2nd technology) with MagSafe Charging Case (USB‑C)

Specs 

• Battery Life: Up to six hours per cost, 24 with the case
• Weight: 5.3 grams per bud
• Price: $249

Pros

• Fantastic options and controls
• Great noise canceling
• Adaptive ambient sound
• Clear and balanced audio high quality
• Light and cozy match

Cons

• Highly restricted for Android and PC use
• Fit might jostle throughout heavy exercises

Apple’s newest model of the enduring AirPods Pro earbuds seems virtually precisely just like the others, with most upgrades happening beneath the hood of each the earbuds and their case (now that includes MagSafe and USB-C charging choices). But the brand new mannequin consists of one essential addition in terms of the match: a magnetic ear tip in measurement additional small. That makes their ethereal match all of the extra adaptable for small ears.

So, what else is nice concerning the AirPods Pro (Gen. 2)? If you’re an iPhone/Apple person, it’s possible you’ll as properly ask what isn’t, and you received’t provide you with a lot of a solution. They’ve bought nice sound high quality and top-notch noise canceling. Their transparency mode is essentially the most pure we’ve tested, whereas additionally suppressing dangerously loud environmental noises. They’ve even grown in worth over time with the addition of an Adaptive Audio mode that transitions between noise canceling and transparency mode in real-time primarily based in your atmosphere. This means you get essentially the most expansive, responsive sonic expertise irrespective of your location.

As you’d anticipate, the AirPods Pro work brilliantly with Apple units. They supply Find My assist to trace down the case and the buds, the flexibility to bounce between units related to your iCloud account as wanted, and Personalized Spatial Audio assist with head-tracking for a extra immersive expertise with all streaming audio, however particularly Dolby Atmos-encoded content material on Apple Music. You’ll additionally get voice-activated Siri for hands-free management, whereas the intuitive contact controls now embody a useful quantity slider.

Android and PC customers will wish to steer clear, as most of the AirPods Pro’s key options aren’t obtainable outdoors the Apple ecosystem. Otherwise, the one notable downsides embody a comparatively excessive value and a semi-open match that tends to jostle a bit throughout heavy exercises. There’s additionally no obtainable EQ outdoors of iOS, however we hardly ever felt the necessity to regulate audio throughout analysis. 

The AirPods Pro (Gen 2) are our favourite buds for iPhone customers, together with these with small ears, offering nice efficiency, top-flight options, and a severely comfy experience. And in case you have any plans to get the upcoming Apple Vision Pro, these are tailored companions that assist unlock all of the wearable’s AR capabilities.

Best splurge: Technics EAH-AZ80

Specs 

• Battery Life: Up to 7 hours, 24 hours with charging case
• Weight: 7 grams per bud
• Price: $299.99

Pros

• Superb sound high quality
• Three-device multipoint pairing
• Loads of adjustable options
• Stable and customizable match
• Good noise canceling

Cons

The EAH-AZ80 might not appear like the best selection for small ears, with their extruded exteriors and comparatively hefty weight of seven grams per bud. But Technics has been exhausting at work on its concha-fit design, drawing up well-crafted housings that grip snuggly into the outside of even smaller ears thanks in half to seven completely different ear tip shapes and sizes for outstanding customization.

While the match is spectacular, it’s the fabulous sound that actually sells these earbuds. Their 10mm free-edge dynamic drivers serve up a spacious soundstage with excellent element, a heat and hefty low-end, and a taut higher register that deftly reproduces instrumental timbres. Noise-canceling can also be spectacular, even when it doesn’t fairly attain the heights of prime picks like Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra buds or Sony’s WF-1000XM5.

Along with their nice efficiency, the AZ80 present loads of prime options throughout the Technics app, letting you regulate the EQ, noise canceling, contact controls, and different settings to tailor the expertise to your preferences. Perhaps essentially the most notable characteristic is their multipoint pairing, which helps you to join to 3 completely different units without delay throughout Apple, Android, or Windows ecosystems for versatile multi-tasking aided by eight high-sensitivity MEMS mics for voice detection and noise suppression.

While we nonetheless suggest these with significantly fussy ears try the match first, the AZ80 are among the many most adaptable earbuds we’ve tested. Though their value is excessive, you may normally discover them on sale, and their many different spoils assist justify the expense. If you’re choosy about sound high quality, these Technics buds ship a few of the best efficiency in the marketplace.

Best battery life: Anker Soundcore Space A40

Specs 

• Battery Life: 7-10 hours per cost, as much as 50 hours with the charging case
• Weight: 4.9 grams per bud
• Price: $99.99

Pros

• Detailed, adjustable sound 
• Impressive noise cancellation for the cash
• Light and cozy design
• Customizable options
• Multipoint pairing

Cons

• No auto pause
• Touch sensors will be finicky

Anker’s Soundcore Space A40 are simply too good for the cash. They begin issues off with stellar design and nice sound. That’s backed by loads of options, together with a few of the best noise canceling we’ve heard at their value, and the flexibility to regulate all the things from the EQ and controls to wind noise and even connection latency for cellular gaming.

Of course, one of many qualities we love most concerning the Space A40 is how supremely comfy they’re for a wide range of ear shapes and sizes. They’re notably mild at beneath 5 grams per bud, and include 5 completely different ear tip units that can assist you discover the proper match. Their housings are formed like bullets, gliding easily into your ear canal. While they will jostle throughout critical exercises, they’re steady for most actions, from yard work to climbing.

We discovered the sound to be a bit snappy at first, however you may simply regulate the profile to style throughout the Soundcore app, and even personalize it with their HearID characteristic. As touched on above, we had been additionally blown away by how good their noise canceling is for the cash, simply outdoing most different choices in their class, and some properly above it.

One of the one options these earbuds don’t supply is (oddly) any sort of auto-pausing, one thing we usually anticipate at this value. We additionally discovered the contact controls to be considerably finicky now and again, however we love the flexibility to customise the format, and they often labored properly in most situations as soon as we bought used to them.

Even in case you don’t have finicky ears, the Space A40 are among the many very best choices for the cash, providing sound efficiency, options, and a normal design that feels way more premium than their price ticket suggests. Need one thing particularly for downtime, not go time? The firm additionally presents the Sleep A10 earbuds, which use a four-point noise masking system to dam out noise with out ANC and Bluetooth 5.2 so to hearken to audio out of your favourite apps or white noise and soothing sounds on the soundcore app, all at low-frequency ranges in a low-profile type that can assist you sleep and chill out.

Best price range: JLab JBuds Mini 

Specs 

• Battery Life: Up to five.5 hours per cost, 20 hours whole with charging case
• Weight: 3.3 grams per bud
• Price: $39.99

Pros

• Feather-light weight
• Adjustable sound
• Multipoint pairing
• Transparency mode
• IP55 water resistance

Cons

• Only three ear tip sizes
• No noise canceling

The JBuds Mini are among the many smallest earbuds you’ll discover, making them particularly interesting to these with match points in the inside canal and exterior concha. Unlike most decisions on our checklist, these minuscule buds solely embody three ear tip sizes, that means they received’t be as adaptable to significantly difficult ear canals.

Still, they’ve bought loads going for them, beginning with a strikingly mild design of simply over three grams per facet. They additionally supply comparatively balanced sound, which is adjustable in the JLab app. At this value, that already places them forward of the sport.

Their measurement means they’re not solely simpler to suit in your ears, but in addition in your pocket, barely making a dent. Seriously, this stuff are shockingly tiny. They additionally supply options you may not anticipate at this degree, together with transparency mode to maintain you conscious of your environment and multipoint pairing, one thing loads of pricier buds don’t embody. They add good water resistance, fast charging, and an array of shade choices for a complete lot of worth packed into very tiny frames. If you’re price-conscious, we’re additionally comfy recommending Skullcandy’s $30 Dime 3 earbuds in case you like a stemmed physique and TOZO’s A1 earbuds, which will be had for beneath $20. And in case you simply wish to discover different manufacturers, the 1MORE PistonBuds Pro ANC Earbuds supply a bullet physique nearer to $40 with reductions (or the ComfoBuds Mini for a ridiculously compact design at a barely greater value).

Things to think about earlier than shopping for earbuds for small ears

There are many elements to think about when procuring for the best earbuds for small ears; these are those we deemed most essential when conducting our analysis.

Ear suggestions 

When it involves ear suggestions, the extra sizes, the higher. For small ears, in explicit, we usually goal for 4 ear tip sizes, together with at the least one pair in “extra small.” Earbuds that include greater than 4 or 5 pairs of ear suggestions normally additionally embody a wide range of shapes, which will help these with difficult ears discover that elusive comfortable but comfy match.

Weight

Five grams. That’s the unofficial weight for earbuds that are inclined to really feel like they’ve disappeared in your ears. Lower-weight buds are all the time appreciated, however we’ve additionally discovered enduring consolation in earbuds that weigh a good bit extra, so long as the designers are adept in ergonomics. A number of years again, virtually all earbuds weighed greater than 5 grams, and most had been formed poorly sufficient to start to offend your ears after an hour or two. These days, we’re stunned when any earbuds of word fail to supply at the least a number of hours of comfy listening.

Nearly any pair of earbuds on our checklist will supply primary options like complete onboard controls and accessible sound, however most trendy earbuds supply much more in case you’re prepared to cough up round $100 or so. At that value, you may anticipate conveniences like energetic noise cancellation to suppress the world round you and transparency mode to maintain you conscious while you’re in high-traffic areas.

An app to regulate settings can also be one thing to look out for, particularly useful for audio changes like EQ, customized listening, or an earbuds finder to trace down your minuscule buds after they’re misplaced. You might also wish to search out options like auto-pause while you take an earbud out or a QI wi-fi charging case.

FAQs

Final ideas on the best earbuds for small ears

If you’ve been laboring to discover a pair of earbuds that may lastly suit your difficult ears, our checklist above must be an ideal information. Frankly, that is the best time to purchase earbuds for any variety of wants or use instances, because of superior know-how, extra choices, and falling costs. That means even these with small ears ought to uncover a glut of obtainable choices. These are our favorites and, as we hope you’ll agree, a few of the best buds in the marketplace for ears huge or small.

Why belief us

Popular Science began writing about know-how greater than 150 years in the past. There was no such factor as “gadget writing” once we printed our first subject in 1872, but when there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for on a regular basis readers means we’d have been throughout it. Here in the current, PopSci is totally dedicated to serving to readers navigate the more and more intimidating array of units in the marketplace proper now.

Our writers and editors have mixed a long time of expertise protecting and reviewing client electronics. We every have our personal obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video video games to cameras and past—however once we’re reviewing units outdoors of our quick wheelhouses, we do our best to hunt out reliable voices and opinions to assist information individuals to the very best suggestions. We know we don’t know all the things, however we’re excited to dwell via the evaluation paralysis that web procuring can spur so readers don’t must.