Best noise-cancelling headphones 2019: Transform your cacophonous commute into soundless sailing with our pick of the top noise-busting headphones
Sick of your podcast getting drowned out in Tube tunnels? So are we.
If you're tired of turning the volume up to 11 just to hear your music over your surroundings, or just want a decent pair of cans to drown out the outside world, we've picked our favourite noise-cancelling headphones for you to choose between.
Read more: The Beats Studio3 Wireless headphones are an essential iPhone accessory
Beats Studio3 Wireless
Since being taken under the protective wing of Apple, Beats has become the de facto high-end headphone of iOS, incorporating the W1 chip that makes synchronising them with an iPhone seamless and straightforward. Their noise-cancellation works overtime to monitor the conditions around you, calibrating itself 50,000 times per second to ensure that no outside sounds intrude on your listening experience. They’re especially good for glasses wearers too, as the attentive noise-smiting algorithm compensates for the deformation of the foam cups caused by the frames of your spectacles. £300, beatsbydre.com
Sony WH-1000XM3
Updated to include Google Assistant in 2018, Sony’s flagship noise-cancelling headphones are the best in class. Using a series of microphones situated around the earcups, they block almost all exterior sounds while maintaining impeccable audio fidelity. An ‘active listening’ function allows you to tune into voices without having to remove the headphones – useful for having conversations with interrupting strangers, or eavesdropping on suspicious people. £330, sony.co.uk
Bose QC35 II
The Bose QC35s can be found clamped over the ears of most London commuters, and with good reason. They’re the ideal marriage of comfort, battery life, audio quality and noise-snuffing, less heavy than their tech-crammed counterparts, and with a snug, well-fitting profile. The most recent version introduces support for Google Assistant, allowing you to listen to and respond to notifications while strutting around the place. £300, bose.co.uk
Read more: Apple Music overtakes Spotify for number of paid subscribers in the US
Sennheiser PXC 550
The headphone of choice for the seasoned business traveller, the Sennheiser PXC 550s are tuned for air travel, with a cutting edge noise-cancellation algorithm that’s been trained to reduce the maddening roar of jet engines to the pleasant, gentle hum of a distant waterfall. The earcup doubles as a touch controller, so you can pause and skip tracks with a flick of a fingertip, while a directional microphone tuned to vocal frequencies allows you to make and receive phone calls without too much background interference. £300, sennheiser.com
B&O Beoplay H9i
Bound in a tan leather headstrap and upholstered in silky soft lambskin earpads, Bang & Olufsen’s high-end H9i headphones are more occupied with looking and sounding good than protecting you from any ‘mind the gap’ announcements. Active noise cancellation will take the edge off most noisy environments, but these headphones are for those who’d rather not compromise on style. £450, bang-olufsen.com
Microsoft Surface Headphones
Microsoft’s Surface laptops, tablets and computers are the company’s most beautifully designed hardware yet, and the Surface Headphones fit neatly into this new minimalist, metallic aesthetic. Adjustable active noise cancellation makes them the ideal pairing with a Windows 10 device. £330, microsoft.com