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Almost everyone on the planet has an appreciation for music in some form, and audiobooks and podcasts have skyrocketed in popularity in the past few years. Since we can’t always enjoy these things freely, having a good pair of headphones is essential.
Wireless earbuds are the most discreet form of headphones, and for many people, they are the only comfortable option. They’re highly portable, usable in any environment, and easily resized. They also offer incredible audio quality and allow you to stay active while staying connected to your audio.
If you’re interested in purchasing your first wireless earbuds or are in need of a replacement pair, there are a number of features to consider. The price, wireless range, audio quality, fit/comfort characteristics, charge time, battery life, microphone quality, level of water resistance, and more all need to be thought of while shopping.
This comprehensive guide will investigate the best wireless earbuds in Canada right now and outline the criteria you should consider while making your decision. Let’s dive right into our top five products.
Top Pick: JBL Vibe Buds True Wireless Headphones
Upgrade Pick: Sony WF1000XM5 In-Ear Noise-Cancelling True Wireless Earbuds
Running Pick: JBL Endurance Race In-Ear Sound-Isolating True Wireless Earbuds
Budget Pick: Soundcore by Anker P20i True Wireless Earbuds
The JBL Vibe Buds True Wireless Headphones have a lot to offer. Since the earbuds themselves and the protective carry case are dustproof and water-resistant, you’ll be able to enjoy your audio no matter where you’re travelling or what the weather looks like. Plus, they have a smart ambient function that allows you to still hear your environment while listening to audio. Way to stay safe!
Since you can also use them to take calls, you won’t have to take these earbuds out when your phone rings. You (and the person you’re talking to) will be pleasantly surprised by how great the audio sounds on both ends, too. And speaking of sound quality, we have an extra exciting feature to share with you. With a companion app, you can customize the sound profile of your earbuds to perfectly match your preferred genre. Cool!
There are only two reasons why you might want to continue your search. First, these don’t always provide the most secure fit, so if you’ll be running or enjoying other strenuous physical activity, these aren’t the best choice. They also don’t have the cheapest price tag, so if you’re shopping on a tight budget, you can definitely do better.
All in all, the JBL Vibe Buds True Wireless Headphones will make a great companion for pretty much any occasion. They’re resistant to dust and water (and so is their case), you can customize the sound profile on the app, and they have an amazing battery life. What more could you ask for?
Performance: 4.5/5
Usability: 4.5/5
Price: 4/5
Quality: 5/5
Reviewers are very happy with the JBL Vibe Buds True Wireless Headphones. They appreciate that they can still hear their environment while wearing the earbuds if they want to, and the sound quality for calls is perfect. They have no complaints about the audio quality while playing music, either. They would recommend it to everybody.
Buy If…
You’ll want to use your earbuds in all sorts of environments
You want to be aware of your surroundings while listening
Call-compatible earbuds would be nice
Your sound profile is important to you
Don’t Buy If…
You’re looking for something really budget-friendly
You’ll be using your earbuds during strenuous activity
Weight per Earbud: .09 lbs
Colour: Black
Battery Life per Charge: 8 hrs (+16 hrs with case)
Charge Time: 2 hrs for full charge, 10 mins for 2 hrs playtime
Bluetooth Range: 30 ft
Waterproof Rating: IP54
Button or Touch Controls: Touch
Warranty: 1 year
The Sony WF1000XM5 In-Ear Noise-Cancelling True Wireless Earbuds are some of the best earbuds out there, and they were a no-brainer choice for our upgrade pick this year. Earbuds don’t get better than this! They offer the best audio quality thanks to a wide frequency range, and with smart AI noise reduction, they’re perfect for phone calls, too.
You’ll also get to enjoy sound isolation when you’re listening to music and other audio. You can thank the active noise cancellation technology for that bonus. No matter how crowded your environment is, your audio will always come through crystal clear. Throw in Alexa compatibility and excellent touch controls, and you’ve found yourself a pretty flawless pair of earbuds, no?
The only downside to choosing these earbuds is the cost. You’ll need to invest quite a bit of money upfront to make them yours, and if you’re shopping on a budget, they just might not be a reasonable option.
All in all, the Sony WF1000XM5 In-Ear Noise-Cancelling True Wireless Earbuds are a true gem in this arena. No matter what features you’re prioritizing, we are confident that these earbuds will deliver. They’re simply the best.
Performance: 5/5
Usability: 5/5
Price: 1/5
Quality: 5/5
Reviewers have amazing things to say about the Sony WF1000XM5 In-Ear Noise-Cancelling True Wireless Earbuds. The sound quality is much better than they expected from such tiny speakers, and many of them use the Alexa feature regularly. The noise cancellation also works incredibly well — most of them would choose these again instead of over-ear ANC headphones.
Buy If…
Alexa-compatible earbuds would be nice
You want to tune out the world while you enjoy your audio
You’ll be making phone calls with your earbuds a lot
Audio quality is everything to you
Don’t Buy If…
You don’t want to spend a lot on earbuds
Weight per Earbud: 0.025 lbs
Colour: Black, silver, or smoky pink
Battery Life per Charge: 8 hrs (+16 hrs with case)
Charge Time: 1.5 hrs for full charge, 3 mins for 1 hr playtime
Waterproof Rating: IPX4
Button or Touch Controls: Touch
Warranty: 1 year
We really like the JBL Endurance Race In-Ear Sound-Isolating True Wireless Earbuds. If you’re anything like us and struggle with regular earbuds falling out all the time, these earbuds will feel like lifesavers — a curbed anchor point and snug fit make sure they stay in place no matter how you move. Their ambient mode will also keep you aware of your surroundings when you need to be. Hello, safety!
We also really appreciate the extra-long battery life on these earbuds. With 10 hours of playtime per charge, plus an extra 20 hours provided by the case, you’ll get multiple days of listening in before you need a recharge. These earbuds are equipped with a 6mm dynamic driver, and that means your bass will be coming through loud and clear. Perfect for hitting your stride, right?
There are a couple of usability issues that we want to mention before we wrap this up. First, these earbuds are a bit heavier than other options out there, so if your ears are sensitive to pressure, they might not feel as comfortable as they should. Also, the volume control (and touch button performance in general) leaves a little something to be desired. You’ll have to rely on your phone for some functions.
All in all, the JBL Endurance Race In-Ear Sound-Isolating True Wireless Earbuds offer all of the best features for staying comfortable and safe while getting active. They’re priced pretty reasonably, too. As long as you’re not shopping on a tight budget, these earbuds are a great option.
Performance: 4.5/5
Usability: 4.5/5
Price: 4/5
Quality: 5/5
Reviewers are pretty pleased with the JBL Endurance Race In-Ear Sound-Isolating True Wireless Earbuds. The anchor loop does a good job of keeping the earbuds in place while they’re walking, running, and lifting, and they are quite comfortable to wear even for more than six hours at a time. They have no complaints about audio quality and appreciate the extra-long battery life. The usability of the touch buttons is really the only issue they’ve brought up.
Buy If…
You want earbuds that will stay put no matter how you move
You need a good bass to keep you moving at your best
You don’t want to charge your earbuds very often
Safety is a concern while wearing earbuds
Don’t Buy If…
Lightweight earbuds are what you’re after
You don’t want to struggle with changing volume
Weight per Earbud: 0.1 lbs
Colour: Black, blue, or white
Battery Life per Charge: 10 hrs (+20 hrs with case)
Charge Time: 10 mins for 1 hr playback
Bluetooth Range: 50 ft
Waterproof Rating: IP67
Button or Touch Controls: Touch
Warranty: 1 year
The Soundcore by Anker P20i True Wireless Earbuds are surprisingly excellent considering their highly affordable price tag. And of course, as our budget pick, they are some of the most affordable earbuds you can find. Their 10mm drivers do an amazing job of kicking out the bass, though, and a gaming mode ensures your online adventures will always get the soundtrack they deserve.
We’re also really impressed by the customizable sound profile. With the companion app, you can choose between 22 different EQ settings to make sure your preferred genres come out the way they’re meant to be heard. And just in case you’re prone to losing precious things, there’s a Find My Earbud feature that will make the missing earbud sound an alert so you can track it down. What a relief.
There are a few things that we’d change about these earbuds if we could. These ones are just water-resistant, not fully waterproof, so you’ll need to be careful about how much water they’re exposed to. They also leave a little something to be desired in the comfort department if you’re wearing them for many hours in a row. Lastly, they don’t offer any noise cancellation, so they aren’t great for busier/louder spaces.
Overall, the Soundcore by Anker P20i True Wireless Earbuds are a pretty special combination of highly affordable and well-rounded. They aren’t perfect, but for the price and the other great features, we bet you’ll be willing to look past the flaws.
Performance: 4/5
Usability: 4/5
Price: 5/5
Quality: 4.5/5
Reviewers have mostly great things to say about the Soundcore by Anker P20i True Wireless Earbuds. They can get a bit uncomfortable after hours of wearing them, but that’s really their main concern. The audio quality is good, the battery life is excellent, and the customizable sound profile and excellent bass are big hits.
Buy If…
You’re all about the bass
You’re prone to losing things
You’d love to customize the sound profile
You don’t ever want to worry about battery life
Don’t Buy If…
You’re looking for earbuds with active noise cancellation
You’d prefer earbuds that are fully waterproof
You’ll want to wear them for hours on end
Weight per Earbud: 0.1 lbs
Colour: Black, blue, or white
Battery Life per Charge: 10 hrs (+20 hrs with case)
Charge Time: 10 mins for 2 hrs playtime
Waterproof Rating: IPX5
Button or Touch Controls: Touch
Warranty: 1 year
The Apple AirPods 4 Wireless Earbuds have a lot to offer to people with iPhones. With voice isolation technology and computational audio, all of your phone calls will be perfectly clear no matter how crowded your environment is. And with personalized spatial audio and dynamic head tracking, you’ll be getting a surround sound experience from your earbuds. That’s pretty impressive.
These earbuds are also just plain intelligent. And Siri-compatible! You can speak to Siri to change songs and adjust the volume, you can nod or shake your head to answer Siri’s questions, you can share songs with other AirPods directly, your music will pause automatically when you take your earbuds out of your ears…the list of unique and useful features goes on!
However, several things don’t quite meet our expectations with these earbuds. While we appreciate that you get a total battery life of 30 hours with the case, we don’t love that you’ll have to charge the buds so many times to take advantage of it. You only get five hours at a time! The fit is also very poor, so they’re prone to falling out a lot. You’ll have to be careful when moving around. And of course, Android users won’t get any use out of them at all.
Overall, the Apple AirPods 4 Wireless Earbuds are our top recommendation for Apple users this year. The price is fairly reasonable considering how advanced the audio tech is, and the sound quality and sophistication are truly unbeatable.
Performance: 5/5
Usability: 4/5
Price: 3.5/5
Quality: 4.5/5
Reviewers are fairly happy with the Apple AirPods 4 Wireless Earbuds. Some of their complaints include a poor fit (earbuds fall out easily) and too-frequent charging, but they’re really happy with the sound quality, call clarity, and all of the smart Apple-specific features offered by these buds. Most of them would choose these earbuds again and recommend them to other Apple users.
Buy If…
You’d love to be immersed in your audio
You make phone calls a lot with earbuds in
Intelligent, Siri-compatible earbuds are what you’re after
Don’t Buy If…
You don’t have an Apple phone
You’re looking for a long battery life
A secure fit is essential
Weight per Earbud: 0.07 lbs
Colour: White
Battery Life per Charge: 5 hrs (+25 hrs with case)
Waterproof Rating: IP54
Button or Touch Controls: Button
Warranty: 1 year
The price of wireless earbuds will range from less than $20 to several hundred dollars. As a result, you should be setting a budget early and prioritizing the features you care the most about to ensure you strike a balance between functionality and affordability.
The waterproof rating will affect how resistant your earbuds are to sweat and rain; if you will be working hard in them or exposing them to the elements regularly, you should look for a rating of IPX5 or above.
The audio and microphone quality of a pair of earbuds is perhaps the most important thing to consider. If you’ll be using them mostly for calls, this won’t be as important, but passionate music or podcast listeners should prioritize custom sound profiles and high-quality sound.
Some earbuds will be equipped with active noise-cancelling technology to minimize the audio input from your environment. This won’t be necessary for many users but may be something you wish to prioritize to enhance your listening experience in busy locations.
Since many people listen to music or podcasts or take calls for long periods, the weight and comfort of the earbuds are important. Most models come with multiple sizes of ear tips and bands to ensure you get a fit that works for your unique ears.
Earbud models will all differ in their battery life. Earbuds will last between four and 10 hours on a single charge, and their charging cases will store a different amount of power (enough for two charges, or as many as four). Depending on your ability to recharge regularly, you may need a longer battery life or choose a shorter one to save some money.
Button controls are harder to find in current models, but they are also easier to use for many people. Touch controls are more sophisticated and may result in more accidental setting changes, but they are also more desirable for many users. Know your preference before you start shopping!
Disclaimer: The prices displayed are accurate at the time of publication. We’ll do our best to keep them as up-to-date as possible, but you may see slight changes. The products in this list are ranked by independent third parties. Rankings are based on both reviews and independent testing.