HOW WE PICKED THE BEST WIRED EARBUDS

Our wireless earbud recommendations are based on a mix of hands-on testing and research. Here are what features we recommend you look out for:

Connectors: The wired earbuds in our guide terminate into one of three connectors:

— 3.5mm: This is the thin, tube-shaped connector most people associate with any wired earbuds. Wired earbuds with this style of connector can be plugged into any device with a standard headphone jack: computers, tablets, older phones, recorders, etc. If you want a pair of wired earbuds that are compatible with the highest number of devices, regardless of their manufacturer, this is the type of earbud to get.

— Lightning: Wired earbuds with a Lightning connector can be plugged directly into the charging port of any iPhone, or an entry-level iPad. Using a pair of wired earbuds with a Lighting connector allows you to avoid using an adapter. This convenience comes at the cost of compatibility, though, as this style of wired earbud can only be used with two devices.

— USB-C: Wired earbuds with a USB-C connector were designed to service the same purpose as Lightning wired earbuds, but for Android devices. Again, these wired earbuds plug directly into an Android phone's USB-C port, so you don't need to use an adapter. However, USB-C ports have started showing up on Android tablets, Macs, and PCs, so you can use this style of wired earbuds with those devices as well.

Noise Cancellation: There are two types of noise cancellation where headphones are concerned: passive and active.

Passive noise cancellation means the seal your earbud makes around your ear canal physically blocks out unwanted sounds. This type of noise cancellation requires you additional battery life, but is somewhat limited. Sure, you'll hear less noise, but it's basically the equivalent of sticking your finger in your ears, albeit with the added benefit of listening to music you like.

Active noise cancellation is what most people think of when they hear the term noise cancellation. Microphones built into the earbud automatically filter out sounds that fall within a particular frequency range. Headphone manufacturers have become savvy enough to tune their wired earbuds to prevent common noises — think airplane engines or air conditioners — from reaching your ears. Enabling active noise cancellation will eat into your wired earbuds' battery life, but may allow you to listen to music at lower volumes, since you won't have as much outside noise to block out.

Eartip Type: The end of an earbud that fits inside your ear is referred to as its tip, and there are two types to consider: hardshell and gummy.

Hardshell eartips don't create as much of a seal around your ear, which means their bass response will be a little weak, and their passive noise cancellation won't be as good. That said, wired earbuds with hardshell tips are almost guaranteed to fit and stay inside your ears.

Gummy eartips are common on most wired earbuds these days because they're required for active noise cancellation, and make the headphones sound better by creating a seal around your ear. The downside of gummy eartips is that their seal may eventually weaken, at which point the earbuds will pop out of your ears. To combat this, manufacturers of gummy-tipped wired earbuds include multiple sizes of eartip with their headphone. We strongly recommend taking an hour or so to find the eartips that fit your ear best before walking outside and running the risk of losing your wired earbuds.

Microphones: All of the earbuds we're recommending have microphones inside of them, which makes them convenient to use during conference calls if you're working from a computer without a built-in mic. Wired earbuds have microphones even if they don't support active noise cancellation. Find out more about how we test audio gear.