Searching for a last-minute gift? These 9 headphones are some of our top rated

From high-end to budget, these top headphones make great presents

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Thebest headphonesmake excellent Christmas gifts. These days, the top headphones you can buy are beautifully-designed, packed with features and make your favorite tunes sound outstanding. For all of these reasons, a good pair of headphones make a special present to open on the big day.

There are several headphone and earbud designs to choose from these days, like thebest wireless earbudsor thebest bone conduction headphones. But many people – audiophiles often included – still prefer a pair of thebest over-ear headphones, which have a headband and two cups.

Of course, everyone is different. But we’d also bet that if you’re buying a gift for a loved one these holidays, a pair of over-ear headphones is a safer bet than any other style. The problem is, with so much choice these days, it can be hard to know which pair you should buy.

In this gift guide we’ve selected the best of the best headphones, the best noise-cancelling headphones and then our top budget picks. We’ve focused on who each pair would be best for, and even offered alternative suggestions under each. Whoever you’re buying a headphones gift for this Christmas, there should be a solid recommendation here that’ll suit them.

If you’re considering buying a pair of headphones for a loved one but don’t necessarily need an over-ear design, check out ourbest wireless earbuds gift guideinstead. We also highly recommend you take a look at our other guides to the bestChristmas salesin the US andBoxing Day salesin the UK. They’re packed with even more great holiday andChristmas gift ideas.

Best headphone gifts for most people

Best for most people

You can’t go wrong with these

TheSony WH-1000XM4headphones are the top pick in our ultimatebest headphonesranking for good reason. They’re not cheap, but they deliver excellent noise-cancellation and surprising sound quality in a lightweight, comfortable design. We can’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t be extremely happy to find these over-ears under the Christmas tree.

Less of a mainstream crowd-pleaser, but audiophiles would also love the incredibly impressiveFocal Bathys.

Best for sound

Seriously stunning sound

TheEdifier Stax Spirit S3are one impressive pair of over-ear headphones, with a light, comfortable and foldable design, detailed and engaging sound, and epic battery life. The only downside? There’s no noise-cancelling here, meaning they’re not the best for commuting or those who need ultimate focus. Otherwise, they’re near-perfect headphones.

TheSennheiser HD-660S2are a solid alternative option if you’re buying for someone keen on an open-back design.

Best value

Solid specs for this price

TheFinal Audio UX3000headphones may look simple, but they deliver a confident and articulate sound and pack in a whole bunch of solid specifications, including aptX Low Latency Bluetooth, a long 35-hours of battery life, and active noise cancellation. All of that in a comfortable design and for a price that seems too good to be true compared to many of their rivals.

TheShure Aonic 50 Gen 2also pack in the impressive, high-end specs but are available at a surprisingly low price.

Best headphones gifts for ANC

Best battery life

A huge 60-hour battery life

If you want to seriously impress your loved ones, turn up with a present with the Sennheiser branding. TheSennheiser Momentum 4 Wirelessare fantastic over-ear headphones. They offer excellent ANC, a suite of impressive features, plus impressive sound and call quality. They’re also light and comfortable – and the 60-hour battery is the cherry on top.

TheSony WH-1000XM5headphones are an excellent pair of over-ears if you’re stuck for choice.

Best design

Gorgeous design, class-leading sound

We were blown away by theBowers & Wilkins PX8headphones when we tested them thanks to their class-leading sound, comfort levels and gorgeous design. If you’re looking for a luxe gift these holidays, they have the most classy build and finish we’ve seen in a long time and would make anyone swoon.

If you’re looking for another pair of over-ears with a striking design, try theSivga Oriole.

Best ANC overall

Truly outstanding ANC

All of the headphones in this category deliver best-in-class active noise cancellation, but Bose always beats the competition when it comes to ultimate immersion. That’s why theBose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700are our top ANC pick overall, bringing you amazing sound-blocking and solid audio in a design that’s so stunning it could be a work of art.

Consider theApple AirPods Maxif you want excellent ANC for someone with an iPhone.

Best headphones gifts for those on a budget

Best budget sound

Excellent value

If you’re on a budget but want to gift a pair of headphones that tick all of the boxes, you need theSony WH-CH520. They’re superb value with a clear and well-rounded sound and plenty of customization options. They feel robust and have comfortable padding, too. At this price don’t expect high-end features, like ANC, but they do the basics incredibly well.

For an affordable offering with ANC, try theSony WH-CH720N.

Best budget ANC

Cheap and reliable

TheJBL Tune 770NCaren’t the most exciting pair of headphones around and wouldn’t stand a chance next to the stunning ANC options above, but they’re also a fraction of the price. These JBL over-ears are a reliable offering that fit well and are easy to store. During our testing we were also surprised by just how good the ANC, sound and battery life are here, ideal for all-day listening.

TheJBL Tune 670NCcame before these, which means they’re likely to be even cheaper these days.

Best budget overall

Incredibly affordable sound

The Jabra audio brand are masters at creating headphones that deliver top specs that often undercut the high-end competition and theJabra Elite 45hare no exception. They promise a weighty and balanced sound and impressive battery life at a fraction of the cost of rivals. The design is also comfortable, folds up easy and looks classier than it should at this price.

You’ll also get good ANC and sound for under $100/£100 with theAnker Soundcore Space One.

More Holiday sales

More Christmas sales

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Becca is a contributor to TechRadar, a freelance journalist and author. She’s been writing about consumer tech and popular science for more than ten years, covering all kinds of topics, including why robots have eyes and whether we’ll experience the overview effect one day. She’s particularly interested in VR/AR, wearables, digital health, space tech and chatting to experts and academics about the future. She’s contributed to TechRadar, T3, Wired, New Scientist, The Guardian, Inverse and many more. Her first book, Screen Time, came out in January 2021 with Bonnier Books. She loves science-fiction, brutalist architecture, and spending too much time floating through space in virtual reality.

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