Why pay full price for your next pair of headphones or earbuds? Especially these days when sales events are seemingly ever-present. Take October, for example: Amazon Prime Day 2 is running on the 8th and 9th, and headphones are always front and centre of its consumer electronics deals.
Of course, you want a good headphones deal, which doesn't just mean big savings but indeed big savings on high-performing headphones.
Below, our in-house team of expert reviewers has handpicked the best headphone deals on the best pairs we have reviewed; models that we deem good value at their original price, and even greater value in the face of a discount. Remember, many headphone deals that look tempting due to major discounts are actually duds that aren't worth your time or money, regardless of their price.
Here, we only highlight discounted pairs we've tried, tested and can honestly recommend, including current What Hi-Fi? Award winners, AirPods, and popular pairs from Sony, Bose, Sennheiser, Beyerdynamic and many more.
In the US? Jump straight to the best US headphone deals section of this article.
The best headphone deals (UK)
Sony WF-C500 was £90 now £37 at Amazon (save £53)
The best wireless budget earbuds out there, period. The Sony WF-C500 feature 20 hours of battery life, IPX4 splash resistance and Bluetooth 5.0, and are available in black, white, orange or mint. A great choice if you can stretch beyond the Earfun Air (also discounted below) but don't need the noise-cancelling functionality of the Award-winning Sony WF-C700N. What Hi-Fi? Awards winner
Sony WF-C700N was £100 now £78 at Amazon (save £22)
Boasting impressive musicality and excellent levels of detail and insight, these comfortable, sport-friendly earbuds are well worth even their non-discounted price. The WF-C700N offer 7.5 hours of battery life per charge, multipoint Bluetooth and IPX4 water resistance, plus noise-cancelling.
What Hi-Fi? Awards winner
Sony WF-1000XM5 was £259 now £189 at Amazon (save £70)
The exemplary Sony WF-1000XM5 wireless earbuds sound more detailed, refined and accomplished than ever. They also pack in some of the most extensive features available for the price. We can't think of a rival pair of wireless buds that can touch them, and this discount is more than welcome. What Hi-Fi? Awards winner
Apple AirPods Max was £549 now £499 at Amazon (save £50)
The hype for the Apple AirPods Max is justified. Usually a rather expensive £549, the excellent Apple cans have fallen by £50, making them a (slightly) more feasible proposition. Apple's wireless noise-cancelling over-ears are wonderful to use, boast spatial audio support and stake their claim as some of the very best-sounding wireless headphones we have heard. You can choose the Lightning Connector originals or the newly updated USB-C variants. Five stars
Earfun Air was £60 now £26 at Amazon (save £34)
The cheapest true wireless earbuds we can heartily recommend, these five-star Earfuns do the basics right. We've seen these drop to £22 before, so look out for an even better discount, or plough ahead and pick up the most affordable, yet decent, budget buds around. Five stars
Sony WH-1000XM5 was £379 now £260 at Amazon (save £119)
The latest and greatest Sony over-ear wireless noise-cancelling headphones are best in class in their premium field, and this saving over their original RRP makes the Sony WH-1000XM5 even better performance-per-pound value. A great buy. What Hi-Fi? Awards winner
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds was £300 now £212 at John Lewis (save £88)
The kings of noise-cancelling have done it again with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. We are not yet completely sold on the Immersive Audio modes, but with class-leading ANC and all-round sonic improvements, these buds are worth the cash. Five stars
Deal also available at Amazon
Sony WH-CH720N was £99 now £77 at Amazon (save £22)
For a very reasonable price, the Sony WH-CH720N are a dependably made, enthusiastic-sounding pair of headphones that, while occasionally straying into the realm of excessive bass, deliver good ANC and a strong feature set to the mid-to-low price bracket of the wireless headphone market. Most definitely a job well done.
What Hi-Fi? Awards winner
RØDE NTH-100 was £150 now £105 at Amazon (save £45)
Be as critical or as casual in your listening as you like, the Røde NTH-100 will put you fully in the picture with their highly revealing sound. If you want budget closed-back over-ears, these are outstanding value even at their original price, but with this drop, they're a steal.
What Hi-Fi? Awards winner
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 was £260 now £176 at Amazon (save £84)
Watch out Sony and Bose! The Momentum True Wireless 4 offer a level of sonic refinement and comfort that makes them serious contenders at this level. These noise-cancelling Momentums are great-value alternatives to the Sony XM5 with great sound, fit and features. Five stars
JBL Live Pro 2 was £129 now £89 at Amazon (save £40)
A significant step up from the flock of sub-£100 cheap wireless earbuds, allowing you to access better sound quality without having to make the jump to more premium options from the likes of Bose, Sony and Sennheiser. They’re an entertaining listen, easy to use and manage to pack in a lot of useful features, including noise-cancelling. Five stars
Beats Fit Pro was £200 now £149 at Amazon (save £51)
This pretty much equals the smallest price we've witnessed the Beats Fit Pro drop to, and we'd recommend a pair for any sportspeople who want lively-sounding, immensely likeable buds which, thanks to their clever wing-fit construction, nestle into your ears snugly and securely. Running fanatics and gym fiends should find them a very attractive proposition indeed. Four stars
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless was £310 now £221 at Amazon (Save £89)
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones earned a five-star review for their great sound and comprehensive feature set. Not to mention 60 hours of battery life! Now, you can get your hands on them for significantly less than their launch price. Five stars
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II was £279 now £180 at Amazon (save £99)
Bose’s former flagship wireless earbuds' fantastic sound and peerless noise-cancelling abilities have set a very high benchmark at this price point. The £299 Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds supersede them, but if you want amazing wireless earbuds for under £200, the Bose QC Earbuds II are well worth your attention. Five stars
Jabra Elite 3 was £79 now £50 at Amazon (save £29)
If saving money is your aim, take a look at the Elite 3. They might be cheap (now even cheaper with a £29 discount), but you still receive ANC, HearThrough call tech, 24 hours of total battery life and even Fast Pair with Android devices. Not bad for £50! Four stars
AirPods 3 was £179 now £149 at Amazon (save £30)
Decent sound, innovative Apple-centric features, spatial audio support and Pro-inspired redesign with shorter stems – but no ANC. The AirPods 3 with the MagSafe charging case are a good choice for iPhone users, though note that they have now been replaced by the brand-new £129 AirPods 4 and £179 AirPods 4 with ANC. Four stars
Sony WH-CH520 was £60 now £33.40 at Amazon (save £26.30)
One of the very best budget over-ear wireless headphones on the market, the Sony WH-CH520 offer an audio performance easily in excess of their original asking price, let alone this discounted one. But if you want noise cancellation, Sony's model-up WH-CH720N are your best bet. Five stars
Grado SR80x was £130 now £102 at Amazon (save £28)
If you can't afford the Grados above but are set on an open-back design, the more affordable SR80x siblings are excellent value for money – and also current Award winners. What Hi-Fi? Awards winner
Focal Elegia was £799 now £349 at Sevenoaks (save £450)
We're astonished that a pair of headphones are enjoying such a massive discount, so this could mean that the Focal Elegia, which are now a few years old, are nearing the end of their lifespan. If that's the case, it could be time to snap up a pair of the Focal Elegia at the lowest price they've ever been, and probably the lowest price they ever will be.
Beyerdynamic T1 3rd Generation was £999 now £699 at Amazon (save £300)
The latest Beyerdynamic T1 open-back over-ears are a step up in performance and compatibility from their predecessors and are among the best wired headphones at this price. Grab them at this very generous discount while you can. Five stars
Shure Aonic 3 was £209 now £160 at Scan (save £49)
Shure has plenty of experience with wired in-ear headphones, and it shines through in the Shure Aonic 3. They're comfy and lightweight for starters, and absolutely nail sound quality. You won't find better – especially at this discounted price. What Hi-Fi? Awards winner
Beyerdynamic Amiron was £545 now £429 at Amazon (save £116)
When it comes to the Beyerdynamic Amiron headphones, one word springs to mind: comfort. The earcups and headband are made of Alcantara microfibres and micro velour, which is as luxurious as it sounds. Oh, and they sound as good as they feel, too. Five stars
The best headphones deals (US)
Sony WF-C700N was $120 now $98 at Amazon (save $20)
Boasting impressive musicality and excellent levels of detail and insight, these comfortable, sport-friendly earbuds are well worth even their non-discounted price. The C700N feature 7.5 hours of battery life, multipoint Bluetooth and IPX4 water resistance. What Hi-Fi? Awards winner
Sony WF-1000XM5 was $300 now $222 at Walmart (save $78)
The superb Sony WF-1000XM5 are still the best wireless earbuds in this space, packing in some of the most extensive features available at the price. We can't think of a rival pair of wireless buds that can touch them, and this discount is more than welcome for bargain hunters.
What Hi-Fi? Awards winner
Price check: $298 @ Amazon
Apple AirPods 2 was $129 now $89 at PC Richard & Son (save $50) The veteran second-gen AirPods get a further price cut and sit below the $129 AirPods 3 and brand-new $179 AirPods 4 with ANC. If you aren't bothered about spatial audio and those slightly longer stems, these veterans still offer unbeatable usability and decent sound quality for Apple users. And these are the cheapest AirPods you can buy. Four stars
AirPods 3 was $170 now $130 at Amazon (save $30)
Now replaced by the $119 AirPods 4 and $179 AirPods 4 with ANC. Good sound, innovative Apple-centric features, spatial audio support and Pro-inspired redesign with shorter stems, but no ANC. The latest AirPods are a great choice for iPhone users and right now you can save the most on them at Amazon. Four stars
AirPods 4 was $129 now $119 at Amazon (save $10)
The brand-new AirPods 4 are already receiving a small discount at Amazon. They don't have noise cancellation, unlike their 'AirPods 4 with ANC' sibling, but they boast the latest AirPods design and supposedly improved sound over the AirPods 3, while the H2 chip brings with it personalised spatial audio and voice isolation for clearer call quality.
Sony WH-CH520 was $80 now $49 at Amazon (save $31)
One of the very best budget over-ear wireless headphones on the market, the Sony WH-CH520 offer an audio performance easily in excess of their original asking price, let alone this discounted one. Want noise-cancelling? Sony's model-up WH-CH720N is our recommendation. Five stars
Sony WH-1000XM5 was $400 now $290 at Walmart (save $110)
The latest and greatest Sony WH-1000XM5 over-ear wireless noise-cancelling headphones are best in class in their premium field, and a $100-odd saving makes them even better performance-per-buck value. Stocks are running low, though, so be speedy! What Hi-Fi? Awards winner
Price check: $308 at Amazon
Technics EAH-AZ60M2 was $228 now $116 at Amazon (save $112)
Expect a detailed, robust sound, as well as solid comfort levels, decent active noise cancellation good on-bud controls. The spirited, likeable Technics EAH-AZ60M2 offer a solid alternative to some of the market-leading earbuds – and this huge discount makes them perhaps the most compelling. Four stars
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 was $279 now $134 at Amazon (save $145)
Seven years into the true wireless game, Sennheiser remains as competitive as ever in the premium space. These noise-cancelling Momentum 3 True Wireless offer a rich feature set and performance, and now a much kinder price tag since they've been succeeded by the excellent $232 Momentum 4.
Five stars
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II was $279 now $189 at Amazon (save $90)
Bose’s former flagship wireless earbuds' fantastic sound and peerless noise-cancelling abilities have set a very high benchmark at this price point. The replacement $249 Bose Ultra Earbuds are now here, but if you can't stretch your budget, this deal is well worth your attention. Five stars
Apple AirPods Max was $549 now $459 at Amazon (save $90)
Apple’s very first over-ear models are a five-star hit: superb-sounding, noise-cancelling wireless cans with a stylish and luxurious design. Worth it if you're after a premium pair – especially as the original AirPods Max with Lightning connectivity now come with a discount. The new USB-C variant isn't on sale, however, costing $549. Five stars
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These are the best wireless headphones and best wireless earbuds you can buy
Our pick of the best hi-fi and audio deals and best speaker deals
