It's a competitive world out there, and headphones and earbuds are one of the tech categories that reliably receive discounts all year round at retailers, who tend to offer deals on everything from AirPods to over-ear Boses both during and outside of the year's big sales events. The next big sale isn't likely going to arrive until Amazon Prime Day in the summer, yet this page is well-populated with discounts available now.
Of course, there is more to a good headphones deal than a hefty saving – the headphones themselves must be brilliant too, otherwise all you are getting are discounted duds rather than full-priced ones.
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. Here, we only highlight discounted pairs we've tried, tested and can honestly recommend, including current What Hi-Fi? Award 2024 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.
As the managing editor of What Hi-Fi?, with over a decade of headphone reviewing experience, I've tested hundreds of pairs and lived with many of the best you can buy, so I know a good deal on a good pair when I see one! Trust me, nothing I've listed below would be a poor purchase.
UK headphone deals – earbuds
UK headphone deals – over-ears
US headphones deals – earbuds
US headphone deals – over-ears
Headphone deals FAQ
Bose or Sony – which headphone brand has the best deals?
Between them, Bose and Sony take up a lot of our recommendations in both the wireless earbuds and wireless headphones catgeory. And because of their success and consequent popularity, it's no surprise that they both feature heavily in year-round headphones deals at Amazon and other technology retailers such as Best Buy and John Lewis.
So it's a tough call and really depends on the models and their discounts. Generally, though, Sony pairs are the go-tos at the more affordable price points as Bose doesn't compete there. And even in the mid-market and premium sectors, they typically undercut Bose alternatives come sales time.
That said, Bose tends to deliver slightly better active noise cancelling technology, so if that is your biggest priority and there isn't much in price between two pairs, you may be best siding with Bose.
If you are struggling to pick between two rival discounted models – say, the Sony WH-1000XM5 and Bose QC Ultra headphones – our general Sony vs Bose headphones or model-specific comparison articles should help:
- Premium wireless ANC headphones: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones vs Sony WH-1000XM5
- Premium wireless ANC earbuds: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds vs Sony WF-1000XM5
- Older headphone models: Bose QC45 vs Sony WH-1000XM4
When is the best time to buy headphones?
You'll always be able to find a good headphone deal no matter the time of year, but you'll typically see the biggest savings and best-ever prices during sales events such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday (November), with Amazon Prime Days (in July and October) and Boxing Day (December) also seeing prices slashed more so than the rest of the year.
MORE:
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