10 Best Small Earphones 2025 in the United States

The Bose Ultra Open Bluetooth Earbuds offer a unique listening experience with their open ear design, allowing you to stay aware of your surroundings while enjoying your music. This feature is perfect for users who need to stay alert, like joggers or commuters. The sound quality, enhanced by Bose Immersive Audio, aims to deliver an immersive musical experience. The earbuds are designed for comfort with a light, flexible clip-on design that ensures they stay put during use.

Additionally, they boast a robust battery life, offering up to 7 hours of playtime and up to 48 hours on standby with the charging case providing extra charges. This makes them ideal for long usage without frequent recharges. Durability is addressed with an IPX4 water resistance rating, making them resistant to splashes and sweat, which is great for active users. Connectivity is a breeze with Bluetooth multipoint, allowing seamless switching between devices, and the simple button controls are user-friendly for managing music and calls.

However, the earbuds lack noise cancellation, which might be a drawback for those seeking an isolated listening experience in noisy environments. The open ear design might also not provide the deep bass some users prefer. Despite these points, the ability to pair with other Bose products and the availability of updates via the Bose app are added conveniences. These earbuds are best suited for those who prioritize situational awareness, comfort, and a user-friendly experience.

The Beats Studio Buds offer a strong package for anyone looking for compact, true wireless earbuds with solid noise cancellation. Their sound is well balanced and powerful thanks to a custom acoustic platform, making music and calls clear and enjoyable. Comfort is addressed through three sizes of soft ear tips, helping the earbuds fit securely without discomfort during longer use.

Battery life is decent, providing up to 8 hours per charge and a total of 24 hours with the charging case, plus a quick 5-minute charge delivers an hour of playback, which is handy for on-the-go use. Connectivity is impressive, featuring Class 1 Bluetooth for a stable and extended wireless range, compatible with both Apple and Android devices. Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) is effective at reducing background noise, and the transparency mode is useful for staying aware of surroundings.

The earbuds hold up well to sweat and light water exposure due to their IPX4 rating, making them suitable for exercise and outdoor activities. Controls are accessible via buttons and touch, allowing easy management of calls, music, and voice assistants like Siri. While the earbuds are lightweight, the plastic build may feel less premium compared to some higher-end options, and the ANC, though good, may not rival top-tier models in very noisy environments. The charging case uses USB-C but does not include a power adapter, which is worth noting. These earbuds are a solid choice for everyday listening, workouts, and calls, especially if you want a simple, reliable pair that works well with various devices.

The JBL Tune Flex earbuds are a solid choice if you're looking for small, true wireless earbuds with good sound and active noise cancellation. Thanks to their 12mm drivers, they offer JBL's signature Pure Bass, so music sounds rich and vibrant. The active noise cancelling feature works well to reduce background noise, and the Ambient Aware mode is handy if you want to stay alert to your surroundings, especially when you're outside. For calls, the four built-in microphones help make your voice clear, and the VoiceAware feature lets you control how much of your own voice you hear during calls, which is a nice touch.

Comfort-wise, the earbuds come with three sizes of silicone tips, helping you find a good fit for your ears. The lightweight design means you can wear them for hours without discomfort. Battery life is impressive, offering up to 32 hours with the charging case (or 6 hours on a single charge with noise cancelling on), and a quick 10-minute charge gives you about 2 hours of playback, perfect for busy days.

Connectivity uses Bluetooth 5.2, which provides a stable connection within about 10 meters. They handle sweat and light rain well thanks to their IPX4 rating, so they're suitable for workouts or outdoor use. The touch controls are intuitive but might take a little getting used to for some users. While the noise cancellation is effective, it may not fully block out very loud or constant noises. The earbuds' plastic build feels lightweight but might not be the most durable over years of heavy use. Also, some users might find the rounded tips less secure during intense activities compared to other designs. The JBL Tune Flex earbuds are well suited for everyday listening, calls, and fitness activities if you want solid sound, reliable noise cancelling, and good battery life in a small, comfortable package.