- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Most Comfortable
- Best Sounding
- Best Battery Life
- All Reviews
- Discussions
- Store-bought headphones; no cherry-picked units
- Retest after major updates
- Easily comparable results
- No ads; unbiased reviews
Lots of people prefer on-ear headphones for their blend of comfort and portability. Bluetooth wireless on-ear headphones are even more convenient since you don’t have to worry about a cable getting snagged on anything. There are lots of decent Bluetooth earbuds out there, but it can be hard to find a satisfactory pair of wireless on-ears.
We’ve tested 377 headphones and below are our recommendations for the best on-ear Bluetooth headphones to buy in 2019. If you’re looking for our top picks for other on-ear or Bluetooth headphones, check out our recommendations for the best on-ear headphones and the best Bluetooth headphones.
-
Most Comfortable On-Ear Wireless Headphones: Bose SoundLink On-Ear Wireless
Usage Ratings - Version 1.27.0Mixed Usage7.5Critical Listening6.9Commute/Travel7.1Sports/Fitness7.1Office6.2TV5.9GamingThe best on-ear wireless headphones for comfort that we’ve tested so far are the Bose SoundLink On-Ear. They have a lightweight design with a decently padded headband that doesn’t feel too tight on your head. The ear cups are covered in dense, plush padding that cushions your ears nicely and feels a lot better than most on-ears we’ve tested.
These are good-sounding headphones with a fairly well-balanced frequency response that lends itself well to most genres of music. Their 21-hour battery life is great and they have an auto-off timer to help prolong the battery life even further. They support multi-device pairing, so you can use them with your smartphone and laptop simultaneously, and they can be used passively with the included audio cable as well.
Although they’re comfortable, they won’t be ideal for travelling or working in a noise-sensitive office since they don’t isolate very well. They’re also lacking in features compared to other wireless Bose headsets; they don’t support NFC and aren’t compatible with Bose’s mobile app. That said, they still provide good value for their price thanks to their comfortable design, great battery life, and good sound.
-
Cheaper Alternative: Skullcandy Grind Wireless
If you’re looking for comfortable on-ear headphones but don’t want to spend too much money, check out the Skullcandy Grind. They’re not as portable as the Bose SoundLink On-Ear since they don’t fold into a more compact format, but they have a very comfortable design that can be worn for hours without causing discomfort. They sound decent, have a 15-hour battery life, and come with multiple cables, one of which has an in-line so you can use them wired as well.
On the downside, they don’t have any power-saving features, so you’ll need to remember to turn them off when they’re not in use or else their battery will continue to drain. They also don’t support multi-device pairing, so you can only connect to one device at a time. That said, they’re still comfortable on-ear headphones that provide good value for their price and are among our best Bluetooth headphones in general.
-
Best Sounding On-Ear Wireless Headphones: Marshall MID ANC Wireless
Usage Ratings - Version 1.27.0Mixed Usage7.6Critical Listening7.0Commute/Travel7.2Sports/Fitness7.0Office6.0TV5.7GamingThe best on-ear Bluetooth headphones for sound we’ve tested so far are the Marshall MID ANC. They’re stylish noise cancelling headphones that sport Marshall’s signature black and gold color scheme. They’re fairly comfortable and are well-built, sturdy headphones. They have a multi-directional control knob on the left ear cup that provides great tactile feedback and they are overall easy-to-use.
These headphones have a bright, balanced sound with deep, powerful bass. They’re well-suited for nearly all music genres, from EDM and hip-hop to jazz or classical. They have a 17-hour battery life, which is decent, and can be used while they’re charging.
Unfortunately, they have unremarkable noise isolation performance, which is disappointing for headphones with active noise cancelling. If you’re looking for better noise cancelling, consider the AKG N60NC Wireless; however, they don’t sound quite as good as the Marshall. Though their noise cancelling performance isn’t the best, these are still a good choice for critical listeners who prefer an on-ear fit.
-
Open-Back Alternative: Grado GW100 Wireless
If you prefer the sound of open-back headphones, get the Grado GW100. They don’t feel as well-made as the Marshall MID ANC, but they’re a fair option for critical listeners looking for more open-sounding on-ear headphones. They have more bass than most Grado headphones and sound decent overall. Their battery lasts for 15.5 hours and they charge in under 2 hours, which is pretty good.
Since these are open-back headphones, they have virtually no isolation. Although this is by design, it does reduce the versatility of these headphones. If you wear them at work or while walking around downtown, you’ll hear all of your surroundings and everyone will be able to hear what you’re listening to as well. That said, if you’re looking for critical listening headphones to use in a quiet room, these are an alright choice, especially if you prefer on-ears.
-
Best On-Ear Wireless Headphones For Battery Life: Beats Solo3 Wireless
Usage Ratings - Version 1.26.9Mixed Usage7.4Critical Listening6.9Commute/Travel7.2Sports/Fitness7.0Office6.0TV5.7GamingThe best on-ear wireless headphones for battery life that we’ve tested so far are the Beats Solo3 Wireless. They’re well-built, compact headphones that are easy-to-use. They have a tight, stable fit but are still fairly comfortable thanks to their heavily padded cups. They have a great, long-lasting battery and are reasonably well-performing headphones all-around.
They have an outstanding 42-hour battery life, long enough to last you an entire work-week without charging, and support Apple’s W1 chip for easier pairing with iOS devices. They have good audio reproduction and sound decent overall. They also have an excellent wireless range, so you shouldn’t experience audio cuts if you don’t keep your audio source directly on you.
On the downside, they don’t have an auto-off timer, so their battery will continue to drain if you forget to turn them off. If you tend to forget to power off your headphones, consider the Bowers & Wilkins P5 Wireless. Their battery life isn’t as remarkable, but they turn off after 10 minutes of inactivity, which is a helpful feature. However, the Beats Solo3 have a more balanced sound and are an overall better choice for most uses.
-
Less Expensive Alternative: JBL Everest 310 Wireless
If you’re looking for on-ear Bluetooth headphones with great battery performance and unique Bluetooth connectivity options, then consider the JBL Everest 310. Their battery doesn’t last quite as long as that of the Beats Solo3 Wireless, but they have an auto-off timer which helps save power. They can connect to two Bluetooth devices simultaneously and you can even connect them to any other Bluetooth headset to share audio.
On the downside, their ear cups are a bit large for on-ears and can feel a bit fatiguing after a while. They also don’t feel like the most premium headphones we’ve tested since they tend to creak at the hinges, which makes them feel a bit cheap. Their treble is lacking in detail and brightness, but they have great bass for EDM and hip-hop.
Notable Mentions
- Bowers & Wilkins P5 Wireless: Very well-built, premium wireless on-ears. Great battery, but their treble sounds a bit veiled. See our review
- AKG N60NC Wireless: Decent noise cancelling wireless on-ears. Satisfactory performance all-around and a fair choice for those looking for well-rounded on-ear headphones. See our review
- Samsung Level On Wireless: Highly customizable wireless on-ear headphones. Feel cheap and flimsy but have a great battery and good app support on Android. See our review
- JBL E45BT Wireless: Stylish wireless on-ears with an exciting sound profile. Don’t sound quite as good as the Marshall MID ANC and are rather uncomfortable. See our review
- BÖHM B-66 Wireless: Budget wireless on-ears that sound decent but aren’t as comfortable as the Skullcandy Grind. See our review
- Koss Porta Pro Wireless: Unremarkable open-back wireless on-ears. Comfortable and lightweight, but don’t sound as good as the Grado GW100. See our review
- JBL T450BT Wireless: Inexpensive wireless on-ears that feel cheap and flimsy and have a tight fit that lacks padding. See our review
- Sony WH-CH500 Wireless: Good battery life, but long charging time and very high wireless latency. See our review
- Sony WH-XB700 Wireless: Fairly comfortable on-ears, with good controls but a dark sound profile. See our review
- Sony WH-CH400 Wireless: Good-sounding wireless on-ears that support NFC but feel cheaply built and not the most comfortable. See our review
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best on-ear Bluetooth headphones to buy for most people in each price range. We factor in the price (cheaper headphones win over pricier ones if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (no headphones that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).
If you would like to choose for yourself, here is the list of all our reviews for on-ear headphones. Be careful not to get caught up in the details. There are no perfect headphones. Personal taste, preference, and listening habits will matter more in your selection.
Recommended Articles
Unlimited access to full product reviews, test measurements and scores
Product prices across the site on reviews, tables and tools
Additional votes for our
next reviews
Early Access
to our reviews and test measurements
