The Skullcandy Grind Fuel True Wireless are earbuds with many customization features. They have a slightly warm default sound profile that can be customized in the app. The app allows you to remap most of the button controls, as well as enable 'Skull-iQ' features, so you can use built-in voice commands. They also have nearly 10 hours of continuous battery life. Unfortunately, they lack ANC and have a mediocre passive noise isolation performance. Their deep in-ear fit can also create a plunger-like feeling that isn't for everyone.
Our Verdict
The Skullcandy Grind Fuel are decent for neutral sound. They have a somewhat warm sound profile that delivers extra boom, but the mid and treble ranges are very neutral, so instruments and lead vocals are still present, detailed, and bright. Their companion app also includes a graphic EQ that you can use to customize it. Like most in-ear headphones, though, they have a small and unnatural-seeming passive soundstage.
- In-app graphic EQ and presets.
- Closed-off passive soundstage.
The Skullcandy Grind Fuel are satisfactory for commute and travel. Their battery lasts for nearly 10 hours of continuous use from a single charge, which is convenient for long trips, and they come with a case that holds about 3.4 extra charges. The case is also small enough to fit into most pockets and purses. They don't put too much pressure on your ears but have a deep in-ear fit, which some may find uncomfortable. They also lack an ANC feature and don't block out noises like the rumble of bus and plane engines.
- Good build quality.
- 9.7-hour continuous battery life.
- Mediocre noise isolation.
The Skullcandy Grind Fuel are great for sports. They're well-built, rated IP55 for dust and water resistance, and have nearly 10 hours of continuous battery life, so you don't need to recharge after every workout, which is nice. They should stay in place during moderate exercise once you find a good fit with the included ear tips. Unfortunately, they lack stability fins and may fall out of your ears with exaggerated movements.
- IP55 rating for dust and water resistance.
- Three pairs of ear tip sizes included.
- App required for voice control feature.
The Skullcandy Grind Fuel are alright for office use. Their over 10 hours of continuous battery life can easily last through a 9-5 workday. While they lack ANC and have a mediocre overall passive noise isolation performance, they do a good job of cutting out mid-range noise like background conversations. They have a decently comfortable fit, but their deep in-ear fit creates a plunger feeling that might bother you. They also lack multi-device pairing.
- Three pairs of ear tip sizes included.
- 9.7-hour continuous battery life.
- Ηigh latency.
- No multi-device pairing.
The Skullcandy Grind Fuel are truly wireless headphones that can't connect with Xbox or PlayStation consoles. They're compatible with PCs, iOS, and Android devices via Βluteooth, but their latency is too high to be suitable for gaming.
The Skullcandy Grind Fuel are truly wireless headphones, and you can't use them wired.
The Skullcandy Grind Fuel are mediocre for phone calls. Your voice sounds clear but thin over the phone The mic also has trouble separating it from loud background noise, so it may be hard to hear you if you take a call from a busy street. They also lack ANC, so it may be hard for you to hear a phone call that you take from a busy street or subway station.
- Adequate mic recording quality.
- Mediocre noise isolation.
- Mic has sub-par noise handling.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Skullcandy Grind Fuel only come in one variant, 'Black/Orange'. You can see the label for the unit we tested here.
If you come across another variant, please let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Skullcandy Grind Fuel are truly wireless earbuds without ANC. Their sound profile isn't as bass-heavy as most other Skullcandy earbuds we've tested, like the Skullcandy Indy Fuel Truly Wireless or the Skullcandy Sesh Evo True Wireless. Their app is also more helpful since it offers sound customization and plenty of options for remapping the headphones' controls.
If you want to see more options, check out our lists of the best earbuds and in-ear headphones, the best wireless Bluetooth earbuds under $100, and the best wireless earbuds for running and working out.
The Skullcandy Grind Fuel True Wireless are better for most purposes than the Skullcandy Sesh Evo True Wireless. The Grind Fuel have a more neutral sound profile that some may prefer, better app support, a longer continuous battery life, and a better overall mic performance. They also have a 'Skull-iQ' feature that gives you access to voice commands. On the other hand, some may like the Sesh Evo's more bass-heavy default sound profile. They also have a better noise isolation performance.
Ultimately, the deciding factor between the Skullcandy Grind Fuel True Wireless and the Skullcandy Sesh ANC True Wireless comes down to your preferences around noise isolation. Since the Sesh ANC are noise cancelling, they can block out much more background noise during a commute or busy workday in a loud office. Since the Grind Fuel don't have ANC, they can't isolate noise in the same way. However, they're substantially cheaper than the Sesh ANC and have a longer battery life.
The Skullcandy Push Active True Wireless are better overall in-ears than the Skullcandy Grind Fuel True Wireless. While both headphones are customizable via their companion app, the Push Active have a more comfortable and stable in-ear fit, and their sound profile is more neutral, which some users may prefer. That said, the Grind Fuel have a better overall battery performance.
The Apple AirPods Pro and the Skullcandy Grind Fuel True Wireless have different strengths, and you may prefer either depending on what you're looking for. The Apple have an ANC feature and a much better noise isolation performance. They also have a much better build quality and features for Apple users like virtual surround sound and an Η1 chip for easy pairing. On the other hand, the Skullcandy's continuous battery life is longer. They have a much better app that includes sound customization features, and a more comprehensive control scheme. They also have 'Skull-iQ', so you can control the headphones with built-in voice commands.
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You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
Test Results
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