Honorable Mentions
Open earbuds are becoming the hot trend in wireless audio, meaning there are plenty of good options that don’t make our top list. Here are some other pairs worth considering.
Acefast Acefit Pro for $60-$125: Acefast’s Acefit Pro are more stylish than the cheaper Acefit Air above, most notably in their snazzy transparent case that shows battery life in slick LEDs when you open or close it. Otherwise, the sound quality isn’t notably better than the Air, and the buds themselves are bulkier, so they don’t fit my ears as well. These are still a solid pair of wrap-around open buds, especially since the price seems to be dropping, often available well below their $125 launch price. If you can get them for $70 or less, they’re a sweet deal.
Earfun Clip for $50-$70: These affordable clip-style buds seem to have it all. You’ll get a snappy design in a compact case, a comfy fit, accessible push-button controls, and extras like multipoint pairing and a headphones finder. The package feels a step or two above the asking price, save for the sound quality. The basic performance is fine for podcasts and light listening, but leaves a lot of meat on the bone for instrumental timbres and detail, keeping this pair off our top list. Even so, at their lowest sale price of around $50, these are a good buy for basic use.
JLab Epic Open Sport for $115: JLab’s Epic Open Sport don’t have standout audio quality or a slimline design, but their mix of a comfy and stable fit and great usability makes them worth a look. Their combination of real buttons and touch pads provides convenient and customizable control on the go, still a rarity in this genre. I wish they had better call quality, and their lack of instrumental body or detail makes music rather dull, but they get the job done without breaking the bank.
Shokz OpenDots One for $200: Shokz’s first try at clip-on open earbuds is a solid if pricey effort. You’ll get great battery life, a slick and sporty design that borrows from the Bose Ultra and Soundcore Aeroclip, and the ability to swap either bud for left or right (if that’s something you’re into). At this price, I was hoping for a more polished sound, better call quality, and more versatile controls, but features like a wireless charging case add good value. If you like the style and don’t mind paying up for swappable buds, they’re worth considering.
Other Open Earbuds We’ve Tested
Soundpeats Clip1 for $70-$90: Soundpeats is one of my favorite budget brands, offering surprisingly good sound fidelity at great prices. The Clip1 are a decent effort, but the “crispy” topside misses the mark for me, leaving my favorite tunes and podcasts sounding clear, but oddly forward and inaccurate. The design looks a little cheap (especially the case), and the controls are relegated to an awkward touchpad behind your ears. I do appreciate the Clip1’s heap of features, including additions many pricier open earbuds lack, like auto-pause. They’re a real stretch at $90, but sale pricing of around $60-70 could make them more enticing.
Shokz OpenFit Pro Wireless Earbuds for $250: Shokz expands its open earbuds portfolio with a new wraparound pair that, like the Lolliclip, aims to add noise cancellation to the open-ear mix. If you’re thinking that keeping your ears open while silencing the exterior world is an ambitious quest, you’re not wrong. Results for our reviewer were both underwhelming and uncomfortable, including some pressure with noise canceling engaged. Otherwise, the OpenFit Pro offer clear and remarkably full sound in an accessible design, but the price makes them a tough sell.
Skullcandy Push 720 for $150: I’m not quite sure what Skullcandy was aiming for in the Push 720, but they mostly miss the mark for me. The hybrid pouch/charging case adds nothing notable in its pouchiness besides being harder to pocket. The semi-open fit is more intrusive than my favorite pairs, and the buds pinch my ears over time. The sound is clear enough, but there’s an edge to the upper register that doesn’t quite jive with my ears, and surprisingly little bass. There are some cool features here, and I do like the push-button controls, but in this highly competitive segment, you can do better.
Earfun OpenJump for $80: Earfun’s OpenJump offer accessible sound and impressive waterproofing in one of the most comfortable wrap-around designs I’ve put on. It’s hard to beat their price, but they fall into one of the biggest pitfalls of open earbuds right now: awkward controls with hit-or-miss response, especially on the move. They’re still a decent value on a good sale, but only if you don’t mind fumbling with the controls.
Edifier Lolliclip for $130: Edifier’s Lolliclip offer a hybrid open/semi-open design, with an AirPods-style tip looped to a backside battery. The fit feels more intrusive than my favorite open earbuds and creates too much wind resistance for biking. They’re comfy enough for short-term wear and let you swap either bud for left or right. Edifier adds plenty of other extras, from multipoint pairing to health features, but the Lolliclip’s marquee option, noise canceling, does more harm than good in most scenarios.
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