The QuietOn 3.1 Sleep Earbuds are nearly three times smaller than the Apple AirPods. They effectively cancel lower-frequency, consistent sounds such as snoring, car traffic, a running dishwasher or the bass from songs your annoying neighbor blasts at midnight. The earbuds come with foam tips in four sizes so you can find the right fit for you.
Why we like these sleep headphones: The QuietOn 3.1 Earbuds come with a compact carrying case for easy traveling and charging. The headphones' materials are high-quality and durable and the battery life is impressive, lasting up to 28 hours on a single charge. They're expensive at nearly $300 but if you're consistently losing sleep because of snoring and other disruptive noises, these may be worth it.
Who should get them: The QuietOn 3.1 Earbuds are surprisingly tiny and light, fitting snugly into your ears so you can sleep in every position, including your side -- although, at first, I had to adjust my head while sleeping on my side to prevent unwanted pressure from the earbud against the pillow. I typically don't like wearing earbuds but I found these to be more comfortable than most other brands I've tried.
For active noise cancellation to work correctly, you have to wear the right size of foam tip in your ears. The fit should be snug and airtight, which may be uncomfortable for those with extremely sensitive ear canals. I tried the XS and small sizes before finding the medium to be much more effective at reducing the noises around me.
Who shouldn’t: These headphones do not have Bluetooth, so don't get them if you want to listen to your own music. Instead, they actively cancel out ambient sounds by generating opposite waveforms against the noise. This technology doesn't create any sound you can hear, like faint white noise, contrary to what I had expected. They're like advanced earplugs -- the goal is quietude. It's important to note that these headphones do not block everything. You can still hear higher-frequency sounds and sudden noises, which can be good if you want to hear certain things, such as your alarm clock.
I tried a few simulations and found that it significantly reduced lower-frequency sounds. As for snoring, I could still hear it faintly next to me when the snoring simulation was at full volume, but it was much less noticeable.
Editor's note: The QuietOn 3.1 earbuds are now out of stock, so we included a link to the QuietOn 4 earbuds in their place.