For me, noise cancellation is not simply a nice feature, but a downright necessity when I am shopping for a new pair of headphones or earbuds. I am susceptible to the distractions of a busy coffee shop or office while I am working, and when I am traveling, the feature provides a much-needed escape from unwanted socialization (and helps facilitate great naps).
I was gifted a pair of Bose QuietComfort 45 Headphones for Christmas several years ago, and I have not looked back since. They have quickly become my go-to headphones for almost every scenario, and they’re currently on sale for $299 right now. You can read CNET’s review of the Bose QC 45s here.
One of my favorite features of the Bose QC 45’s is that you can seamlessly toggle between the “Quiet” or noise-canceling mode and the “Aware” mode (which allows you to hear what would otherwise be quieted) either using a button on the headphones or in the accompanying Bose app.
By not being locked into one mode, and being able to switch between them easily, I can use my headphones for focused working, traveling and working out without having to worry about having to switch between headphones or earbuds.
For more, here are our picks for the best noise-canceling headphones of 2024.
