Best True Wireless Earbuds 2018

High quality, light-weight, comfortable in-ear true wireless earbuds for fitness, exercising, phone calls and general music enjoyment are available for under $50. We prefer earbuds with a storage / carrying box that doubles as charging box for the ease of powering up and so that the earbuds stay cleaner, and don’t get lost. We review four of our favorites from Lightsky, Mejor, ZNT and Red2Fire.

You can also find our review of The Best Bluetooth Wireless Earbuds Under $30 (these are not the truly wireless, since they have wires between the earbuds).

Lightsky

Our top choice is the Lightsky Bluetooth Wireless Earbuds, Earphones with 800mAh Charging Box (about $50), using Bluetooth 4.2 these miniature earbuds provide great HD stereo / simulated surround-sound audio. They are compatible with iOS (iPhone, iPad, etc.) and Android devices, as well as most other devices which support Bluetooth (e.g., PSP, TVs, and Windows Computers).

The sound quality is one of the best for true wireless earbuds under $100. The bass is excellent for a small device, and the overall audio levels rate highly. These are also equipped with active noise cancellation so you get a fuller immersion into the audio. This is also helpful during phone conversations to better hear the other person speaking when you are in a noisy environment. Note that for phone calls, only the Left earbud is active since that also has the built-in microphone.

Great audio is a requirement for a top earbud, and so is having a secure, comfortable fit. Three different sized silicone earcaps are provided so that everyone can get a good fit. This is particularly  important for jogging and other exercise / fitness, so that the earbud doesn’t fall out.

There are also no buttons on these buds. You just have to tap the earbud to select the function.Taps allow you to control the music with play, pause and skip functions. You can also answer or end calls with just a tap on the earbud.

At just 0.16 ounces (4.7g) these are light enough that you won’t mind wearing them for hours at a time. Each earbud has a 50 mAh battery, which is good for about  3 hours of play time. These recharge quickly, about 30 minutes to get back to full and about 10 minutes of charging will get you 1 hour of play time.

The carrying case is also light at only 1.14 ounces. In addition to providing a protective housing for the earbuds, and making sure one of them doesn’t get lost in your gym bag or purse, it is also the charger with a built-in battery. The case has an 800 mAh battery, which when fully charged will give you 8 full charges for the pair of earbuds. That’s about 24 continuous hours of play time on a single case charge. It will take a bout 2 hours with a standard USB charging port to bring the case back to a full battery level.

These come with a 2-year warranty, and free lifetime technical support if you have questions or need help with setting up / using the earbuds.

Available now through Amazon,  Lightsky Bluetooth Wireless Earbuds, Earphones with 800mAh Charging Box

Mejor

For the stylish look of Apple AirPods, the Mejor True Wireless Earbuds (about $35) are a great value for their features at this price. With Advanced Bluetooth 4.2, these are certified compatible with recent iPhones (X, 8, 7, 7-Plus, 6S, 6S-Plus) and Samsung Galaxy S7. These will also work with most other iOS, Android, Sony and Windows Bluetooth enabled devices.

FYI – If you have AirPods, and need to find them, here is a guide for you: Locating Lost AirPods

Audio is well rounded and balanced, with the A2DP / AVRCP audio processing system providing excellent acoustic range for a wide variety of music types. Sounds good on the low notes, and also faithfully reproduces the high end.

Comfort and fit is good, but without exchangeable ear inserts. The size and shape seem to be sized to fit the majority of users, but if you aren’t part of the average ear size, you may want to consider earbuds with additional silicone earcups. According to the manufacturer, “This wireless earbuds is designed according to the geometry of the ear. The ergonomic design make these earphones to provide all-day comfort and stay put in ears while you’re running, jogging, weight lifting, walking and gym training.”

A single multi-functional button is used to control power on/off, answer/hang-up call, play/pause/skip music. Similar to other earbuds, only one is active during phone calls.

Battery life is excellent, with 4 to 6 hours of play on a charge and 120 hours of standby. It will take about an hour to 90 minutes to fully recharge the earbuds. The case, which also doubles as the charging unit, has a 900 mAh battery which is good for at least 5 recharges of the earbuds, giving you over a days worth of play time.

These come with a 1-year warranty with free replacement or money back if not satisfied. You also get free lifetime technical support.

Order now on Amazon, Mejor True Wireless Earbuds

ZNT

The ZNT AirFits True Wireless Earbuds (about $55) are another solid choice for enjoying your music while exercising or just listening to music. You get high fidelity stereo audio with secure, comfortable earbuds.

Play time is just over 3 hours per charge, and the charging / carrying case has enough battery for up to 4 recharges.

One feature on the ZNT unique to this list is the ability to activate Apple’s Siri through the earbud and microphone.

You’ll also get a caller ID / number announcement through the earbud to decide if you want to take or ignore a call, without need to check your phone.

Red2Fire

The Red2Fire Waterproof Wireless Earbuds are sweat-proof and water-proof, with IPX5 rating. A water-resistant nano-coating efficiently protects these sport earbuds, ensuring a more guaranteed life span. These are perfect for running, jogging, hiking, yoga, exercises, gym, fitness, traveling and etc.

The Bluetooth 4.2 works with iOS devices, Android devices, Sony and Windows products.

The audio is great – bass is deep and resonant, and with their DSP / Noise Cancellation hardware, you can actively listen to your music without interference from the outside world. The mid-range and high-notes also come through cleanly.

For phone calls, a built-in high definition microphone brings smooth communication.

Comfort and fit are good, allowing you to keep these in for hours at a time. With three earcups to select from, you can find the size that’s best for you. You’ll get 3 to 4 hours of music time on a charge of the 50 mAh earbud battery, and about 3 recharges from the 250 mAh charging / carry case. Note – on the charge case is a little button between the two earbuds. The button needs to be pressed for the earbuds to charge. You’ll know they are charging when the earbuds glow red, and the red light turns off when they are fully charged.

Comes with an 18-month warranty.

Purchase through Amazon, Red2Fire Waterproof Wireless Earbuds