Our top over-ear headphones of 2026 so far: every pair of cans that blew us away in our tests
TechRadar’s Audio experts test dozens of pairs of headphones each year, and 2026 has been especially strong when it comes to new over-ears. I thought I’d pull together a roundup of our top-rated models — just in case readers were thinking of using next month’s Black Friday sales to upgrade — and I was inundated with excellent options. Below, you’ll find a collection of all the over-ear headphones that scored four stars or above in our tough review tests.
A five-star standout is the open-back, wired Heddphone D1, with its proprietary driver design that “blows away audiophile-grade options at three times the price”. If you’re looking for something better suited to, say, public transport or the office, there are plenty of wireless, ANC cans that knocked our socks off, too.
Two brands that upped their game in a big way for their second-gen over-ears were Nothing and Sonos. The Nothing Headphone (a) wowed us with their “gigantic” battery life and excellent on-ear controls, and the Sonos Ace Ultra impressed with a “fantastic” suite of features including detailed EQ options and Dolby Atmos for movies.
We also loved the AirPods Max 2, and they’re a strong recommendation for anyone who has an iPhone and doesn’t mind a case that looks like a bra. And for budget-hunters, the OneOdio Focus A1 Pro deliver “surprisingly good” sound and long battery life, and you won’t believe how cheap they are.
Scroll down for a closer look at all of these headphones and more. Hit the More details button for a summary of the main pros and cons of each pair, as well as a link to the full review.
4.5 or 5 stars
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Share this article Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter TechRadar’s Audio experts test dozens of pairs of headphones each year, and 2026 has been especially strong when it comes to new over-ears. I thought I’d pull together a…
