Best noise-cancelling headphones under 100 - Our top picks 2023


If you're looking to stay immersed in your music or your favourite video game title, then we've got you covered with our list of the best noise-cancelling headphones under 100.

Noise-cancelling headphones are a popular choice due to their ability to eliminate any distracting noise going on around you that might interfere with your listening experience.

There are different methods of noise cancellation, but the models included here all work using Active Noise Cancellation (ANC).

This is perhaps the most convenient form of noise cancellation, as you can turn it on and off as you please so you can talk to people if necessary or listen out for cars whilst crossing the road.

Whilst these kinds of headphones can often come with a hefty price tag, that doesn't mean you can't get some pretty good models for a relatively inexpensive price. Our selection features headphones all below the $100 mark.

Moreover, we'd argue our selection of headphones can all be used for both leisure and work.

For instance, they all come with Bluetooth compatibility and most have built-in microphones, so could be used for making calls wirelessly like some of the best headsets for Microsoft Teams, or to socialise whilst playing games.

Another important factor to take into consideration when buying any type of headphones is comfort. Ideally, you're going to want something with well-padded earcups that is fairly lightweight to avoid feeling weighed down by your headset.

With all of this in mind, we’ve picked out these headphones based on specs, general reviews, and features that we think make them worth buying.

So, without further ado, let's take a look at our top picks for noise-cancelling headphones.

Best noise-cancelling headphones under 100

Best noise-cancelling headphones under 100 - Soundcore Life Q30

Best noise-cancelling headphones under 100 - Soundcore black headphones
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Credit: Soundcore
Brand: Soundcore | Battery life: Up to 40 hours | Battery type: 1x Lithium Polymer | Wireless: Yes | Bluetooth: Yes

Using Active Noise Cancellation technology, the Soundcore Life Q30 headphones use microphones to pick up and filter out an impressive 95% of low-frequency background noise.

With that kind of functionality, they should let you thoroughly immerse yourself into an alternate reality created by your favourite songs, podcasts or audiobooks, free of any real-world distractions.

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Not only that, but they actually have three different location modes you can choose from: Transport Mode, Outdoor Mode and Indoor Mode. You can select whichever one you require to optimise your listening experience.

There's also a Transparency Mode which you can activate by pressing the right earcup for one to two seconds to stop the noise-cancellation so you can talk to someone or hear traffic around you - always good to be polite and safe!

If the quality wasn't enough, these headphones should also be comfortable, thanks to their soft leather earcups. Let's be honest, there's nothing worse than having a pair of hard, slightly painful headphones digging into your ears for long periods of time.

Best wireless noise-cancelling headphones under 100 - Wyze Noise-Cancelling Headphones

Best noise-cancelling headphones under 100 - Wyze black headphones
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Credit: Wyze
Brand: Wyze | Battery life: Up to 20 hours | Battery type: 1x Lithium-ion | Wireless: Yes | Bluetooth: Yes

WYZE's noise-cancelling headphones look to be a pretty good option to consider if you're looking for something wireless to take your music or podcasts with you whether you go.

Their wireless headphones work in tandem with the Wyze app, where you can conveniently select options such as Bass or Movie mode to optimise the audio of whatever you're listening to. You can also customise these settings to suit your own preferences.

Read more: Best TV headphones

They should work well for work as well as leisure as well because they have dual voice-isolating microphones that isolate your voice when you're in the office to drown out background noise and ensure you can be heard clearly.

And, if you need to confer with a colleague whilst you're mid-call, the Active Noise Cancellation can be quickly switched off so you can efficiently communicate with them without the need to take your headphones off.

Best wired noise-cancelling headphones under 100 - Sony ZX110NC

Best noise-cancelling headphones under 100 - Sony black wired headphones
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Credit: Sony
Brand: Sony | Battery life: Up to 80 hours | Battery type: 1x AAA | Wireless: Yes | Bluetooth: Yes

It seems like all headphones nowadays are wireless, but sometimes a pair of wired headphones, like these Sony ZX110NC, can be exactly what you need if you don't want to worry about battery life and remembering to charge your set.

Wired headphones tend to be slightly less expensive, too, and we'd say these are pretty good value for money.

Read more: Best budget Bluetooth speaker

They're said to reduce external noise from things like trains and office chatter by up to 95%, so you can focus on work as well as enjoy your train journey home listening to the best tunes.

They should also be good for travelling with you too, as the earcups are designed to swivel and fold up to make them easier to store when not in use.

After all, who can face a long, tedious plane journey without having headphones so you can listen to some form of entertainment?

Best noise-cancelling headphones under 100 for comfort - Silensys E7

Best noise-cancelling headphones under 100 - Silensys red headphones
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Credit: Silensys
Brand: Silensys | Battery life: Up to 30 hours | Battery type: 1x Lithium-ion | Wireless: Yes | Bluetooth: Yes

It's fair to say that the word 'padding' usually depicts something comfortable. Well, the large, cushioned earcups of the Silensys E7 headphones should certainly bring that image to life for you.

Described as having 'pillow-like softness', the headphones, the headphones are also designed to be lightweight despite the extra padding to prevent them from feeling too weighty on your ears.

Read more: Best headset for home working

The earcups are also designed to rotate 90 degrees so you can adjust the fit to ensure they actually feel as comfortable as possible for your personal requirements.

They also have a built-in microphone and a Bluetooth 5.0 connection so you can use them for making and taking calls - either for work purposes or to talk to friends and family.

Best noise-cancelling headphones under 100 for battery-life - Edifier W820NB

Best noise-cancelling headphones under 100 - Edifier baby blue headphones
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Credit: Edifier
Brand: Edifier | Battery life: Up to 49 hours | Battery type: 2x Lithium-ion | Wireless: Yes | Bluetooth: Yes

The last thing anyone wants with a pair of wireless headphones is for them to die on you halfway into a long journey when the only thing keeping you entertained is the music or podcast you happen to be listening to.

Luckily, the Edifier W820NB have a strong battery life that should last you up to 49 hours of playtime on a single charge.

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Of course, sound quality is also an essential factor when choosing headphones. This pair is Hi-Res Audio certified, meaning they should give you some high-quality audio which will be further enhanced when the active noise cancellation is switched on to drown out the background sound.

An added feature bonus, too, is that they have a couple of different modes. One is ambient sound mode, which simply lets you control what you want to hear in terms of background noise, and the other is game mode, which provides you with low latency for a more immersive gaming experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

You'll probably have a few questions about noise-cancelling headphones under 100 and, luckily, we're here to answer them for you.

Are noise-cancelling headphones worth it?

We'd say that noise-cancelling headphones are worth spending money on because they allow you to listen to audio - such as music, podcasts or work calls - without any outside noise distracting you. This means you can fully immerse yourself into whatever you're listening to without frustratingly being disturbed.

It can also be beneficial to your ear health - playing music too loudly can damage tiny hair calls in your inner ear, which can potentially cause hearing loss over time.

Noise-cancelling headphones can help resolve this issue, as perhaps the main reason most people tend to have their music playing so loudly is so they can actually hear it over any background interference.

How do noise-cancelling headphones work?

Not all noise-cancelling headphones work the same depending on what technology is used in their design.

The two most common types of noise-cancellation are Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and Passive Noise Cancellation (PNC).

ANC is most commonly used in over-ear headphones and works by using microphones and speakers to reduce any background noises.

PNC, meanwhile, is used in both over-ear and in-ear headphones and makes use of specially designed ear cups to simply block out surrounding noise.

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