When it comes to working remotely, it is important to have the right equipment in order to be productive. One of the most essential items to have on hand is a pair of noise-cancelling headphones. Not only will this help you keep out distractions, but it will also help you communicate more clearly when you’re on work calls. 

There are a plethora of options out there, but we’ve rounded up the top five noise-cancelling headphones for remote workers.

This list consists of headphones that appeared on multiple lists for reputable technology reviewers, including TechRadar, Wirecutter and PC Mag. These headphones were consistently ranked for their noise-canceling abilities and other performance qualities. 

They are not ranked in any particular order because the preference for earbuds vs. headphones is a factor our list cannot account for.

The “Class-leading noise cancellation” according to PCMag.  

This is an expensive option, but the features are worth it. These headphones have audio with rich bass and crisp highs, are extremely comfortable, and are the best in class for noise cancellation.

The headphones also have a comfortable, lightweight design and up to 24 hours of battery life. A quick 15 minute charge can offer 3 hours when your on the go, or stay plugged in to listen for even longer.

For a pair of noise-cancelling headphones that won’t break the bank, try the Plantronics BackBeat Go 810. These Bluetooth headphones sound excellent and feature active noise cancellation to dampen outside sounds. 

The noise cancellation might not be as good as Bose’s, but these headphones come at a fraction of the cost. The batteries also last 20 hours, which makes it a great option for those who may also have to travel from time to time. According to TechRadar, “the Go 810 are an affordable pair of ANC headphones that will please travelers and commuters who don’t want to spend too much money on headphones.”

Building on the popularity of its Airpods, Apple’s Airpod Pros take it a step further with effective noise cancellation and excellent call quality. Not only do these earbuds have the strong audio performance and secure in-ear fit Airpod users are familiar with, but USA Today describes the noise-cancelling feature of these earbuds as “among the best in the field.” 

While you cannot control the level of noise cancellation, the Airpod Pros do take out keyboard clicks, nearby music and office chatter. The earbuds also include a transparency mode that allows outside noise in, which is excellent if you want to interact with the world around you.

These headphones will cut out most of the noise around you, and they sound great when playing music, podcasts or anything else you want to listen to. Forbes says these headphones are “easily among the best noise-cancelling headphones out there.” 

Like the Bose headphones, these allow you to adjust how much sound is blocked out and have 18 hours of battery life. Additionally, these headphones are described as being comfortable and stylish. 

Making two of the lists is the Jabra Evolve2 75. Reimagined from the ground up, these headphones offer impressive noise-cancelling performance along with excellent call quality. The battery life does suffer if wearing round the clock but for the average day usage, it stands at 18 hours with the noise canceling activated and 24 hours without.

These headphones are a bit pricey but comfortable, easy to charge, and work great with Teams.

Finding the right pair of headphones may be exactly what you need to make remote working work for you. Though you may have to spend a pretty penny up front, your improved productivity due to blocking out distracting noises will likely make the expense worthwhile.