Best Wireless In-Ear Headphones Under $100
The market for in-ear headphones is pretty flooded these days, as a simple search on Amazon yields hundreds of results. So how is it possible to possibly sift through them all? Well, on my search for the best headphones available for my needs, I ended up trying many of the top rated options on the market.
Wireless used to be a huge premium, but that’s not the case any longer. That is why I am limiting this to just wireless in-ear headphones. While most of the top brands everyone knows about still has their premium options above $100, here are the best I’ve tried.
Phaiser BHS-730 Headphones
Price: $35.99
Sound: 8/10
The sound on these are solid. The bass levels were sufficient, there were no tinny sounds and overall they just did well. Sure, it’s not going to be the absolute best sound out there compared to any headphone, but for bluetooth in-ear options under $100, there is absolutely nothing to complain about.
Fit: 9/10
I use the Phaiser BHS-730 headphones to workout in, and in order to really enjoy that experience, they must be comfortable and snug. They are one of the best earbuds I’ve been able to try in my life. Every set of ears will be different, but for me, they fit well and stay in my ears. I really appreciate the feel and durability of the silicone tips.
Since they fit very snug, sound is that much better. They do a good job blocking out ambient noise for me. Best of all, these don’t fall out of my ears during my workouts.
Battery: 7/10
Battery is a little on the low side, at least when compared to some of the other options out there for bluetooth in-ear headphones on the market. The most I’ve been able to get so far is about six hours, which usually equates to three workouts for me. The battery level indicator is a bit vague too, which I’m not a fan of, because I’d like to have a more precise calculation when it is low.
Durabilty: 10/10
The Phaiser BHS-730 headphones really seem built to last. I’ve had no issues with them so far, and they look brand new. The casing for the wires between the two ear buds is very strong, showing no tearing or cracking a few months in.
I know that these are not the only headphones with magnets on them, but let me just say that it makes a bigger difference than you can imagine. I am constantly misplacing my headphones and worse, tangling them up. These are one of the first pairs that I don’t have that happen to me. It is one of those simple pleasures I’ve only experienced since picking them up. I think this adds to the overall durability as well because they are not abused as much between wears.
Connectivity: 7/10
It was extremely easy to pair these up with my phone, which is a huge plus. Sometimes, bluetooth can just be a bit of a pain, but that was not the case at all for these.
The only troubling thing for me so far is that about 2 months into using them, I started having connectivity issues with my phone. After doing some troubleshooting online, I noticed that it was an issue others have had as well. I went with a suggestion that resetting the headphones and basically setting them up with my device again could work, and sure enough it did. It’s a minor inconvenience, and hopefully it was a one-time thing. Based on other reviews, it can sometimes continually happen. I did notice that Phaiser does step in and help when possible, so that’s a plus. Unfortunately, a lot of the issues are due to Bluetooth 4.1 just not delivering a great signal all the time.
With just one little connectivity issue so far, it’s hard to not still recommend these. They are affordable, stylish, feel high quality and come in a few colors. There is a reason why they are one of the top selling options on Amazon.
KAHE True Wireless Earbuds
Price: $49.99
Sound: 7/10
Much like the Phaiser BHS-730 headphones, the sound is overall solid with the KAHE True Wireless Earbuds. I wasn’t blown away with anything in particular, but nothing frustrated me either. The bass was lacking just a little bit, but considering that these aren’t designed to really be bumping the bass that much, I wasn’t too worried.
What hurts the sound a little though is the lack of options to adjust on the fly. These earbuds don’t have a way to control volume or access voice control (like Siri) when so many other competitors do. This is obviously a sacrifice for such small earbuds, but hopefully in future releases they find a remedy for that.
This becomes an issue in particular when a phone call is incoming. Many times, a person wants to answer a call and adjust the sound. Instead of being able to do that seamlessly, it’s impossible without taking out the phone. If that is your day in a nutshell, constantly transitioning from your playlist to phone calls, these might not be the best fit.
Fit: 10/10
These earbuds are truly wireless, so of course I’m always going to be skeptical at first that perhaps they won’t stay in during a workout. However, the fit of the KAHE True Wireless Earbuds is amazing. They are able to slip into my ears easily, and I’ve yet to experience any pain whatsoever, even after a full work day of wear. The best part about the fit is that they are one the more discrete options. Without having to deal with the wire to connect the two earbuds, there won’t be any pull during head movements either.
With three sets of ear tips, I believe most people will find one set that helps to pretty much seal the ear completely. These really shine when the ear is sealed off, as I was not happy at all with the KAHE True Wireless Earbuds at first because I tried the small size when I needed medium.
The right fit will eliminate fear in these falling out. Like all earbuds, it might take a little bit of work at first, but everything will be more enjoyable if the fit is fully customized.
Battery: 8/10
I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with the battery life for these, but maybe it just takes getting used to. KAHE True Wireless Earbuds only get about 2.5 hours of use on a charge for me, which is obviously pretty low compared to the other options in this article. However, part of that is fixed because of the unique way these charge. The storage charging case can recharge up to five times, meaning these can actually last throughout the day.
Not everyone is used to a charging case, and I’m not crazy about taking them out to charge periodically if I am having a long day. These are not really built for wearing for extended periods, so as long as you know that, the battery is sufficient. The charging case will quickly become a friend for sure.
Durability: 9/10
These earbuds might be small, but they are durable. The KAHE true Wireless Earbuds are made out of quality materials. I was a little skeptical at first that they would get beat up and damaged more easily than some of the competition, but so far, so good.
The only real issue with durability would be if you are someone who doesn’t keep the carrying case close by. It might be easy to take them off and leave them around the house for a little, but having the case and the earbuds in two different places is a recipe for trouble. Stay on top of that or these will get lost or damaged quickly.
I took off a point though because as durable as the earbuds are, I felt like the carrying case does not live up to expectations. It gets scratched and beat up pretty easily. Since the case is such a big part of the earbuds, it is pretty frustrating.
Connectivity: 9/10
Setup was easy enough, and Bluetooth 5.0 technology is overall pretty stable compared to some of the competitors that use old tech. Everything just pops up on the device connection screen and pairing is complete after a few clicks.
The company claims that the earbuds can stay connected up to around 30 feet away from a device. For the most part, that seems to work fine. I did notice that I was in a really, really crowded area, the earbuds struggled a little to stay connected consistently. So, if you live or work in the middle of Manhattan, it might be a reason to hesitate. For most daily users though, that won’t be an issue.
Anker Soundcore Spirit X Wireless Headphones
Finally, Anker provides a great in-ear solution for those people who are frequently visiting the gym. With a very sporty
Sound: 10/10
The sound on these rival anything in its class. I was really impressed with the Anker Soundcore Spirit X Wireless headphones when talking on the phone and listening to music. The bass was strong, outside noise was minimal and the overall sound quality certainly doesn’t seem like something you could get for under $100.
I have yet to really come up with a negative in regards to sound for these headphones. It is really important to find the right ear tip for a perfect fit, because sealing off the ear will bring out the best with the sound these have.
Fit: 9/10
Compared to the first two headphones covered, the Anker Soundcore Spirit X headphones are certainly the bulkiest of the bunch. They aren’t heavy or a burden to wear, but they aren’t as sleek of a fit.
With the wire connecting the two sides, Anker does a pretty good job giving users ways to adjust the comfort level. However, I get a little frustrated sometimes with head movements, because no matter how I secure the wire behind my head, I will feel a little bit of a pull.
The best thing about these? I don’t have to ditch them after my workout. They are comfortable enough to wear all day long if you wish. They might be a bit more bulky than either of the options above, but I never felt any strain when wearing them for over 10 hours at one time. The only people who might have some issues with these are those who have extra sensitivity where the ear hooks touch the ear.
A number of ear tips and wings are included with each purchase for a more customized fit if things don’t feel well out of the box. Just about every single piece on these headphones can be adjusted in one way or another, which is great. Even a week after making a purchase, I was still tinkering with things to get a customized fit I truly enjoyed.
Battery: 10/10
Battery life is great, routinely getting 10 hours at minimum out of these. They say up to 12 hours is attainable, but these are still far and away the best wireless in-ear headphones covered in this article for battery life on a single charge.
The battery life is great, and the tracking of the percentage of battery left is great as well. It will give alerts when they do need recharged, but a person can also just check on their phone. I really liked being warned if I need to go track down some other headphones instead of playing the guessing game.
A full re-charge only takes about 1.5 hours. If you are pressed for time or simply forgot to charge, I was able to get back to about 50% in less than half an hour. I have absolutely no complaints with the battery.
Durability: 8/10
Overall, the Anker Soundcore Spirit X Wireless headphones do seem like they have the chance to last a long time. However, with so many different parts and with some minor issues already, I could see some future headaches forming.
The tips of the headphones will come off at some point, usually when storing them or taking them off quickly. The hooks will bend pretty easily too, which might sound like a good idea when initially doing the fitting, but it isn’t as fun when you are just taking them off.
It’s great that the headphones come with some replacement parts, but it also tells me that part of the reason they do this is because losing/ruining pieces is a pretty common thing. There is really only one size of ear tips that I really, really like, so if one of them goes missing, that’s going to probably lead to me having to buy replacements.
I do have to give Anker points for giving these workout-inspired headphones proper sweat proof technology. I’m sweating with these on all the time, and I have not had any issues at all. I don’t foresee any issues either with moisture, other than keeping on top of making sure they are cleaned off. All the rubber and silicone parts of the headphones have shown no wear, so they should last just fine with proper maintenance.
Connectivity: 9/10
With Bluetooth 5.0 technology, connectivity is about as good as you are going to get for headphones like this. I was happy with how easy it was to set these up and then reconnect every single time I use them.
Range is solid, even through walls. They have the standard 10 meter/33 feet range so many other headphones have, and in real life situations, Anker delivers on that promise.
Compared to the two above, these are the only headphones that I have not experienced a random dropped connection. It is nice to not really have to worry about something like that, although even the best connections will still have problems from time to time.
Final Thoughts
All three of these wireless in-ear headphones with bluetooth technology are great options for those on a budget. In fact, a person could purchase all three for about the same price as some of the name brand competitors. With that said, perhaps the best way to determine which pair of headphones to go with is to think about which design looks and feels best.
Some people want nothing to do with a wire connecting the two ears. Some don’t want an additional hook over their ears. With easy ways to make purchases and returns online, trying them out is the best recommended method for sure to get just the right fit and feel.
Proud University of Colorado graduate. Proud former spelling bee regional finalist. Most importantly, proud son, brother and uncle.