As recommended by readers of Electric Speed, June 2026

• I use Audio-Technica headphones and they are really comfortable. —Kimberly Todd
• I have Raycons and like them. They are not fancy and weren’t a big investment but I have issues with earbuds. I don’t like things in my ears, it’s not comfortable. My Raycons encompass all of my ear because I also don’t like the ones that just sit on my ears. I wear them frequently at my desk when they’re not even turned on just to mute my 10-year-old’s noise when I need to focus. My husband says my headset usage reminds him of Mary’s brother Warren in the movie There’s Something About Mary. I’m a little neurospicy that way, so it’s valid. —Bonnie Jean Feldkamp
• I have the Raycon Open Earbuds and really like them —Loretta
• I get not just headaches, but EARaches from most headphones. My theory is that the majority are designed for men and do not fit on/in/around women’s ears. Either too large or too big. My poor ears. Anyway, I have been using V-Moda Crossfade M-80 on-ear headphones for ten years. I am a documentary producer and spend literally ten hours a day on the phone with these. They are foldable for shoving in your purse, extremely sturdy (mostly metal parts), well-padded where they need to be, and still light. The cable can be detached/replaced (how many times have I snagged it on a door handle!?) as they are plug-in, not wired in. And they fit. I know, they’re for gaming, but they are the BEST for phone, music, etc. They last forever and can take abuse. The most recent version is the V-MODA XS, but unfortunately that’s now discontinued. —Sian Evans
• I switched to ‘behind the neck’ wired headphones for my stationary desk years ago, and instantly no more headaches from bulky headsets. I still use an external Yeti microphone for voice, but these headphones have been a game changer for me. My specific set is no longer available but the Williams Sound HED 026 is similar. —Cindy Huggett
• I just bought a great pair of over-the-ear headphones two months ago: Anker Soundcore Space One Headphones. They’re $99 but I bought them on sale and paid $69.99, so it’s worth watching for a sale. They’re cloud soft, noise cancelling, the battery lasts for ages (I’ve only charged them twice since April 2). I use them exclusively at work when I need to focus or for Zoom calls and webinars. I bought the light blue color for fun, but you can also get them in pink, cream, and black. I honestly love these as much as my expensive SteelSeries gaming headset that I use at home, and they were a good $200 cheaper. They don’t have a microphone, though, so I do have to rely on the built-in microphone on my camera for Zoom. —Stephanie A. Cain
• I use the Anker Soundcore Q30 over-ear headphones purchased from Amazon. They’re reasonably priced and have excellent noise reduction capabilities. They also have the excellent quality of not over squeezing my generously proportioned melon, so I’m confident that they might be kind to your head as well. —Courtney Williams Carter
• I absolutely love my Anker Soundcore AeroClip open-ear, clip-on earbuds. They aren’t over-the-head, so they may not be what you’re looking for. They fit around your ear, which means no headband to give me a pressure headache and they don’t constantly slip out of my ears like normal earbuds do. I wear them for hours at a time and one of these days I’m sure I will get in the shower with them on because they’re so comfortable I forget about them. —Jessica Snyder
• I love Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Headphones. They’re so comfortable. And if someone speaks to you, the music turns off so you can respond. —YC Takahashi
• I have an old Sony WH-1000XM3 that I use every day in my home office. Comfortable padding over the ear blocks out every sound so I can focus on my work. I know there is a generation or two of advancement in the model (XM5???), but I won’t trade up until I have to. —DK Wall
• Sony MDR-7506 Professional Stereo Monitor Headphones. Yes, an old-school plug-in, but it helps avoid potential Bluetooth audio delays. —Hugh O’Donnell
• I’ve used the Sony MDR-7506 since 2018, according to Amazon. They are very good and you can replace the cushions easily when they wear out. I use them with an external DAC (digital-to-analog converter) because I’m extra. —Edward Iglesias
• I bought the OneOdio Pro-10 over-ear headphones a few months ago when I was invited to be on a podcast, and I like them. Good cushioning. But I only use them once or twice a month for a couple of hours at a time, so I can’t speak to how comfy they’d be with more frequent use. They get good ratings on Amazon, and in Canada are only $45. —Erica Jurus
• My favorite ‘puter headset is from Logitech, very light, very comfortable, very good sound on the earpieces and the microphone, has a mic mute button, but at least 15 years old! I thought, well, Jane won’t benefit from that! BUT: The Logitech site shows what outwardly looks to be exactly the same set, albeit with a different model number (so I can’t say about the innards), for a mere $21. Logitech H390 USB Computer Headset with enhanced digital audio and inline controls. Has either a USB-A or USB-C connector and comes in white, pink, and black. —Walter Hawn
• I use the **Corsair VOID RGB ELITE gaming headset** for my work, and it records audio as well. I am not a gamer, but for my day job, listening to music and doing amateur audiobook recordings, it is fantastic. With cushiony earpieces, an adjustable head strap and handy volume and mute controls, it is the perfect tool for me. I have had mine for about seven years, and it has not given out. —Brendan Shea
• I’ve been using the Koss KTXPRO1 Titanium Portable Headphones with Volume Control literally for decades. The sound quality is excellent for the price, and they’re cheap enough that you can replace them whenever the foam earpads wear out or the inline volume control gets wonky—maybe after a couple of years. My mother swore she couldn’t wear headphones, but these gave her no trouble at all. —Aaron
• I had been using a bulky over-ear pair and recently switched to the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2  bone conduction headphones, which connect through Bluetooth. They’re super lightweight and comfortable, and can be easily charged. —Renee Rubin Ross Ph.D.
• The over-the-ear headphones I use when listening to recordings (or recording voicework) on my laptop are Maono MH700 Professional Monitor Headphones. They’re comfortable and lightweight. The over-the-head band is padded and adjustable. The ears are well padded, too. Frankly, I don’t like wearing headphones (they mess up my hair) but when I need to, I grab my trusty Maonos. I paid $45 for them on Amazon. Hope this helps! —Shauna L Bowling
• You can pry my Wyze Noise-Cancelling headphones from my cold, dead hands. Not sure if they count as lightweight, but they win on value for money. —Alan Langford