Hundreds of readers bought these headphones this year (and they're not from Bose, Sony, or Apple)

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The CMF Buds 2 Plus are among our favorite true wireless earbuds and the most-purchased headphones overall among our readers over the past year and a half. These earbuds are feature-rich and well-performing for their relatively low price point of $80. The CMF Buds 2 Plus are compatible with Sony's high-resolution LDAC Bluetooth codec, feature an IP55 dust- and water-resistant rating, and deliver impressive noise-canceling performance.

Review: CMF Buds 2 Plus

Users with Nothing phones can access Low Latency Mode for mobile gaming and ChatGPT integration with their phone's voice assistant. 

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Alongside the CMF Buds 2 Plus, the company's Headphone Pro are popular among our readers, thanks to their affordable $100 price tag and high performance. For hi-res wireless listening, these headphones support the LDAC codec for Android users, along with Google Fast Pair and Windows Swift Pair for seamless device pairing.

Review: CMF Headphone Pro

Apple users can also access the Headphone Pro's impressive audio and noise-canceling abilities, spatial audio, and Personal Sound Profile for tailored listening. Additionally, these headphones boast 50 hours of battery life, which is nearly 20 hours more than its premium competitors.

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Bose's latest flagship earbuds deliver a laid-back yet premium experience, with exceptional noise cancellation and comfort, making them a solid choice for frequent flyers. They debuted with a new-and-improved spatial audio mode, wireless charging, improved voice clarity, and an upgraded Bluetooth connectivity standard.

Review: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen)

We awarded the QC Ultra Earbuds 2 a ZDNET Editors' Choice award last October, thanks to their impressive AI-powered noise processing, software-ecosystem agnosticism, stable fit, and powerful noise cancellation.

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These simple wired Sony earbuds sport 9mm neodymium drivers for clear, detailed sound, a low 16 ohm impedance for easy driving, and an attached microphone for improved voice clarity during phone calls.

Despite their $35 price tag, these earbuds' wires can be fragile and brittle, but with good care, they can last a few years. 

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These Soundcore sleep earbuds promise effective noise cancellation, extensive, barely-there comfort, and intuitive features to help you fall asleep and wake up refreshed. Our testing revealed that these earbuds excel in comfort after a few nights of wear, but fall short at masking loud environmental noise.

Review: Soundcore Sleep A30

Still, if you want sleep earbuds that play binaural beats ideal for deep sleep, mask some external noise, and have smart features personalized for your nighttime routine, the Soundcore Sleep A30 can help.

Jada Jones/ZDNET

Bose's midrange QuietComfort Headphones succeed the QC45, continuing to deliver a simple, reliable Bose experience with little fanfare and extra hassle. The QuietComfort Headphones feature a 3.5mm jack for wired listening, ANC and Aware audio modes, and 24 hours of playtime.

Review: Bose QuietComfort Headphones

These headphones don't do much other than deliver comfortable, dependable audio and noise cancellation, two things Bose does best.

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Soundcore's Sleep A20 earbuds are designed to wear while you sleep, providing comfort and ambient noise for side sleepers. However, we recommend these sleep earbuds to people who need ambient noise to fall asleep, rather than those looking to block out external noises.

Review: Soundcore Sleep A20

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The WH-1000XM5 aren't Sony's newest premium headphones, but they're far from archaic. They promise 30 hours of playtime, LDAC codec support, DSEE Extreme audio quality upscaling, and wired listening via 3.5mm jack. A recent firmware update brings LE Audio and Auracast, Gemini Live, and head tracking over LE Audio to the XM5, meaning Sony isn't phasing out its software support anytime soon.

Also: Your Sony headphones just got a useful Bluetooth upgrade with the latest software patch

If you want access to Sony's premium features in an over-ear form factor without spending $460 for the latest generation, the WH-1000XM5 are still a worthy choice.

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Shokz's flagship open-ear bone conduction headphones are among the best for individuals who want to stay aware of their surroundings while exercising. They feature a lightweight design, 12-hour battery life, and an IP55 rating for dust and water resistance.

Review: Shokz OpenRun Pro 2

Many open-ear headphones sacrifice sound for their open and light form factor, but Shokz's sound profile is highly impressive for an open-ear headphone. 

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Open-ear earbuds let you stay aware of your surroundings without compromising your audio, which can be especially useful for hiking, walking, biking, or running outdoors. The Soundcore AeroFit Pro offer a true wireless and corded experience, depending on your preference.

Review: Soundcore AeroFit Pro

Additionally, an IPX5 durability rating makes them sweatproof, LDAC support is on deck for hi-res wireless listening, and 14 hours of continuous playtime means they can last all day.