The Best Earplugs for Concerts, Bedtime, and Anytime
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Best for SleepLoop QuietRead more
Alternative Sleep Plugs Flare Audio Sleeep Pro Read more
Best for ConcertsEtymotic ER20XSRead more
A Sub-$50 Alternative for GigsNPR Music x Earpeace Pro Read more
You only get one pair of ears, so it’s a good idea to look after them—and a good set of earplugs can come in handy in all kinds of situations. A proper set is a much better solution for blocking out noise during the night than a pillow over the head and is more comfortable than headphones. What you’re looking for in earplugs really depends on what you want them to do. When you’re sleeping, for example, comfort is paramount. Plus, you need an indiscriminate approach to blocking out snores, traffic noise, or a car alarm down the street.
If you’re watching a band play live, though, you want to maintain as much fidelity as possible and just cut out the frequencies that might be harmful to your hearing. The average concert pumps out about 100 decibels, but if you’ve ever seen My Bloody Valentine, you’ll know some bands seem to have a personal vendetta against your ears—and continuous exposure to sounds over 85 dB can cause permanent damage to your hearing. That means it’s not possible to pick out one pair of earplugs that’ll work in every situation. Instead, we’ve picked several that satisfy different needs.
Be sure to check out our other buying guides, like the Best Sleep Gadgets, Best Wireless Earbuds, Best Wireless Headphones, and Gifts for People Who Need a Good Night's Sleep.
Updated April 2023: We've added the Vibes High Fidelity Earplugs and Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds for travelers.
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- Photograph: Loop
Best for Sleep
Loop QuietThere are no prizes for guessing where Loop earplugs got their name from—but the circular design is a long way from being purely aesthetic. The Loop Quiet look almost identical to Loop's similar Experience earplugs, but there are two crucial differences: With no acoustic filter, they're capable of blocking out more noise—27 dB rather than 18—and they're made entirely from soft silicone, including the round protrusion that sits almost at right angles to the interchangeable tip. That means they fit right inside the concha of your ear, entirely flush with your head, so when you lie on your side there is very little force applied to the earplug and also less chance of inadvertently knocking them loose. That makes the Loop Quiet the most comfortable earplugs for sleeping.
The loop itself is made of silicone, but it's still rigid enough that putting the earplugs in or taking them out is easy. They feel nice and snug when in situ without giving you that bunged-up feeling that comes with some pairs. You get four different-sized sets of ear tips (though actually changing the ear tips can be a pain), and the whole thing is washable in warm water. They even come in six colors, so you can match them to your bedsheets.
- Photograph: Flare Audio
Alternative Sleep Plugs
Flare Audio Sleeep ProThere are few things more likely to drive you over the edge than being kept awake at night by noise, but sticking things in your ears can make it hard to get comfortable enough to doze off, particularly if you sleep on your side. Flare’s Sleeep Pro differs from others in that you get two pairs of memory-foam tips per plug, which are connected together by a lightweight titanium stem (it also sells cheaper versions that use clear plastic or aluminum). They look a bit like tiny dumbbells. The softness of the outer tip makes it more comfortable to tuck them inside your ear and put the weight of your head on them when it hits the pillow.
It’s impossible to know what you haven’t heard when you’re asleep, but Flare claims an average attenuation of –32 dB—and as soon as you put them in, you can tell how effective they are. Sudden, loud noises will still cut through, so there’s no danger of sleeping through your alarm, but they add a layer of noise-reduction defense between your precious sleep and the ungodly sound of foxes copulating in the garden, the wail of nearby sirens, and other such things that make up the nocturnal soundtrack of modern life.
- Photograph: Etymotic
Best for Concerts
Etymotic ER20XSHave you ever woken up the morning after a gig to find your ears still ringing from the night before? Normally it goes away after awhile, but what if one day it didn’t? According to the British Tinnitus Association, about 30 percent of people will suffer from the condition at some point in their lives. Wearing earplugs to live shows is a good way of combating it, but a lot of pairs also have a detrimental effect on how the music sounds, which isn’t what you want when you’ve spent $75 on a ticket to see the Young Nuns play their seminal debut album, Hairy Terror, in its entirety.
With the triple-flange tips attached, Etymotic’s ER20XS look a bit like tiny rubber Christmas trees. They’re not quite as comfortable as a pair with silicone or memory foam tips, such as Vibes or Flare Audio’s Isolate, but when watching the Stranglers live, they didn’t make things sound muffled as the others did. Etymotic claims they reduce the volume by 20 decibels—enough to remove the harshest elements but maintain all of the impact and clarity across the frequency range, which means the only thing that’s likely to spoil the show is somebody spilling their pint on your shoes.
- Photograph: EarPeace
A Sub-$50 Alternative for Gigs
NPR Music x Earpeace ProI recently went to see my wife’s favorite band, and the opener was a doom-metal duo with full stacks of amplifiers. I grabbed some foam earplugs from the bar, but I’d have fared much better if I’d had the Earpeace Music Pros on my keychain. These NPR-backed earplugs fit perfectly in my ears and come with a small aluminum carrying case. They’re super comfortable and can pull a solid 13 decibels from noisy signals—often the difference between some hearing damage and none—in a way that doesn’t suck all the high end out of the sound. Don’t just take my word for it. Legendary NPR music critic Bob Boilen says he has worn his at thousands of shows.
- Photograph: Vibes
Another Cheap Pair for Shows
Vibes High Fidelity EarplugsI like how slim and easy to fit the Vibes High Fidelity Earplugs are. The clear plastic mushrooms hide well in your ears, so the kids at the venue won't think you look like a loser for caring about your ears. (You're not!) They lower sounds by an average of 22 decibels and are designed to lower every frequency relatively evenly, so you don't lose all the high end when you put them in at a show. Three sizes of interchangeable ear tips mean they'll fit most ears.
- Photograph: Happy Ears
Best Eco-Friendly Earplugs
Happy Ears RecycledJust buying a pair of reusable earplugs is greener than using disposable foam ones, but Happy Ears has taken things a step further. The Swedish company offers two different sets of eco-friendly earplugs: The Recycled are made from the brand’s own production waste, while the OP are made from plastics found floating in the North Pacific and North Atlantic oceans. Ironic considering they look like tiny, flattened jellyfish.
We’ve picked the Recycled ones because they come in black, so they’re less prone to discoloration. But whichever you go for, they’re aptly named. They're not quite as effective or as comfortable for sleeping as Flare’s Sleeep Pro, but the tiny Happy Ears are more than suitable for slumber and helped me nod off. Happy Ears claims they can reduce volume levels by up to 25 dB, and while I didn’t have a decibel reader on hand when somebody with a pneumatic drill started digging up the pavement outside, these earplugs certainly deadened the most ear-splitting tones. It made it slightly easier to concentrate while writing this guide. Did I mention they're tiny and come with an equally tiny case and arrive in recyclable/compostable paper packaging? They're available in small, medium, or large, but you'll have to buy a more expensive Discovery Pack, which includes all three if you're unsure.
- Photograph: Bose
Tech Buds With Sleep Sounds
Bose SleepBuds 2If just blocking out the noise when you’re trying to sleep isn’t enough, or if you struggle to snooze even when there’s nothing but silence to keep you company, Bose’s SleepBuds 2 augment the whole nodding-off experience. A hybrid of earplugs and true wireless earphones (earphugs?), the SleepBuds passively block potentially disruptive sounds but also actively attempt to cover them up by playing from a library of over 50 noise-masking soundtracks, including rainfall on a tent, the quiet hum of an airplane engine, and various soothing musical soundscapes. The latter are Now That’s What I Call Ambient, but we never had trouble dozing off, whether it was to the sound of gently lapping waves, warm static, or the crackle of a campfire. You can’t use them to play audio from anything other than Bose’s Sleep app, so if there’s a particular podcast, radio show, or piece of whale music you like to fall asleep to, you'll need to use a different pair.
They’re larger than a set of earplugs but flatter than a normal pair of earbuds, so it’s unlikely you’ll forget you’ve got the SleepBuds in, but they’re just about comfortable enough to wear on your journey to the land of nod, with fins to hold them in place as with a pair of gym-friendly earphones. If only all workouts were as easy as going to bed. Check out our Best Sleep Gadgets and Apps guide for more.
- Photograph: Flare Audio
Best for Sensitive Ears
Flare Calmer ProA pair of earplugs with holes in the middle might sound about as useful as a soluble shower cap, but Flare didn't make the Calmer Pro to block out rackets. These tiny, funnel-shaped silicone tubes work as a waveguide, which bypasses the concha part of your ear and cuts down on the resonance that’s created when sound enters. They’re designed to help people with specific conditions, such as hyperacusis and autism, but Flare says they can help anyone who gets stressed out by sound.
Wear them somewhere quiet and things don’t immediately sound or feel any different. In fact, it’s easy to forget you’re wearing them at all. But take them out after having them in for a while and you’ll notice a subtle difference: Higher-pitched frequencies sound harsher. The whine of the washing machine, which had blended into the background, was suddenly much more noticeable, and they took the edge off the nasty squeals and piercing beeps that trains make. They’re not for everyone, and experts have taken issue with some of Flare’s claims, but for those with sensitive hearing, who struggle to hear in noisy environments or get easily distracted, they’re worth a try. Just start with the basic ones, which come without the aluminum core.
- Photograph: Sony
For Listening
Sony WF-1000XM4If you want earplugs that also can play music, podcasts, or other media at super high fidelity in between silencing your world, these are your best bet. These Sony flagships wireless earbuds come with some of the best sound reduction on the market, and foam ear tips mean you'll also be passively isolated from the outside world. They're a bit bulky, but the foam also helps them stay surprisingly stable in my ears, even during runs and lifting sessions. Read our Best Wireless Earbuds guide for more.
Photograph: MirageC/Getty ImagesWhat About Disposables?
Stick With ReusablesConsidering some live music venues give away free earplugs at every gig, you might question the wisdom of forking out $15 or more for a pair of your own. You can even buy whole packets of disposable ones for a few pennies a pair. But if you're going to be wearing earplugs regularly, there are good reasons for investing in some reusable ones. For starters, it's better for the environment. The foam used to make most disposable earplugs isn't biodegradable or recyclable, so they all end up going to landfills. It might seem like you get more for your money, but the cost soon adds up. If not properly inserted, they won't do their job properly either, and with no acoustic filtering of any kind, they're no good when audio clarity is important. Disposables are preferable to nothing, but you're better off with a reusable pair. Just try not to lose them.
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