Earbuds comfort test…….You ever put in a new pair of earbuds and immediately think, “Oh cool, I guess my ears hate me now”?
Yeah. That was my entire last month. I ran what I’m calling my own “earbuds comfort test,” but honestly, it felt more like my ears were auditioning earbuds the way Simon Cowell auditions singers — brutal, impatient, no notes spared.
This whole thing started because my old pair finally gave out during a 7 train ride. One second I’m vibing, next second—static, silence, and the left earbud literally fell apart in my ear like a Lego set that lost hope.
So I decided: enough pain. Enough disappointment. Let’s find earbuds that don’t torture me.
I might’ve taken it a little too far.
How This All Started (a.k.a. Queens Problems)
So picture this: It’s a random Tuesday, my coffee tastes burnt (Dunkin’ betrayed me), and I’m already running late. I pop in a pair of backup earbuds — these cheap plastic things I got from a bodega near Roosevelt. Terrible decision. They felt like someone was pressing tiny plastic elbows into my ears.
I literally said out loud, “Nope. We’re not doing this.”
The guy next to me kind of side-eyed me, but whatever.
That’s when I made the plan.
I would test every supposedly “comfortable” pair I could get my hands on — in real life, doing real human things:
- Long subway rides
- Walking while carrying groceries because why did I buy a watermelon again
- Working on the couch until my left foot falls asleep
- Cleaning the apartment while my wife judges my playlist
Very official. Very scientific.
(Absolutely not scientific.)
Earbuds I Tested (aka my wallet regrets)
I went through:
- AirPods Pro 2
- Sony WF-1000XM5
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
- Beats Fit Pro
- Google Pixel Buds Pro
- Some $25 Amazon specials
- A pair my cousin swore were “exact dupes” but absolutely were not
And before anyone asks—
Yes. My ears are slightly uneven. A doctor told me that once and I’ve been blaming that for every audio-related inconvenience in my life since.
Let’s Talk Comfort — the real, painful, hilarious truth
AirPods Pro 2
First up because… well, Apple knows how to get my money.
Comfort-wise? Honestly pretty solid.
Silicone tips weren’t too squishy or too stiff. They felt like little marshmallows for your ear holes.
But after an hour? My right ear started doing that thing where it feels like it’s slowly rejecting the AirPod like “ma’am, absolutely not.”
Still — not bad. Not top tier.
Sony WF-1000XM5
These are like tiny luxurious pebbles.
They’re light, smooth, and honestly? I forgot they were in for a while, which should be the whole point, right?
My only complaint — they’re just slightly bulky if you have smaller ears.
(Which I apparently do? At this big age I’m still learning things about my own face.)
But comfort score: high. Surprisingly high.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra
Oh man.
At first I thought these were perfect because they’re soft, almost like wearing tiny memory foam pillows.
But after about 90 minutes, the seal gets a bit… intense. It’s like your ears are trapped in a pressure chamber and can’t text for help.
Great sound though. Like REALLY great.
Beats Fit Pro
These tried to murder me.
Okay that’s dramatic — but the little wing tip thing dug into my cartilage like it was trying to carve its initials there. Some people love that secure fit; I respect that.
My ears? They filed a complaint.
Google Pixel Buds Pro
Shockingly comfortable.
Not as soft as the Sony ones, not as “marshmallowy” as AirPods — but something about the shape just worked.
I wore them for 2–3 hours straight while cleaning the house and pretending I would reorganize the closet (I did not).
The cheap Amazon ones
You know when something is so uncomfortable you get mad at the object like it’s alive?
Yeah.
They were shaped like someone drew earbuds from memory and then carved them out of Lego plastic.
My “Official” Earbuds Comfort Test Winner
Drumroll, but like… sloppy Queens version: drrr-drrr-ddrrrddd–tap tap?
I’m giving it to:
🥇 Sony WF-1000XM5
Why?
Because they disappeared in my ears the most often.
And that, to me, is the highest compliment.
If I forget I’m wearing you, you win.
AirPods Pro 2 were a close second.
Pixel Buds Pro were the dark-horse third.
Beats? Send them back to the Hunger Games arena.
Random Stuff I Learned About Ear Comfort
Because after spending way too much money, you naturally start philosophizing.
1. Your ears have moods
Sometimes earbuds hurt just because you slept weird.
Or because it’s cold.
Or because your ears are done with everyone’s nonsense today.
2. Silicone tips are the real MVP
Foam tips feel great… until they don’t. They get sweaty.
Yes, ear sweat is real. I wish I didn’t know.
3. “Secure fit” often means “prepare for pain”
If anything has a wing, hook, clip, or stabilizer… brace yourself.
4. Cheap doesn’t mean comfy
But expensive also doesn’t guarantee comfort.
My cousin’s $35 “dupes” were the only ones that made me genuinely angry.
A Strange Moment That Needs to Be Shared
One night around midnight (because that’s the only time my apartment is quiet), I’m lying on the couch testing the Pixel Buds. My daughter walks out, sees me with one earbud in each hand, and goes:
“Are you… sniffing them?”
I wasn’t, for the record.
I was checking the material.
Very different thing.
She didn’t believe me.
Honestly, I wouldn’t either.
Anyway — moving on.
Real-Life Comfort Situations about earbuds comfort test
1. The Subway Test
If an earbud pops out every time the train jerks — disqualified.
The Beats Fit Pro didn’t fall out, but they hurt, so that’s not a win.
Sony passed.
AirPods passed.
Pixel Buds survived with a B+.
2. The Grocery-Carrying-Too-Many-Bags Test
The real New York test.
If I can still adjust my earbuds while holding:
- milk
- bananas
- and a giant unnecessary watermelon
…then the ergonomics are good.
3. The “I Forgot They Were In” Test
Only Sony truly excelled here.
AirPods came close.
Google Pixel Buds had their moments.
What I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Went Earbud Shopping
Because I don’t want you to blow money like I did.
Try smaller tips first
Everyone defaults to medium, but small often fits better (and hurts less).
Weight matters more than squishy tips
Lighter buds = happier ears.
Avoid weird shapes
If the product looks like a tiny spaceship, it will probably feel like one.
Don’t trust the phrase “universal fit”
Lies.
Marketing lies.
Bold ones.
