If you have strong preferences for your workout gear — and strong feelings on Hoka versus Brooks (I'm not getting in the middle of that debate) — then finding the right pair of workout headphones is extra challenging.

Our experts shopped for and tested headphones from the biggest brands on the market to determine which pairs are actually the best over-ear headphones to buy.

Whether you work from home, find yourself on an airplane more often than not, or simply want to turn down the volume of the outside world, noise-cancelling headphones are exactly the tool you need. Even the best value headphones will feel lacking if they don't come equipped with halfway decent noise cancellation.