The best earplugs in the US, for concerts, power tools or just sleeping better – tested
You don't have to operate a jackhammer for a living to invest in a good pair of earplugs. While they used to live solely in the domain of high-visibility vests and safety helmets, you'll now find plenty of folks using earplugs to protect their hearing at concerts, to concentrate in busy coffee shops, or simply to sleep better .
But choosing the right earplugs isn't quite as simple as walking into your local CVS and grabbing the first pack of disposable foam you find in the checkout aisle. In addition to those reliable old standbys, you will now find a new generation of reusable earplugs that come in different sizes, filter out different frequencies, and come in Noise Reduction Ratings (NRR) from 12 (take the edge off a concert) to 33 (blot out the world).
Whether you're after a silent slumber or safer SXSW, these are the best earplugs you can buy.
Be sure to check out our related guides to the best wireless earbuds , best bluetooth speakers and best sleep masks .
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Sennheiser SoundProtex Plus
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Mack's Ultrasoft
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Etymotic ER20 ETY
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EarPeace Sleep
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3M Skull Screws
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EarPeace Moto
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Loop Switch 2 Earbuds
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3M Quiet
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Mack's Pillowsoft
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Other earplugs The Filter tested
The answer is a lot! I tried many earplugs. I mention some of these in the text above:
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How we tested (and our mission at the Filter US)
Why you should trust the Filter US
Our mission is to help you filter out junk products and buy fewer, better things.
At the Filter US , we test the products we recommend ourselves and never take your trust for granted. We also consider possible impacts on your health or the environment in our coverage and companies cannot purchase a spot in our product rankings because we are here to serve you, not corporations.
Our team is a part of the Guardian's US editorial team and our journalists follow its strict ethical standards. Learn more about us here .
Why you should trust me
As an audio reviewer, my hearing is how I make a living. I take hearing protection so seriously that I see an audiologist annually to keep tabs on my hearing health. I've also spoken to a variety of hearing health professionals for my prior coverage of noise-induced hearing loss and over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids.
For earplugs designed to be worn at concerts, I bring an audiophile's ear. To me, protection without decent fidelity feels like an unacceptable tradeoff. As a motorcyclist, I also wear earplugs constantly through the warmer months, and have discovered that the right ones help me get a better night's sleep.
How we tested earplugs
Not all sounds are created equal, so I tested every pair of ear plugs in the situations where they're expected to perform. I logged more than 1,000 miles (1,600km) riding my motorcycle, and spent several hours running table saws, leaf blowers and shop vacs. To test for sleep, I used each model for two nights in a row. As a side sleeper, I paid particular attention to comfort.
With more than a dozen models to evaluate, I couldn't repeatably test them at an actual concert, with the same song, at the same volume. So I set up a JBL PartyBox 310 speaker in my garage, cranked it to max volume and listened from a foot away. That setup was able to generate consistent measured peaks of 105dB – less than the worst-case concert scenario of 120dB, but loud enough to evaluate how well each earplug reduced loudness while maintaining sound fidelity across frequencies.
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Frequently asked questions about earplugs
Below are some questions you may have about earplugs, how they fit, how they reduce noise, and other topics.
Why do I need earplugs?
Hearing damage rarely happens in a single moment. Noise-induced hearing loss ( NIHL ) is a cumulative effect that can take years or even decades to become noticeable. When you do, it's also irreversible. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, NIHL is the one type of hearing loss that can be entirely prevented , and it recommends properly fitted earplugs if you can't avoid loud noise exposure. By reducing the volume levels that reach the critical parts of our ears' anatomy, they reduce the chances of permanent hearing loss.
Beyond protecting our hearing, earplugs are a good way to block all kinds of noise – whether you're looking for a better night's sleep or you need help concentrating in a busy environment. Some people also use earplugs to keep water out of their ears while swimming.
What's the difference between earplug types?
There are two main types of earplugs: disposable and reusable.
Disposable earplugs can cost as little as a few cents per pair when bought in bulk, while silicone models tend to run anywhere from $10 to $100 per pair.
Disposable earplugs can be used multiple times, but most manufacturers recommend that you throw them out once dirt or wax buildup becomes noticeable, and their foam eventually loses its spring. Reusable silicone can last much longer and is designed to be cleaned with gentle soap and water between uses.
To fit foam earplugs correctly , they need to be rolled and squeezed into a narrow shape, inserted into the ear canal while pulling back slightly on the top of the ear, and allowed to expand back to their original size. It's surprisingly easy to mess up. I've used foam earplugs hundreds of times and even I occasionally have to redo this step. There is usually plenty of extra material to pinch and pull them out.
Silicone models follow the same steps, but without the need to roll them into shape or wait for them to expand. However, it's easier to push silicone earplugs too far, making them difficult to extract using the attached tab.
Foam provides the highest level of noise reduction but does a poor job of reducing sound frequencies evenly. This can create a muffled, "boomy" sound. Silicone models usually use a noise filter inside the silicone eartip to provide a more even reduction of frequencies, for a more natural sound.
Silicone earplugs come in different densities. EarPeace models, for example, use a very soft formulation, while other products, such as Eargasm and HearProtek have a firmer composition, which might prove more durable over time.
Foam can't be used for swimming – it will absorb the water. Disposable wax and silicone are an excellent choice of swimmers. Reusable silicone models can be used for swimming, but only if they're specifically designed for that activity.
How important is a good fit?
Fit is absolutely essential for both comfort and protection. Whether foam or silicone, a poor-fitting earplug won't provide the noise reduction it's designed for. Poor fit can even cause more hearing damage, because you'll think you're protected and may stay in loud environments for longer.
What is NRR? How is it different from SNR?
The level of noise reduction offered by any hearing protection is expressed using two different standards: Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) in North America, and Single Number Rating (SNR) in the rest of the world. Both attempt to show you how much of a reduction you'll get in decibels (dB).
For instance, an NRR of 15 will theoretically bring noise measured at 100dB down to 85dB. In a perfect world, this would be amazing, because there are established guidelines for how long we can be safely exposed to different sound levels , and 85 is low enough that we can handle up to eight hours of it in a single day.
Unfortunately, NRR and SNR use different testing methods and thus produce substantially different numbers, with SNR often indicating 6-7dB greater protection than NRR.
Manufacturers and the safety community also disagree on the way to interpret these numbers. The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Osha), for instance, encourages employers to "derate" NRR numbers dramatically to account for poor fit or poor training for use. Under Osha guidelines, an NRR of 33 gets derated to just 13.
Two of the manufacturers I spoke to expressed the opposite point of view, saying that when well-fitted, their earplugs offer better-than-NRR protection in the real world.
Bottom line: the higher the number (NRR or SNR), the more protection an earplug will provide if correctly fitted .
Are reusable earplugs always better?
Not necessarily. Disposable foam earplugs offer the highest number (typically 30-33 on the NRR scale) you can get. And yes, if you only need them occasionally, they're less expensive than the reusable ones.
What makes one model of earplug better than another for listening to music?
Reducing loudness levels is important, but nobody wants to hear their favorite band turned into mush. That's why filters designed for concerts attempt to reduce loudness by the same amount across the entire audible spectrum. The best ones do just that, just like you'd expect on a sound system at home: turn down the volume, not the details.
It's not easy. Of the 38 models I tested, only five managed to deliver a (mostly) uncompromised sound.
Can I use audio earbuds instead?
Yes, but with a few caveats.
First, they must have silicone ear tips. The regular AirPods style, which only partially block your ear canal, won't offer much protection at all.
Silicone ear tips seal your ear canal, and can provide some passive noise isolation, just like earplugs. However, earbuds aren't rated for noise reduction by any standardized test, so there's no way to know their NRR or SNR.
Earbuds with active noise cancellation can offer more protection than passive noise isolation, but again, it can be hard to know exactly how much. None of these products are designed for activities including live music, loud tools or sleeping, unless they're specifically listed in their specifications.
What else should I look for when buying earplugs?
Some of my favorite extras include:
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A case or zippered pouch to store the earplugs when not in use
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A cord to keep the earplugs from dropping or getting lost
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A variety of ear tip sizes to help you get a good fit. Some people may need to use a different size in each ear
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Swappable filters let you pick the amount of noise reduction you need, and some may offer better performance for specific activities like live music
Is it safe to use earplugs?
Yes, earplug use is considered safe as long as you follow the manufacturer's instructions. However, there are some caveats and cautions to be mindful of.
According to Ashley Melcher , a nurse practitioner specializing in sleep medicine at the University of Washington's Sleep Medicine Center at Harborview, sleeping with earplugs should be an occasional solution , rather than one for every night. "You're risking earwax buildup and bacterial or fungal infections of the outer ear canal," she said.
The best way to avoid these problems is to keep your earplugs as clean as possible, and if they're foam, replace them regularly. Rinsing earplugs in water can help remove dirt and debris, but make sure you dry the earplugs completely before using them. Introducing moisture to your ear canal then sealing it with an earplug invites bacteria to grow. If your body produces a lot of earwax, talk to your doctor about the ways to safely remove it.
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