We Tested 29 Pairs of Earplugs — Here Are the 8 Best for Travel, Sleep, and More

Forget the foam: Loop earplugs are stylish and reusable, and help to lower up to 27 decibels of sound at the same time. Each order comes with four pairs of removable ear tips in different sizes (extra small to large) so you can find your best fit. After testing them, we decided that the comfort, the noise-reducing capability, and the versatility of the Loop Quiet Noise Reduction headphones have made a convert of a once earphone-adverse traveler — and now we won’t travel without them.

These earplugs stand out thanks to a soft, exterior loop that sits snugly in the well of your outer ear, making it less likely for the earplugs to dislodge, fall out, or get lost. This design also gives these earplugs a more fashionable look, especially since they come in seven different colors that make them convenient and comfortable to wear in several situations from live concerts to sleeping (we especially liked them for sleeping on planes or while away from home). They also come with a small plastic carrying case that you can attach to your keychain, which makes it a cinch when you need to locate the earplugs whenever and wherever you may need them. 

Loop Quiet earplugs are affordable enough to grab more than one pair, so you can mix and match them with multiple ‘fit changes. The hypoallergenic silicone material is also easy to clean — just wash with soap and warm water and let air dry. Our only complaint is that their small size and design can be annoying if you’re in a situation where you need to constantly take them in and out of your ear (i.e., to have a conversation during an event). 

The Details: Silicone | 1 pair | 14 NRR

Earplanes are designed to focus less on noise reduction and more on relieving ear pain that results from changes in cabin pressure during takeoff and landing. They work by regulating air pressure to the eardrum through a patented CeramX filter. Still, they can help to reduce in-cabin noise by up to 20 decibels, making them convenient for anyone looking to dull the cacophony of background noise on flights. Earplanes eP2 come with an improved ear tip cap that’s softer and easier to insert into the ear, and you can reuse it for up to five flights or two weeks (whichever comes first). We thought the included lanyard carrying case came in clutch for those moments on a flight when we just needed to take the earplugs out for short periods. These are one size fits all without a moldable foam ear tip, so they may not work for larger ears. If you have smaller ears, you may want to try the Earplanes eP2 for Kids version. 

The Details: Hypoallergenic silicone and ceramic | 1 pair

If you’re looking for a one-time-use earplug (say, for a flight), these Howard Leight Laser Lite Foam Earplugs deserve some of your precious personal item real estate. Compared to other disposable foam earplugs, these are softer, more malleable, and have a countered shape that fits more comfortably inside most ears. Although they’re not designed for sleeping since they may stick out and cause discomfort, you can use them overnight in a pinch. We like how the closed-cell foam also offers resistance to dirt and water, as well as the high expandability to fit several ear sizes. Worth noting: we tried them out overnight and found they were comfortable, but we think folks with small ear canals might find them a little too big or difficult to fit. These earplugs are brightly colored for work environment compliance reasons, so they’re hard to hide and easy to spot in a crowd — but it also makes them convenient to find on the go.  

The Details: Closed-cell foam | 25 pairs | 32 NRR

These wireless ear-loop earbuds are designed to mask or “cover up” distracting environmental background sounds with a soothing pink noise. These were designed with sleep in mind, but you can also use them whenever you need a time-out from hectic environments or need help relaxing or concentrating. The flexible plastic ear loop and foam ear tips (available in size medium only) make for a comfortable wear, and eight different volume settings help you find the right level for you. After trying them out overnight at home, we found the earplugs effectively blotted out all background noise at the level two setting (there are eight volume levels in total), while the first setting allowed enough background noise to filter in so we could still hear our pup when he needed to be taken out. You’ll get 16 hours off a single charge, and the carrying case gives you a whopping seven days of recharging capability. Keep in mind that these earbuds only have one sound function: to play pink noise — there’s no option for music, other colors of noise, or silence. They work off of an internal chip that emits pink noise, so no Bluetooth device pairing required. 

The Details: Foam, plastic, and metal | 1 pair 

People with small ear canals know it can be difficult to find earplugs that fit comfortably. Even the smallest tip options can feel huge in small ears. After trying out these Anbow Reusable Ear Plugs, we were impressed by the reliable design and the comfy, easy fit. Instead of having to squish and mold the earplugs, they work like a conical corkscrew, twisting into your ear until you’ve got the perfect fit. They aren’t noise-canceling, but we found they block out just the right amount of disruptive noise (i.e., snoring), while still allowing you to hear your alarm or middle-of-the-night calls from your pet or child. You’ll get three pairs per order, including one corded pair, as well as a snap-closure carrying case to toss in your pocket or bag. 

The Details: Silicone | 3 pairs

These earplugs were tested by one of our team members who is a self-described light sleeper who awakens to movement and outside sounds, such as sticks or leaves, and has trouble falling asleep thanks to a partner that snores. The PQ Wax Ear Plugs for Sleep allowed them to get a good night’s sleep without interruption, and “created a sense of calm … almost like a physical space of meditation.” These earplugs not only were successful at muffling nearby background sound, but also were the most comfortable earplugs our team member has ever worn — once they figured out how to properly insert them. Each pack comes with 28 wax “pillows” (aka earplugs), each lasting up to 10 wears, though we found our hair kept getting stuck in the wax overnight, prompting us to use a new pair the following night. 

The Details: Silicone wax | 14 pairs | 32 NRR

If you’ve got sensitive ears and are looking for earplugs that will take loud surrounding noises down a few notches, the Hearprotek Sleeping Ear Plugs are a great option. We found these help to reduce sound by about 30-40 percent, making them ideal for noisy plane or train rides, busy museums, or crowded public spaces where you’d like to have the overall volume turned down but want to remain aware of your surroundings. While these ear plugs are marketed for sleep, we found that they underperformed in the bedroom. We were able to fall asleep better with the earplugs in but still woke up from sound in the night and found ourselves searching the sheets when one would fall out during sleep. 

The Details: Silicone | 2 pairs

Great for removing the din of extra background noise, the Loop Experience Plus Earplugs are what we grab when we’re heading out to a concert or public event. We’re not quite sure how they do it, but these fashionable ear plugs manage to funnel the sounds we want to hear while filtering out the ones we don’t. These come in black or one of four metallic colors and wear like a functional piece of jewelry. Each pair comes with four different ear tip sizes and two Loop Mute accessories that you can attach to block an additional five decibels of sound — though, as we found during testing, it’s not quite as muted as using the Loop Quiet earplugs. 

The Details: Silicone and metal | 1 pair | 7 NRR