Apple has revolutionized (again) the way music is heard, thanks to the introduction of AirPods: small wireless headphones able to provide good sound quality and excellent autonomy, also thanks to the practical integrated battery case, which recharge the small earphones every time they are not used.If you think that AirPods are unique devices of their kind, you will have to think again: in this guide we will inform you all the best micro Bluetooth headsets with technical features similar to Apple’s AirPods, so from being able to listen to music on the move without cables and with a unique design, however, spending less than the Apple earphones (so you need to spend no less than € 100). The Bluetooth headsets similar to the AirPods that we will recommend are compatible with all recent smartphones, both Android and iPhone, and can also be used as a PC headset.
Earphone technical features
Before showing you the best alternative products to Apple AirPods, we will have to take a look at the following list of technical features, so as to be sure to buy a quality product:
- Connection technology: currently the best wireless connection technology is Bluetooth 5.0, so let’s make sure that the micro-headsets chosen have this version. It is backward compatible with all smartphones equipped with lower Bluetooth technologies (4.2 and 4.0 are still widespread), so we will not have to worry about having a smartphone of the latest generation in order to listen to good quality music.
- custody: the transport case must have one rechargeable battery with a good capacity so that the micro headphones can be charged automatically when not in use (just place them in the respective housing to start charging). The capacity of the battery of the case is fundamental for the final autonomy of the selected headphones.
- Autonomy: the micro headphones, given their small size, cannot offer more than 3-4 hours of continuous listening, therefore we will have to charge them often in order to reach the real autonomy (made by the sum of the batteries included in the micro headphones and the battery in the case). With the entire battery charge included in the case, the headphones should offer at least 10 hours of battery life to effectively replace the classic Bluetooth headphones and earphones.
- Earpads: since the auditory ducts of each of us are different, in each packet, we must also include various interchangeable ear-tips, so as to be able to adapt the micro earbuds to our ear and prevent them from falling or slipping while listening. Choosing good rubber pads can make the difference between a mediocre sound and an excellent sound.
- Microphone: all earphones should have a small microphone, so you can also handle calls received or made by the phone.
- Multimedia buttons: to be able to interrupt or send back and forth the music reproduction, usually small buttons are inserted on the body of the micro earbuds, which can be used as gestures (two touches, for example, start Siri or Google Assistant or recall the last number contacted in the phone book). Some devices have touch keys, with which it is sufficient to touch the surface to obtain the required functionality.
- impermeability: to be able to withstand rain and sweat (when used during physical activity), the selected earphones must have IPX5 certification or better IPX6 or IPX7.
- Design: considering the AirPods that can be viewed from an aesthetic point of view, we can still choose earphones that are sufficiently small, camouflaged and that do not give too much discomfort while we are wearing them.
- Accessories: in the packaging of the micro earbuds a cloth or leather case is often included to be able to easily carry the case and the USB charging cable.
If the autonomy seems inferior to the expectations, we can always use a small power bank to load the case and consequently the earphones; the best compact power banks we can find them in our guide to solar and crank charger for iPhone and mobile phones.
Earphones similar to the AirPods to buy
After seeing together the features that must have good alternative earphones to the Apple AirPods, we discover together the models that we can buy online, so as to save something on the final cost and obtain unparalleled after-sales assistance.
FODLON Wireless Earphones
These earphones feature Bluetooth 5.0 technology, a 500 mAh charging case, IPX5 waterproofing, a built-in microphone compatible with Siri and Google Assistant and automatic connection as soon as they are removed from their housings. We can view this product from here -> FODLON Wireless Earphones (€ 28).
Bluetooth HOMSCAM earphones
These extremely compact earphones have Bluetooth 5.0 technology, a 380 mAh charging case, IPX5 waterproofing, built-in microphone, weighing only 4.6 g and automatic connection once removed from the case. We can view this product from here -> HOMSCAM Bluetooth Headsets (€ 29).
Mpow Bluetooth Earphones
Among the best Bluetooth headsets of the last generation, we find the Mpow, which features Bluetooth technology, Touch Control buttons for more precise control, IPX7 certified waterproofing, housing with 850mAh battery, built-in microphone and support for two different devices. These earphones can be viewed from here -> Mpow Bluetooth Earphones (€ 37).
MYCARBON Wireless Earphones
Other headphones with an interesting design are the MYCARBON, which has touch keys to control multimedia functions, IPX5 waterproofing, housing with 1000 mAh battery, total autonomy over 25 hours and Bluetooth 5.0 connection technology. We can view this product from here -> MYCARBON Wireless Earphones (€ 40).
Bluetooth 5.0 Vigorun earphones
The Vigorun are the most beautiful headsets aesthetically and with very high autonomy. The elegant case hides a 3000 mAh battery, which gives these headphones at least 2 full days of uninterrupted listening; to this, we add touch controls on the surface of the earphones, IPX6 certified waterproofing and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity to complete the card of the best headphones so far seen.
If interested we can view them from here -> Bluetooth 5.0 Vigorun Earphones (€ 45).
Conclusions
We have seen together some of the best wireless headphones that can easily replace Apple’s AirPods, whether we use an Android smartphone or an iPhone. Other similar headsets can be viewed from the following link -> Wireless headsets on Amazon.
If we are not convinced of the alternatives and want to spend some extra money (many more), we can buy them the original AirPods from here -> Apple AirPods with charging case (€ 155).
Are we looking for quality headphones to use to listen to music or movies from a PC or TV? We advise you to read our guide on how to choose quality wireless headphones for PC or TV. If, on the other hand, the volume of our Android smartphone is low with any type of headphone, we recommend reading the article to find out how to change the Volume on Android for each app used or for where we are.