Bose QuietComfort 3

The basics

Bose QuietComfort 3 are noise cancelling headphones. It boasts of the ability to fade unwanted sounds into the background and provide clear, crisp and rich audio. Having a lightweight and compact design, it can easily be worn for long periods listening comfortably. The headphones come with a high-capacity battery that is fully rechargeable, and can last up to 20 hours.

The good

Despite being smaller and lighter than previous models in Bose’s QuietComfort range, these on-ear cans still deliver its signature noise cancellation with silky aplomb - this clever tech wipes out distracting background noise, making these headphones a boon for frequent flyers or regular rail users - especially if they want to listen to quieter acoustic tunes or audiobooks. Sound quality is excellent, if a a smidge bass-heavy.

The bad

The high price tag is a little off-putting, especially when rivals such as Sennheiser are now offering classy noise-cancelling cans at a fraction of the cost. And while the battery is rechargeable (hurrah!) you need power not only to use the noise cancellation tech but to use the headphones full stop (boo!). No power? No music.

The bottom line

Bose has created a pair of cans that effortlessly delivers a winning blend of comfort, portability and audio quality. Great if you can stomach shelling out the cash.