AirPods

Why r/BuyItForLife recommends AirPods

50 mentions from real owners

• #1Dec 23, 2025

  New Phone Without Headphone Jack – Should I Use USB-C Adapter, Buy Type-C Earphones, or Go Wireless?

  My choice would be to get new c-type headphones.. but i really like how the airpods max did it, at some point it will just be more handy without having the cable, and then just pull out the cable and you have wireless… and ofcourse when you have the cable inn you will get lossless audio quality

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• #2Dec 22, 2025

  What are the Best Earbuds for Travel Now? Recommended

  AirPods Pro 2 if you hane an iPhone.

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• #3Dec 22, 2025

  What are the Best Earbuds for Travel Now? Recommended

  I’ll tell you a quick story. I have AirPod Pro 2s. Wear them a lot. One day, one fell out and somehow I didn’t notice until I got to the store. I looked everywhere along the way and couldn’t find it. Seasons changed, grass got cut, rain, snow, you name it. One day, months later, I’m walking back to the store and randomly look down and there’s my AirPod. Slightly discolored but nothing bad. I charge it up and it’s been working ever since. Battery is a bit diminished but nothing you’d notice unless using them for multiple hours nonstop. Pretty much been a lifelong fan of them since.

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• #4Dec 22, 2025

  What are the Best Earbuds for Travel Now? Recommended

  AirPods Pro. Nothing beats them in NC. Even with non iPhone you will get it great.

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• #5Dec 22, 2025

  What are the Best Earbuds for Travel Now? Recommended

  I used to dunk on Airpods but I've had my Pro Gen 2 since 2023 and they're rock solid. Still great battery, fantastic sound, and top tier ANC. Idk if you could ever place truly wireless earbuds in the BIFL category but these are damn near as good as you can get.

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• #6Dec 22, 2025

  Let’s Talk Wirecutter: What Was Worth It and What Wasn’t?

  I absolutely love wirecutter! So you already know I was v happy to see your post. Here are some of my fave wirecutter purchases (not in any specific order, just in the order I remember them lol): - Blundstone boots - Monitor arms (Jarvis or Fully? I forget) - Anything from OXO (tongs, kitchen scissors) - Gracula garlic mincer - Target curtain you mentioned - Arcteryx non-down jacket (Atom?) - Uniqlo sweatpants (cheap and comfortable) - IPhone cases (Smartish) - iPad Pro case (Zugu) - iPhone and iPad screen protectors - Smart light bulbs (Wyze) - Petlibro cat water fountain - Bracelet for my girlfriend (GLDN) - Etsy engagement ring dish for my now fiancée :) - Honeywell space heater - Vornado fan / air circulator - Uniball Jetstream pens - AirPods Pro 2 (although the previously recommended Powerbeats Pro was a bust for me) - all the charging cables or blocks - video cables - Lands End duffle bag

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• #7Dec 7, 2025

  What brands/products do you AVOID because of their poor longevity?

  AirPods Pro 2 and 3 are amazing

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• #8Dec 6, 2025

  Sony WF1000XM3, the only wireless earbuds to last me over a year, now owned for 5 years.

  Weird, my AirPods have lasted 6 years no problem and W11 works great? Much prefer it over shitty w10.

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• #9Dec 4, 2025

  What’s a small upgrade you made that ended up being way more impactful than expected?

  AirPods and a reusable insulated water bottle!

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• #10Dec 2, 2025

  Been hauling this all over the country since 2006, Apple Hi-Fi

  You don't see many of these nowadays. You got a classic in your hands.

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• #11Dec 2, 2025

  Been hauling this all over the country since 2006, Apple Hi-Fi

  Still have mine, still works. With the ac plug or with D batteries 🤙

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• #12Dec 1, 2025

  Ever tried to save money and ended up spending more?

  Anecdotally I know a lot of people with AirPods and I’m yet to hear of someone who couldnt use them because the battery stopped working. So I’d bet you have many years ahead of you. I know mine are 5 years old and work like the day I got them.

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• #13Dec 1, 2025

  Ever tried to save money and ended up spending more?

  Yeah, it happens. It’s really hard to balance quality and value and features in today’s world of marketing. Especially all the green washing, instagram ads, paid reviews… what a mess.  All the time, I’m surprised by “cheap crap” that friends buy that turns out to be amazing, while there’s also a number of nice things I intend to have forever that just miss the mark and suck.  That’s why communities like this are important. Helps sort through it and reduce wasted spending, effort, and material. Unfortunately communities like this are getting filled with bots and ads too. But it’s the best I know of right now!  I’m with you on the ear buds. I stuck with my corded ones for a loooong time because I just didn’t believe cordless ear buds would live up to what I wanted. Most things are going to battery, and I just think most battery things suck. But I finally broke and tried a pair of AirPods v4 with active noise cancellation and absolutely friggin love them. They’re sooooo much better than I ever imagined they’d be. I just hope the batteries last a long time so I can have them forever… 

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• #14Nov 8, 2025

  I have to spend $150 at amazon this week

  AirPods or Jabra Elites

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• #15Nov 2, 2025

  In ear headphones. Plz help. Tired of replacing constantly.

  I've had my Apple Airpods for many years now, and they aren't even the top-of-the-line ones. I like them a lot. I use them outside when gardening and I listen to audio books every day. I don't use them as much as you, but mine have taken a beating and still work great. 

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• #16Nov 1, 2025

  In ear headphones. Plz help. Tired of replacing constantly.

  I would seriously consider Apple AirPods with the added AppleCare warranty.

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• #17Oct 7, 2025

  Wireless earbuds that still let you hear outside?

  I’ve been rocking the original AirPods design for years for exactly this reason. Nothing beats the convenience of double tap anywhere (even with gloves on) to pause. 

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• #18Oct 6, 2025

  Wireless earbuds that still let you hear outside?

  I have both AirPods (2nd gen pros and Bose ear buds). Both have options for isolation (noise canceling) and ambient audio. For me, the AirPods are more comfortable for long term (2+ hours). The Bose however fit more securely.

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• #19Oct 6, 2025

  Wireless earbuds that still let you hear outside?

  If you have an iPhone then AirPod pros are really good. They have transparency and noise canceling modes that both work really well. The microphone is really good too, I have meetings with people who are wearing AirPods all the time and they sound great.

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• #20Oct 5, 2025

  Wireless earbuds that still let you hear outside?

  Airpod 2 pros were life changing to me with pass through mode.

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• #21Oct 5, 2025

  Wireless earbuds that still let you hear outside?

  Specifically, AirPod Pros have Transparency mode that turns off when on a call.

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• #22Oct 5, 2025

  Wireless earbuds that still let you hear outside?

  I think your story speaks well for how good the AirPod pro is.

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• #23Oct 5, 2025

  Wireless earbuds that still let you hear outside?

  The transparency mode on my Airpods Pro 2 are astounding and call quality is really good

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• #24Oct 5, 2025

  Wireless earbuds that still let you hear outside?

  With the caveat that no ear buds are going to necessarily be BIFL especially with moderate or more usage… Jabra was amazing but they got out of the game a couple years ago. I recently needed a new pair and tried a few known and unknown brands on Amazon that all sucked… JBLs being the most notable. So I reluctantly took the plunge on AirPods Pro 2 on sale for ~$150 and they’re hands down the best earbuds I’ve ever had. Sound quality, durability and battery life are all outstanding. And they work with non iPhones.

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• #25Oct 5, 2025

  Wireless earbuds that still let you hear outside?

  AirPod pro 2s, I've put them through thick and thin, the only time they stopped was after being dropped in 5 feet of water

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• #26Oct 5, 2025

  Wireless earbuds that still let you hear outside?

  I had to replace a pair of AirPod Pros from wearing them in the sauna. And I doubt other brands are better for wearing in saunas. Other than that, great experience with them.

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• #27Oct 5, 2025

  Wireless earbuds that still let you hear outside?

  Second this, I’ve used many brands but my AirPods keep working even through I’ve put a beating on them. Just remember to go into your settings on your phone to turn off noise canceling if you want to hear the outside environment better while still wearing them.

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• #28Oct 5, 2025

  Wireless earbuds that still let you hear outside?

  AirPods 4 /w ANC

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• #29Sep 4, 2025

  What's a purchase under $50 that has genuinely improved your daily routine?

  Wired iPhone headphones (EarPods). Never need to be charged, don’t get lost, and I have 3 - for each location I need them. They go for about $17 ea.

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• #30Jul 8, 2025

  Looking for bluetooth earbuds that aren't gonna crap out a month outside of warranty

  AirPods. Especially if you have an iPhone and pay for Apple Music premium.

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• #31Jul 5, 2025

  I'm looking for a device to assist with a physical limitation I have.

  AirPods in adaptive mode would be a good start. It blocks all background noise but will allow helpful noises like voices or footsteps nearby come through. You can easily toggle between totally noise cancelling and adaptive. There are also other accessibility settings for AirPods that you can fine tune.

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• #32Jul 3, 2025

  Ever Bought Something That Quietly Changed You?

  A quality Bluetooth earphone. Before switching to AirPods, I'd gone through countless pairs, most died from static or sound cutting out. This one has lasted me 4 years now. Not exactly BIFL but worth it for me.

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• #33Jun 12, 2025

  The ultimate pair of earbuds!

  Airpods Pro (best ANC) Jabra elites 7 or 10 (also very good ANC and sound quality is a bit better) technics az100 (probably best sound out of the 3, but ANC is not as good.)

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• #34Jun 12, 2025

  The ultimate pair of earbuds!

  Gona go with AirPods Pro. They don’t fall out and o run with them. The regular AirPods actually work amazing if you add the little silicone arms to them

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• #35Jun 5, 2025

  What’s one item you bought that way outperformed its price?

  My AirPods genuinely can’t commute without them lol

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• #36Jun 3, 2025

  Bose Quietcomfort 25 noise-cancelling headphones- the best I've personally used.

  Bose more comfortable and sturdy. Sony sound better and I think they offer better noise cancellation. The Sony hinge is weak and lots of people break it. However I slide them on instead of stretching them open to plop on my ears. I have the QC25 that someone gave away, and the Sony 1000x (mark 1). I also have the AirPod Pro 2. I feel the AirPods have better NC than the Bose but don’t sound as nice but it’s a different feel because they are inside the ears.

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• #37May 11, 2025

  What are some items under $500 you’ve made so far that changed your life?

  AirPods and Crocs. I’ve always been a person that has had headphones in and AirPods were an absolute game changer for day to day life. As for crocs, the memes are true. They were only meant to be for around the house. Next thing you know I’m putting 10 miles a day on my “at home” crocs at Disney world. And my feet never felt better the next day.

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• #38May 9, 2025

  Need a reliable pair of earbuds that won't die on me.

  For me, it’s AirPods for calls and the Sony over the other headphones for everything else. Maybe some beats if you want to have volume while you’re at the gym, but I don’t want noise cancellation from your earbuds, and I want over the ear headphones to be what I would want on a plane and listening to music in a coffee shop. Also, for what it’s worth, I recently realized I could add AppleCare to my AirPods for like 15 bucks a year, and I have no clue that it ever ends.

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• #39May 7, 2025

  WF-1000XM4: Two failures in under 2 years. Premium price, disposable lifespan?

  As a huge Sennheiser fan, I purchased their earbuds and had them fail on me 3 times all in the same way. Sennheiser was great and replaced them every time, the last time a month outside the 2 year original warranty. But I was very disappointed in the failure rate and decided to look elsewhere before the third replacement arrived. I decided on the Apple Airpods 2 Pro despite them having worse specifications than the Sennheisers. I went ahead and purchased the extra warranty as well just to be safe. However my warranty just expired and I never had an issue. And the battery life seems to be comparable to the Sennheisers despite the lower spec.

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• #40May 7, 2025

  WF-1000XM4: Two failures in under 2 years. Premium price, disposable lifespan?

  I had the same battery issue with mine. I bought a set of AirPods Pro 2 and they’ve been excellent for over a year. No issues at all and comparable sound quality.

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• #41May 6, 2025

  Need new Over ear headphones

  Sony has wonderful noise cancelling, but can be a pain on the software side, and audio quality is meh. Bose has better audio, but it’s somewhat more tuned imo (towards a specific listening style). I’ve loved bose but I’ve also had them fall apart on me WAY faster. Airpods Max make no goddamned sense and yet I just love them. The sound is better than the above to me, if you’re using Apple Music at least, and they just *feel* good. But so much of the design is beyond silly. They’re the ones I use most. However. If money were no object I’d get Focal Bathys. No question.

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• #42Apr 9, 2025

  Items that made your life so much easier/saved time?

  Over the past few years, two items have been game changes for me. Airpods and LLMs (ChatGPT/Copilot/Gemini/Claude). Especially when they are used together. Nothing in my life has offered the ability to brainstorm, vent, question, and use as a counselor like these Large Language Models. They save more time and produce more new ideas than anything I've experienced in my life.

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• #43Apr 6, 2025

  Got a long day of travel and desperately need some earbuds with really good battery life and are very comfortable to wear for long periods at a time

  Right? I owned several Bluetooth earbuds before my Airpod Pro 2s and they each broke within a year. Either one earbud stopped working or they just stopped pairing. They were between $50-$100, so I’d hope they would last longer. I finally bit the bullet and bought my AirPods and they’ve been amazing. Zero issues and still going strong 3 years later. Considering how cheaply made the other ones were, the AirPods were the most economical option. And even more so if they continue to last.

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• #44Apr 6, 2025

  Got a long day of travel and desperately need some earbuds with really good battery life and are very comfortable to wear for long periods at a time

  AirPods Pro 2 are going for $170 ish. I used them on Android before switching to iPhone, and they are great.

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• #45Apr 6, 2025

  Got a long day of travel and desperately need some earbuds with really good battery life and are very comfortable to wear for long periods at a time

  I love my AirPod Pro 2s. But no Bluetooth ear buds will be BIFL.

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• #46Apr 2, 2025

  Best headphones for work?

  I'm not really an Apple guy tbh but I tried both models, (basic and pro model) and I'm quite surprised. The sound on both are quite something and the fit is very confortable. I have the Sony wf-1000xm4 and as much as the sound is good, the fit harder to be steady. I'm a runner and both apple model are fun to have, they stick generally good (non pro model can bit looser but can be fitter by twisting it in the ear). The little branch makes it steadier I think and the pro model was a no brainer, you stick it in there and that's it. For sure the pro model with the foam makes the insulation better, this depends on your use but for running, it's less ideal. I got the air pod pro 3 refunded only because I though I lost my Sony and found it the last day I could have the refund from the air pod and I miss them a bit tbh.

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• #47Mar 10, 2025

  Noise cancelling headphones (cancels without music)

  I thought the new AirPod pros have the new earplugs feature? Also, just consider getting some eargasms off Amazon. Those things are incredible.

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• #48Mar 10, 2025

  what are your BIFL ADHD products that make life easier?

  Good earbuds! Depending on my mood at the time, I use either Loop earbuds or AirPods. I have the Quiet Loop Earbuds that block out like 98% of sound for those times I need to really lock in and be completely uninterrupted. I also use my AirPods with the adaptive setting for music at a low volume so I have “background noise” that is loud enough to hear it but not loud enough that I have a solo concert in the middle of the office.

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• #49Mar 10, 2025

  Noise cancelling headphones (cancels without music)

  My air pod pros are the best I’ve had I believe you can adjust noise levels in the settings

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• #50Feb 3, 2025

  BIFL wireless earbuds

  AirPods hold up really well too IMO.

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