Things to Look For

• When shopping for a good pair of noise-canceling headphones, the first thing to consider is how the headphones are powered. The best choice is a pair that is charged by electricity. Most airports and planes have some form of electric outlet for a quick charge. This is much easier than constantly removing batteries in your headset or purchasing expensive ones at the airport. Although bud-style headsets are easy to carry and proclaim to be noise-canceling, the best headphones are the larger over-the-ear style. These look bulky but they do the job. If you are determined on getting the lesser-quality ear buds, make sure that they are really noise-canceling and not noise reduction, which simply means that the ear canal is blocked by the device and reduces noise.
  
  

Price

• Because noise-canceling headphones have an innate technology that creates the canceling of low-frequency noises, they are not as cheap to produce as standard headphones. This makes a good pair quite expensive in comparison. Don't be put off by this. Remember, they are not basic headphones. The headphone can become more expensive depending on the technology. If your headphones use canceling foam to do the job, it will be on the lower end of the price range. These types of headphones can run from $100 to $200. If your headphones use digital chip technology to emit counteracting hums, it will be more pricey. Expect to pay $200 to 400. While not recommended, the ear buds are cheaper and can range from $50 to $150 depending on the brand.
  
  

Popular Brands

• Bose is well known and has a long consumer history of making quality audio equipment. The Bose Quiet Comfort 15 is an expensive model and will cost you about $300. It also runs on batteries, so heed the prior warnings if you choose to go this route. Another brand becoming popular is the Monster Beats Dr. Dre headset, also at $300. Rising in popularity as celebrities and sports figures have been seen wearing them, the Monster Beats are still high-quality headphones. A third option would be the Creative Aurvana X-Fi headphones, which range from $180 to $220. What is unique about them is the ear covers are extra padded and oversized to do a good job at reducing outside noises as well as their noise-reduction capabilities.
  
  

Warranty Considerations

• These types of headphones are expensive and are an investment. Make sure that you check the warranty information on any headsets that you are considering. Most will have a standard 30-day return and repair warranty. If you are a frequent traveler you might want to look into purchasing an extended warranty to further protect your investment against damages. These types of warranties are easier to obtain when you purchase your headset direct from a dealer or from an electronics store. You may not be able to get an extended warranty from online options so be careful of this.