Earplugs: Reviews

Updated March 2008

Hearing loss is no joke, and it's permanent. Musicians, concert fans and those who use machinery should certainly use them, but their also handy to have on hand to drown out snoring partners, noisy neighbors in hotels, or airplane noise. We analyzed user reviews to identify the most comfortable earplugs that won't easily fall out and are easy to insert.

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Best earplugs for sports, outdoors or work

Howard Leight MAX

*Est. $30 for box of 200 pair Compare Prices

In comparative reviews of earplugs by motorcycle enthusiasts -- who know a thing or two about noise -- Howard Leight MAX plugs are recommended more often than any other brand. One motorcycle buff praises these earplugs… expandfor their "transparent comfort, excellent noise attenuation and easy fit." Bear in mind, however, that even reviewers who rave about Howard Leight MAX earplugs say they're fairly large, can be difficult to insert and fit very snugly (since you don't want your earplugs popping out on the road). These plugs have a Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) of 33 decibels, the highest of any disposable brand. They're also available in a smaller size as MAX Lite (*est. $25 for box of 200 pair), but with a lower NRR of 30 decibels. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

Slate.com: In this thorough roundup, Ulrich Boser rates eight earplug brands and types for effectiveness, comfort, durability and value.

Obairlann.net: In this impressive roundup, motorcycle enthusiast Johnston rates 14 brands of earplugs according to four criteria: packaging, expansion speed, pressure and comfort.

Motorcycle.com: Motorcycle enthusiast "Cheesebeast" clearly has tried a lot of earplugs; this article lists the pros and cons of 23 brands.

Amazon.com: User reviews of earplugs on Amazon.com mirror those from professional sources.

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Buy from Amazon for $22.24
eBay for $29.99	CriticalToo- l, Inc. for $26.37	Use-Enco.co- m for $18.59

Best earplugs for indoor use

Hearos Ultimate Softness

*Est. $15 for box of 40 Compare Prices

Hearos Ultimate Softness earplugs are over six times more expensive than Howard Leight MAX when bought in bulk (*est. 75 cents per pair vs. 12 cents per pair), they don't fit as snugly and they have a slightly lower NRR… expandof 32 decibels. However, reviewers say these plugs make up in softness and comfort what they lack in economy and firm fit, and do an excellent job blocking out everyday household (or next-to-household) sounds. This is the top pick of mainstream, as opposed to motorcyclist, reviewers. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

Slate.com: In this thorough roundup, Ulrich Boser rates eight earplug brands and types for effectiveness, comfort, durability and value.

The Wall Street Journal: The Wall Street Journal's "Cranky Consumer" tries out five brands of earplugs, pitting them against "unmuffled motorcycles, emergency sirens, television at normal volume, barking dogs and a rooster." Her top pick is Hearos, because of their softness: "They fell out more than the others, but I was less likely to pull them out because of discomfort."

Obairlann.net: In this impressive roundup, motorcycle enthusiast Johnston rates 14 brands of earplugs according to four criteria: packaging, expansion speed, pressure and comfort.

Amazon.com: About a dozen users give Hearos Ultimate Softness high scores.

Where to buy:

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Buy from Amazon for $9.95
American Musical Supply for $3.45	zZounds.com for $3.45	LuckyVitami- n.com for $3.50

Howard Leight Laser Lite *Est. $25 for a box of 200 pair

4 picks by top review sites.

Moldex Pura-Fit *Est. $30 for a box of 200 pair

2 picks by top review sites.

Ultimate Ears TripleFi 10 Pro *Est. $320

2 picks by top review sites.


	Moldex 6845 Plugstation Pura-fit 500 Pairs NRR 33 In Stock. Average Customer Review:


	Ultimate Ears TripleFi 10 Noise Isolating Earphones In Stock. Average Customer Review: