Finding the best earbuds under 10 dollars is becoming increasingly popular!
This is due to the flimsy nature of most medium-priced earbuds.
I’m sure you’ve tried a huge number of these in ear headphones with the same outcome – one of the buds stops functioning!
This means that a lot of people are sacrificing their most desired features and opting instead for relatively inexpensive sets.
Well, the bad news with this is that most of these products will be pretty poor when it comes to quality. However, as with pretty much every category, there’s some hidden quality that you should be aiming to uncover.
In order to satisfy your needs, you should be focusing on a combination of the best features. While these will be of worse quality when compared to expensive products, you’ll still be able to find a set with a decent performance without breaking the bank.
To tend to these requirements, we’ve searched deeply to find the best cheap headphones which are worth buying!
These are listed below alongside an in-depth review which will assist you to choose the most appropriate option!
The overall rating of these products is based on the overall performance. This includes every basic feature which is important for human use.
For example, despite wanting to spend so little, you should still experience decent quality sound.
On top of this, the buds shouldn’t cause any discomfort during short term use. Furthermore, they should be durable enough to remain in a functioning state for a reasonable amount of time!
All of these features of the best earbuds under 10 bucks are discussed below!
Panasonic ErgoFit
In my honest opinion, these Panasonic ErgoFit are the best inexpensive earbuds available to buy in 2019.
This manufacturer has always been known to produce quality products which often go under the radar and this is exactly the role the Ergofit fulfil.
While the design is simple and to the point, the number of colors enable this set to be reasonably appealing.
We get 3 different ear tip sizes in small, medium and large and these will benefit those who frequently experience problems with the fit. Generally, the fit experienced with this set is superb and this leads to increased comfort levels when worn for a reasonable amount of time.
Simplicity
If you’ve followed any of my other reviews here, you’ll notice I am a huge fan of simplicity. I often rave about the features that aren’t added. One of the things that makes these headphones so reliable is how simple they are. There’s no power button or volume control. Just an audio jack.
If you make a lot of phone calls, Panasonic does make EgroFit headphones with a mic 1 for a couple of bucks more. I’ve always purchased the version with out the microphone though.
Sound Quality
Obviously, the discomfort will kick in if you use these buds for too long but that should be expected as we’re looking at the lowest-end product here! Despite this, don’t let us down when it comes to the sound quality.
The clean sound delivered by this little set will actually shock you. This certainly far surpassed my initial expectations. Even though the build quality is made from plastic, these should survive quite long if you take care of them.
Comfort
Perhaps the most important thing that the EgroFit headphones gets right is comfort. In-ear headphones that are not comfortable will not last long. The headphones are light and include three pairs of silicone inserts (small, medium and large) This ensures that the earbuds are soft, snug and conform to your ears.
My main use case for these earbuds is listening to books and podcasts while walking to get groceries or heading to work. They are usually connected to my Moto G. Not once have I had an issue with them falling out—maybe except for when I’m clumsy and get caught on the cord.
Durability
These headphones were purchased back in 2013. They’ve been used heavily—almost every day since I purchased them. I’ve mostly listen to them while walking or taking the train to work. They don’t have a case, they get wrapped up and smushed in my pocket when they are done.
JVC Gumy plus: $7 earphones that sound good
- Frequency Response - 10-20,000Hz
- Impedance - 16ohms
- Connectivity technology: Wired
- iPhone compatible
The HAFX5B Gumy Plus created by JVC takes 2nd place here and it costs even less than the Panasonics. Who would’ve thought you could get a decent pair of earbuds for so little?
Like Panasonic, JVC headphones often go under the radar but are also filled with great quality.
The build quality of these JVCs is great as you’d expect from this manufacturer. On top of this we’re also looking at a clean yet decent overall design which is available in different colors.
In terms of the fit, we have 3 different sized ear tips included and this contributes towards a snug fit this set is well-known for.
This is means that the comfort levels you’ll experience will be quite good and not problematic as is the case with most cheap in-ear headphones.
While the volume is a bit on the low side, we’ll still be able to listen to great quality sound. This enables these JVCs to compete against more expensive products. There’s even a little bit of a noise cancelling feature!
$8 Monoprice Earphones sounds like $60:
- Noise isolating design
- Inline microphone allows it to be used as a hands-free communications...
- Inline controls for controlling volume skipping tracks and answering...
- Includes 3 sets of different sized earbuds
- Certified by Apple as an iPhone controller with microphone
The Monoprice 110153 are an incredibly popular pair of in-ear headphones and Monoprice have certainly done well in creating these little guys.
When you have an initial look at this product, you’ll be completely surprised. This is because the overall build and stylish design resembles a much more expensive set.
The cables are covered with a fabric material which will add much needed extra protection. The buds certainly look more durable than other sets within this price range.
Now, let’s talk a bit about the sound delivered! At the price level we’re looking at, the sound quality is absolutely superb.
The clarity and richness is very impressive indeed. However, one thing to mention is the bass as the full title of this set is Monoprice 110153 Enhanced Bass earbuds. Due to this, you could be forgiven for expecting heavy bass.
However, this isn’t actually that heavy so you’ll end up being disappointed if this is the feature that you were really looking forward to experiencing.
You also get a little bit of sound in your ears when the cord rubs against your clothes as you move. While this isn’t profound, it’s still noticeable.
Koss ‘The Plug’
- Connectivity Technology: Wired
- 16 to 23,000 Hz frequency response
- Deep bass performance
- 4- Foot cord
- Wireless communication technology: Bluetooth
The Plugs literally sound as they’re shaped – like plugs. This means that the design looks quite unique while the availability of 6 colors is a huge advantage too!
Due to the design resembling a plug, you could immediately question how well this set will fit.
In order to combat this, we have soft expanding ear tips which will fit well in your ears. Despite this, the fit does cause a little bit of a problem. This is because the tips are quite big to fit into small ears.
You’ll have to roll them up and try to place them before they expand. Whether you succeed in doing this depends entirely on your ear shape and size. You do get 2 added bud sizes so you may be able to find the perfect fit. If the perfect fit is established, the soft buds are quite comfortable so there are no issues on this side.
The sound associated with Koss the Plugs is exceptional in combination with a heavy bass. However, the establishment of the right fit is essential for this.
Summary
When it comes to cheap earbuds, most products will be pretty useless after a few months or even few weeks of use. However, there are some great sets if you can manage to dig them out. We’ve done this for you through our thorough research.
From the above reviews, you can clearly see the superb qualities associated with each of our 4 best sets of earbuds. I believe that all 4 sets are along the same wavelength in terms of their sound quality, comfort and fit!
Therefore, if you were to go for any 4 then it’d be a great decision, not to mention one that wouldn’t lead to a massive hole in your pockets!
