I thought of sharing this article with you because I know how much headphones help me when I detail cars. I just become relaxed, and instead of looking at my watch to check the time, I just enter that car detailing workflow and enjoy great music or a podcast while doing car details from A to Z.
Since not many headphones or earbuds are suitable for car detailing because we get pretty sweaty (especially me, hehe) and we work in all kinds of environments and positions, I decided to dig deeper and find the best possible choices that are a great pick for car detailers.
If you’re searching for new headphones, this post is ideal for you. Let’s get into it!
The Types of Headphones You Should Look For
Before I show you details about my top picks, I wanted to quickly remind you of the most important things we should consider when buying headphones.
Car detailing headphones should:
- Have Bluetooth, so you don’t have to deal with wires.
- Have good microphones so you can effortlessly take calls.
- Stay firm in your ears without any discomfort.
- Have good sound quality, so you don’t get nervous about bad bass or something similar.
- Be sturdy and waterproof.
- Ideally, in-ear headphones (earbuds), but it’s not a must.
Car detailing headphones shouldn’t:
- Be wired. Trust me, I’ve tried it, and it’s a pain in the but.
- Heavy. You don’t need something that will drag your head down, haha.
- Be expensive. Okay, if you want the best of the best, but those are just working headphones or earbuds, and that shouldn’t be too expensive.
Based on a few bullet points I mentioned above, I researched the market, and here are my top picks.
Best Headphones and Earbuds for Car Detailers
And here are my top picks!
1. Soundcore Life A1 by Anker – Best Overall Headphones (Earbuds) for Car Detailers
In my honest opinion, the best choice so far is Soundcore by Anker Life A1 Earbuds. These earbuds aren’t too expensive, and you get so much for the money.
There are a few things that really make these earbuds stand out from the crowd:
- IPX7 waterproof rating
- extremely lightweight and compact
- Adjustable earwings and eartips
- Very quick charging (just 10 minutes of charging allows you to listen 2 hours of audio)
- Wireless charging
These headphones feature 10 hours of playtime, which isn’t the best on the market but is more than enough for car detailers. And you get another three full charges from the charging case.
2. JBL Tune 720BT – Best Over-Ear Headphones
If you’re looking for over-ear headphones, I think that JBL Tune 720BT is your best bet. I’ve tried dozens of headphones, and these are one of the rare ones that are lightweight, sturdy, and have amazing sound quality for a pretty reasonable price.
Of course, these aren’t the cheapest headphones out there, but if you prefer high-quality sound and great bass, this is a fantastic option.
When it comes to battery life, you should expect ca. 76 hours, and the battery charging time is only 2 hours, which is amazing.
These JBL headphones weigh only 220 grams, which might not seem little, but it is when you take into consideration that these are pretty big and comfy headphones.
And since these headphones aren’t the on-ear type, they won’t cause your ears to hurt. There’s nothing worse than ears starting to hurt due to headphones (I’ve experienced that with my previous PC headphones, unfortunately).
3. Redmi Buds 6 Active – Best Low-Budget Earbuds
If you’re on a very tight budget, your best bet is the Xiaomi Redmi Buds 6 Active. These cost less than $30, and with the IPX4 (safe against splashes), they’re really the best budget-friendly option you can get out there.
I’m sure you might be able to find some noname Chinese earbuds or headphones on Amazon or other marketplaces that are maybe even cheaper, but Xiaomi Redmi is known for pretty good quality products while not costing a fortune.
The battery should last for 30 hours, which is amazing, and you get noise cancellation for calls. With a weight of only 43 grams, I don’t think you’ll have any problems wearing them through the day.
4. AirPods Pro 2 – Best Premium
If you want premium headphones, you should be able to pay the premium price as well. Even though I’m an Android user and prefer Samsung over many things, Apple AirPods Pro 2 are really THE BEST premium pick.
I don’t want to go too deep into explaining how great these headphones (earbuds) are, but here are a few important features:
- Hearing protection
- Intelligent noise control
- Four pairs of silicone tips to fit different ear shapes and sizes
- Dust, sweat, and water resistance – IP54
- Up to 6 hours of battery life with a single charge
As you can see, battery life isn’t the best, but it’s similar to Samsung. These headphones are packed with a bunch of features, and they can’t have too long battery life. But again, the experience you get is on another level.
5. Soundcore Sport X20 by Anker – Best Stability
If you’re constantly having problems with the stability of your headphones or earbuds, look no further than Soundcore Sport X20 by Anker. These headphones will stay on your ears no matter what you do.
Hook is both rotatable and extendable, so it will fit all types of ears, being both comfortable and stable.
One very interesting thing about these headphones is that they have an IP68 waterproof rating (pretty rare on the market).
You can get up to 12 hours of playtime on a single charge and up to 48 hours with a charging case. That’s amazing and more than enough unless you’re working non-stop 0-24 hehe.
Anker is a reputable brand, and whenever I have tried something from that company, I have been astonished by the quality. Yes, they’re not the cheapest out there, but they really do produce high-quality products.
Why You Should Use Headphones While Detailing Cars
If you ever detailed cars for hours, you know how monotonous it can be, especially if your only company is the sound of an incredibly loud vacuum cleaner.
Quality headphones can help you stay focused on the job without unnecessary interruptions. For instance, if a client calls you in the middle of a task, a good microphone and Bluetooth connection allows you to receive a call without even touching your phone or taking off your gloves.
Personally, I’m more into listening to podcasts instead of listening to music. That way, I’m both entertaining myself while working, but also learning something new – whether it’s about business, car detailing, history, or something else that I’m interested in.
Another thing – in the detailing world, we work in various conditions: heat, dust, humidity, etc.. Cheap headphones die pretty quickly in those harsh conditions, and that’s why I’m only recommending high-quality ones that will last you for a while and, of course, save you money in the long term.
Frequently Asked Questions
Noise-cancelling headphones are a must for detailers, especially if you prefer talking to your clients while working on cars. Just make sure that they don’t block everything you should hear from the outside.
I’ve tried it, and I don’t recommend it. Gaming headphones are made to be used mostly in a stationary position, meaning that they’ll fall off your head pretty easily. And I bet they aren’t waterproof at lall.
In my opinion, the minimum playtime per charge should be at least 6 hours. That’s the bare minimum. Typical workday lasts for 8 hours, and you don’t want to charge your headphones or earbuds a few times per day.
My advice is to go with something that has great price to value ratio – which I recommended as my no. 1 choice – Soundcore by Anker A1 Life earbuds. Buying some expensive headphones is great for flexing, but I’m not sure if you really need something that’s worth more than $100. On the other hand, some cheap crap will die in a few weeks, which is again not worth it.
