Best kids headphones 2019 according to Tech Advisor
Kids headphones tested: parents, are you protecting your children's hearing? Here are the best headphones for kids and what to look for when buying
Puro Sound BT2200
While many kids headphones are quite plastic-y the Puro Sound Labs BT2200 headphones look more like a high-end adult audio product, and the cost reflects this, too.
At £60 / $80, buying the Puro BT 2200 is a big step up from most of the £15-£30 headphones listed here.
You don’t get just a more stylish, less kiddy look. The audio quality of these headphones is also noticeably higher, even using Bluetooth.
That’s right, the Puro BT2200 are wireless, too – which is great if you’ve had too many cables damaged by a child yanking them around, or you’re worried about the cable wrapping round a small neck.
Volume is limited to 85dBA, and we found that this was more than sufficient. DSP-based volume limiting means that the electronics actively monitor volume levels, with the limiter kicking in only when the sound reaches 85dBA.
These headphones go further than just limiting the volume. They also block background noise, attenuating 82 percent of sound at 1kHz. This reduces the need to turn them up to a dangerous level even when in a noisy environment such as an airplane.
The comfortable ear cushions also help block outside noise. The ear cups and head band are made of durable aluminium, while the ear cushion and band cover are leather. There are available in Purple, Blue, Pink and Grey.
Using Bluetooth means that these headphones need to be charged, and the “up to 18 hours” of battery life should be enough for most journeys. If the battery does run out there’s a detachable cable included. Volume controls are situated on the left ear piece.
The Puro Sound Labs BT2200 headphones certainly cost more than most kids headphones but the higher audio quality, build and wireless function make them serious contenders as our favourites.
Puro Sound Labs PuroQuiet
Also from Puro are the PuroQuiet kids headphones, which are a class apart from most of the cheaper headphones reviewed here.
They are not just volume-limited (to the standard 85dB) but offer active noise-cancelling (up to 22 dB). Just flick the ANC switch on the right ear cup, and background noise is filtered out, and the audio quality improves significantly.
There are volume buttons on the left cup, with the power on/off switch. The volume did sound a little higher than some of the other headphones - not excessively so, but still noticeable. If you can trust your child not to keep pushing volume up, then you shouldn't have any problems.
Using Bluetooth, the PuroQuiet do away with a cable, which also reduces risks of injury by entanglement. Wireless pairing was simple. In case you forget to charge the headphones (via the included microUSB cable), there's a detachable cable included, as well as a nice carry case to protect them when not in use.
Available in rather gender-based Blue and Pink, PuroQuiet is at the higher end of the price scale (£79 and US$119) but warranted for the build quality, which is excellent. These headphones seem built to last compared to some of the cheaper plastic sets. If you can afford the extra you get your money's worth.