Every landscaping professional has one part of the job they’re never looking forward to. Noise. Bulldozers, lawnmowers, and chainsaws would make a lot more sense if they made way less noise, right? Till then, we have to resort to other alternatives. Here’s another thing landscaping professionals have in common- we have all spent hundreds of dollars on several noise-canceling headphones, earmuffs, and earbuds in our quest to defeat noise. How does a detailed article that tells you what Bluetooth headphones, earbuds, and earmuffs are best for your job sound? No need to imagine. Read on to find out!
What To Look For: How We Chose
When choosing a headphone, earbud, or earmuff for landscaping, our expectations are often good hearing protection, durability, comfort, and durability. Our selection of the best devices in this article is right along those lines too!
Noise Cancellation
This is the first thing that comes to mind when choosing. On average, chainsaws make up to 120 dB of noise, bulldozers make up to 100 dB, and lawnmowers make about 90 dB. For context, the average human conversation is not up to 4dB. Loud noise has several negative effects on our health, and it’s important to go for devices that offer protection against it.
Hearing Protection
Unsurprisingly, hearing impairment is the major consequence of continuous exposure to loud noise. The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) says that constant daily exposure to noise above 85dB for 8 hours can cause permanent hearing damage. For every 3 dB extra, it takes half of that time- 4hrs for 88 dB. The best devices with hearing protection can cut off up to 30dB of noise, and that’s why you need one!
Comfort
Leather headphones can feel quite uncomfortable when you’re all sweaty. They can even be the reason you’re sweating so much sometimes. You also don’t want headphones that feel like a burden on your head or those with cords that get in your way every time. No one wants earbuds that fall off at the slightest turbulence, either. That is why we have factored in comfort in choosing our best.
Durability
What if you’ve finally found the best headphone for mowing your lawn, and it stops working after a week? Terrible feeling, right? You’re not kicking your earbuds around, but you don’t want them splitting open after the occasional fall. Most importantly, you want good value for your money. That’s why durability is a huge factor here.
Best Bluetooth Headphones For Landscaping
3M WorkTunes Connect + AM/FM Hearing Protector
3M WorkTunes Connect + AM/FM Hearing Protector with Bluetooth Technology, Ear protection for Mowing, Snowblowing, Construction, Work Shops
- Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) 24 dB*
- BLUETOOTH WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY lets you seamlessly stream entertainment from your mobile phone and any other Bluetooth enabled device
- INTEGRATED MICROPHONE lets you make and take phone calls without removing the ear protection
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For any reason, if you need to demonstrate to anyone how loud a lawnmower is, try using the 3M WorkTunes Connect. It offers noise protection at the industrial-grade level with a noise reduction rate(NRR) of 24dB, and that’s almost as good as it gets anywhere. As if that’s not a huge plus, this headphone allows you to listen to any radio station you want to. The built-in antenna has enough range for that.
If you’re not a fan of radio, you can connect to your smartphone via Bluetooth and listen to any music, podcast, or audiobook. Amazing, right? The voice assist makes it quite easy to connect, and all you need is to follow the instructions. Furthermore, you can take your calls without touching your phone! It comes with a high-quality microphone, so you don’t have to worry about sound quality during the call.
The 3M Worktunes Connect also has in-built rechargeable Li-ion batteries that can go a day or more without charging.
However, it’s safe to say that the 3M Worktunes Connect does a better job at noise-canceling than playing music or anything. If you want great sound quality, you may need to go for something else. Moreover, it also tends to get warm around the ears after prolonged use.
- Effective at noise-canceling (NRR=24)
- Excellent phone call experience
- Great battery life and rechargeable battery
- No cords or wires
- It can get uncomfortably warm
Sony WH1000XM3 Noise Cancelling Headphones
Sony WH1000XM3 Noise Cancelling Headphones, Wireless Bluetooth Over the Ear Headset – Black (2018 Version)
- DIGITAL NOISE CANCELING: Industry leading ANC lends a personalized, virtually soundproof experience
- PHONE CALL: A built-in mic enables you to take hands-free calls.
- VOICE ASSISTANT: Alexa enabled for voice access to music, information and more. Activate with a simple touch
The Sony WH1000XM3 offers active noise canceling, and the best at that. How does that work? Unlike the 3M Worktunes Connect, Sony picks on noises in the background and cancels them out. It doesn’t rely on the music you’re listening to or noise-dampening ear cups or pads. It tops this amazing feature with unbeatable sound quality. This headset is the one you need to listen to your favorite bop tune as you mow the lawn. Nevertheless, there’s more.
You can easily connect your smartphone to the headphone with the Sony app that allows you to customize the sound settings. Moreover, you can switch songs easily when you swipe your finger over the right ear cup. It also comes with a rechargeable battery that can last for 5 hours with a 10 mins charge and up to 30 hours with a full charge! The Sony WHX1000XM3 also allows you to pick up your phone calls with its in-built mic. You should also know that the headphone is ultra-lightweight with ergonomically designed and foldable earcups.
Lastly, the latest version of this headphone has Amazon’s Alexa built-in for a hands-free experience. However, these features come at a price.
- High tech active noise canceling
- Excellent phone call experience
- Ultra-lightweight with foldable earcups
- Voice assistant- Amazon’s Alexa
- Quick attention mode (cover right ear cup to turn down the volume before a conversation)
- It can get uncomfortably warm too
- Pricey
Bose 700 Noise Cancelling Headphones
Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, Bluetooth, Over-Ear Wireless Headphones with Built-In Microphone for Clear Calls & Alexa Voice Control, Black
- POWERFUL NOISE CANCELLING HEADPHONES: 11 levels of active noise cancelling let you enjoy music, podcasts, videos & calls without distractions
- ASTONISHING SOUND: Crisp, clear details. Deep, full bass. These wireless headphones produce exciting, lifelike sound that’s full and balanced at every volume level
The Bose 700 Noise Canceling Headphones offer unrivaled sound quality and seem the best you can get in that department. That reflects heavily on the phone call experience as you can talk in low tones on loud streets, and the person on the other end of the call will have no problems hearing you. Bose 700 also offers active noise canceling and has been the leader in this technology for quite some time. However, this headphone does not beat the Sony WH1000XM3 in this department, despite having 11 levels of active noise canceling (You can adjust settings to allow certain amounts of noise). Nonetheless, it’s one of the best out there.
The headphones also offer a design anyone would love- no hinges, no screws, only smooth movement by sliding the ear cups up and down steel poles. Furthermore, they’re ultra-lightweight too. There’s only one problem here- the ear cups are not foldable, so you need to be extra careful handling them. You don’t have to worry about the occasional light rain shower when using these headphones because it is IPX4 water-resistant.
You need to download the Bose Music app for access to some advanced controls, and the fact that you need a Bose account for this makes it quite distasteful. However, you can still use the headphones for active noise canceling without the app. Bose 700 supports Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant, and you can connect two devices at once.
Lastly, it offers 20 hours of non-stop play with a full charge and up to three hours after 15 mins of charge. They’re also the most expensive option of all devices on this list, so they’re not exactly budget devices.
- 11 levels of active noise canceling
- Super-duper phone call experience
- Ultra-lightweight
- Voice assistant- Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant
- Can connect to two devices at once
- Water-resistant
- Quick attention mode (cover right ear cup to turn down the volume before a conversation)
- Quite pricey!
- Needs the Bose Music App for the best experience
Best Earbuds For Landscaping
Bose QuietComfort 20 Acoustic Noise Canceling Headphones
Bose QuietComfort 20 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones, Apple Devices, Black
- Compatible Devices: iPhone, iPad and iPod models
- Included Components: QuietComfort 20 headphones, Apple devices, 3 pairs StayHear tips (S, M, L), clothing clip, rechargeable lithium-ion battery (built-in), USB charging cable, carrying case
Selective levels of active noise canceling on the Bose QC20 is also a testament to Bose’s superiority in this department. This QC20 comes with a special feature- the aware mode that you can activate when you press a button. This allows you to hear things happening around you that the headphones previously canceled out.
The design is also something to desire. They are In-ear headphones that will fit perfectly with the proprietary StayHear feature and ear tips in three sizes-small, medium and large. It also comes with a clothing clip that you can use to secure it as you don’t want wires dangling around while working.
Another amazing feature is the Bose Active EQ and TriPort technology which gives users an awesome sound experience. The In-line mic/remote gives a great call experience and places all controls at your fingertips.
Battery life here isn’t bad either, lasting up to 20 hours with a full charge.
- Comfortable fit
- Superb active noise canceling
- Aware mode- quite useful when you want to cross the street!
- Good sound quality
- Pricey
- Non-replaceable battery
ISOtunes LITE Bluetooth Hearing Protection
ISOtunes PRO Bluetooth Earplug Headphones, 27 dB Noise Reduction Rating, 10 Hour Battery, Noise Cancelling Mic, OSHA Compliant Bluetooth Hearing...
- BLOCK NOISE: heat-activated memory foam eartips expand like earplugs to significantly reduce outside noise. ISOtunes PRO hearing protection headphones are ANSI-certified and OSHA-compliant with a 27 dB Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) and ISOtunes SafeMax Technology. Comes with 4 pairs of foam eartips and 1 pair of silicone triple-flange eartips.
At an OSHA-certified NRR (Noise Reduction Rate) of 26dB, these in-ear headphones stand tall above others. There’s also an added special feature- the signature SafeMax technology limits audio volume to 85dB, beyond which irreversible hearing damage is quite likely. The producer ensures a proper fit with the TRILOGY™ Universal Fit ear tips and Secure-Fit Ear Fins (S, M, L) feature, and we found this quite comfortable. The Bluetooth 5.0 tech makes it even more desirable, especially when we discovered that it could connect to 2 devices up to 9 meters away.
The microphone on this one is an upgrade to that of the ISOtunes Pro, and it does a great job during phone calls. We wish we had more time to test its durability, but an IP67 water-, dust-, and sweat-proof rating tells a lot about that. Moreover, it comes with a best-in-class 1-year limited manufacturer’s warranty.
You may not like the battery life- 10 hours after a full charge but the earbud’s compatibility with Siri and Google Assistant is desirable.
- Comfortable fit
- OSHA-certified NRR of 27dB
- IP67 water-, dust-, and sweat-proof rating
- Affordable
- 10 hours of battery life
Best Earmuff Headphones for Landscaping
Honeywell Ademco Howard Leight
Howard Leight by Honeywell Impact Sport Sound Amplification Electronic Shooting Earmuff, Green
- Built-in directional microphones amplify range commands and other ambient sounds to a safe 82 dB, providing more natural listening and enhanced communication
- Actively listens and automatically shuts off amplification when ambient sound reaches 82 dB; Noise Reduction Rating (NRR): 22
The Howard Leight Earmuffs first caught our fancy because of their surprisingly lightweight and comfortable design that still provides an NRR of 25dB. Their one-of-a-kind airflow technology is quite effective in blocking out noise. Although we don’t consider it the option for audiophiles, we think it should be your first choice if you’re content with listening to radio stations. Reception is quite excellent, and you have access to 10 pre-saved stations all the time. It also has a 3.5mm AUX input jack and connection cable, but you may have reservations about wires.
The battery life is another thing they have going for them- 25 hours for 2 AA batteries. Suppose you decide to connect to your phone; there is no need to fish out your phone to control the volume. The controls on the earcup will suffice.
- Lightweight design
- NRR of 25dB
- High-quality radio reception
- 25 hours of battery life
- Sound quality
- Digital radio resets when you change batteries
Peltor Sport RangeGuard Electronic Hearing Protector
Peltor Sport RangeGuard Electronic Hearing Protector, Ear Protection, NRR 21 dB, Ideal for the Range, Shooting and Hunting, RG-OTH-4
- NRR: 21 dB noise reduction rating
- IDEAL FOR both indoor and outdoor shooters and hunters
- SUPPRESSES gunshot noise to protect hearing while amplifying voices for clear communication
- DURABLE RECESSED MICROPHONES prevent damage and reduce wind noise
The first thing most people love about the 3M Peltor Sport RangeGuard is how slim they are. They were originally designed as shooting earmuffs, and slimness is the exception in this stock. However, they work well to cancel out noise when you’re mowing your lawn with an NRR of 21dB. They are super lightweight and fit snugly over the head. We also love that we can fold the earcups and throw the headphones into our bag at any time.
Another amazing feature is that the Peltor Sport RangeGuard amplifies voices around you while suppressing noise. Although it is hardly ideal, you should have no difficulty carrying on a conversation when using them. However, your only option for music is an AUX cable connection to a 2-way radio or mp3 player.
- Lightweight design
- Amplifies voices and blocks noise
- 21dB NRR
- Sound quality
The Plugfones Liberate 2.0 are also worthy of note here. Their SoundSeal™ Noise-Suppressing Technology gives an NRR of 27dB, and they last for more than 12 hours of use. You can check out this video by B&B lawn care, who have found it useful. Fall River Lawn Care has a different but equally admirable recommendation– Fuze Custom Earphones.
