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UPDATE: Apr. 24, 2025, 4:30 p.m. EDT Following President Trump’s tariffs, the Ozlo Sleepbuds elevated in worth from $299 to $349 on Ozlo’s web site and Amazon in the US. We’ll be evaluating whether or not or not this modifications our ranking, and shall be updating this assessment as soon as we do. Beneath is our assessment because it was written when the earbuds price $299.
Who amongst us hasn’t used earbuds to assist them quiet a very lively mind (or a loud night breathing associate) when going to mattress at evening?
Personally, bedtime is once I’m most more likely to be utilizing earbuds in the middle of my day. Previous to this assessment, I used my first-gen AirPods Pro for listening to podcasts and video essays as I drifted off to sleep — on my extra aware nights, I opted for Loop earplugs. Whereas I knew sleep earbuds existed, I by no means obtained on board with the thought they’d supply something that totally different from my current system (despite the fact that my current system usually meant I may solely put on one AirPod comfortably as a facet sleeper and that I usually woke as much as that AirPod dying).
Fortunately, the universe knew I deserved higher, so when the possibility to check out the Ozlo Sleepbuds got here up, I took it.
As somebody who’s examined many (and owned a pair of) Bose headphones, my curiosity was piqued by Ozlo being based by former Bose engineers — particularly contemplating Bose discontinued its Sleepbuds line. After just a few weeks of testing them almost each evening below my belt, I’ve ended up extra of a sleep earbuds convert than I anticipated — let’s get into why.
The sleep earbud market
Should you’ve Googled “best sleep earbuds” anytime just lately, you may possible see a rotation of the next: sleep headbands from Amazon, the Soundcore Sleep A20 earbuds, Loop earplugs, and naturally, the Ozlo Sleepbuds.
Should you don’t love the thought of a scarf and for those who’re sticking to extra recognizable manufacturers (not Amazon keyboard smash manufacturers), you may quickly notice that sleep earbuds are one of many much less saturated product markets on the market. In addition they are typically a market the place if you’d like under-triple-digit costs, you may be making some sacrifices: in my analysis, I could not discover a funds pair that promised no less than eight hours of battery life.
The Ozlo Sleepbuds…
Credit score: Ozlo
In comparison with the Bose Sleepbuds II.
Credit score: Bose
That market area for sleep earbuds that would ship a extra premium expertise (and battery life that truly lasts the size of a full evening of sleep) is the explanation the Bose Sleepbuds got here up within the first place. With the Bose earbuds discontinued, the Ozlo Sleepbuds tried to take the passive noise cancellation and comfy design that made them nice and add within the capacity to stream your individual audio and monitor information round your sleep.
On the time of writing, the one different sleep earbuds that declare to carry out equally are the Soundcore A20 earbuds — curiously, the Soundcore earbuds are additionally about $120 cheaper, retailing at $150. I have not examined them (but), so I will not be evaluating them face to face on this assessment, however it’s value understanding that whereas the Ozlo Sleepbuds haven’t got a ton of opponents, they don’t seem to be completely distinctive.
This is why you would possibly wish to spend money on the Ozlo Sleepbuds.
Consolation: Arguably an important issue
Initially, the Ozlo Sleepbuds are extremely snug. Their wingtips saved the earbuds in my ears with out ever making me really feel sore, and so they sat at simply the appropriate level in my ears in order that I may sleep on either side with out concern.
As soon as I discovered the appropriate tip and wing measurement out of the 4 sizes included within the field, I by no means skilled any points with them falling out. In different phrases, they completely blew my expertise with my AirPods out of the water, making a powerful beginning case for why somebody would possibly wish to change to sleep earbuds.
The selection of 4 totally different wingtip sizes made it straightforward to search out the appropriate match.
Credit score: Bethany Allard / Mashable
A streaming expertise catered to really sleeping
I additionally appreciated that the expertise of utilizing these earbuds actually felt tailor-made for falling and staying asleep. Ozlo may’ve relied on the facet sleeper-friendly design for doing the heavy lifting, however it went a step additional with how the earbuds stream audio and sleep sounds.
With the app, you’ll be able to choose your most popular “Sleep Sound,” with choices like Fireglow, Misty Rain, and Into the Woods that masks sounds in your setting to help with the earbuds’ passive noise cancellation. (I used to be keen on the default “Crimson Cloak” sound).
Along with these sounds, you possibly can stream your individual audio and toggle while you’d like your sleep sound to kick in. You’ll be able to delay it for any time between quarter-hour to 2 hours (inside 15-minute increments) or select a Beta characteristic that switches to your sleep sound as soon as the earbuds acknowledge you’ve got fallen asleep. I chosen the Beta choice for a few week of my testing interval, and solely woke as much as a YouTube video as soon as. (As a facet observe, streaming with Bluetooth does require that you simply maintain your cellphone no less than inside 10 toes of the sensible case for it to work, however that by no means offered any points for me).
Loads of alarm sounds can be found.
Credit score: Screenshot: Ozlo
Customers even have a good quantity of selection for sleep sounds.
Credit score: Screenshot: Ozlo
The app additionally has a characteristic that stops any sound out of your audio — streaming and white noise alike — at 15-minute increments all the way in which as much as seven hours and 45 minutes.
The sleep timer within the app presents flexibility on how (and when) you need any audio to cease.
Credit score: Screenshot: Ozlo
Alarm characteristic
Although not probably the most distinctive characteristic amongst sleep earbuds, I nonetheless have to provide the alarm on the Ozlo Sleepbuds a shoutout. Working with an East Coast-based crew whereas dwelling on the West Coast has made me intimately acquainted with the guilt of setting an alarm that my associate most likely needs was a tiny bit later. This straightforward characteristic mainly solved that downside, assuaging my guilt and giving him one other hour of sleep again. The snooze characteristic was additionally helpful and dependable.
The Ozlo alarms operate nearly precisely the identical as your cellphone’s built-in alarm.
Credit score: Screenshot: Ozlo
No Bluetooth mandatory
In my coronary heart of hearts, I do know I get higher sleep once I do not go to sleep to movies. That is a part of the explanation I initially invested in Loop earplugs — I wished the noise cancellation supplied by an earbud with out the temptation of YouTube’s autoplay characteristic maintaining me up.
Whereas a part of the Ozlo Sleepbuds’ enchantment is of their capacity to stream no matter you need, I additionally actually appreciated that the earbuds are utterly useful with out the app, giving them the flexibleness of being extra like a very fancy earplug. All you want is to attach them to the app throughout preliminary setup, however after that, the earbuds could be set to play white noise as quickly as you are taking them out of the case. For anybody attempting to sleep with their cellphone exterior of their bed room, it is a very helpful choice.
And whereas there have been quite a lot of positives in regards to the Sleepbuds, there have been additionally just a few shortcomings.
No sleep information (but)
At present, the Ozlo Sleepbuds supply no sleep metrics. Perhaps you will have a fitness tracker or Oura Ring (or even a bed) that takes care of that for you, so the shortage of this characteristic is not an enormous deal. Nonetheless, for $299, I’d’ve anticipated some type of sleep evaluation options. In any case, the less expensive Soundcore earbuds supply them.
The Ozlo app has a “My Sleep” tab, which says an replace will unlock sleep information sooner or later.
Credit score: Screenshot: Ozlo
With that stated, the app does point out that some type of replace for sleep information is within the pipeline. I reached out to Ozlo’s crew to see if they’d a extra particular estimate as to when and I’ll replace this assessment as soon as I hear again.
Battery life might be higher
The earbuds themselves have precisely the battery life most individuals will want for a nightly foundation. The case, however, may use an improve. I discovered that after two nights, I would wish to recharge the case to juice the earbuds again up.
The workaround for that is leaving the case plugged in 24/7, but when that is not an choice, I did discover it slightly too straightforward to overlook to plug the case again in after it felt like I would charged it up just lately.
Leaving the case plugged in helped me get round its shorter battery life.
Credit score: Bethany Allard / Mashable
Connecting the earbuds wasn’t a flawless expertise
Within the roughly three weeks I used these earbuds, there have been solely a few instances that I had bother connecting them, however these nights do stick out to me.
Usually, you join the earbuds by opening up the case and ready for the blinking lights beneath every earbud to seem strong, indicating that they are prepared for playback. It takes slightly longer than a normal pair of earbuds, however not more than 10 seconds. As soon as they’re prepared, you pop them in, and your app switches from the connection display screen to the primary web page the place the settings reside.
Earlier than…
Credit score: Screenshot: Ozlo
…and after efficiently connecting the sleepbuds to the Ozlo app.
Credit score: Screenshot: Ozlo
On the 2 nights I had bother connecting the earbuds, I struggled getting the strong mild to seem after which getting the app to speak to the earbuds. One evening, after closing and opening the case just a few instances, it labored, whereas the opposite evening, I couldn’t make it occur. As I used to be going to mattress slightly late and already drained, I made a decision to sleep earbuds-less that evening.
Solely as soon as did I see these screens whereas attempting to attach my earbuds.
Credit score: Screenshot: Ozlo
Credit score: Screenshot: Ozlo
To present the advantage of the doubt, that evening, I additionally wanted to replace the earbuds for round half-hour, however I did not see that till proper earlier than mattress, so I made a decision to make use of them as is. My concept is that ignoring the replace may need interfered with the connection.
Whereas it was annoying, there’s a silver lining: the replace modified it so the Sleepbuds keep in a connectable state within the case, if the case is linked to energy. Whereas I’ve solely used them for a few nights since updating them, they do join a lot quicker and with out concern, so Ozlo does appear to be fascinated about bettering its current product.
On the costly facet
On the finish of the day, these are dear sleep earbuds. Straight from Ozlo’s website and from Amazon, they’re going to run you $299. For comparability, the unique Bose Sleepbuds and their second era price $250. Certain, the Ozlo buds have a pair extra options, however a important critique of the Bose earbuds was that they have been mild on options you’d anticipate at $250, like audio streaming and sleep information.
Whereas the Ozlo Sleepbuds are undoubtedly an enchancment, their lack of sleep information options does really feel a bit like following an analogous sample. Ozlo additionally sells a travel case you should buy individually for $30, which once more, looks like one thing it’s best to simply get with the core product for those who’re shelling out almost twice the worth of a competitor that has comparable options.
All of that stated, you should buy these earbuds with an HSA or FSA, or hire a pair for $22 a month by means of Ozlo if you wish to attempt them out earlier than committing.
Are the Ozlo Sleepbuds value it?
The Ozlo Sleepbuds have been a powerful introduction to the world of sleep earbuds, and I can undoubtedly see a world the place I would make the leap and spend money on them. Their streaming capabilities truly assist me fall and keep asleep, and so they efficiently block out all the things from my heating unit to vehicles on the road exterior. Ninety-nine p.c of the time, they carried out precisely as promised.
If the Soundcore A20 earbuds did not exist, it would be very straightforward to say the Ozlo earbuds are completely value it. Once more, whereas I can not personally converse to the A20s’ efficiency, it’s exhausting to utterly low cost what number of options these two earbuds have in frequent for vastly totally different worth factors, particularly with the widely favorable evaluations I’ve seen across the Soundcore buds’ efficiency.
In the meanwhile, I am going to say that Ozlo looks as if an organization dedicated to bettering its product over time and is ranging from a very strong baseline. The inclusion of sleep options may do lots for his or her worth, and the expertise they provide does really feel premium. Most significantly, on the finish of the day (actually), these are actually what I attain for many when I’ll sleep. You probably have the $299 (or the $22 to examine them out), you possible will not be upset with how they carry out.
Nonetheless, if streaming audio or white noise is not as essential to you, one thing just like the Loop Quiet 2 or Dream earbuds will greater than do the job. Whether it is, and you’ll’t fairly swing the worth, the Soundcore earbuds may be the place to look as a substitute.
UPDATE: Apr. 1, 2025, 2:35 p.m. EDT This assessment previously said that the Ozlo Sleepbuds price $279 from Ozlo’s web site, however that was solely a limited-time sale worth. The earbuds price $299, at Ozlo and different licensed retailers. We have corrected the pricing and remorse the error.
