The most comfortable headphones we've ever tested will take care of your ears

It's hard to imagine a person who wouldn't benefit from a good pair of headphones. In fact, you pretty much need a pair nowadays, whether you use them for work or just throughout your daily life, as many of us do.

No matter how you use them or what you listen to, one thing's for sure: You're going to end up wearing them for long periods of time, at least at some point. And if you don't have comfortable headphones, your poor little ears are going to suffer. If you haven't experienced headphone soreness and ear fatigue, just know that we don't recommend it.

So, to help you take care of your ears and save you any shopping-related stress, we set out to find the most comfortable headphones. We tested dozens of options, from noise-cancelling headphones for flying to budget options, and we narrowed our top picks down to three contenders.

In-ear, on-ear, or over-ear?

If you're looking for comfort above all, over-ear headphones are always the way to go. They just wear better than earbuds) or on-ear pairs. On-ear headphones press more harshly on your ears, which gets uncomfortable quickly. In-ear buds are generally more comfortable than on-ear headphones, but can still begin to hurt after just a few hours depending on the model (they are jammed inside your ears, after all).

Although over-ear headphones are bulkier and less portable, it's worth the trade-off for comfort's sake. Plus, over-ear headphones can be safer for your ears compared to earbuds because the sound isn't being funneled directly into your ear canal. They also provide extra noise cancellation.

How much should you spend on comfortable headphones?

The good news is that comfortable headphones aren't locked to a specific budget range. You can find a super cozy pair at premium prices just as easily as you can find them at the budget end of the spectrum. The extra features you're looking for are what really determine how much you need to spend.

Want unrivaled active noise cancellation or the best sound quality in the business? Then be prepared to spend a minimum of around $200, all the way up to $500. If comfort is literally the only thing you care about and the extra bells and whistles are just nice-to-haves, you can expect to spend anywhere from $50 to $100. Go any cheaper, and you're probably not going to get a lot of value for your money. No shade toward your favorite pair of gas station headphones, but they probably aren't the best option for all-day wear.

If $400 is out of your reach, then look for these headphones on sale during events like Prime Day and Black Friday. The latest Prime Day event, Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days, takes place Oct. 8 and 9, and we expect both Bose QuietComfort and Anker Soundcore headphones to go on sale.

What are the most comfortable headphones?

After extensive testing, we selected the three most comfortable headphones we've ever reviewed. Read on to find out which pairs emerged as the top contenders, including picks for those who want top-tier noise cancellation.