Amazon Echo Buds (2nd Gen, 2021)

Warm audio presentation ; Decent noise-cancellation ; Good call quality ; Alexa integration

Anonymous looks ; Overall battery life is low ; Not the most adventurous sound ; Best suited to Alexa users

A solid pair of true wireless buds with enjoyable sound, decent noise-cancellation, and good quality for the price. The Amazon Echo Buds(2nd Gen) lack pizzazz and excitement, and they’re best suited for those in the Alexa ecosystem, but they are a good...

Hands-free Alexa ; Good sound quality ; Top-notch call quality ; Excellent transparency

Poor battery life ; Mediocre ANC

Solid, balanced audio quality ; Active noise cancellation ; Hands-free Alexa voice control

Doesn't offer particularly deep bass or crisp highs ; Overly sensitive touch controls

The second-generation Echo Buds improve upon Amazon's original true wireless earphones with a smaller, lighter design and active noise cancellation.

Affordable ANC earbuds ; Can facilitate a perfect fit ; Improved sound quality

Bulge from the ears ; ANC could be even stronger ; Battery life is on the shorter side

Alexa built-in ; Four sizes of ear tips included ; Good sound for this price

Short battery life ; Noise-cancelling is just ok ; They stick out from your ears

The Amazon Echo Buds (2nd Gen) have good sound and hands-free access to everything Alexa has to offer. You'll even be able to use your voice to control the music. On the flip side, the battery life leaves a lot to be desired and the ANC isn't that...

Price, price, price ; Improved comfort and more effective noise cancellation ; Excellent passthrough mode ; Satisfying sound quality for the price

Average battery life ; ANC doesn’t measure up to the best ; Hands-free Alexa isn’t always as good as native voice assistants

Amazon’s second-generation Echo Buds improve on comfort and sound quality — and they’ve got more powerful noise cancellation than before. But the most appealing part is their aggressive price.

Easy to set up and use without the Alexa app ; Customizable touch controls for each bud ; Good sound and voice quality ; In-ear detection with automatic pausing ; Solid battery life

No wireless charging and no USB-C cable included ; Might be uncomfortable for smaller ears ; Initial Alexa app setup is obnoxious

Much cheaper than most ANC wireless earbud rivals ; Always-on Alexa is convenient and flexible ; Long battery life ; Wireless charging case adds to ease of use

ANC isn't quite as isolating as other earbuds ; Music quality is solid but not outstanding ; Dedicated Anker wireless charging pad is only 5W

Sleek design ; You’ll never need to yell “Alexa!” ; Can pair with two devices simultaneously

Mediocre sound quality ; Less-than-effective ANC ; Unimpressive battery life

How much do you love Alexa? You’d have to really adore Amazon’s digital assistant to choose its Echo Buds over other quality in-ear headphones.

Alexa works well ; Comfortable fit

Battery life isn’t the longest ; ANC could be better

The 2021 Echo Buds are good true wireless earbuds for the money, but they don't offer best-in-class sound or noise cancelling. If you want hands-free Alexa, though, they're a great buy.