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Best ear plugs for sleeping in 2026, tried and tested
We tested silicone, foam and wax ear plugs from Alpine, Boots, Loop, Ostrichpillow and more to find the best for a blissful night's sleep
Louise puts everyday products to the test, cutting through the hype to show what delivers in real life.
The best ear plugs for sleeping help to reduce unwanted sounds while you nod off, whether it's traffic or a partner snoring.
We tested the most popular silicone, foam and wax reusable and disposable ear plugs for sleep. These include models from popular brands such as Alpine, Boots, Loop and more. Our testers tried out the top contenders overnight and rated them for comfort, ease of insertion and how well they dampen noise.
Three models won over our testers to earn Best Buy recommendations and, if you want to pay less, one impressed at a Great Value price.
How our tests find you the best
Comfort
Ear plugs aren’t one-size-fits-all, so our testers try every pair to find the ones you'll barely notice, even when sleeping on your side.
Overnight fit
We only give top scores to ear plugs that stay securely in place, so you won't wake up to find them lost in your sheets.
Noise reduction
We assess how well each ear plug reduces a range of sounds that disturb sleep, whether it’s a snoring partner or a busy road.
We also test
instruction clarity, how easy the ear plugs are to pop in, and how simple they are to clean
The ear plugs we tested
The biggest brands and the most popular 15 ear plugs are listed below.
Only logged-in Which? members can view the ear plug test results.
Join Which? to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy and Great Value recommendations.
| Ear plugs | Price | Score | Comfort* | Ease of insertion | Noise reduction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sign up to reveal Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations Unlock tableGet Digital access £9.99 per month, cancel at any time. Already a member? | 89% | ||||
| 89% | |||||
| 86% | |||||
| 82% | |||||
| 80% | |||||
| 74% | |||||
| 74% | |||||
| 74% | |||||
| 73% | |||||
| 68% | |||||
| 67% | |||||
| 67% | |||||
| 66% | |||||
| 58% | |||||
| 42% |
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Date tested: July 2026 and December 2023. Page last checked: July 2026. We're not able to show every retailer, and cheaper prices may be available.
*Average score for ear plug comfort when inserted and lying down.
All the ear plugs we tested are listed in alphabetical order below.
Only logged-in Which? members can view the best ear plugs from our tests.
Join Which? to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy and Great Value recommendations below.
Alpine Silence ear plugs
Most recently tested July 2026
Material Silicone-free thermoplastic
Claimed noise reduction 22dB
Need to know Reusable, storage case included, comes with four sizes (extra small, small, medium and large), available in midnight blue, beige, blue, green, pink and black
Alpine SleepDeep ear plugs
Most recently tested July 2026
Material Silicone-free thermoplastic
Claimed noise reduction 27dB
Need to know Reusable, storage case included, comes with two sizes (small and medium/large), available in white/purple, white/blue and white/light blue
Bollsen Life+ ear plugs
Most recently tested December 2023
Available from Bollsen (£26.95)
Material Silicone
Claimed noise reduction 24dB
Need to know Reusable, storage case included, two pairs for £39.95, three pairs for £49.95, four pairs for £59.95, only available in white
Boots Mouldable Wax Earplugs
Most recently tested July 2026
Material Wax
Claimed noise reduction 27dB
Need to know Single use, five pairs per pack
Boots Soft Silicone Earplugs
Most recently tested December 2023
Material Silicone
Need to know Reusable, replace when soiled or no longer sticky, storage case included, three pairs per pack
EarHub Soft Foam Earplugs
Most recently tested December 2023
Material Foam
Claimed noise reduction 33dB
Need to know Single use, 10 pairs per pack
Happy Ears Original ear plugs
Available from Happy Ears (£28.50)
Most recently tested December 2023
Material Plastic
Claimed noise reduction 25dB
Need to know Reusable, storage case included, Original Discovery Pack includes three sizes (small, medium, large), available in clear, pink, purple, yellow and blue
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Loop Dream ear plugs
Most recently tested July 2026
Material Silicone
Claimed noise reduction 27dB
Need to know Reusable, storage case included, includes the Dream Foam-Silicone and Dream Double tips, comes with four sizes (extra small, small, medium and large), available in black, blue, lilac and peach
Loop Quiet 2 ear plugs
Most recently tested July 2026
Material Silicone
Claimed noise reduction 24dB
Need to know Reusable, storage case included, comes with four sizes (extra small, small, medium and large), available in black, white, mint and violet
Loop Switch 2 ear plugs
Most recently tested July 2026
Material Silicone
Claimed noise reduction Engage mode: 20dB, experience mode: 23dB, quiet mode: 26dB
Need to know Reusable, storage case included, comes with four sizes (extra small, small, medium and large), available in black, emerald, gold and silver
Ostrichpillow Orbit Earplugs
Most recently tested July 2026
Material Silicone
Claimed noise reduction 26dB
Need to know Reusable, storage case included, comes with four sizes (extra small, small, medium and large), available in grey, black, green and blue
Pluggerz Silent Sleep ear plugs
Most recently tested July 2026
Material Hypoallergenic silicone
Claimed noise reduction 27dB
Need to know Reusable, storage case included, comes with two sizes (small/medium and medium/large), available in black, purple and navy
Pluggerz Sleep ear plugs
Most recently tested December 2023
Material Silicone
Claimed noise reduction 27dB
Need to know Reusable, storage case included, comes with two sizes (small/medium and medium/large), only available in purple
Superdrug Soft Foam Ear Plugs
Most recently tested December 2023
Material Foam
Need to know Single use, three pairs per pack
Wellthy by Boots Sleep Earplugs
Most recently tested July 2026
Material Silicone
Claimed noise reduction 24dB
Need to know Reusable, storage case included, comes with four sizes (extra small, small, medium and large), only available in black
How we test ear plugs
We buy the bestselling ear plugs and put them through our tough tests. We don't accept freebies from product manufacturers or retailers.
We regularly revisit the ear plugs on sale to see if there are any more popular models that need testing, and when we find them, we do.
Our selection includes silicone ear plugs, foam ear plugs and wax ear plugs.
The following factors are used to decide our top five ear plugs for sleep:
- Comfort We assess how comfortable the ear plugs are to wear and how they feel when lying down. The most comfortable ear plugs can't be felt when lying on your side.
- Ease of insertion Each pair of ear plugs is rated on how easy they are to insert. We also rate how useful the instructions are in helping to put the ear plugs in.
- Noise reduction The ear plugs are also assessed for how well they reduce a range of sounds that can disturb sleep. This includes snoring, traffic and the radio.
Our top five ear plugs are sent to testers who try them out overnight. They rate each pair of ear plugs on the factors above, as well as:
- Security Each tester is asked if the ear plugs stay in their ears overnight or if they have to reinsert them during the night.
- Cleaning If the ear plugs are reusable, testers rate how easy they are to clean after using them overnight.
Why you can trust us: at Which? we're free from manufacturer and retailer influence. Find out more about our impartiality and how your support helps us to stay editorially independent
Which type of ear plugs is best?
It's hard to give a definitive answer because it depends on personal preference and what you want to use them for.
Silicone ear plugs
Prices vary most among silicone ear plugs. They can be soft and mouldable or a more traditional ear bud.
They tend to be reusable, lightweight and non-porous, meaning they won't absorb sweat or bacteria.
Easy to clean with soap and water, they're perfect to reuse every night for sleeping.
Foam ear plugs
These are a cheaper, softer option and are often disposable. You roll them between your fingers to shape them before inserting them into your ear, where they expand to fill the ear canal.
Some designs also have a little nobble on the end to help you pull them out.
But their porous material can host bacterial growth, so they'll need to be replaced often. This makes them better suited to single uses, such as light DIY, rather than sleeping.
Wax ear plugs
Wax ear plugs are generally warmed in the hand and then moulded to fit into your ear (they form a seal over the ear canal rather than being inserted into it).
This can give a tighter seal, but they can be a bit greasy and attract dirt and fluff. Most wax ear plugs are designed to be single use.
Custom ear plugs
You can also get custom-made ear plugs that are moulded to the shape of your ear. They're more expensive but tend to be a better fit, particularly if you struggle with standard ear plugs because of issues such as having narrow ear canals.
Custom-made ear plugs can last a few years, although they will need regular cleaning and typically cost a lot more (starting from around £80).
It might be worth it, though. In a Which? survey of 3,774 members in May 2023, 79% of people using custom-made ear plugs found them very or extremely effective (compared with 36% for those who used disposable and reusable ones).
Take care of your eyes as well as your ears with our pick of the best opticians stores
Which ear plugs block out the most noise?
Damage to your hearing can start to occur with exposure to around an average 85dB over the day or week – that's the noise level of heavy traffic or a vacuum cleaner.
Higher levels can have an impact quite quickly, and it's important to know that the decibel scale isn't linear. So, while using an electric drill (an average 94dB) is safe for around 60 minutes, a pop/rock concert (100 dB) is safe for just 7.5 minutes.
The amount of noise reduction ear plugs or defenders give – known as the attenuation value – is measured in decibels, or as a simplified noise-reduction level (SNR) figure. For standard ear plugs, noise reduction levels range from 16 to 38 decibels. Those we tested averaged around 27 decibels.
You won't necessarily want the ear plugs with the highest decibel reduction. This could be a real bonus while sleeping, when you want all sound reduced, but not at a concert where you'll just want to reduce certain sounds to a manageable level.
With noise-cancelling headphones, keep in mind that they're not hearing-protection devices and are not marketed as such.
See our noise-cancelling headphone reviews to find the best pair for you
What are the best ear plugs to block out snoring?
World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines recommend sound levels of less than 30 decibels in your bedroom during the night for good-quality sleep, but EU research shows that more than three in 10 people are exposed to levels exceeding 65 decibels at night.
Snoring is a common bugbear, and can clock in at 50-100+ decibels.
Look for ear plugs marketed for sleeping or snoring. They are typically designed to be comfortable to wear at night, for example, because they're made of very soft silicone.
What is the best ear protection for noisy work or DIY?
If you're exposed to noise at work or while doing DIY at an average 85dB or more over the day or week, you should use ear muffs or defenders to protect your hearing.
Bear in mind that hearing protection varies. For example, if the DIY noise was 100dB and you wore ear plugs that reduced it by 15dB, this should mean you're hearing a safe 85dB.
What are the best ear plugs for a concert?
For a concert or festival, musicians' ear plugs use filters to muffle sounds at all pitches so you're hearing the music as it should sound, but just a bit quieter and at a safe level.
Are ear plugs safe to sleep with every night?
Ear plugs can cause problems by not giving wax a chance to escape, so it's important for your ears to have a rest between uses.
They can also push wax into the ear canal, and this can build up, leading to or exacerbating problems such as tinnitus, itchiness or reduced hearing.
The ears are a dark, warm place, which makes them a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. Clean reusable ear plugs regularly and only put clean ear plugs into your ears to avoid bacteria build-up. And avoid reusing disposable ones many times.
Don't be tempted to use DIY ear plugs made from balled-up cotton wool or tissue, either. In addition to being ineffective, they can get stuck and require professional removal.
And if you're wondering whether silicone ear plugs are safe, they are, provided you clean them regularly and insert them correctly according to their instructions.
Noise-cancelling ear plugs vs smart ear plugs
Standard noise-cancelling ear plugs typically cost less than £30 and work by physically obstructing noise.
They're different from smart ear plugs, which use active noise-cancelling technology and/or passive noise-blocking technology. You can also buy ones with extras such as linking to your phone and providing a library of sounds. Unlike standard ear plugs, they slowly fade out the audio when they sense that you're asleep.
Smart ear plugs cost from around £50 up to £250.
Make sure you're taking care of your ears properly with our guide to safe ear wax removal
Loop ear plugs: are they worth it?
If you've spent any time online recently, you'll probably have seen an advert for Loop ear plugs. With their distinctive ring shape and sleek designs, they're hard to miss.
They cost significantly more than your average pair, so do they really offer the peace and comfort to match the price?
We put the Loop Dream, Loop Quiet 2 and Loop Switch 2 through our rigorous testing, calling on a panel of testers to try them out overnight. They evaluated exactly how well the Loops block out unwanted noises like snoring and traffic, how comfortable they feel and whether they stay firmly in place until your alarm goes off.
Log in or join Which? to unlock our full results and find out which ones are worth your money.
Do I need ear plugs if I wear hearing aids?
Digital hearing aids compress loud sounds at the limits of your hearing tolerance to make them more comfortable for your ears.
However, you still need to wear proper ear protection if you're exposed to loud noise over prolonged periods.
If you wear hearing aids, you'll want to get air into your ears at night to avoid bacteria build-up and to allow wax to escape – so wearing ear plugs regularly isn't a great idea.
We reveal the best and worst hearing aid providers, plus how to choose the right hearing aid for you