TOZO E2

For the price of a fast-food meal, you get surprisingly capable earbuds with great battery life and app tweaks. ANC is a fiction, but everything else is a win.

The TOZO E2 earbuds make a strong case for how much earphone you can buy for pocket change. At the low end of the pricing spectrum, they deliver decent sound, impressive battery life, and a companion app with 32 EQ presets—features you'd usually pay triple for. They won't win any audio purity contests, but for background music, podcasts, and calls on a budget, they're an easy recommendation.

For $12 (yes, we found them that low), the 10mm drivers pump out surprisingly full bass and clear enough mids, especially after you dial in the right EQ from the app. The battery life is a genuine highlight: 8.5 hours in the buds alone is better than most pricier options. The ANC is where things fall apart—it's barely noticeable, so treat these like regular noise-isolating earbuds that happen to have a marketing checkbox. Call quality is solid thanks to the dual mic ENC, which helps in moderate noise.

There's a massive price spread out there—$12 to $1,589—but ignore the insane listings. At around $12 on Amazon, the TOZO E2 is an absolute steal. You get features that used to cost $50+ just a few years ago. For the money, it's one of the best value picks in budget wireless audio.

Up against the JLab GO POP ANC, the TOZO E2 wins on battery life and app customization, but JLab's built-in EQ modes sound better out of the box. The Soundcore P30i offers richer sound and better ANC for roughly double the price, but double isn't much. If you have the extra cash, the Soundcore is the smarter buy. The EarFun Air Pro 4i similarly outclasses the E2 on sound and ANC while staying affordable. Still, none of them match the TOZO's rock-bottom price.

If you're a music purist or need ANC that actually cancels noise, look elsewhere. The ANC here is just a bullet point. Go spend a bit more on the Soundcore P30i or the EarFun Air Pro 4i for real noise reduction and better sound.

The TOZO E2 earbuds are the definition of 'good enough' for folks who just want wireless audio without spending a lot. They're comfortable, battery life is stellar, and they handle calls well. The ANC is a miss and the case is fiddly, but at $12, it's hard to complain. Buy them for a spare pair, for the gym, or as a gift for someone who won't notice the difference.