The Best Earplugs for Sleeping of 2024

The Flents Quiet Time were so close to being great but somehow just couldn't cross that final hurdle. They’re a bit firmer than some of the other picks, so they don’t roll up as easily, making them trickier to insert. It also made it more obvious when they seemed to have softened up later. They felt like they lost firmness after being carried in a hot bag, almost as though they had slightly melted. Something about these seemed to trigger my tinnitus as well, something I noticed in a few of the lower-ranked pairs.

They did tie for second place (along with the Hearos Xtreme) in the Reviewed office survey, which suggests that you may agree that the potential upgrade in comfort is worth their inconveniences.

The Mack’s Slim Fit were also a very strong contender, tying for the third-place slot with the Flents and mere fractions of points away from bumping out the 3Ms. These slide into small ear canals like a dream, and provide consistently solid sound blockage, scoring first place on our lab sound tests. Their sound testing in the objective tests, however, just wasn’t quite as good, and they were middle of the pack in the office poll.

I did make a small user error during their testing at one point and inserted them with slightly damp hands (you're supposed to make sure your hands are clean, after all). My ear canals hated that, so make sure your hands are dry before trying your insertion. They were still so comfortable that I almost didn't mind that their sound blockage didn't feel quite up to par with the others.

If our top picks don’t work for you, both these and the Flents would be a very good next choice to try.

For those with larger ears, Mack's Snore Blockers are worth trying. With over one thousand global ratings on Amazon, these earplugs are inexpensive and come in a pack of 12 so if you aren't a fan you won't have to worry about having a ton of extra earplugs going to waste. Reviews mention that these earplugs work well when it comes to blocking out light-to-moderate amounts of noise, but if your partner is a super snorer, then they might not be the best bet—but at this price point, they're worth checking out.

It's also important to note that for some these earplugs can be a bit big and stick out of your ears if yours are small. If that’s you, then we recommend you skip and try the Slim Fit instead.

The Howard Leight Max1 is another set that did well. Their flared base feature is great for in-ear adjustments and judging the depth of insertion. They were more challenging to insert but some Reviewed staffers swear by them, so they’re worth a shot if our other options aren’t a fit.

Moldex Pura-fit didn’t insert easily and they lost their shape by the morning. They rebounded eventually but we had concerns about their possible reusability and general comfort. They came in last place in our subjective testing, and I could never forget I was wearing them, while somehow still hearing most of what was around me. I consistently struggled to get a reasonable fit despite being able to hear them expanding in my ears, a somewhat bizarre effect.

Mack’s Ultra Softs is very plump for earplugs, and they’re also an unpleasant beige color. If you have large ear canals and are drawn to the visual appeal of chunks of putty, these may be for you. However, they shouldn’t be your first try, despite being awarded “Amazon’s Choice” if you just search the site for earplugs.

Mack’s Pillow Soft Silicone is a good option if you don’t want to actively insert anything into your ear canal. You just roll up the waxy material and then smooth it over your ear. It’s more comfortable for side sleepers. If it weren’t for the cave-like echo, you could almost forget you’re wearing them. But these silicone earplugs don’t block as much sound, and the sticky material can pick up hair and pillow fuzz.

Liberty Duraplugs were among the least comfortable options. My notes included the phrase, “I hate these, they’re just tiny foam, how are they so uncomfortable,” and it proved very challenging to get a good fit. They managed to somehow irritate my ear canals without actually staying in my ears.

The low performance of the Howard Leight Laser Lites came as a genuine surprise given their popularity in other corners of the internet and generally strong brand following. I woke up at 6 a.m. to yank them out of my ears. They came in fourth in our lab noise reduction test and had the lowest score in the staff survey.