The surprising way Ozlo Sleepbuds helped me sleep so much better
Sleep is a deeply personal thing. Nearly anyone you ask will have a different pattern, rhythm, feeling or complaint. Unfortunately, I have never been a great snoozer. I'll be the first to admit: I'm fully jealous of anyone who can sleep through the night and wake up feeling refreshed. However, the Ozlo Sleepbuds are a sleep aid I just can't do without.
Ozlo may be a newcomer to the sleep headphones space, but the company has a distinguished pedigree. Taking up the mantle from the excellent yet discontinued Bose Sleepbuds 2, three former Bose employees resurrected this cult sleep favorite by acquiring the Sleepbuds trademark — and created a similarly comfortable product, which levels up with all-night battery life and biometric sensing.
At $300, these sleep headphones are not a bargain. However, since the demise of the Bose Sleepbuds — my previous favorite sleep headphones — I have not found a better, more comfortable or more efficient way to block out nighttime noise.
Ozlo Sleepbuds
The Ozlo Sleepbuds are a game changer when it comes to better sleep, offering unmatched comfort, a secure fit and superior noise masking. Designed for all-night wear, they block out disturbances like my husband's snoring and all types of ambient noise while allowing personal audio streaming that seamlessly transitions to sleep sounds. Secure and comfortable design
The first rule of sleep headphones? They have to be comfortable. I dare you to stick a pair of Apple AirPods or any earbuds crafted from hard plastic in your ears and try to sleep through the night. Ozlo Sleepbuds fit the bill because the ear tips are made of a smooth, squishy silicone, and you can choose from four different sizes — XS, S, M and L — for the perfect fit. After trying on a few, I ended up using the medium-size tips that they came with.
But what I like most about the Ozlo Sleepbuds is how simple they are to put on. Just stick the tip in your ear canal and use the silicone wing to hold them securely in place. There's no fussing or fumbling, an important feature for a product you'll use regularly, and because they're so soft and lightweight, the Sleepbuds feel completely natural, even when I'm sleeping on my side. Also, unlike our previous pick for best tested sleep headphones, the Soundcore by Anker Sleep A10 sleep headphones (once the Bose Sleepbuds bit the dust), I have not once woken up to a lost Ozlo Sleepbud.
So long, snoring
Most folks turn to sleep headphones to mask nighttime noise. For some, it's things like traffic or general city commotion. Others may be trying to tune out noisy roommates or a partner's late-night TV habit. For me, it's snoring. Specifically, my husband's snoring. The poor guy is dealing with a deviated septum, but it's still an utter cacophony once he's dozed off. Because they're so well crafted, the seal on these Ozlo Sleepbuds is outstanding, tuning out all unwanted noise once they're safely in your ears, which means I don't hear a darn thing.
Smart, personalized tech
The beauty of these Sleepbuds is that they can, and do, block that unwanted noise with no extra fanfare. But for $300, you better believe Ozlo added some ingenious tech for more customized rest.
As with most smart personal technology products, you'll need to download the corresponding app and set up your Sleepbuds using your phone, but it won't take long. When you're ready to connect, just slide open the sturdy, rounded charging case and the app will find and pair with the device.
You can choose from a library of 10 noise-masking sounds to play while you sleep, which range from Ocean Tide to Babbling Brook to Fireglow. But unlike the Bose sleep headphones, Ozlo made a distinct upgrade with its Sleepbuds, also allowing you to stream your own Bluetooth audio from any source (think: music, audiobooks, podcasts or even a custom white noise). And to seamlessly combine these two features, built-in sensors will detect when you fall asleep and automatically switch from personal audio to your chosen sleep sound.
I'm also a huge fan of the added personal alarm because, guess what? The Sleepbuds are so good at their job, I can't hear my alarm clock in the morning. You can choose your alert and set it to your preferences via the app. And trust me, you're not sleeping through this.
Battery life lasts all night and beyond
Ozlo chose a medical-grade battery from Varta for the Sleepbuds, which allows for about 10 hours of battery life. They also come in their own charging case, which Ozlo claims will add an additional 32 hours. And don't think I don't throw these in my bag when we travel because, unfortunately, snoring knows no time zones.
The price
Well, yes, there's that price tag. Most folks don't spend $300 lightly. You can nab our previous best tested winner, the Soundcore Sleep A10 sleep headphones, for just $110, though I found them to be significantly less comfortable. However, the Ozlo Sleepbuds are HSA/FSA eligible, which might help justify the cost.
Lack of sleep data
One of the biggest drawbacks of the Sleepbuds' current software is the lack of sleep data. For such a steep price, I expected this feature right out of the gate, especially with the advanced tech built into the headphones.
Ozlo acknowledges this and has promised an upgrade in Q2 of this year. 'Sleep and environmental tracking capabilities (light, temperature and noise) will give users insights into their sleep patterns and how their environment affects rest, including suggestions to address disruptions,' an Ozlo representative confirmed via email.
Look, I get it — $300 is a whole lot of cash to plunk down. But if you, like me, have serious trouble falling or staying asleep, it's a literal investment in your health and mental state. Sure, you can spend less and still block out some noise, but the Ozlo Sleepbuds are the only sleep headphones on the market that feel 100% natural, stay in my ears all night and offer a tight seal against the nightly clamor that is my husband's snoring (oh man, I'm gonna get it when he reads this). Plus, I appreciate the ability to stream my own audio in bed, along with the Sleepbuds' sleep detection and automatic shift to my chosen noise-masking sound.
CNN Underscored editors thoroughly test all the products we cover and provide full transparency about how we test them. We have an experienced team of writers and editors who have many years of testing experience and ensure each article is carefully edited and products are properly vetted, and Tobey Grumet Segal has been reviewing tech and lifestyle products for over two decades. We also talk to top experts when it makes sense to ensure we are testing each product accurately and speaking about the pros and cons of each item.
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