Bang & Olufsen Beoplay E8 £269
With a leather-clad charging case and a choice of on-trend colours – my sample was Racing Green (grey and black also available) – the E8 exudes luxury and commands a designer price tag. They’re eyecatching in an understated way and extremely comfortable, and the inclusion of noise-isolating foam earbuds combined with Bang & Olufsen’s excellent audio heritage means they’re easily the best sounding here. Usability, however, lets them down, with occasional drop-outs and a failure to connect first time, every time. beoplay.com