From inexpensive foam options to silicone models with customizable filters for concerts, we found the best earplugs for every ear and situation

• The eight best Bluetooth speakers in the US

• Sign up for the Filter US newsletter, your weekly guide to buying fewer, better things

You don’t have to operate a jackhammer for a living to invest in a good pair of earplugs. While they used to live solely in the domain of high-visibility vests and safety helmets, you’ll now find plenty of folks using earplugs to protect their hearing at concerts, to concentrate in busy coffee shops, or simply to sleep better.

But choosing the right earplugs isn’t quite as simple as walking into your local CVS and grabbing the first pack of disposable foam you find in the checkout aisle. In addition to those reliable old standbys, you will now find a new generation of reusable earplugs that come in different sizes, filter out different frequencies, and come in Noise Reduction Ratings (NRR) from 12 (take the edge off a concert) to 33 (blot out the world).

How we tested (and our mission at the Filter US)

Other earplugs we reviewed

FAQ: Earplug questions you may have