If you’re anything like me, you fell madly in love with someone who snores, lives in a loud city, and has noisy neighbors. But before you decide to call it quits, change apartments, or swipe right on Tinder, consider my new favorite sleeping companion: the OZLO Sleepbuds, snore-blocking headphones designed to give you the best sleep of your life.
About OZLO
OZLO are noise-canceling earbuds. They have soft silicone tips, so they’re comfortable to wear all night long. For sleepers who toss and turn, these buds will fight to stay put with a squishy head that pops softly into your ear.
Why are these better than earplugs? Because they’re designed with a biometric sensor that turns off white noise, audiobooks, or whatever helps you drift off to sleep — no timers necessary. The battery life is 10 hours on a single charge and will play your preferred white noise all night long.
If CBD oil hasn’t helped and you’ve tried every sleep product on the market, I highly suggest you try these buds ASAP. Yes, they are a bit of a splurge, and they have a few startup issues that the brand covers with short reboot videos on the app, but spoiler alert: overall, I’m really pleased with these. Read my full review below.
Pros:
- Bluetooth streaming
- 10 hours of battery life
- Biometric sensing
- Clinically proven to help you fall asleep quicker and stay that way
- Created by three ex-engineers of Bose headphones
Cons:
- The QR code on the bottom of the case is too small to scan with my iPhone
- There are several steps you may need to take to reboot your Sleepbuds if they go offline
- May not be best for every night usage due to pressure in eardrums over time
These noise-canceling headphones block unwanted noises like snoring and horns. They also turn off your podcast or music when you fall asleep and use a gentle alarm in your ear to wake you (instead of your partner). These headphones sense when you fall asleep, and then switch off your preferred streaming service to play built-in soundscapes instead, including babbling brooks and deep brown masking noise.
The price is a little steep — but, if you struggle with getting solid shut-eye, they’re worth the investment.
There is a 30-day return policy and a one-year warranty or you can subscribe each month for $22 with OZLO Flex. It provides a lifetime warranty with free shipping both ways, and no commitment needed.
My Review
Unboxing and setup
Read closely when you open this sleek box, which contains an even cooler circular case. Do not toss the box until you open the hidden compartment, which holds three additional silicone tips to fit all ears sizes and a charging cord.
When you open the OZLO case, it slides open. The bottom of the case has a non-slip grip, locking it in place on your nightstand or desk. You can scan the QR code on the pad of instructions or online.
Connect your case to power and follow the setup instructions.
How they worked
Once paired with the app, I enjoyed selecting my programmed background sound for when my playlist ended and my sleep cycle began. As a fan of white noise machines, I chose ‘Soar,’ the sound of moving air while riding a plane. My audiobook started, and I drifted off to sleep.
I’m usually disturbed throughout the night by my husband’s snoring so loudly that it costs me hours of sleep. And if it’s not him, it’s my dog jumping on and off the bed on a never-ending loop. Last night, though, the only thing that woke me was my bladder reminding me it was time to empty the liter of water I drank before bed.
On my first-night trial, both earbuds fell out, so on the second night, I swapped them for the smaller silicone tips included in the box. They stayed in all night
While you can sleep comfortably with both earbuds in, I prefer to remove one as I’m a side sleeper. The pillow blocks one ear, and the earbud blocks the other. After getting up, I returned to sleep and didn’t wake again until my gentle alarm went off.
My favorite feature is the ability to adjust the volume of my audiobook separately from the white noise. It’s a subtle difference, but I really appreciate the control it provides.
Troubleshooting OZLO sleepbuds
As amazing as these headphones are, they do have a bit of a startup feel, with a few kinks that still need to be worked out. The first two sets of headphones I received had issues with the right earbud, but the company quickly swapped them out after confirming it wasn’t something I could fix with a simple reboot at home.
Thanks to the 30-day warranty, you can test them out to make sure there aren’t any issues from the start. That said, for nearly $300, I did feel that was a bit of a drawback. Still, the pros ultimately outweighed my initial frustrations.
The OZLO app also includes a video section that guides you through troubleshooting, whether it’s resetting the case or the headphones (which is a learning curve in itself). And I kid you not, one of the steps involves knocking on the hard case a few times.
So, when people ask how OZLO Sleepbuds compare to Bose or Soundcore, I tell them that OZLO is still in the early stages as a company, but they’re doing an incredible job tackling insomnia via technology.
Final Verdict
Last night was one of the best nights of sleep I’ve ever had. I didn’t even hear my husband wake up, creak down the stairs, or grind the coffee — and that’s saying something, considering we live in a 600-square-foot apartment.
I also took them to work and sat blissfully unaware of the shouting across the newsroom, just the soothing sound of waves crashing along the beach as I typed my articles.
Are OZLO Sleepbuds good? Yes. Do they have some quirks? Yes. So remember to reboot when necessary and check your app regularly, as the brand frequently releases updates with new technology, troubleshooting improvements, and additional soundscapes to enhance your sleep.
How we tested
How did I test them? Please. I took this OZLO Sleepbud review everywhere. I wore them while drifting off to sleep, blocking out everything from my husband’s snoring to my dog’s midnight antics. Then, I took them to the office, where they kept me blissfully unaware of the noisy newsroom.
I focused on comfort, sound quality, and effectiveness in blocking out distractions. I also assessed the OZLO app’s setup, overall interface, and troubleshooting.
Looking for something cheaper? Check out these headphones under $100.
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