I am one of those people who hate mowing lawns. Do you know why? Because of the loud sound that mowers produce. I just can’t bear the ear-deafening sound of the mowers. Additionally, the mower’s loud sound can actually result in irreparable damage to your ears.
Do you know why you should wear ear protection while mowing? Exposure to the noise of 85 decibels for 8 hours can cause permanent irreparable damage to the inner ear nerve. This was in a report by the Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA). It is just the bad part; the worst part is yet to come. The study shows that every 3 decibels exceeding 85 decibels will reduce the time by 50%, needed to cause the damage. In simple words, an exposure of 4 hours to the noise of 88 decibels would be enough to cause permanent hearing damage.
A few years old mowers can easily produce a noise of nearly 85 decibels, so what should we do to protect our ears? The simple answer to this question is to buy the best headphones for mowing. This way, not only you’ll be able to protect your ears from exploding, but also enjoy your mowing work by listening to your favorite music.
There is a variety of lawn mowing headphones out there, like
- radio headphones for mowing,
- noise-canceling headphones for mowing,
- Bluetooth headphones for mowing, and many others.
So, which one is the ideal mowing headphone for you? How to choose the best headphones for mowing? Let’s find answers to these questions.
What Are Headphones For Mowing and How They Work?
Headphones for mowing are basically needed for the protection of your ears. For that, most of the mowing headphones come with NRR (Noise Reduction Rating) whose work to lower the noise that reaches your ears. As we have already discussed that, 85 decibels is the baseline for ear nerve damage and lawnmowers can produce that much noise. So, any headphone with a minimum NRR of 20 decibels would work nicely for ear protection. The good thing here is that the lawn mowing headphone comes with an average NRR of about 25 decibels.
In addition to the noise reduction, there are other factors, like comfort, fit, and entertainment, which plays an important role while selecting a headphone.
Comfort and fit are necessary to work conveniently while long hours of mowing. On the other hand, entertainment in the form of music can add the factor of enjoyment while working.
Type Of Mowing Headphones To Choose From
In terms of shape, the headphone can be basically categorized into two types:
- Earbuds: Earbuds are mostly comforting in use because of their small and lightweight design. They have got silicone as well as memory foam inserts. They fit inside the ears and create a seal in the inner portion of the ear for preventing excessive outside noise. I am a fan of these small-sized headphones. I am a sweaty person and these headphones do not produce too much heat and feel lightweight as well as comforting.
- Over-the-ear Headphones: These headphones are bigger in size than the earbuds. They cover the outer ears instead of sealing the inner ears. Over-the-ear headphones come with thick foam padding that fits on the outer ears and creates a seal to reduce the outside noise. I find these headphones suitable during the winter season as they work as earmuffs for me and prevent cold air from getting into my ears. When it comes to noise cancellation, over-the-year headphones work better than the earbuds.
Both types of headphones have their pros and cons. In the end, its all about your priority while making the selection.
Now, if we categorize the headphones on the basis of noise reduction, then they can be of two types:
- Passive Noise Reduction: These are the ones that use passive forms of noise isolation like the thickness of the foam over the ear cups, and the tightness of the headband. A perfect combination of foam thickness and headband pressure keeps the ear cups in place and reduces noise to a great extent.
- Active Noise Reduction: In addition to the passive noise isolation, ANC technology is also used in headphones. Such headphones have got a small microphone installed outside the headphone. The microphone scans noises of low-frequency and sends the data to the processor present inside the headphone. Then, the headphone generates an inverse sound which cancels the low-frequency outside noise. This prevents external noise from coming inside the ears.
Active noise-canceling headphones for mowing lawn cancel most of the outside noise compared to the passive ones.
Things To Consider While Choosing the Best Headphones For Mowing
Are you buying lawn mowing headphones for the first time? Then there are chances that you don’t know about the things that you should consider while choosing the headphone. When I was buying my first mowing headphone, I was so confused between the brands and models and didn’t know which one to pick. From years of experience, I have now come up with the important factors for buying the best headphones for mowing.
Analyzing the amount of noise
The first decision to make, before buying headphones, is to know about the noise that you’ll be dealing with. If you are going to use the headphones only for mowing then they can get up to 85 decibels. But, if you’ll be using the headphones for factory or warehouse work then the noise levels can get up to 110 decibels. Once you have decided on the purpose of usage of headphones, the next step is the choice regarding NRR.
Noise Reduction Rate (NRR)
NRR is the rating given by the laboratory testing bodies authorized by the government. The rating comes in decibels. This means that the product can reduce the noise levels by that much decibels. Suppose, the NRR of your headphones is 25 decibels. If the noise of the place where you are working can get up to 100 decibels then the headphones are capable enough to reduce the noise by 25 decibels. This means that 25 decibels rating headphones can reduce the noise, from 100 decibels to 75 decibels which is a safe noise level. One thing to keep in mind is that the higher the NRR, the higher would be the price of the headphones. So, choose the headphones with an average NRR that can keep the noise levels below the point that can cause hearing damage i.e. below 85 decibels.
Comfort Level and Weight
An ideal mowing headphone is the one that provides comfort along with proper noise cancelation. For this, you should keep a few things in mind:
You should check the padding on the ear cups as well as on the headband. The padding solves two purposes. The first one is creating a seal on the ears to prevent excessive noise. Secondly, padding provides proper cushioning which adds to the comfort level. So, you should consider that padding which is thick enough to provide noise cancelation and comfort too.
The weight of the headphone also matters as a heavy headphone would slide off your ears all the time. It would also press the headband too much over the ear cups causing discomfort. A lightweight headphone is a nice choice because you won’t even feel it after wearing it for some time.
Breathability of earcups is another important factor. Non-breathable headphones would result in unbearable heat after an hour of use which results in sweaty ears. A headphone’s ear cups should be breathable without compromising with the noise cancelation feature.
Built-in Radio Headphones for Mowing
Not all the mowing headphones out there have built-in radio features. Most of them just come with the connectivity options to other devices like your phone or mp3 player. If you want built-in radio, it is better to go for digital radios because they deliver better sound quality than analog AM/FM radios.
Connectivity Options
When it comes to connectivity, other than radio, you can choose between options such as auxiliary input jack, or Bluetooth connectivity, or both.
While connecting your headphone with other devices, if you use aux cable, then it will be advantageous in terms of battery saving. The headphones will be drawing most of the power from the connected device. But, you will also come across cable dangling issues while using an aux cable. On the other hand, using a Bluetooth headphone for mowing will give you freedom of movement without any cable dangling issues. But, it will result in excess battery drainage of both the headphone as well as the connected device.
Battery
An average mowing headphone comes with a battery life of around 24 to 30 hours. Such headphones are usually powered by 2 AA batteries or rechargeable batteries of approximately 700 mAh. There are some headphones too that provides battery life of 40 hours and uses 3 AAA batteries. The higher the battery life, the longer will be the enjoyment time.
Quality of Sound
Striking a good balance between noise-canceling and sound quality is necessary. Bigger the audio driver and speaker, better will be the sound quality. The work of the audio driver is to produce the sound and the speaker amplifies that sound. Choosing a headphone with 30mm or bigger driver will solve your purpose of good sound quality. Don’t go for too big drivers as the headphone will become bulky.
Durability
You will never like a headphone that gets damaged by falling once. If you are using the headphone at some worksite, then it needs to be tough enough to survive at least three feet fall. So, it would be a good decision to go for headphones made of metal or hard plastic.
Best Headphones for Lawn Mowing in 2020
Now, we have learned the factors that one should consider while choosing the mowing headphone. It’s time to look at the list of best headphones for mowing.
1. 3M WorkTunes Connect Hearing Protector
If you are looking for a combo of decent hearing protection and ultimate sound experience then 3M WorkTune would be a nice choice for you. What I liked about this headphone are its high-quality speakers. It comes paired with 40 mm audio drivers making it a premium quality headphones.
Through this headphone, I enjoy music and can drive my ride-on lawnmower in peace. It comes with NRR of 24 decibels which is decent enough to prevent most of the mower’s unbearable noise.
The Bluetooth connectivity keeps me away from the worry of wire dangling. The high-end in-built microphone serves the purpose of a hands-free device.
One of the issues that I came across, while using this headphone, is that it tends to get a little bit hot. But, that’s acceptable as these headphones need to provide protection to your ears.
What We Liked
- Amazing sound experience using 40 mm drivers.
- No need for wire, thanks to Bluetooth connectivity.
- Hearing protection through NRR of 24 decibels.
- Built-in microphone serves the purpose of wireless phone headset.
- Excellent battery life.
What We Didn’t Like
- Tends to get hot on ears.
- Volume control buttons are not present.
Also read the article on the best headphones for video editing.
2. Mpow HP102A Bluetooth Noise Reduction Safety Ear Muffs
When it comes to a headphone that works pretty well in a noisy environment then Mpow HP102A is the one for you. When I first looked at these headphones, it was surprising to know that it comes with an NRR of 29 decibels. It is the highest NRR I have seen in a headphone without an active-noise canceling feature.
The reason behind such a high NRR is its thick foam padding on the ear cups. Although the foam is dense, but still it gives a nice fit over the ears and feels soft too. A layer of PU leather covers the thick lining of foam which makes the ear cups durable as well as breathable. The headphone seals the ears pretty well preventing much of the outer disturbance from getting inside the ears. The foam even makes it comfortable to wear these headphones for hours while mowing.
In addition to the high NRR and comfort, the headphones have got the options for Bluetooth connectivity and aux cable. These Bluetooth headphones for mowing allow free movement. One can work without having the trouble of dealing with the cable.
The battery life is also impressive as we can use it for 30 hours after charging it fully. If the battery is low, the aux cable gives the advantage to connect it to the mp3 device and enjoy the music.
While using it, I discovered that its headband is tight as it slightly bent the temples of my glasses.
What We Liked
- 29 decibels noise reduction rating.
- Comfortable and thick padding on the ear cups.
- Decent sound quality.
- Dual connectivity options of Bluetooth and aux cord.
- Impressive battery life of 30 hours.
What We Didn’t Like
- Headband is tight.
3. Howard Leight by Honeywell Sync Digital AM/FM Radio Earmuff
The next on our list of best headphones for mowing is the Howard Leight headphones. They have got above-average sound quality which may not impress the audiophiles. But, it will definitely deliver seamless unblemished sound experience.
The noise-canceling capability of the headphone is pretty good. It makes use of a patented airflow system that boosts its noise-blocking feature. This system makes the ear cups thin as well as light in weight that increases the comfort level of the headphones.
These radio headphones for mowing come with a built-in digital radio receiver. It produces superior sound quality, way better than the analog radio system. I found it very pleasing that there is no need to deal with the static. Excellent reception is what makes the sound quality of these headphones even better.
The headphone gets its power from two AA batteries which work well enough. Thanks to these batteries that I was able to use the headphone just after opening the package. The battery life is nice too as the headphones battery lasted for more than 25 hours, by my count.
On the negative side, I found just one issue relating to the preset of digital radio. When the batteries of my headphone were dead, I replaced them with the new ones. After that, when I turned on the radio, all the saved stations were gone and I had to save them again. It does not count as a major issue as the batteries are long-lasting. But, I thought, if such an issue was not there, it would have been better.
What We Liked
- Sound quality is above-average.
- Digital radio instead of analog.
- The reception of the radio is excellent.
- Long-lasting battery life.
What We Didn’t Like
- The radio automatically resets itself when we change the batteries.
Also read the article on the best open back headphones for gaming.
4. 3M WorkTunes Connect + AM/FM Hearing Protector with Bluetooth Technology
These headphones are similar to the WorkTune Connect model, we earlier talked about, with an addition of built-in digital radio. This model will offer you more listening options and that too without dealing with the pesky wires.
The digital radio of these headphones is excellent. The reception is amazing and the built-in antenna provides a seamless range. I have used it in every corner of my yard and I still haven’t been able to find a dead spot where the radio range is weak. The headphone receives a strong radio signal and does not weaken the sound quality with few trees in between.
When I mow my lawn then I usually wear thick gloves which makes it difficult to switch the knobs of ordinary mowing headphones. But, while I was using these headphones, it was impressive to know that the buttons and knobs are large in size. which makes it convenient to manipulate them without any hassle.
Another admirable feature of this headphone is that we can use it as a hands-free headset by connecting it to our smartphones. The headphone has got a microphone attachment. It has the capability to block the external noise and produce a crystal clear sound while on a call. You should note that this hands-free feature is available only when you are using Bluetooth connectivity.
I came across a similar problem that I had with the WorkTunes Connect headphones. These headphones also get a little bit warm, while in use, because of thick ear cups. This does not seem to be an issue when I use it in winters. But in summers, I become a sweaty monster while wearing these headphones.
I discussed both models of Worktunes Connect as both the models work really well. The only major difference is that one has got a digital radio feature and the other one does not have it. You can make a choice between the two as per your convenience and budget.
What We Liked
- Digital radio tuner feature available.
- Two connectivity options in the form of Bluetooth and auxiliary input jack.
- Works as a hands-free headset too.
- Radio reception is excellent.
- Good noise cancelation and comfort through thick ear cup padding.
What We Didn’t Like
- Thick padding causes it to get a bit warm.
Also read the article on the best studio headphones under 200.
5. ISOtunes PRO Bluetooth Earplug Headphones
Don’t underestimate the tiny size of these Bluetooth headphones for mowing. They can block noise better than big over-the-ear headphones. Theses ISOtunes come with memory foam tips that tend to expand when comes in contact with a little bit of heat. Hence, it seals the I inner ear properly to prevent outside noise from entering. The earbuds have an NRR of 27 decibels and are also OSHA-compliant. Such superb noise-canceling capability puts it in competition with other thickly puffed headphones.
The headphones come with the latest Bluetooth connectivity. I don’t carry my mobile phone everywhere while working and that’s why I need headphones with long-range connectivity. These earplug headphones perfectly suit my need as they remain connected even when I am 30 feet away from my phone.
I also found the battery life of these earbuds to be exceptionally great. It can easily last the entire workday conveniently. As per the package, the battery can last for 10 days when on standby mode. It takes almost 4 hours to fully charge these tiny work companions.
These IP55 rating earphones are waterproof which adds up to its quality to handle sweat and rain easily.
I came across one downside while using these headphones. The microphone does not work too well. When I was on a call, there were times that the person on the other side of the call was unable to get my voice clearly, even though there was no noise around me.
What We Liked
- Compact size and light in weight.
- Exceptionally good Bluetooth range.
- Impressive battery life.
- NRR of 27 decibels.
- Waterproof as well as sweat-proof.
What We Didn’t Like
- Below-average quality of the microphone.
6. Ruckus Earplug Earbuds
Are you looking for a hearing protection headphone with decent sound quality at an affordable price? Then, Ruckus Earplug Earbuds will suit your need the most. I can’t say the sound quality of the headphone will blow you away. But, it will reduce the outside disturbance to an extent that you’ll be able to hear the music properly and enjoy it.
These earbuds are suitable for outdoor work as they have a tough design. The earplugs have got Kevlar reinforced cables along with a triple-molded audio jack. This gives it the strength to stand tough working conditions. Additionally, it comes with an IP65 waterproof enclosure that can withstand rain but don’t try to submerge them underwater.
The over-molded design of the earbuds completely seals the ears to avoid any outside voice to get in. The earplug passes the standards of OSHA and ANSI and has an NRR of 25 decibels that cut the outside disturbance fairly well.
The sound quality that the custom-tuned drivers produce is fine and it can offer you fairly good sound experience. These are biocompatible silicone built earplugs. They make the sound reach your ears clearly by creating a comfortable seal on your ears.
What We Liked
- Durable and tough design to easily survive the heavy beating.
- Water-proof as well as sweat-resistant.
- Exemplary noise blocking with NRR of 25 decibels.
- Budget Friendly.
- Decent sound quality.
What We Didn’t Like
- Difficulty in fitting inside small ear canals.
Also read the article on the best headphones under 200.
7. WULFPOWERPRO FM MP3 Bluetooth Radio Headphones
When it comes to noise cancelation, I find these Wulfpowerpro headphones as the most powerful of all as it has got an impressive NRR of 29 decibels. We can use these headphones for more noisy purposes than just lawn mowing. We can even use these in a busy factory environment that can have a noise of around 100 decibels.
These headphones come equipped with connectivity options of Bluetooth and auxiliary input jack. This gives me the option to connect using Bluetooth while working so that I can move freely without dealing with cable. I usually use the aux cord when I am sitting ideal and in the mood to listen to music. This way I enjoy my music and do not have to worry about much battery drainage.
If you are not in the mood to connect the headphones to any external device, you still can enjoy the music using the in-built digital FM radio. I like the user-friendly radio system of headphones. All we have to do is to push the button on the device and it will automatically scan the airwaves and find the signal available. If you like any FM station then you can save it in the presets and directly tune to that FM station quickly in the future. There is no external antenna present on the device, but still, its radio reception is great.
The headphone gets its power from a rechargeable battery of 800mAh that, in my opinion, can easily last for 10 – 11 hours of continuous playback.
I was going through the package of the headphone. The specification part says that the headphone comes with noise reduction technology. But, I didn’t found any active noise-canceling feature in the headphone; it is just a plain headphone with passive noise-canceling.
What We Liked
- Great NRR of 29 decibels.
- Bluetooth connectivity is quick and easy to pair.
- Average battery life.
- Battery recharge time is fast, it takes around 4 hours to fully charge the battery.
- Built-in radio tuner.
What We Didn’t Like
- Plain passive noise isolation headphones without any active noise-canceling technology.
8. Avantree ANC031 Active Noise Cancelling Headphones
In our list, we have discussed various passive noise isolation headphones. But, this Avantree headphone is the active noise canceling headphone for mowing. All you have to do is flip a switch and you’ll be gone in a silent peaceful world. When you switch the headphones to active noise-canceling mode, the device produces inverse sound waves. These inverse waves cancel the low-frequency noise waves coming from the external environment.
To deal with the high-frequency sounds, the thick foam padding works fine and offers great noise reduction.
I can say that this headphone is best from every angle. It is a combo of ultimate noise reduction and superb sound quality. This Avantree headphone has a tough exterior and soft interior. The internal part has got high-quality 40 mm audio drivers which produce mesmerizing sound.
Thanks to the advanced Bluetooth technology, sound quality does not deteriorate during Bluetooth connectivity. The sound feels like a wired connection i.e. crystal clear.
It also works as a headset for mobile phones. You can answer your phone call by pressing one button. You can even control the volume and music playback while in the middle of a call.
The battery life of these headphones is pretty amazing too as it can serve you for around 28 hours, once it is fully charged.
The only flaw that I found in the headphone is that it does not have a noise reduction rating (NRR). The headphone works better than other passive noise isolation headphones. But, NRR would have added another star to the headphone’s profile.
What We Liked
- Superb sound experience.
- Bluetooth connectivity is seamless, just like a wired connection.
- Long-lasting battery life.
- Various control options.
- High-end noise cancellation using active noise canceling technology.
What We Didn’t Like
- Lacks NRR certification.
Also read the article on the best headphones under 500.
9. ZOHAN EM042 AM/FM Radio Headphone
When we talk about one of the finest radio headphones for mowing, the first name that crosses my mind is ZOHAN EM042. This headphone comes with built-in digital radio with the option to tune the radio using the LCD display. You can save up to 10 AM and 10 FM stations on the device. The headphone delivers excellent sound quality with clear broadcast signals. When I was listening to an FM band on this headphone, the sound quality was so clear that it felt like I am listening to a song on an audio CD.
When I connect the device to my phone using its 3.5mm audio jack then its decent-sized speakers work pretty well. The high and mid beats are accurate on the headphone and the bass production is not mind-blowing, but average.
These headphones are perfect for mowing work as the ear cups are thickly-padded and comfortable too. The headband and ear cups have enough foam padding that I was able to work for hours without feeling any type of discomfort. The soft foam padding easily conforms to the shape of the ears and forms a tight seal to prevent external disturbance from entering the ears. It is a nice headphone with a noise reduction rating of 24 decibels.
When it comes to radio reception, I cannot say that the headphone’s signal reception is too good. Where there are a couple of trees present, there are chances that the signal reception will face some disturbance. You might lose the radio station too. Other than this, the headphone requires 2 AA batteries and the package does not include the batteries. It is not that much of a big deal, but it would be better if the company includes batteries too. This would enable the user to use it directly after taking it out from the package.
What We Liked
- Decent sound quality.
- Average base production.
- 5 mm audio jack for smooth connection.
- In-built digital radio with LCD display.
What We Didn’t Like
- Radio reception is not that good.
- Batteries are not included in the package.
10. CONNEX Bluetooth Hearing Protector Over-The-Head Earmuffs
These Connex headphones are one of the finest in the passive noise-canceling headphones list. With an NRR of 25 decibels, the headphones suit perfectly for the mowing work. Just put on the headphones, and you don’t have to worry about the harsh and loud mower’s sound. You can get the work done in peace while listening to your favorite songs.
I like the dual option of connecting to an external device or listening to the digital radio. When I am sitting ideal and don’t feel like listening to the radio, I connect the aux cord to the 3.5 mm audio jack and listen to my playlist in peace.
Mowing the lawn requires body movement and I do not like cable dangling while working. I usually like to keep my phone away and work comfortably listening to music. It is possible by using the Bluetooth connectivity of these headphones. It provides a great range and seamless connection. When I was using the headphones, I lost connectivity after going further than 30 feet which is a fairly good range.
The most commendable feature of this headphone is its battery life. From the whole list, only this headphone has the highest battery life. The headphone can offer up to 60 hours of continuous usage along with five days in standby mode. The headphone gets its power from three AAA batteries and that comes with the package.
I only had an issue with the tightness of the headband. I understand the headband needs to be tight enough to apply the right pressure on the ear cups so that they can seal the ears properly. But, even after adjusting the headband, it was too tight that I felt a headache after some time of use.
What We Liked
- Commendable battery life.
- Batteries come with the package.
- Stable Bluetooth connectivity.
- Several connecting options like Bluetooth, aux cord, and digital radio.
What We Didn’t Like
- Headband feels a bit tight.
- Digital radio only has FM signal compatibility and does not receive any other signals.
Also read the article on the best studio headphones under 100.
Final Words
If you are currently mowing your lawn without using any type of hearing protection then stop now. You are causing permanent damage to your ears as continuous noise of 85 decibels can cause hearing damage. Nearly that much noise is what your mower produces.
It is time for you to pick an ideal headphone for mowing that not only protects you from loud noise but also entertains you by playing music. So, which one, out of the above list, is the best headphone for mowing?
In my view, considering all the discussed factors, 3M WorkTunes Connect + AM/FM Hearing Protector is the clear cut winner.
It has got everything that a nice mowing headphone must possess:
- great sound quality generated by its 40mm audio drivers,
- decent NRR of 24 decibels,
- built-in digital radio,
- Bluetooth as well as auxiliary jack connectivity,
- comfortable puffed ear cups that prevent excessive noise from getting inside the ears,
- and an impressive battery life of almost 25 hours. All these features at a reasonable price make this headphone one of the most ideal choice as a mowing headphone.
Last update on 2023-03-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API