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If you’re looking for premium noise-canceling earbuds at a more affordable price, a Grade A refurbished pair of Sony WF-1000XM5 is going for $164.99 on Woot—a big drop from the usual $299.99 for a new pair on Amazon, but only for the next nine days or until stock runs out.
That’s a solid price for earbuds that have won an Editor’s Choice award and were named the Best Earphones of 2023 by PCMag. Now, if you’re wondering what “Grade A Refurbished” means, it’s essentially a like-new device that’s been fully tested, guaranteed to work perfectly, and has only minimal cosmetic blemishes—nothing noticeable unless you’re really looking for it. Plus, you get a one-year eReplacements warranty, so there’s some added security. If you’re a Prime member, you also get free standard shipping, but if you’re not, it’s an extra $6. Also, shipping is unavailable to Alaska, Hawaii, or PO box addresses.
There’s a reason these earbuds have made it onto multiple “Best of” lists, including Lifehacker’s “Best Wireless Earbuds to Buy in 2025” roundup—the active noise cancellation is top-tier, and unlike some competitors, it doesn’t kill the sound quality when turned on. Sony’s high-quality drivers deliver clear, detailed audio with deep bass, and if you’re picky about sound, the companion app gives you full EQ customization. The app itself has a lot going on, but it packs in everything you’d need to tweak these earbuds to your liking. Hands-free Alexa and Google Assistant are built-in, and you also get support for AAC, LC3, and LDAC codecs, meaning you can stream higher-quality audio if your device supports it.
Battery life is eight hours with ANC on (16 hours if you turn it off), and the case extends that to 24 hours total. These also have an IPX4 rating, which means they’re sweat-resistant but not waterproof—fine for workouts, but maybe don’t take them into the shower. Sony also included some smart software features, like Adaptive Sound Control, which automatically switches between ANC and Ambient Mode depending on where you are, and Speak-to-Chat, which pauses your media when you start talking. For an in-depth analysis of the WF-1000XM5, check out this comprehensive review from CNET.