What Are Plugfones?

In the late 2000s, we recognized a great need in many workplaces—people were required to wear hearing protection but wanted to listen to music at the same time. That’s why we created Plugfones. We’ve combined comfortable, noise-reducing earplugs with high-quality audio speakers. The resulting hybrid provides the ultimate hearing protection + listening experience on the market.

Plugfones started out of need when founder, Shaun Knudsen, found himself unable to communicate with his furnace operator without removing his earplugs. This became more inconvenient over time and of course posed a risk to his long term hearing.

Further down the road, working in a situation where it was high focus for 10-12 hour shifts and using standard earplugs became monotonous. From this and his past experiences, he searched for something that could protect his hearing while also allowing him to listen to audio only to find not only did nothing exist, there was a large group of people in a similar situation looking for the same thing. After a few years of tinkering and building solutions for himself he realized he was developing a passion for the process of creating something that firstly protects hearing over the longterm, but allowed people to enjoy their workday more as he was now doing. It was at that time that Plugfones and the category of Earplugs with Audio was born. Over 10 years later Plugfones continues to lead the industry with incredibly high rated ear safety products paired with audio capabilities.

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David M.

05/31/2022

I was concerned that my very tight helmet would rip these out when I put it on. No worries. They stay in, they do a good job of playing music while I ride. I don't need to crank the volume up while riding. What I can comfortably hear while standing still works fine while moving on the bike. The helmet actually smashes them more into your ears, so they become slightly louder when worn under your helmet.

DBAGproductions

Bought them for concerts and I am not disappointed.

I am able to get up close at concerts. I can still hear the bands while protecting my hearing. They are easy to take in and out.

Caleb

05/21/2022

Bought these for work because i wanted hearing protection and music. I work in a gramite shop so there is alot of pnuematic air tool, saw, and cnc routing noise around and these provided protection from those noises and also would allow me to hear my music at near the lowest volume on the plugphones. Battery life was good as i work 10hr shifts. Most of the time i could get done with a shift without needing them charged but during the colder months it at times would not last even 10hrs. This might be due more to me leaving them in my truck to charge at night where it was colder, im not sure. They lasted pretty much a full year before the silicone band wore a hole from the clip that holds the wires together and now one side has no music so that was disappointing but overall theyre good at what they were made for

D.T.

05/20/2022

Amazing expensive ear plugs

The rolls Royce of ear plugs. It comes with 2 sets of ear plugs, one for full protection with interchangeable comfortable plugs and one that filters out partial noise for concerts. Brilliant! Everything is as shown on box, no need to cut down more trees for a piece of paper with instructions. It's not hard to figure out the strap is for attaching to the plugs so you don't lose them. And a little pouch to keep everything in.

ShopperShopping

05/15/2022

These are easy to use and the battery charge lasts a decent amount of time. The sound quality is average but adequate for my needs. I use them primarily for listening to podcasts while working and working out. I like having a backup set that is charged and ready for use. The price point seems a bit high for given the sound quality.

05/14/2022

Lack of instructions keep a very good product from 5 stars.

I work in the music business and I'm back to going to concerts. Although pre-Covid I had very good custom made in ears, after 2 years of not going to shows, they went from where they were kept for years to "missing" and I don't want to spend $200 plus for a new pair, as I know the day I order the new ones is the day I will find the old ones. As I have started to go to see live music in the past few months, I've tried a variety of inexpensive earplugs, from the very inexpensive foam plugs to the better ones like these and even some with attenuators. Once I figured out the part I needed to properly use the full noise reduction was attached to the partial noise reduction, these worked VERY well for me. They are comfortable to wear, easy to put in and out and the cord makes them great for live shows where I tend to take plugs out when a band is playing so I can speak with people. The noise reduction is very good. Ultimately, these are a good value for the price, but the lack of ANY instructions or guidance is problematic.

hannah

05/07/2022

Cancels noice at full volume but also blows your hearing after. A little over medium volume and should be able to hear your songs and a forklift horn. So pretty good for what I needed.

Becky Brooks

05/06/2022

Work Well

I got these for my husband who plays music and sometimes likes to go see live bands. He normally uses the disposable type earplugs so these were a step up. He said that these are more comfortable and he feels like he can still hear the music without it being so muffled that it's not appreciable but does not have the ear ringing the next day like he would get with cheaper plugs The only downside to these is the expense and that they are not disposable so you have to be more careful not to lose them. Thanks for reading my review

Marcella DuBois-Perry

04/27/2022

Great but need instructions

I have to do yard work which includes a chainsaw. It is much trial and error with these as there are no instructions provided. Once the are figured out they are amazing. To the manufacturer: PLEASE PROVIDE INSTRUCTIONS!

Dillon Greene

04/25/2022

The only complaint is the battery low notification is way too frequent, tell me it's low once and I got it, no need to keep saying it every thirty seconds until they die. And the voice notification saying the battery is low is way too long, chime once or twice instead god its so annoying.

Loren

04/22/2022

this comes with 2 pair, one charging case, different ear fit pieces (triple layer are the best) they took a minute to get used to. you can volume up and down in them and voice control your phone, skip songs, answer calls all that. they each have a touch button on the exterior built into the earpiece so doesn't take up extra room. get loud and block out a lot of noise depending on the inner ear piece you're wearing (I only use the big one) mowed the lawn wearing them, put them in my pocket, forgot and washed my shorts! I sat them on the hood of my car to dry and they still work perfect!! nice to have 2 pair and they hook up separately so they can be used at the same time by different or same device. (only some devices support 2 headphones hooked up at once) HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND! GREAT HEADPHONES! SUPER TOUGH!

Ana o.

04/20/2022

Los compre para usar con ruido marron para poder dormir, tengo unos vecinos insoportables que ponen música a todo volumen esto me esta ayudando mucho

Halfway Hippie

04/19/2022

Fits narrow ear canals

I have small ear canals, which makes finding anything to cancel noise or for music hard! These earplugs are fantastic. They block loud sounds so they’re perfect for the range. They actually fit in my narrow ear canals with no issues. There is a bigger size for those with normal ear canals as well. The quality is very durable, made strong and feels like it will last long term. The pouch case is also very well made. 5 stars

Hunter Warrior

04/16/2022

Good protection and comfortable fit

I ordered this product since it comes with both full protection and high fidelity earplugs. I need full ear protection when I operate machinery. I also need partial ear protection when I operate a lawnmower or chainsaw but still be aware of my surroundings. Both pairs of earplugs work pretty well for me. These earplugs are comfortable to wear and stay put pretty well. They come with interchangeable silicone and foam tips. I like the fact that they come with an anti-drop cord which you can use to keep the earplugs over your neck when not wearing them, which is very convenient and one of the deciding factors for me. A little soft pouch with carabiner is provided for storage and travel as well. Overall, I'm pretty pleased with these earplugs. You get both full and partial ear protection pairs for under $35, which is a pretty good value in my book. The reason I knocked a star off is the lack of instructions. It took me some trial and error to figure out how to get the right protection out of them. Other than that, they get the job done.

P M 3

04/13/2022

READ BEFORE BUYING/RETURNING

I almost gave this product one star, until I figured out how they work… there are no instructions that come with this product. You might be saying, “why do you need instructions for earplugs?“. This is why… When you open the box, it has the cord which goes around your neck, and the 2 sets of ear plugs are separate and come in little plastic bags. There are two types, one is for full protection, and one is for partial protection. If you want to know which ones do what, just look at picture on the cover of the box. Easy enough… Now for the warning… I own a tree removal company and I am around very loud noises all day, so I bought these because I liked the idea of the attached cord to secure the earplugs so I could easily take them in and out without having to screw around with holding them or putting them in my pocket all the time when not in use. So I bought these specifically for the full protection set since I am around pretty extreme amounts of noise. When I went to put the plugs into the cord they were slipping in and out so easily that they were completely ineffective, and offered almost no sound protection. So as I was putting them back in the box to return them, I decided to try out the partial protection earplugs to see if those worked better. They did, and this is why…. What they don’t tell you, since they don’t provide instructions, is that there is another piece besides the plugs and the cord which secures the plugs to the cord and offers most of the sound protection. When you open the box, this piece has been pre-installed into the partial protection plugs, but not the full protection plugs. Once I figure this out and pulled the partial protection plugs off of this piece and installed the full protection plugs, they worked great. I love them. That being said, all of this could’ve been solved with a simple paper insert explaining this. Since the plugs are so good, I don’t want to give them anything less than five stars, so that’s why I am writing instructions on their behalf… I hope they read this review and start putting instructions in the box, otherwise they are going to get about half of their products returned if people happen to try the full protection plugs first. Perhaps they just forgot to put the instructions in my box, and that’s certainly possible, but just in case they all come like this, I hope this review helps.

E. G. Klaproth

04/07/2022

Despite catching the wires on obstructions, and lots of use, these still work very well. My original pair was 2 years old, with a lot of use, and still work just fine. I bought a back up pair, just because they are reasonably priced and I use them so much.

Bookwald

04/04/2022

I enjoy going to concerts and music festivals once in a while. The first time I went to a festival in Germany, I brought my army issued ear protection just in case. I’m glad I did. Every performance is different at a festival. Some bands have things set up all crazy where you’re in a cramped space with giant bass speakers that drown out the entire song and ruin the experience. Not only does it sound bad but it hurts the ears too. This was a band I really enjoyed on Spotify but hearing them live I thought I’d get hearing damage, even with basic cheapo ear protection. I got Plugfones because I’m getting back into live music now that restrictions are going away. Plugfones are actual earplug earphones, which is what you want when it comes to hearing protection. OSHA compliance and an NRR 22 safety rating give me the confidence that my hearing will be safe in those cramped venues where even if you’re in the back your hearing isn’t safe. And if there’s ever a band I’m crazy about playing and it’s all bass drowning out the melody, now I can sync up that same song on Bluetooth and enjoy watching the band upfront and live.

Sergio

03/31/2022

To begin with, these earplugs + earphones are not intended for audiophiles, but are focused on two objectives: battery life, and protection against noise. And both do their job. I used them for about 7 hours, listening to audio and some occasional calls, so they last a whole working day without the need to place them in the case to recharge. They can be recharged several times before having to charge the case, and you also have the other pair of earphones. 30 hours without the need to plug them into a power outlet makes them ideal for long trips. Good noise cancellation, they work like earplugs, blocking a lot of the noise that is on the ramp of an airport where I work, although I recommend using overhead earmuffs in those places. The quality of the microphone is acceptable. The sound quality is its weak point, it is quite flat, although they are loud. The buttons work ok, although you have to press them a bit hard, personally I prefer these physical buttons than not the tactile ones. They don't fall out of the ears, after a few hours they can start to bother me, but that happens to me with all the earbuds. The case looks very cheap and low quality, not in line with the price of these earphones. I think they should include a second case for the second pair of earbuds, even if it does not provide a charge, but to be able to carry them from one place to another, since the main case is a bit large and does not fit in the pockets. In conclusion: they are not to enjoy and concentrate listening to music, but they are recommended to protect yourself from dangerous noises and listen to music in the background while working or traveling or doing other activities.

Alyssa VandenHeuvel

03/30/2022

When they're fully charged they last me a full 8+ hour shift and still have a little charge to start the next day. They take about 30-40 minutes to fully charge. They stay in my ears well. My only complaint is how long the wire is connecting both ear buds.

Genesis Roman

03/28/2022

These headphones come with two sets of headsets so you are never without your entertainment even in the longest of work days. The charging case is top notch and it brings a sleek carrying case to house the charging case and extra headsets. I also appreciated the extra ear bud tips. The quality of the sound isn’t great. It is lacking Bass. I think it is good value for what you pay, but audiophiles need to stay away.

Mark Carroll

03/26/2022

I have E*A*R brand ear plugs like these that are the best. These work (almost) as well for sound suppression, ( like 92%), and they play music! The volume is a bit limited, ( a good thing) but, even when I am grindingon steel, I can hear the music clearly.

John Gehringer

03/06/2022

I purchased these to serve as dual purpose . I use them to help cancel noise at work as I am a diesel technician by trade and the environments I work on can be extremely noisy and I also use these at the gym . At work they do a really good job at lowering the surrounding noise and it allows me to continually learn as I prefer to listen to training and financial podcasts . They really shine for me at the gym as I can just about drowned out the music that is blaring in the facility . These provide an excellent range of volume and the battery life is better than any other previous pair I have owned ( 4th different ones I've tried ) . Overall I am very happy with this purchase !

Ron Lasher

02/26/2022

As a welder, I’ve worked a handful of jobs managed by sadistic old geezers who don’t allow headphones OR radios, ever. As a lifelong learner that also has worked 60+ hours a week for three plus years now, being able to listen to podcasts and audiobooks is a necessity. Enter Plugfones! The answer to an entire generation’s cry for help! After a couple weeks testing it out and comparing it the blue and yellow ear protection at work, I finally came up with the ideal setup 1. Whatever pocket you carry your phone in, punch a small hole at the top and then, as best you can, sew around the edges to prevent us from enlarging. 2. Fit the Plugfones jack and an Apple dongle adaptor (for iPhone) the the hole you created and fortified. 3. Now run the earpieces around your side, up your back, and over your shoulders. Do this BEFORE you put your work shirt on. 4. Now, to prevent the Plugfones from getting dangerously tangled or suspiciously wrapped up, give the earpieces the proper slack (I measure by pulling down to centerline of my chest), then use gorilla tape or duct tape to secure the Y in the cord between your shoulder blades. 5. Enjoy audio practically risk free. I’ve been using this method at a very micromanaged, absurdly safety conscious manufacturing plant, and in 5 months no one has noticed or even given my “earplugs” a second though. Hiding in plain sight!

Brett Behselich

02/17/2022

Bought these headphone because I work construction. The noise at work causes headaches and non stop ringing. Heard about them on Facebook and thought I’d try them out. Wow was I blown away. Great sound and comfortable.

Rob Bessette

01/31/2022

I got these because I have some really noisy neighbors in my apartment building and while working from home it was really hard for me to concentrate. I tried other earbuds with little success. I had heard good things about this brand, so I figured I'd give these a shot. I was blown away by how effective they are! You wouldn't even know my neighbors were there. Super comfortable, too. The foam is totally the way to go. Highly recommended! A++++

Bennett Milnor

01/30/2022

I had reservations about spending the money on earphones. Conveniently, they arrived a few days before the blizzard that just hit the Northeast. They worked great while I was using my snowblower and I was able to actually hear my music over the machine which was a nice change of pace from my current buds. The sound quality is outstanding in my opinion. Final note; I always have had a hard time with ear buds staying in my ear. My left ear, for whatever reason, the bud has always fallen out. Not with these which alone is worth the price. Absolutely would purchase again!

Matt VanGeezy

01/24/2022

Purchased off of Amazon, sound quality better then my Corsair headset for my PC. Comfy fit, alot of noise reduction for just the standard ear buds, and good Bluetooth distance.

mommacat58

01/16/2022

I'm not allowed to wear buds that stream music. As the buds visibly blink advertising that they are connected I was told to remove them. No use to me if I can't use them at work. Take away the flashing light and I'd buy them again

Bradley M.

01/15/2022

I border on being an "audiophile" so you would never catch me with a $20 pair of ear buds in my ears under normal conditions. Not all conditions are normal, though. I spend a lot of time in places where hearing protection is required and ear buds are frowned upon. Enter Plugfones. The sound quality of this corded product is garbage compared to my usual wireless ear buds. It's a day and night difference, like listening to AM radio versus FM. Some music is so devoid of feeling that I avoid it completely when using these. That's alright with me, though. I'll still rate it five stars because: 1) Having low cost, low quality sound is better than having no sound and 2) This product pulls off the appearance of standard hearing protection PERFECTLY. No one has questioned what I'm wearing. Not even the safety guy at one location who is notorious for stopping and lecturing people over the smallest perceived policy violation. If this product didn't pull off the appearance so well, then I'd have rated them a 1 star on sound quality. Even with the best sound quality in the world, though, they would have been utterly worthless to me if they couldn't pull off the appearance which is required. So, I've swallowed my audiophile pride and rated them solid 5 stars across the board. I'm thankful that this product exists and doesn't draw any unwanted attention. That warrants the high marks.

Wes

01/13/2022

So Im a welder in a factory, I work 8+ hours a day. I wear these all day everyday. I usually get 6 months out of a pair before one side goes out. If it wasn't for plugfones. I'd probably quit my boring repetitive job a long time ago. The quality gets better with each pair. Now days the audio quality is comparable to skull candy. My first pair sounded like they came from dollar tree. I got a whole year out of my last pair. My first pair only lasted 3 months. I often wear them when doing projects at home, mowing, or riding my motorcycle. They absolutely protect your hearing when you wear properly. I can't say I recommend the for riding a motorcycle. The length of the Bud gets pushed to the side under the helmet and can be uncomfortable but they do cut down on the noise significantly.

B Rich

01/06/2022

I own several now and love them. Comfortable to wear all day and cancel noise well

K. Carter

12/13/2021

I've tried a dozen different ear speakers for under my helmet. I've tried helmet speakers too. Nothing g worked over the sound of 15 Outlaw Racing Karts screaming on the track. These were the FIRST ear buds that I could hear the flagman!! I bought 2 more pairs in case I break my first ones.. Love them!!!

Steven Reynolds

12/11/2021

I don't have them playing for the entire12 hour shift but I do have them on for about 13hours. So far I like the battery life. The sound quality isn't as good as a regular pair of earbuds but not as bad as a cheap set of headphones from the 24hr discount store. The noise cancelling part works just can't hear people talking in the noisy parts of the plant. They aren't quite as comfortable as my regular ear buds or ear plugs.

Ryan Whitehouse

12/10/2021

I plug these into a Cardo helmet com system instead of the crappy sounding, too quiet helmet speakers, that you can't hear at all if you wear traditional earplugs. These are probably 80 percent as good as foam earplugs and cutting noise, and music/spoken word comes through loud and clear. They stay in place, and being nothing protrudes from your ear but the wire, donning/doffing your helmet doesn't yank them out or cause pain as I found with many other earbuds. However, I've found they're good for about a year. possibly all the helmet on/off stresses the wire, since that's where it seems to break. One bud will start cutting in and out unless the wire is positioned just so. I ride 15-20k a year, and the most recent pair just started having this issue, almost a year on the dot. I had a similar experience with the Liberate Bluetooth version, but those are a lot more expensive to replace. $25 once a year isn't the end of the world, but I'd happily pay a little more for an upgraded/tougher cord.

Amber

11/10/2021

I got these for air travel and they really worked! Didn’t completely block the noise from the engines but came close. I highly recommend these for traveling on planes.

Justin Homdouangchay

10/30/2021

Sound quality isn't the best for $50 earbud but you know why you want to buy these. I talked to my manager with these on and he just assumed they where standard Earplugs. And That is the whole point of these, Honestly these make my 12 hour shift feel like 10 hours because of all the audio books I listen to. They last for about 10 hours but I also have an External Battery Pack it use to charge these some more over lunch to get me another 1.5 to 2 hours. TAKE GOOD CARE OF THESE, trust me. If you do long shifts or listen to machine noise all day long these are a blessing.

Jesse Mofield

10/13/2021

Good bass and volume

Everything great except the size of the ear plug going in. Great bass and sound for sure. Once it’s in it’s in, but my job calls for tons of over the head movement so it loosens the seal that gives you the best noise cancellation. Needs to be a bit deeper in my opinion. If you’re a normal sized person then it should work perfectly.

April

10/08/2021

These double as early plugs and are headphones so you can have two in one which is awesome. The tips are able to be changed too. They last along time I’ve bought two of them and will keep buying them.

Dmoney

10/05/2021

User friendly and works great for work when you are not a loud blue tooth But cord could be longer to hide the battery packs on the cords

Jason Bryner

09/24/2021

I really like these headphones. I use them for mowing the lawn, tractor work and some shop work. They keep the outside noise to an appropriate level. Connected easily to my iPhone. Sound quality isn’t what you’d get out of higher end headphones, but out works for audiobooks and music that I listen to. Battery life is ok, outlast a tank of of the mower on 5 acres, and it’s easy to keen charged.

Jonathan Isaac Olvera

09/18/2021

At first ears the sound quality isn't what I'm used to. It's pretty flat and clear with no bass but you can't tell them apart from ear plugs so thats a plus at work. They stay in your ear very very well. I've never had a headphone stay in my ear like this. I started using them while riding my motorcycle and I can actually hear the music over my loud exhaust. And I don't have to keep repositioning them in my ear at highway speeds.

Tim

09/13/2021

Advertised 10hr battery life. MAYBE if you put the volume on the lowest setting. But at full blast they will go about 5 or 6 hours and that’s plenty for me. The sound is good! It’s not Bose or sennheiser, but very good for the money. 10/10 would buy again. The clip makes them easy to secure.

Rose

09/12/2021

What's not to like? They are exactly like the earplugs people wear at my job. They keep outside noise out! Which is a good thing if your job is loud and you can rock out while your working. Dying laughing the whole time. Just dont tell anyone... It's your secret If you are looking for like super bad ass sound quality they are a 20 $pair of headphones it's awesome they play music ... be cool if they made an upgraded version for it ... I'd pay more but then again they are for work and I will probably just break em. These have lasted all summer. And I work a really intense job so... two thumbs up

Krystal Jennings

09/09/2021

Good and bad

I was looking for a replacement brand of earbuds that are a little less expensive than my current brand. Quality of sound is definitely not there. Sounds like you are listening through tin cans. HOWEVER, the foam tips on these earplugs are by far the most comfortable I have ever tried, especially if you have small ear canals. I bought a bunch and traded out the current foam tips on the old earbuds for these.

Steve Gerek

09/03/2021

These are awesome. If you have a job that requires you to wear ear plugs but you want to listen to music or whatever. This is it. After 6 months in a brutal environment they still work great. The sound quality is not horrible. It lacks bass mostly. Otherwise it's loud enough to hear over loud machines. The battery life is absolutely incredible. Everyday I get 10 straight hours from a charge. If your looking for sound quality then go buy a $200 Bose or Sony headset. If your trying to enjoy yourself while following rules at work then this is it. Highly recommend.

Broncman

08/22/2021

These are perfect to block out machinery noise and still allow you to enjoy music. Are they Bose quality? No however they are the only plugs I’ve found to shut out tractor noise and allow listening to music without the bulk or heat of a headphone set. Allows me to wear a hat to shade from the sun.

K.P.

07/25/2021

I needed ear protection for mowing the lawn and these sound protecting ear buds are perfect, even for my small ear canals. Soft material is easy to push in and remove. Easy to clean if needed. I recommend these for hearing protection and provide acceptable speaker performance as well.

Feroz Kiyani

07/22/2021

I hook these up to my Sena 10C Evo while riding and my goodness my rides are like night and day prior to this. I have a modular helmet and when wearing plugfones the wind noise is barely noticeable at highway speeds. The silicone piece seems to fit more snug and comfortable to me but it's nice to have multiple options.

spctrbytz

07/11/2021

They work, but are a little too fat to fit comfortably in my small ear canals. I wear the small size tips on other earbuds. If you wear medium or large you'll be fine.