Edifier WH700NB

The cheapest active noise cancelling we stock. Bluetooth with a built-in microphone; the cancelling handles engine drone and air-conditioning hum, which is what commuters actually need from it.

Compromises sit where you'd expect: no wired input, and the tuning is warm and simple rather than refined. Treat it as a travel tool — the pair you can throw in a bag or hand to a teenager without wincing. Black or Ivory.

For more careful sound in the same family, step to the W820NB Plus.