The best earplugs for sleeping are:
- Mack’s Ultra Soft Foam Earplugs – Best Foam Earplugs for Sleep
- Mack’s Pillow Soft Silicone Putty Earplugs – Best Moldable Silicone Earplugs for Sleep
- Anbow Silicone Ear Plugs – Best Elongated Tab Silicone Earplugs for Sleep
- Ohropax Wax Ear Plugs – Best Wax Earplugs for Sleep
- Hearprotek Sleep Ear Plugs – Best Memory Foam Earplugs for Sleep
- Loop Quiet Sleep Ear Plugs – Best Looped Silicone earplugs for Sleep
- Decibullz Custom Molded Earplugs – Best Earplugs for Odd Shaped Ears
- ISOLATE Solid Aluminium Ear Plugs – Best Earplugs For Multipurpose Usage
- Eargasm High Fidelity Earplugs – Best Earplugs for Small Ears
- Flents Flite Mate Pressure Reducing Ear Plugs – Best Travel Earplugs for Sleep
Are you looking to help reduce, or block out as much of the sounds coming from:
- A noisy next-door neighbor,
- City traffic outside your window,
- Loud snoring from your husband or even the dog?
I was interested to find out what are the best earplugs for sleeping on the market that can help to block out noise for me to review.
I went out researching online for what are the top rated & most recommended brands who make ear plugs that are available to buy online on the market.
The Best Earplug Brands for Sleeping in 2024
Here is the list of earplugs that can help to block out noise when you are sleeping that we reviewed for you to quickly compare.
1. Mack’s Ultra Soft Foam Earplugs
- Made of polyurethane foam
- One jar contains 50 pairs of foam earplugs
- Reusable but no travel storage case supplied
- Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) up to 33 dB
The Mack’s Ultra Soft Foam Earplugs are made of a comfortable foam that slowly releases to fill the ear canal completely after you have inserted them into your ear. The soft foam is not likely to cause pain to the ear canal when laying on your side so are a good option for side sleepers. They are fully skinned and tapered, which means they can snugly fit into almost any size of ear. These would be a good fit for people with medium to large ear canals. For people with smaller ear canals we recommend looking at the Mack's Slim Fit Soft Foam Earplugs option.
2. Mack’s Pillow Soft Silicone Putty Earplugs
- Made of BPA-free, hypoallergenic moldable silicone
- You get 6 pairs of earplugs per pack
- Reusable and comes with a storage case
- Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) up to 22 dB
The Mack’s Pillow Soft Silicone Putty Earplugs are a good choice for those who find foam or wax earplugs give them an irritated ear canal (otitis externa) when wearing them overnight in bed. Since the Mack’s Pillow Soft Silicone Putty Earplugs are moldable to any shape of ear canal they are great for a range of people with small ears to large ears. You can keep using them until they lose their stickiness. Be aware the NRR of 22dB is not the highest noise reduction if you need earplugs that block loud and repetitive sounds like, heavy snoring or street sounds from people shouting or cars in cities.
3. Anbow Silicone Ear Plugs
- Made of BPA-free, hypoallergenic silicone
- You get 3 pairs of earplugs, one pair with a string cord and two pairs with no cord.
- They are reusable and come with two storage boxes and a waterproof bag for storage.
- Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) up to 32 dB
The Anbow Silicone Ear Plugs are a good choice for people who enjoy earplugs that have a flange tip and elongated tab that makes them easy to pull out of your ear. The pair that come with a built in cord are ideal if you find earplugs falling out at night when you toss and turn in bed and then it makes them hard to find. These would be good for people sleeping on a plane, or whose who mainly back sleepers, because the tab might be felt when sleep on your side and your head is pushing into your pillow.
4. Ohropax Wax Ear Plugs
- Made of vaseline, paraffin wax, cotton wool
- You get 6 pairs of wax earplugs
- They are reusable and the package it is delivered in can double as a storage case
- Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) up to 23 dB
The Ohropax Wax Ear Plugs are made of a soft, waxy material that is covered in cotton. Wax earplugs are a good choice for people looking for an alternative to foam ear plugs that could be causing them some ear canal irritation. The Ohropax Wax Ear Plugs designed to be easily inserted into your ear as they can mold into your particular shape of ear. Since they are made of Vaseline and paraffin wax they can leave a waxy residue feel for some people. As long as they are kept clean and maintain their texture, they can last for months. One way to keep them clean is by placing them back into the storage container they came in. They can be reused multiple times, but will need replacing when they become too dirty or start to break apart.
5. Hearprotek Sleep Ear Plugs
- Made of plastic ear wings and memory foam ear tips
- You get three earplugs for small, medium or large sized ears
- Reusable and comes with a storage case
- Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) up to 33 dB
The Hearprotek Sleep Ear Plugs are a unique option as they come with three size memory foam ear tips options. None of the other sleep earplugs use memory foam. Also, they come with three size ear wing options for people who test which size is best for their size of ear. These ear wings are what the memory foam tips insert into and make it easy to remove them from your ears on waking. The are said to be a good choice for side sleeper.
6. Loop Quiet Ear Plugs
- Material: Silicone
- Amount: One pair
- Reusable: Yes and comes with a durable storage case
- Noise Reduction Rating: Up to 27 decibel reduction
The Loop Quiet earplugs are one of the most popular earplugs we found on the market. The are easy to pull out your ear with the loop. They are made of a soft silicone so are ideal for back sleepers or side sleepers. It comes with 4 sizes of soft silicone ear tips so you can have a small or large ear canal and they will fit. With the six colours to chose from even if you use them when travelling on a plane you don’t need to only use plain colors.
7. Decibullz Custom Molded Earplugs
- Made of thermoplastic
- You get one pair of earplugs that can be customized as needed
- Reusable and comes with a storage case
- Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) up to 31 dB
- Can be remolded as needed
- Multiple flange tips for adjustable comfort
- One pair of foam tips for softer fits
- Small in size
- Thermoplastic can be rather thin in comparison to similar products
- Provides a tight fit that might be too fight
- Thermoplastic can be hard to shape, even when heated
The Decibullz Custom Molded Earplugs are a good option if you are looking for an earplug that can be customized to your ear canal shape.
These earplugs can mold to the shape of the ear canal in a short timeframe, and the company claims pain should not be an issue. At the same time, they stay in for the night, which means avoiding the need to hunt them down in the morning.
These earplugs can be shaped by applying heat to their outer surface by placing them in boiling water. After they have a moment to cool, they can then be inserted into the ear canal for shaping to take place. If a comfortable fit is not found the first time, then the heating process can be repeated to try again.
The package comes with two custom molds, three sets of the triple flange tips, and one set of foam tips. Also, a carrying pouch is provided. Because of their unique shape, these earplugs can reduce noise by 31 decibels.
8. ISOLATE Solid Aluminium Ear Plugs
- Material: Aluminium and foam tips
- Amount: One pair with additional foam end sizes for adjusting to a certain ear canal size fits
- Reusable: Yes and designed to be long lasting
- Noise Reduction Rating: 35 decibel reduction
- A cheaper alternative to the titanium, PRO model
- The different EARFOAM sizes make for an easy fit
- The better the fit, the more noise they will cancel out
- Can make ears tender after long periods of use
- Decibel reduction count unknown
- Considered a fancier version of basic, foam earplugs
- Cannot be remolded, but comes with three sizes
The Isolate earplugs are made of aluminum for maximum sound reduction. It even can block bass frequencies that other earplugs might let through into the ear canal.
Sounds can still be heard through bone conduction, meaning that not all sounds will be blocked out in the case of an emergency. For the sake of finding them easily if they fall out during the night, they come in many bright colors.
There are three EARFOAM tips that come with these earplugs, ranging from small to large. Small tips measure 11 mm, the medium ones measure 13 mm, and the large ones measure 14 mm. Replacement tips can be purchased through the manufacturer.
9. Eargasm High Fidelity Earplugs
- Material: Silicone
- Amount: Two pairs
- Reusable: Yes and comes with a durable storage case
- Noise Reduction Rating: 12 decibel reduction
- Made of a soft material that fits inside almost any ear
- Maintain a softer, full spectrum of sound
- Low profile design for discreet wearing
- Can be cleaned for re-wearing with water and non-abrasive chemicals
- Only provides 12-decibel reduction
- Two sizes to pick from, which means people in between sizes might not find a proper fit
- Silicone can be too rigid in comparison to foam earplugs
The Eargasm earplugs put a stop to harmful noise, meaning that hearing loss can easily be prevented.
These earplugs provide a muffled sound experience, which is great for sleep because it means being woken up during extreme emergencies, such as if a fire alarm sounds. Two pairs come in this package, one for smaller ear canals and the other for larger ear canals. Hence, finding a proper fit is relatively easy.
They have an elongated pull tab that makes removing these earplugs quite easy. Eargasm claims their pull tab is longer than those found on other brands. At the same time, they are made of a non-toxic silicone that is also hypoallergenic.
They come with a storage case, which is designed to minimize space. Part of the storage container design lays the anti-slick interior, which means removing earplugs from the case is easy. Additionally, they will not slide around the case, which limits wear and tear. The case is waterproof, too. This feature means bacteria do not have the chance to grow inside the carry case.
10. Flents Flite Mate Pressure Reducing Ear Plugs
- Material: Silicone
- Amount: One pair
- Reusable: Yes and comes with a durable storage case
- Noise Reduction Rating: 22 decibel reduction
The Flents Flite Mate Pressure Reducing Ear Plugs are made of silicone and are said to be designed to alleviate ear pain caused by change in altitude like when taking off or landing on a flight. They come with a handy carry case which makes them easy to fit when backpacking. These are an economical since they can be reused multiple times and are easy to clean. Good choice when flying and needing to sleep on the plane.
What to Consider When Purchasing Earplugs for Sleep
When choosing earplugs for sleeping, in my experience you should consider the following things:
- Look for earplugs that state they are designed for sleeping
- Consider what is the level of noise reduction you need the earplugs to give you, some earplugs offer higher decibel reduction than others
- Choose the the type material the earplugs are made of, as some people find certain materials more comfortable than others
- Consider whether or not you want disposable or reusable earplugs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is There Something Better than Earplugs?
There are alternatives to earplugs for sleeping. Some of the alternatives include noise-canceling headphones, ear muffs, moldable earplugs, silicone putty, white noise machines, and sleep apps.
Do Cheap Foam Earplugs Work?
Yes, cheap foam earplugs can help reduce noise whilst you sleep. However, they are the best option for the highest noise reduction and the foam can irritate some users outer ear canals.
How Do You Wake Up if You Sleep With Earplugs?
You can use the vibration from your phone alarm or smartwatch or a light based alarm to wake you up from sleep whilst you wear earplugs as it can be difficult to hear your alarm clock in the morning.