David Pogue tested 40 Bluetooth earbuds to find the best of the best

my people: the way of the world is to go wireless.

First phone cords went away, then internet cables, then printer cords; power cords’ extinction is coming soon.

So why, then, are we so upset about losing earbud cords?

Yes, yes, OK: It’s a pain to have yet another battery to charge, and wired buds give you better sound quality for the dollar.

But wireless earbuds have compelling advantages, too—for example, they’re wireless. You don’t have to fish out a wiry mass from your bag, untangle it, avoid catching it on your clothing or furniture, or figure out how to thread it so it doesn’t drive you crazy when you’re working out or running.

Soon enough, the decision will be made for you. Motorola (MSI), LeEco, and Apple (AAPL) have begun eliminating the headphone jacks from their smartphones, and other phone makers are following suit.

When Apple removed the headphone jack from the iPhone 7, a popular cry was, “They just want to force us to buy their $160 AirPod wireless buds!” And yes, Apple would love that, but it’s not mandatory. The world is teeming with wireless earbuds that don’t come from Apple. Many are better, less expensive, or both.

How do I know? Because I’ve tested them out. Forty of them (40). My ear canals are practically bleeding at this point.

The winner: Detached earbuds

The Apple AirPods ($160) take it. Their design is far slimmer, and somewhat less goofy looking, than their bulky rivals, which look like you’ve jammed wine corks into your head. Each AirPod plays music for five hours on a charge, but when you slip them magnetically back into their little dental-floss box/case, they get a fresh charge—24 hours’ worth in all.