Sony WH-CH720N Wireless Noise-Cancelling Headphones

Teenagers wear headphones constantly, which makes comfort and battery life matter more than a spec sheet. The WH-CH720N nails both: at around 192g they are among the lightest over-ear ANC headphones going, so they stay comfortable through a long session, and the roughly 35-hour battery (with ANC on) means charging is a weekly chore rather than a daily one. A quick 3-minute charge also gives about an hour of playback for the mornings he forgets. Sony's noise cancelling is genuinely useful for tuning out a noisy bus or a sibling, and multipoint Bluetooth lets him stay connected to a phone and a laptop at once. The trade-off for the price is an unashamedly plastic build and no water resistance, so these are for everyday listening rather than the gym. For the money, they are the easiest recommendation on the list.