Call us sound snobs, but we think that if you want genuine ANC, the premium segment is your only choice, as most headphones below Rs 20,000 are ineffective at blocking external sound. In India,, you are likely to have two choices in the premium ANC zone - the Sony WH-1000XM series or the Bose Quiet Comfort (QC) series. The Bose QC45 was launched lastyear at Rs 32,900. At that price, they were impressive. At Rs 19,000 now on Amazon, they are awesome!

What makes them special? The combination of ANC and audio quality. We think the Sony WH-1000XM5 actually have better ANC - everything literally goes quiet when you put them on - but their sound quality is not quite on this level. The Bose QC45 are VERY close to Sony in the ANC department and deliver the trademark warm, slightly bass-infected sound that is incredibly easy on the ears. And heck, they handle calls WAY better. Better than most smartphones even!

Another factor that makes the QC45 better than the Sony 1000XM5 in our opinion is comfort and ease of use. The ear pads are the most comfortable we have used (although we suspect they might wear out fast) and we love the fact that the headphones have a button-driven interface instead of asking you to touch, swipe and tap on touch panels. Touch might sound 'cooler' but take it from us, nothing beats a real, clicky button in real life conditions!

They are also handily compact (they fold inwards) and come in a very good carry box which does not hog too much space. Battery life is a very good 24 hours and there is fast charging over USB Type C - charging for 15 minutes gets you 2-3 hours of audio, Works smoothly with Android and iOS, with a helpful accompanying app. The ANC is top notch and kills a lot of noise, making them perfect for working in cafes and flights. And as we said, calling is the best!