Our verdict
At £19.99, the Reflect Aero are unusually cheap sports earbuds with active noise cancellation (ANC), which uses microphones to hear outside noise and play an opposite sound to cancel it. They launched at £119, according to TechRadar and Tech Advisor. Both reviewers found the ANC fairly mild, so expect it to take the edge off steady noise rather than silence a train. The bigger strengths for exercise are the IP68 rating, meaning they are sealed against dust and can survive 1.5 metres of fresh or salt water for 30 minutes, and the included fins that lock them in your ears. Battery reaches up to 24 hours with the case. On 1 August 2026, the matched UK price was £19.99 for the Standard retail package configuration, so check the battery condition if the stock is old.
Buy it if
- You want cheap earbuds for the gym, running or swimming that will not fall out
- You switch between a phone and a laptop and want both connected at once
- A small reduction in background noise is enough for you
Skip it if
- You commute on loud trains or fly often and want strong noise cancelling
- You make lots of work calls and need your voice to sound natural
- You mostly listen to classical music or jazz, which Tech Advisor says suits them poorly
Featured in
How it would fit your home
Running and gym sessions
The fins hold them in place and the IP68 rating means sweat and rain will not harm them. Smart Ambient mode lets outside sound in when you run near roads.
A spare or starter pair
At £19.99 they make sense as a backup pair for the gym bag or a first, low-risk try of noise-cancelling earbuds.
Working at a desk
Multipoint lets you take a call on your laptop without unpairing from your phone. Keep calls short if clear voice quality matters.
The details, in plain English
Fit and water resistance
The Reflect Aero come with three sizes of stabilising fins and ear tips, so you can find a combination that stays put during exercise. Tech Advisor found them comfortable for workouts, although TechRadar felt the tips could be a little smaller. The IP68 rating means they are dust-tight and water-resistant: TechRadar and Tech Advisor report they can go 1.5 metres deep in fresh or salt water for 30 minutes. That covers heavy sweat, rain and a quick swim.
Noise cancelling
Active noise cancellation uses the earbuds' microphones (Tech Advisor counts six in total) to hear outside sound and cancel it. JBL's version adapts to your surroundings, but both reviewers found it underwhelming: TechRadar called it nothing to write home about. Treat it as a way to soften steady hums such as a fan or bus engine. Smart Ambient mode does the opposite, letting outside sound in so you stay aware of traffic or can chat without taking them out.
Sound and calls
Each earbud has a 6.8mm driver, the small speaker that makes the sound. TechRadar rated the sound very good for the money, but found vocals a little pushed back and the bass uneven. Tech Advisor found it suits hip-hop, dance and pop better than classical and jazz. The JBL Headphones app has a 10-band equaliser, so you can adjust the balance to taste. On calls, Tech Advisor says voices can sound unnatural.
Battery and charging
The earbuds and case together give up to 24 hours of listening. Tech Advisor quotes about 7 hours per charge with noise cancelling off and 6 hours with it on, and says 15 minutes of charging gives about four hours of play. Battery life shrinks with volume and with age, so if you buy old stock at this price, check how long a full charge lasts in the first few days.
Strengths and drawbacks
What it does well
- IP68 rating: dust-tight and able to survive 1.5 metres of water for 30 minutes, so sweat, rain and swims are no problem
- Three sizes of fins and tips to keep them secure while you run or train
- Up to 24 hours of listening including the charging case
- Multipoint Bluetooth 5.2: stay connected to your phone and laptop at the same time
- JBL Headphones app with a 10-band equaliser to adjust bass and treble
What to watch out for
- Both TechRadar and Tech Advisor found the noise cancelling fairly weak
- Tech Advisor says voices can sound unnatural on calls
- Vocals sound a little pushed back and bass can be inconsistent, according to TechRadar
- At this price, old stock is likely, so check battery health and the returns policy
Judge the Reflect Aero on fit, water resistance and battery life for the way you exercise. At £19.99 they cost far less than their £119 launch price, but if you need strong noise cancelling for commuting or clear calls for work, a pricier pair is the better match.
Alternatives we have reviewed
| Product | Our verdict | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
 JBL Reflect Aero (this one) | A very good-value pair of sports earbuds at £19.99 if you want a secure, waterproof fit for workouts, but not the right choice if strong noise cancelling or natural-sounding calls matter most. | £119.99RRP, RRP recorded 12 Oct 2026 | Check price |
 JBL Tune Beam 2 | A good choice if you want noise cancelling and long battery life for under £40 and can accept average call quality. | £79.99RRP, RRP recorded 12 Oct 2026 | Check price |
 Apple AirPods 4 | AirPods 4 suit iPhone owners who like an open fit and simple setup, but skip them if you need noise cancellation or a choice of ear tip sizes. | £129RRP, RRP recorded 12 Oct 2026 | Check price |
 Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation | A light, comfortable choice for iPhone owners who dislike rubber ear tips and want some help with steady travel noise, as long as you accept weaker noise cancelling and shorter battery life than the AirPods Pro 2. | £179RRP, RRP recorded 12 Oct 2026 | Check price |
Not sure it is the right one for you?
We email three options and one clear recommendation, around your budget and home, within three working days.
Worth reading next
Where our findings come from
Research-based review. We checked the exact product against the independent and official sources listed below. Specifications and findings quoted here come from TechRadar and Tech Advisor; we have not tested these earbuds ourselves.