Two-minute review
1More is a name you'll come across frequently when looking for earphones or headphones. Its products might not be the ones you'll flock to when money is no object, but they're still worth checking out if you're looking for features that stand out without breaking the bank - and that’s why the 1More Triple Driver In-Ear Headphones are our pick for the best earbuds you can buy today.
That continues to be the case with the 1More ComfoBuds Mini. These wireless earbuds offer a dependable, appealing audio performance at the relatively low price of $100 / £93 / AU$150.
Packing in active noise cancellation that works fairly well despite a bit of hissing, is a big advantage over other competitors at this price. However, it's the size we find most appealing. The 1More ComfoBuds Mini are tiny. 1More reckons they're the smallest pair in the world and we have no reason to doubt them.
If you have small ears in particular, the 1More ComfoBuds Mini live up to their name, feeling incredibly comfortable; they’re the kind of true wireless earbuds you can forget you're wearing.
Reminding us of our favorite fitness trackers we take on our daily walks, the beauty behind the 1More ComfoBuds Mini is simply not paying attention to their existence. You will need to spend a bit of time initially setting them up but once that's done, they simply just work.
That setup involves using the fairly straightforward 1More app. It lacks a full equalizer but you can use it to perform audio tests to get your music to sound how you like it most. Kind of like an eye test, it asks if you prefer sound A or B, building up a profile from your responses.
Expect to turn on ANC too as we found our 1More ComfoBuds Mini had it switched off by default until we dived into the app. It makes all the difference.
While it's not bulletproof ANC, it helped us zone out a bit more when walking along a busy road, and we didn't have to worry about noisy distractions unless we chose to by turning Transparency mode on.
Audio performance is pretty good too. Granted, the soundstage feels a little weaker and less all-encompassing than some competitors (we're looking at you, Nothing Ear (1)), but it's still good enough amongst the other useful features.
IPX5 water resistance makes the ComfoBuds Mini more rugged than many other noise-cancelling earbuds, and a battery life of about five hours with ANC enabled or six with it switched off kept us happy throughout the day. The rounded charging case holds an extra 15 hours when needed.
While the 1More ComfoBuds Mini aren't perfect, they're still very appealing for anyone on a budget. We can't quite get over just how small they are and for many people, that will be the biggest reason to snap them up.
1More ComfoBuds Mini price and availability
- Available now
- $100 / £93 / AU$150
- Available in two colors: white and black
The 1More ComfoBuds Mini are available now for $100 / £93 / AU$150. It's possible to buy them directly from 1More or you can buy them from third-party retailers like Amazon.
Both black and white varieties are available with prices roughly the same for both at this time. Don't count on any discounts yet as they've just launched.
Design
- Incredibly small
- Rounded charging case
- Capacitive touch controls
The 1More ComfoBuds Mini are incredibly compact earbuds. If you have small ears, you'll appreciate that they're easy to fit in securely without a problem, and they make a refreshing alternative to most other earbuds on the market, which tend to be similarly sized.
The charging case is relatively chunky in comparison but it has a satisfying clunk to it when you close it, with the earbuds easily nestled inside.
Each tiny earbud offers touch-sensitive controls. Those default controls are a little limited, with the ability to control playback, call management, and ANC right out of the box. In reality, you're best off delving into the app to add more useful features like volume control and track navigation.
The 1More ComfoBuds Mini also offer wear detection, which automatically pauses your music when you remove the buds from your ears. It's a little slower than we'd like, sometimes taking a second or two to catch up, but it's far more convenient than having to remember to pause music yourself.
Audio performance and noise cancellation
- 7mm dynamic drivers
- Reasonable noise cancellation
- Soundstage could be more immersive
You'll need to tweak the 1More ComfoBuds Mini to get the best audio and noise cancellation performance. ANC needs to be switched on initially and it makes a difference. While full ANC doesn't entirely block everything out, it does a reliable job of reducing background noise substantially (though we did notice a little hissing in the background).
You can use the 1More app to get the right sound profile for your needs. While there's no equalizer to manually tweak nor any presets to choose from, you can spend five minutes tuning things to your liking via the profiling feature. It makes a big difference and adds a sense of personalization to the listening experience.
Listening to What's Up Danger from the Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse soundtrack highlighted that, while the 1More ComfoBuds Mini offer a reasonably balanced performance, they don’t stand out as the exceptionally immersive earbuds.
The sound is pleasant, but there's a definite lack of power from bass frequencies. Most noticeably, the soundstage isn't particularly wide so you don't get that immersive feeling you get with earphones like the Sony LinkBuds or the NuraTrue. It was a similar story with Billie Eilish's Bad Guy, which didn't have the hypnotic sense of direction you get from a pair of AirPods Pro equipped with Spatial Audio.
However, switching over to David Bowie's Under Pressure demonstrated how the sound is consistently clean and the higher frequencies are suitably crisp.
We'd have appreciated some more bass power at times but it was hard to dislike the 1More ComfoBuds Mini's sound; it’s dependable if not remarkable.
Battery life and connectivity
- Up to five hours with ANC on
- Up to extra 15 hours with charging case
- Qi Wireless Charging
The 1More ComfoBuds Mini offer about five hours of playback with ANC switched on. As always, your mileage will vary depending on how loudly you're playing music. The number increases to six hours with ANC switched off and you get another 15 hours of juice from the charging case.
That battery life isn’t exceptional by any means, but the buds should last you for a day’s worth of listening and beyond without much trouble. A quick five-minute charge gives you about an hour of playback, which can be useful if you're just about to head out.
You can top up the battery life either via USB-C or by placing the charging case on a Qi wireless charging pad.
Connectivity is down to Bluetooth 5.2 which works well and ensures a stable connection. There's also support for SBC and AAC codecs but nothing more advanced than that, so you won’t be able to enjoy hi-res audio files.
Should I buy the 1More ComfoBuds Mini?
Buy them if...
You want the smallest earbuds
The 1More ComfoBuds Mini are delightfully small. Weighing barely anything and feeling great in your ears, it’s easy to forget you're wearing them.
You want a solid mix of features on a budget
The 1More ComfoBuds Mini don't exactly excel at one thing (except size) but they have a reliable mix of features that means they're good all-rounders.
You don't need a complex app
The SoundID profiling service is ideal if you want personalized sound but you're not sure where to begin.
Don't buy them if...
You want the best audio
The 1More ComfoBuds Mini don't offer the boldest sound which is hardly surprising at this price. More immersive earbuds tend to come at a higher price.
You prefer to have an equalizer at your disposal
SoundID is great but there's no equalizer to tweak or even a preset to choose from, so avid audiophiles will miss out there.
You need fantastic battery life
The 1More ComfoBuds Mini offer a reasonable battery life but it's not exceptional. If you need to use your earbuds for a long time without recharging, these aren't for you.
- Read our guide to the best cheap wireless earbuds you can buy today
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