3M Pro-Grade Earmuff, Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) 30 dB, Lightweight & Adjustable Ear Muffs, Reduce Pressure Points For All-Day Comfort, Steel Wire Headband With Rubber Overmold Design (90565-4DC-PS)

TL;DR - great at-home earmuffs for adults with auditory sensitivity. Can be worn with earplugs but not AirPods.Disclosure: I bought these for my husband who is ASD and ADHD neurodivergent with hyperacusis. In other words, he’s mildly autistic, has severe ADHD, and is sensitive to sound. Neurodivergence in general and autism in particular are still highly misunderstood, and the stigma associated with “being autistic” is painfully alive and well. My husband is open about his own reality, so I am, too, and I use the terminology he prefers (i.e., being autistic versus having autism). Others have different preferences, though, so if you know someone on the spectrum, please be respectful and follow their lead, especially with regards to disclosure and terminology.Context: Most people seldom notice everyday background noise. My husband, however, is not most people. For him, the incessant barrage of little sounds can be intensely uncomfortable, both mentally and physically, and highly distracting. I picked these up for him to wear when working from home, and they’re now one of his can’t-live-without items.Effectiveness: These do a great job at REDUCING THE INTENSITY OF SOUND, which is what they’re designed to do.To put that in other words, THESE MUFFS ARE NOT NOISE CANCELLING, NOR ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO BE.These are simple barrier ear protection. If you’re not sure what that means, cover your ears with your hands. Yep, that’s all these do - just much more effectively than your hands. True noise cancellation requires creating a sound that negates the other sounds - hence the term “cancellation.” These muffs have no electronic components at all. They don’t need Bluetooth or a charger. You just put them on your head and voila, you’re the living embodiment of the Hear No Evil monkey figurine your grandma had on her mantle, except better because you can still use your hands.So, what effects do these muffs have on sound?-Loud noises like the neighbor’s kids shrieking are muffled enough to be bearable. That alone is enough to make them worth it.-Mid-volume sounds become ambient. If I speak at a normal volume, my husband says it sounds like a TV on in another room. He can understand me if he’s paying attention, but otherwise, it’s just background noise. [Yes, I’m aware that statement opens the door for a flood of jokes - I just don’t care. It’s the easiest way to explain the effect, so I’m rolling with it.]-Low volume ambient sounds like a lawnmower or the click of our dog’s nails on the wood floor are entirely suppressed.Because these muffs provide relief from noise without completely cutting off the outside world, they’re viable for daily use. They can also accommodate earplugs for additional noise reduction, which I’ll touch on more later.Comfort: These are surprisingly comfortable! The whole set is very light despite its bulk, and the cushions are soft and pliable. They’re not hot like over-ear headphones, nor do they put uncomfortable pressure on the head. My husband can even nap in them - sleeping on his back, of course.Size: THE SIZE CANNOT BE ADJUSTED! Not surprising for the price, but still important to note. I’m honestly not certain how to measure something like this, so I’ll try to give a frame of reference:- My husband: adult male, 5’11”, 165 lbs, wears 30x32” pants, 15.5” neck in dress shirts, and size 10.5 shoe- Me: adult female, 5’5”, 125 lbs, wears size 4/6 clothes, 8.5 shoe, 5.5/6 ringI am probably the smallest someone could be and still wear these comfortably. They don’t slip or even rest on the tops of my ears, but they do feel the tiniest bit loose.My husband is clearly in the size range these were intended for because they fit him perfectly. He can still pull one side a significant distance from his head, so they would also work for someone considerably larger than him, though I don’t know the upper limit of the range.Durability: These are industrial/construction earmuffs - the type stereotypically worn by big, sweaty dudes wielding jackhammers. They feel a little flimsy because they’re so lightweight, but I think it would actually take some real effort to break them.Appearance: These are definitely focused on function over form. They’re bulky, highly noticeable, and decidedly unfashionable. Whether that’s actually a problem is up to you. For me, the high visibility is great because I can easily see when I need to get my husband’s attention before speaking.Compatibility: These cannot be worn with AirPods or other earphones with stems. It seems like they should work, but the padding presses on the stem in a way that’s super uncomfortable. That said, they probably can be worn with earphones that sit more fully with the ear because they work with Loop Switch 2 earplugs, which are structurally similar.To sum it all up, are these the absolute best, be-all, end-all, holy grail product for every autistic adult with auditory sensitivity? Probably not. Everyone’s different. They’ve been beyond helpful for my husband, though, so if you’re in a similar boat, I highly recommend giving them a try.

They do exactly what I hoped for and were cheap, so five stars.I wear them over my Sony WF-1000XM4 Bluetooth noise cancelling earbuds in order to block out more noise without having to spend hundreds on good noise cancelling headphones. It works, I'm happy. Fits good, covers my whole ear without squishing and I have big protruding ears.I guess the only drawback is they're bulky, but I'm not sure if it would be possible for that to improve without compromising on sound insulation.

Comfortable, effective sound reduction. Even works at NHRA drag races!

We love them! We use these ear protectors for chain sawing, running blenders and other loud noises. We like the head bands size adjustment ability over and above some of the other option. My only complaint is the price keeps going up. I'm in hopes of it going down or there being a special on them, because we could use another couple of them.

Needed these for occasional use at work.

Checks all the boxes. Light weight, comfortable, adjustable, and does ac exceptional job of reducing extreme noise levels. Well worth the money.

These are good for their intended purpose, I would not recommend for anyone looking to block out noise for studying or to regulate noise sensitivity.

Bought these for indoor shooting range use. Have a pair of apparently identical Peltors. Both seem equally very quiet.