*Why I’m making room for EarPods in a world ruled by AirPods.*

For nearly the past decade, I have exclusively used Apple's AirPods and long ditched Apple's iconic wired earbuds. Whether getting caught on door handles, jammed in zippers, or the countless hours spent detangling them, EarPods became a menace I was all too happy to leave behind when AirPods debuted in 2016. And in my opinion, AirPods are one of the most most important products to come out of Apple, because just like the iPod & iPhone, they, in their own small way, revolutionized the industry when they arrived. But now I'm returning to the wired EarPods, at least part time, and felt it warranted a short little entry.

Why?

The reason for the return stemmed from a few frustrating moments with the AirPods. They'd be little things, like forgetting them on the way to the gym, wanting to play PlayStation late at night without waking the family, or even needing to listen to audio on my janky windows work computer which doesn’t allow any Bluetooth connectivity. Enough of these moments began to be sprinkled across my days that I decided to get a few pairs of EarPods and keep them scattered in the places I'd be most likely to need them.

For $28, I picked up a pair of EarPods with a 3.5mm headphone jack and Apple's 3.5mm-to-USB-C adapter. Apple sells a USB-C version of the EarPods, but this combo is way more versatile. If I'm using them with my iPhone, then the adapter is necessary. However, it can easily come off and I can use the 3.5mm jack plugged into my PlayStation, work computer, or any other device still sporting the old headphone port.

Tucked into a small pouch, a pair of EarPods can live in my gym bag and another in my everyday carry, so I'm covered no matter where I am; I'll never have to go to the gym and spend time with my thoughts again!

But wait, there's more! Here are a few more reasons to consider the EarPods:

Comfort

I've found every AirPods model comfortable for my ear shape, but they're bulkier than standard EarPods. If AirPods never seem to fit quite right, you might find the slimmer EarPods slip into your ears more comfortably than the plumper wireless AirPods.

Remote

I always hated tapping the stem to manage playback in the first two generations of AirPods, and despite years of practice, I still don't have much of a knack for the volume up/down of the AirPods Pro. I know you can manage the playback on the phone, or watch, or with Siri, but the EarPods really gave us the best solution decades ago - a dedicated play/pause, volume up/down, skip forward/back remote built right onto the cord itself.

Best Mic

People assert that the EarPods feature Apple's best mic for call quality over any other Apple wireless headphones. The one criticism I have is that while the mic is indeed good, EarPods lack the sound isolation smarts found in other AirPods and will pass along every bit of ambient noise. So if I'm on a call while cooking, tidying up, or walking outside on a windy day, every bit of that background noise makes its way to the person on the other end.

No Battery

I have a good charging routine, but I like having a pair of headphones that require no thought. If my AirPods run out after a long travel day, or I've gone a few days without charging them, it's reassuring to have a backup in my pocket that works with zero upkeep.

The absence of a battery can also appeal to those looking to make an environmental or sustainability statement. Unlike AirPods, whose non-replaceable batteries eventually die and send millions of tiny cells to landfills each year, wired buds avoid that problem entirely.

Cool(??)

Wired headphones seem to be making a bit of a comeback. Even the eye test around town seems to suggest an increasing number of people are using wired headphones. With wireless earbuds everywhere, some folks reach for wired buds to stand out. They've also even crossed into retro/vintage territory, carrying a nostalgia along with them in the same way that point-and-shoot cameras and vinyl records do. I'm probably too far gone for any of this cool to rub off on me, but that's not to say you won't benefit.

In Sum

*Nothing quite like the thrill of untangling wires for twenty minutes before enjoying a three-minute song.*

Don't get me wrong, I am still very much on team AirPods, but I have increasingly found use cases and situations where having a pair of good olde wired EarPods has proven quite useful. They don't need charging, they work with just about anything, and they've quietly aged into a little slice of tech nostalgia. They will still tangle and will snag a few door handles, but for the price of a couple of coffees, they've earned a permanent spot in my bag. Sometimes, the simplest tech still has a place in our very wireless world.

Ode to the EarPods