Almost every single pair of earbuds on the market are tossed away when something goes wrong. If the battery stops holding a charge, you throw them away. Fairphone wants to fix that with the Fairbuds, which the company describes as the most repairable earbuds on the market.
Instead of being forced to get a replacement pair of even the best wireless earbuds when something goes sideways, the Fairbuds are actually repairable. This means these could be the last pair of earbuds you have to buy, which is quite a change of pace from every other major brand.
What makes the Fairbuds different?
Fairphone says you can replace seven different parts on the Fairbuds if something happens. If need be, you can swap the earbud battery, silicone ring, earbud ear tips, charging case outer shell, charging case core, charging case battery, and the actual earbud.
As a nice bonus, not only are these repairable, but the company offers a three-year warranty. That means Fairphone is confident they won't break for an extended period of time, so you might not even need to use that repairability.
If you happen to misplace one of your earbuds, the company will let you order a single replacement without having to buy a whole new set. This could save you a lot of money if you're prone to losing stuff.
While all the repairability and longevity are nice, you also want headphones that sound good. Fairphone included some solid specs that rival other high-end models. There are 11mm titanium-coated drivers, three microphones per earbud, active noise-cancelation, Bluetooth multipoint, Bluetooth 5.3, an IP54 rating, 5 hours of battery life with ANC on, up to 26 hours of battery life with the case, and an app for equalizing the sound.
Fairbuds price and availability
Unfortunately, the Fairbuds aren't available in the United States to begin with. The company didn't announce plans to bring its earbuds to the U.S., but based on the delayed release of its phones, it's possible they could come at some point. Tom's Guide has reached to out Fairphone to inquire whether the company has plans for a U.S. release and will update this piece if and when we hear back.
Where are they available? They've launched first in Europe for €149 and for £140 in the U.K. The company offers them in white and black in both regions. The company says they'll ship now and arrive in a few days from its website.
