With these cheap earbuds, it's hard to resist looking cool, and even harder to resist feeling cool, because these earphones are colorful, stylish, and come at a low price, all of which are sure to blow away those ubiquitous and plain white earbuds everyone seems to have these days.
Maxell Jelleez
Courtesy of Maxell
Maxell Jelleez earbuds come in colorful packaging only surpassed in brightness by the actual color of the earphones. They're available in vibrant colors with names like Caribbean Blue, Green Apple, Chili Pepper and Black Licorice. Each draws flattering attention to your public listening habit, and you can collect them all to match any outfit you can think of. And at a price of less than $15 per pair, why not have one for every season? Beware, however: the name can be misleading. There is nothing soft and "Jellee" about the hard molded plastic these earbuds are shaped out of. If you're looking for squishy, look elsewhere.
Skullcandy INK'D Earbuds
Courtesy of Skullcandy
Think you look stylish walking around with those plain white earbuds that came standard with your iPod? Try plugging in a set of these bad boys from Skullcandy, the hottest earphone company around. These earphones in the INK'D series are appropriately named -- they come in every color imaginable, from standard black or white to bold reds and blues. They're equipped with a soft tip to fit comfortably in your ear, and priced at just under $20, savor the flavor of this low-priced series. Skullcandy earphones can get pricey very fast.
JVC Marshmallow In-Ear Stereo Headphones
Courtesy of JVC
Available in the common hues of pink, green or blue, the JVC Marshmallow earbuds are soft and cuddly all over. They're a little less bold than some of the other earphones on this list, but they get the job done. The Marshmallows are soft and subtle, as their colors are a bit more subdued, for those audiophiles looking for style without drawing too much attention. Not to mention the audio quality is as good as it gets at this price, which is around $15.
Maxell Peanutz Earbuds
Courtesy of Maxell
Maxell's new Peanutz line of in-ear headphones come in an appropriately peanutty brown, and are shaped like the little legumes as well. Modeled with double-layered squishy pads, these are some of the most unique-looking earbuds you'll see. They're also extremely comfortable, and as you slide them into your ear, the pads create a suction cup-like action that holds them firm and tight in your ear. At under $15, you can find more colorful headphones, but perhaps not more interesting ones.
Philips Virtual Surround Sound In-Ear Headphones
Courtesy of Philips
Unique and expensive-looking, these Philips earbuds might be the best sounding earphones in their class. Just being seen with them will draw the envy of fellow music fans who have nothing more than the standard-issue earphones that came with their players to listen with. They come in two simple yet striking colors -- bright white and jet black -- each with the opposite color trim, making them unique and bold to match the quality of the sound they put out. At less than $20, you can't do worse.