Planet Buddies Wireless Headphones Review
An easy choice for any parent looking for a fun wireless set
Verdict
The Planet Buddies Wireless Headphones are an easy choice for any parent looking for a fun wireless set that won’t blast their kids eardrums.
Pros
- Volume limited to 85dB
- Cute wireless design
- Incredible battery life
- Affordable
Cons
- Bad tonal balance
Availability
- UKRRP: £39.99
- USARRP: $49.99
- EuropeRRP: €44.99
- AustraliaRRP: AU$88.58
Key Features
- Adjustable headbandDesigned to fit small heads
- Creative designsCute mascots and educational packaging
- Better for your earsVolume limited to 85dB
- Listen with friendsSmart Music Sharing works wired and wirelessly
Introduction
Planet Buddies is one of the more interesting audio brands I’ve reviewed in recent times thanks to its combination of a fun design, sustainable packaging and kid-friendly volume limiting technology.
The Olive the Owl, Pippin the Panda and Colour and Swap wired styles differed slightly in design and feature sets but sounded pretty much identical when tested. However, one popular feature was missing – the ability to go wireless.
This is where the Planet Buddies Wireless Headphones come in.
Design
- The headphones feature a two-tone design with characters on the ears
- The fit is padded and comfortable
- The headphones feature buttons to control the music
Compared to Planet Buddies’ wired sets, the Wireless Headphones are most visually comparable to the Olive the Owl Wired Headphones I reviewed in 2021.
The on-ears feature the same low-key design with no stick out felt ears or customisable colouring sheets in the ear cups. However, the wireless headphones are by no means boring to look at with bold, dual-tone designs and the familiar Planet Buddies characters present on the ear cups.
There are also illustrations dotting the adjustable headband, adding detail to the upper part of the headphones. On the Pippin the Panda Wireless Headphones I tested, this means tiny pieces of bamboo, while the Olive the Owls are decorated with miniscule leaves and the Pepper the Penguins with fish.
The headphones themselves are comfortable, with plenty of foam to pad out the headband and the earcups, though its difficult to determine exactly how snug they’ll fit on the a child’s head considering mine is a bit bigger than the target audience.
The main design difference between the wireless headphones and the wired ones is the addition of buttons on the right earcup that circle the Planet Buddies character. On the right ear, you’ll find the power button, along with basic playback controls, including skip, go back and volume buttons.
The left ear also features embossed lines, which led me to expect more controls. However, there don’t appear to be any actual buttons on this side.
The headphones are foldable and come with a thin fabric carry bag. It isn’t the most sturdy bag I’ve seen, but it should do a good enough job of protecting the pair from getting scratched or scuffed.
The headphones also come shipped in 100% recyclable packaging, dotted with facts about your chosen animal (in this case, a panda), along with tips for kids on how to help protect the planet, such as walking to school or making a compost heap.
Features
- The headphones are volume limited to protect young ears
- There’s a smart music sharing feature to listen with friends
- The battery lasted 10 hours longer than Planet Buddies’ claims in my test
One of the most interesting features you’ll find across all headphones in the Planet Buddies range is volume limiting technology.
Kids using the wireless headphones won’t be able to push the volume beyond 85 decibels – the highest level recommended by the World Health Organisation for listeners aged three and over listening to up to 8 hours of music a day.
The feature is sure to offer parents some peace of mind when passing the headphones to their kids, though the limit is actually recommended for all ages. You can check out our review of the PuroPro headphones to see a more adult-friendly pair of volume limited headphones.
Otherwise, the Planet Buddies Wireless headphones don’t pack too many advanced features.
There’s no noise cancellation or transparency mode, for example, but again these headphones are designed for kids so you could argue there’s very little need for them to be decked out with this tech. It’s likely these headphones will see more use while doing homework and watching content on a phone or tablet than they will in busy environments like trains and offices.
There is a smart music sharing feature that allows kids to connect a second pair of headphones to the wireless ones wired and listen to music or watch movies with friends. This is basically a wireless version of the dual 3.5mm jack ports we saw on the wired Pippin the Pandas (which is also available here).
Like most wireless headphones, the Planet Buddies Wireless Headphones come with an aux cable, giving you the option to use them wired as well.
There’s also a built-in mic for when kids want to video call friends and family with the headphones on.
One of the most impressive features here is the battery life. Planet Buddies claims the headphones can last for up to 38 hours, but I found the battery ran for over 49 hours when I tested the headphones at a medium volume. That’s 10 hours more than Planet Buddies’ claims, so these headphones should be capable of lasting a long journey or multiple days of school runs.
The headphones come with a USB Type-C cable in the box for charging, but no support for fast charging.
Sound quality
- The volume limiting tech also limits dynamism
- The headphones are detailed but the tonal balance isn’t great
- The headphones are designed for kids not audiophiles
One of the biggest benefits to the Planet Buddies Wireless Headphones is their 85 decibel volume limit. This is an incredibly useful feature when it comes to protecting ears – especially young ones – from hearing damage. However, limiting the volume naturally limits how powerful the headphones will sound.
The lower volume was definitely noticeable when I first moved over from a regular pair of headphones, but it’s something I quickly got used to as I sat and listened to the Planet Buddies.
Regardless, it shouldn’t take you by surprise that these aren’t the most dynamic sounding headphones. Stay Alive by Jung Kook starts off calm and grows bigger as the song progresses, but the chorus doesn’t hit with the same power I’d get from even a pair of earbuds like the Jabra Elite 3, despite the Planet Buddies’ larger drivers and on-ear design.
Forever by Labrinth sounds better through the Planet Buddies. The headphones were able to pick out a good amount of detail from the track and the stereo image offered a clear sense of location, both of which felt impressive considering the low price of these headphones.
When I tested Planet Buddies’ wired headphones, I was surprised by how much presence the bass had and this is a quality that has clearly transferred over to the brands’ wireless headphones. However, the headphones do struggle with tonal balance and the bass doesn’t have the depth you’d get from more powerful headphones. The sound isn’t terrible, considering the cans are designed for young children and not adults, but it’s nevertheless worth noting.
Generally speaking, these are a decent-sounding pair of headphones that’ll be more than enough to get kids through any online classes, movie marathons and casual listening. The sound isn’t audiophile-level, but that isn’t really the target audience here.
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Should you buy it?
You’re shopping for a child: The Planet Buddies Wireless Headphones small (and adorable) design and volume limiting tech make them the perfect audio gift for kids.
You’re looking for flawless audio: The Planet Buddies sound is more than good enough for watching movies and completing schoolwork, but if you’re looking for perfectly balanced audio or a dynamic listen look elsewhere.
Final Thoughts
The Planet Buddies Wireless Headphones are essentially a more modern-feeling version of Planet Buddies’ wired headphones.
If you’re choosing between the two, I think there’s an argument to be made that bringing Bluetooth into the mix could make it more difficult for kids to set the headphones up themselves. That said, there are countless devices that no longer even come with headphone ports and you still have the option to use this pair wired, so you may want that versatility.
I can also see the addition of wireless music sharing being a useful feature when listening to music or watching movies with friends.
Regardless of which model you go for, Planet Buddies headphones remain a great choice for anyone in need of a cute pair of headphones that’ll protect their kids’ ears as they study and play. The audio isn’t perfect but, considering their audience, I think the volume limiting tech is a worthy trade-off.
How we test
We test every headphones we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use industry standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy.
Tested the headphones for a week
Drained the battery to see how long it lasts
Listened to music streaming services
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FAQs
The Planet Buddies Wireless Headphones are limited to volumes below 85dB, meaning they’re safer to listen to than louder headphones which run the risk of damaging your ears over long periods of time.
The headphones come in three designs – Pippin the Panda, Olive the Owl and Pepper the Penguins.
Full specs
Jargon buster
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a method of wireless transmission that allows for the exchange of data between devices over short distances.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
