One of the first criticisms lobbed at AirPods - even on the day they were announced - was how they seemed too easy to lose. So we have to start with the way AirPods fit, or don't fit, in your ears.

Great battery life; Good sound; Fixes some of Bluetooth's big problem

Won't fit everyone's ears; Open design lets in outside noise; Awkward looks

For $159, the AirPods offer a seamless, no-fuss setup for iOS devices, with a relatively hands-free way to access Siri. The Pods offer almost-instant connection with your iOS device, with 5 hours of battery life and an additional 24 hours via the handy-dandy charging case.

Lightweight; wireless design; Quick; seamless connection on iOS devices; Solid Siri integration; 5 hours of battery life; Great audio quality

Limited controls; Expensive to replace; Can be charged only with the charging case

Apple's AirPods are the best fully wireless earbuds you can buy.

Rock-solid wireless reliability; range; Best-in-class battery life; Fast; compact charging case; Independent earbud operation; Replacement parts available

Not suitable for fitness activity; Average sound quality; Expensive replacement parts

Delivering hours of enveloping, untethered sound and Siri assistance, Apple's new wireless AirPods elegantly perform in a way that promises to put a smile on your face no matter how terrible of a day you're having--a beautiful thing given how many ugly days 2016 has thrown at us so far.

I waited for the catcalls, odd looks and derision. They never came. Through two long walks along the streets and avenues of a crowded city, not a single person looked at my ears, asked me about them or, as far as I could tell, noticed me at all.

AirPods aren't meant for everyone. The EarPods that come in the box with the iPhone 7 are the earphones meant for the proletariat; AirPods are meant for people who want to free themselves from a life of tangled wires and a physical tether to their phones.

Apple AirPods have finally hit shelves. These wireless headphones were first announced at the 2016 iPhone launch event in a likely attempt to paint traditional audio jacks as things of the past. Are the tiny untethered buds capable replacements for our favorite headphones?

AirPods are the first completely wireless earphones from Apple, and they're sold as the perfect companion to the new iPhone 7 . In lots of ways, they're the best wireless earbuds you can buy right now, thanks to a rock-solid connection, easy setup and great battery life.

Strong Bluetooth connection; Great battery life; W1 chip is the future of wireless headphones

Sound quality not much better than average; Don't fit in all ear types; Design isn't for everyone

First of all, let's get this off our chest: the new Apple AirPods look a bit daft. Or, more specifically, they make you look a bit daft when wearing them.

Tiny and light; Pure wirelessness; Weighty; balanced sound; Good fit for most ears; Clever case that carries extra charge

Lack detail and dynamic subtlety; Siri isn't a good substitute for buttons; Attention-grabbing design; and not in a good way

With no headphone socket on the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus , you've either got to go Lightning connector or Bluetooth wireless. And the company is hoping you'll opt for the latter and buy into its wireless in-ear AirPods.

Easy to connect; work instantly across the Apple eco-system; carry case is the charger; sound isolation for calls and Siri control

Design will polarise opinion; lose the charging case you're stuffed; expensive; no audio upgrade compared to EarPods; can fall out; Siri control is sluggish